Photo Credit: Katelynn Reiss
Line 1:
Claude Giroux – Sean Couturier – Cam Atkinson
The 1C spot for the Flyers is obvious. Couturier is a top 10 center in the NHL and the best two-way forward in the game. Putting Giroux on his left wing is also a no-brainer. Giroux is capable of carrying a club by himself when he gets hot. As we saw in 2017-18, he can put up league MVP numbers while playing with less talent. Playing next to Couturier and Atkinson will keep his scoring numbers high. The loss of Voracek will be felt throughout the season, no doubt, but Cam Atkinson brings something different to the table. He brings a shot-first mentality. I have him on the top line strictly because Giroux is a playmaker with excellent vision, Couturier is a phenomenal defensive center with an underrated offensive game, and Atkinson’s shooting rounds out a nice versatile top line that should yield big numbers especially with Giroux and Couturier playing on contract years.
Line 2:
Joel Farabee – Kevin Hayes – Travis Konecny
Hayes, assuming he is healthy (which he should be by opening night), is a lock as the 2C. After a bit of a down year last year, having a healthy Hayes will be big for this team’s depth. He does just as much as Couturier does for the Flyers just to a lesser degree. Farabee led the Flyers in goals last year and was their only 20-goal scorer. With the shortened 56 game season, I don’t think many people expected Farabee to be the only player to pot 20 goals. If Couturier played the entire season, he probably hits 20 as well, but Farabee’s year-to-year development was huge. If he hit 20 in 55 games, 30 in 82 games this year should be a realistic expectation. Konecny had a rough year in 2021, but I fully expect him to be back and better this campaign. After leading the Flyers with 61 points in 66 games in 2019-20, TK followed it up with a disappointing 11-23-34 line in 50 games in ’21. I expect Konecny to be back around his usual 25 goal mark with between 30-40 assists this season. Already dealing with a few trade rumors this summer, if he has another subpar year, Chuck Fletcher may decide to move on from him at the deadline.
Line 3:
James van Riemsdyk – Scott Laughton – Wade Allison
van Riemsdyk is coming off a really strong year. He started the year absolutely on fire, tied with Giroux and Voracek for the team lead in points, and scored the most powerplay goals on the team. Having him stay healthy the entire year gives the Flyers at least one 20-goal scorer on this line. Scott Laughton has been a consistent middle 6 player for most of his career. He brings tons of energy and is a very reliable secondary scoring option. Assist numbers for Laughton should go up this year playing with JvR and Wade Allison. Allsion, the 23-year-old winger, made his NHL debut last season. He played in 14 games posting 4 goals and 3 assists. Allison should see time on the second powerplay unit this season and should also be another reliable secondary offensive player. It would not surprise me if this line combined for over 60 goals.
Line 4:
Oskar Lindblom – Nate Thompson – Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Lindblom playing at all last year was incredible. The courage and toughness of this young man was extremely inspiring, and should never be forgotten. Hopefully he can return to his 2019 form before he was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma and missed the rest of the regular season. He led the Flyers with 11 goals at the time his season ended. Nate Thompson has been brought back to provide a strong defensive presence on the 4th line as well as experience and leadership. Thompson was acquired by the Flyers at the 2020 trade deadline just before the covid shutdown and then brought back through free agency this summer. Nic Aube-Kubel had a strong rookie season and high expectations going into last season. It is fair to say he did not really come close to meeting them. It seemed like he would unnessecary penalties every game, and his offense was inconsistent at best the entire year. He really needs to have a bounce back year and play disciplined hockey or else he could find himself being moved next offseason or even at this season’s deadline. If Thompson or Aube-Kubel can’t find their game relatively quickly, expect to see Morgan Frost get a good, long look from the Flyers’ brass.
Healthy Scratches (Forwards)
Morgan Frost (C/W)
Frost needs to be the first guy to come into the lineup if there is an injury or an underperformance by anyone. Frost is now 22 years of age and has played 22 NHL games since being drafted. The Flyers need to see what they have in him.
Jackson Cates (C)
Another guy who needs to play is Jackson Cates. He played in 4 games last season, notching his first career NHL point, an assist. Cates most likely will start in the AHL, but with a strong camp, and maybe an injury to one of the centers, he could become the 13th forward and stay with the team.
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Or you could have the lines read like this…
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This way you can avoid any confusion.
Great stuff. I initially assumed Atkinson would play with his buddy Hayes. But putting him on the top line with the Flyers best playmaker(s) makes a ton of sense.
One question… what makes you believe Jackson Cates is ahead of Tanner Laczynski?
I see Frost starting in AHL just to get some ice time and learn to get back to his game after his injury, then maybe he’s called up after 10-20 games. Would be better than healthy scratch, no?
I think Cates and Laczynski are neck and neck, but Laczynski is coming off hip surgery from April and is just now starting to get back. Might take a few games in the AHL to get it back. Frost doesn’t have much left to show in AHL, he needs to play in the NHL
I forgot about Laczynski injuring his hip. I agree about Frost, he SHOULD be ready and I sincerely hope he blows the doors off at camp to make it a no brainer for him to stick. Ideally I’d hope he can be 3C and Laughts be used on wing. It’s nice yo have depth.