Photo Credit: Our very own Ricky Brown
When Ryan Ellis was acquired by Flyers’ General Manager Chuck Fletcher. He knew he was receiving a player that was a leader with the Nashville Predators, as he wore an “A” in the same token. However, what is kind of surprising is, Ellis in just a short period of time has emerged as a leader inside the Flyers locker room already, “I see him spending a lot of time with Provy off the ice, talking to one another,” Alain Vigneault said. “On the ice, he’s always looking to help steer the right way. His teammates have had some real good conversations with him since he’s been here and since I’ve been here. Everything that he was promised to be, it’s exactly what I’ve seen so far. He’s going to be a real big addition to our team.”
“Provy is a beast in the gym, so I kind of just follow him around,” said Ellis. “I just want to get as big as Provy and do my thing with him. He loves the game. I didn’t think that anyone loved it more than I did, but he’s right up there. He’s always here early. We always get here at the same time. Like I said, we just follow each other around and try to do our best to get to know each other.”
A steady Right-Handed Defenseman in Ellis, who stands at 5’10 and weighs 180 pounds will be a top pairing veteran Defenseman with Ivan Provorov. Finally, the Flyers have replaced the loss of Matt Niskanen, as Fletcher banks on Ellis to help mold Provorov.
Ellis is a very good defender, and he will stick up for his teammates. He has good offensive instincts and great mobility. Ellis can move the puck quickly out of danger, and owns a powerful point shot.
“He (Ryan Ellis) has a lot of those same qualities as Niskanen as far as that steadying presence. No moment seems to be too big for him. He comes in, goes about his business and is super effective with how he approaches and plays the game. He is a super-efficient player. I think he is going to be a big part of what we are doing and are happy to have him.”– James van Riemsdyk
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This 30-year-old Defenseman in Ellis is great with gap control. He suffocates his opponents, and has no problem transitioning from the defensive zone. Gone are the days the Flyers have trouble with getting out of their own end with him on the ice. Ellis is a great compliment to the young Ivan Provorov, as he can provide tutelage and mentor Provorov. Ellis was an assistant captain for a reason with the Predators, “We feel a guy like Ryan will also aid in the development of some of our young players that we have here too,” Fletcher said after obtaining Ellis. “We want to win more games, and we want our young players to be put in the best position to succeed. Ryan, again, checks a lot of boxes for this organization, and we paid a price to get him.”
Ellis has never been a physical defender who bullies opponents off the puck, but he’s an exceptional mobile defenseman that can quickly cover opponents when his responsibilities shift. Ellis has acute vision of the ice, and sees the open man well which allows him to accelerate to cover ground. He’s good at back checking and being defensively responsible.
He was hurt last year, and nagging injuries have been a detriment to how good of a Defenseman he really is, but when healthy he’s a handful or a pest to deal with. He’s excellent with clearing the crease, and that’s an area that the Flyers need help in. Ellis provides experience for a young backend that the Flyers currently have (Average age 27.5 last season). Ellis registered five goals, and 13 assists in 35 games played, as he missed 4-6 weeks with an upper body injury.
The former Nashville product sustained multiple concussions in early 2020 before the season was halted due to the coronavirus. One of the concussions he sustained was due to an elbow by Corey Perry in the outdoor game. However, he bounced back and played well for the Predators.
All in all the Flyers finally have a clear cut number one pairing in Provorov and Ellis, and the two are spending a lot of time together while building chemistry. Let’s hope this is a sign of good things to come, and it all starts tonight at 7pm.
