Photo Credit: Philadelphia Inquirer
Noah Cates says, “I think just getting bigger, faster, and a little quicker,” when asked what he needs to improve this off-season. “Different things like that to get myself the best chance for next year to be successful. I definitely always work on those things in the summer and it’ll be nice to have a full summer back home to work on those things. Looking forward to taking a little time off and reflecting on the season and kind of looking at things to work on, definitely those things and then some other plays and what not are what I’m going to be working on this summer.”
Getting bigger, stronger, faster or common goals for young prospects to make it at the next level. For Cates, he had one heck of a showing in a small sample size to think he could at the very least compete in the Fall for a full-time spot with the Flyers out of Training Camp. His line of Owen Tippett and Morgan Frost became the Flyers most consistent line and the latter parts of the season. It’s hard to envision that line being separated next season, but it all depends on whom Chuck Fletcher ads through the draft and free agency.
“It was obviously big going into the summer, and next training camp, knowing what to expect and what the pace is like, and different things like that was I think kind of the question mark,” Cates said when asked if gaining this NHL experience was helpful. “What I was focused on was the pace of the game. Definitely didn’t think I was out of place, but I think I could improve this summer and get to playing a little faster. Be able to generate a little more.”
He skated well, was confident and poised while joining the big club. Cates creates turnovers in the neutral zone by suffocating his opponents, and sealing their gaps. This is a highly underrated area of his game. Throughout his collegiate career he was very good at forcing turnovers in the neutral zone, thus creating an odd man rust the other way.
The young 23-year-old in Cates logged an average of 13:15 of ice time, finished with five goals and four assists in 16 games played, to include one power play goal, registered 21 hits, forced 10 takeaways, and blocked six shots a small sample size with the Flyers. Not a bad start to his NHL career by any means, “I think that’s a big part of my game,” Cates said in response if the team needs to get harder to play against. “It’s little things. It’s stopping on pucks, having a good stick. Being physical. Not blowing guys up. Just kind of little things that you don’t like when players do to you, you’ve got to do to them. I think that’s a huge part of my game. Just the kind of things that I need to bring to the table on stopping those pucks and little stick details.”
“It’s a business here and things change. I think just learning from my brother was the biggest thing I took away from him signing early. Just kind of a maturity thing that you need to realize coming to this level, but you’ve got to give yourself the best chance. I thought I played pretty well in the fifteen or so games I played here but doesn’t really matter. They’re just trying to put the best team on the ice. I’m trying to be part of that and turning this thing around. A good summer will give me the best chance to do that.” – Noah Cates
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One of the main reasons he is an NHL caliber player, and should be considered as such is his skating. He skates very well, and that gives him a physical edge to his game. Cates impressed in his short stint with the Flyers, and this should give him momentum this offseason to make the big club next season.
“I took away that I can play at this level. I can make plays at this level and play at this pace,” Cates says further validating his point of being NHL ready. “I think that was, like I said, a big question mark when I was coming in. In these past four or five years being drafted here, I think that was kind of the question mark surrounding me. It’s nice being a little acclimated to the pace, and I think a good summer I can be right there again. Really happy that I had this month and saw everything I needed to see with what an NHL season looks like, what a month looks like so definitely good. Kind of hit the refresh button, like I said, this summer and be ready for camp.
