Photo Credit: Katelynn Reiss
Everyone knows by now how tough it was for the Flyers last season . No Sean Couturier, no Cam Atkinson, and of course no Ryan Ellis. However, the orange and black were competitive on most nights. Travis Sanheim was average last season, not bad, just average. The good thing is he knows he can be better and he wants to further his game into a more reliable defenseman, “Provy was an unbelievable defenseman, and he logged a lot of minutes. Somebody has to take those minutes,” Sanheim said last week at Training Camp. “I want to be a guy that can step up, and kind of grab a hold of those opportunities. Obviously, that’s going to be decided here in camp and into the season.”
The young 27-year-old, 6’3 181 pound, Travis Sanheim was the Flyers most steadiest defenseman two seasons ago. Paired alongside Rasmus Ristolainen for the majority of the season, the two played well together for the most part, as Sanheim was very consistent. The one area that Sanheim should have received more playing time was the Power Play. It was time to take the gloves off these younger guys, and see what the Flyers had with the man advantage at the time. That was then, this is now. Sanheim has to be more consistent, and that has been one flaw to his ever growing game, “It sucks” when Sanheim talked about the trade rumors he was involved in this past offseason, most notably being traded for Torey Krug (Amongst other players), “I didn’t see anything,” Sanheim said with a laugh. “There was probably a week there were there was lots going on. I was on my phone pretty well every day It’s not a position you want to be in but it’s a business. I understand it, I understand where the team’s at.”
Sanheim continued, “We got to try to grow the back end. I want to be a leader back there. I want to lead by example and have a good season. He then elaborated on his and Head Coach John Tortorella’s relationship, “We had a good relationship,” Sanheim said. “We know each other better now. He understands me, kind of what I’m all about. I understand his expectations, and I think it’s going to be a good thing. Same thing with Jonesy (Keith Jones the Flyers’ team President) coming into camp. I’m looking forward to this year and put last season in the past.”
“Sanny and I are still working through some things together,” Flyers’ Head Coach John Tortorella said last week at Training Camp. “I think it’s going to be a lot smoother this year.”
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As Sanheim enters the first season of an eight-year, $50-million extension, he looks to put last season in the past and move on. Well, if last night is any indication of that, then he is ready to move on. Sanheim said he added about 17 pounds of muscle this past offseason, and he came to camp in great shape. Last night, he looked well conditioned, calm, poised, and did not make many mistakes. Flyers’ General Manager Danny Briere said that Sanheim came into camp in great shape, and was one of the most fittest players in that locker room.
Kudos to Sanheim to putting to rest, at least for now, all the naysayers that say he is a bad Defenseman. Sanheim played better than Ivan Provorov last night, as Provorov turned the puck over on numerous occasions. The difference is that Sanheim was confident in his game, in a sense that he knew he could make the right plays.
“For years he’s been a good player,” Couturier said of Sanheim. “He’s been Provy’s shadow. He worked hard this Summer and gained some pounds. He must be hard to play against and it’s good to see him grow into a number one dman.”
“Through the game he wanted it,” John Tortorella said following the game. “He wants to take control of the game. He’s had that attitude since day 1 of camp. He played very well.”
The sky is the limit for Sanheim, as expectations of consistency will be surrounding him throughout the course of the year, “I’m here today. There’s a reason I signed here for eight years. I want to be in Philadelphia, I’m excited. I like the group that we have,” Sanheim said.
