Photo Courtesy of Kate Frese
The end of any year always brings out a period of contemplation and reflection, and 2016 is no exception. We often think about what went right and what went wrong for us, all while looking forward to what the next year will bring.
For the Flyers, 2016 was an interesting year. It was a year that saw them make the playoffs against many odds, as well as celebrate the ever-significant 50th anniversary milestone. It provided a glimpse at the team’s future, and of course, it provided more than its fair share of highs and lows.
With that said, here are the biggest Flyers figures of 2016:
16. Sean Couturier
It’s hard to believe that Sean Couturier is already in his sixth season as a Flyer — seems like it was just a year or two ago that he was the fresh-faced rookie out of the QMJHL’s Drummondville Voltigeurs that was shutting Evgeni Malkin down in the playoffs. While he did post a career-high 28 assists in 2015-16 and tied a career-high 39 points, the only thing preventing Couturier from climbing up higher on the list is just injury problems, which have kept him out of action for this campaign as well. Couturier’s figures from last season are still promising, and his two-way game is still continuing to improve.
15. Jim Jackson
It’s almost easy to take the smooth, dulcet tones of Jim Jackson for granted, but there’s no denying that he’s one of the top play-by-play voices in the NHL today. From the Legion of Doom era, to the Flyers teams throughout the 2000s that were ruthless in a Stanley Cup push and to the Ron Hextall era of today, Jackson has been there on Flyers telecasts, and will be for years to come.
14. Lou Nolan
Much has been made of the Flyers’ 50th anniversary celebrations this season, and one of the common threads that most of those memories have? Lou Nolan was there for them. 2017 will mark Nolan’s 45th year as the Flyers’ public address announcer. Whether or not it’s a booming “PECO power play!” or the enthusiasm when calling a big goal, Nolan truly adds to the Flyers’ in-game experience at Wells Fargo Center. The man should consider writing a book about his life and times in hockey — I’d gladly read it several times.
13. Radko Gudas
When the Flyers acquired Radko Gudas for Braydon Coburn and draft picks in 2015, they knew they were getting a rugged, young blueliner with a take-no-prisoners attitude. In his second full season as a Flyer, Gudas has shown that he can play a steady defensive game, though his biggest knock is that his style of play has led the NHL league offices to keep a tight leash on him. He’s earned two suspensions already as a Flyer, including a six-game ban at the start of this season. Whether or not it was a dump-in goal against Columbus or a legendary zone keep against Pittsburgh, Gudas has shown that he’s more than a player that worries about having to toe the line between dirty and clean.
12. Michal Neuvirth
Though he’s looked a bit shaky at the start of the 2016-17 campaign, Michal Neuvirth still established himself as a decent option when the Flyers picked him up as a free agent last summer. Neuvirth had established himself as a bit of a journeyman, but he exceeded expectations in his first year as a Flyer with a 29-18-8 record, as well as a .924 save percentage and a career-best 2.27 GAA.
11. Travis Konecny
It’s hard to rank one of the Flyers’ dynamic rookies over the other, so I’ll use draft positions as a tiebreaker. Flyers fans got a glimpse of what Konecny could have been capable of at the start of the year, when his Ottawa 67’s traded him to Sarnia — their reasoning being that he was just too good for the junior ranks, and wouldn’t be sticking around in the next season. Konecny made the big club at the start of the season after a strong training camp, and is continuing to develop at a rapid pace.
10. Ivan Provorov
Another dynamic rookie, Ivan Provorov has turned eyes across the league. He’s only played in 36 career games, but he already looks like he’s been around a few years. His three goals and 15 points are third amongst rookie blueliners. The Flyers’ future is looking bright, and players like Konecny and Provorov are a big reason for it.
9. Jakub Voracek
Jakub Voracek’s offensive struggles were well-known in the 2015-16 season, but through the first half of 2016-17, he’s bouncing back. With 11 goals in 36 games, he’s already matched his goal totals from last season. Voracek found twine at least 22 times in three of the last four seasons, and he surely looks to replicate the feat this season. He’s also one of the team’s more affable personalities, and the fun he has on the ice is always paramount.
8. Steve Mason
Throughout his Flyers career, Steve Mason has developed a reputation for bailing out the defensemen in front of him on a nightly basis, but he had shown signs of shakiness throughout the 2015-16 season. Perhaps his low-water mark was the goal allowed to Jason Chimera in Game 2 of the Flyers’ first-round series against Washington. Mason, however, showed an ability to bounce back, and was a catalyst in the Flyers’ recent 10-game winning streak earlier this month. He’s been climbing atop the Flyers’ all-time win leaders this season, and is expected to be the third goalie to reach the 100-win mark soon enough.
7. Wayne Simmonds
One of the heart-and-soul types on the Flyers’ roster, Wayne Simmonds continued to endear fans throughout 2016 with his tough, gritty style of play that’s well-appreciated in this city. In an era that places premiums on speed and skill, Simmonds succeeds with an immovable net-front presence, coupled with a reckless and ferocious style of play. The ‘Wayne Train’ hit the 30-goal mark for the first time last season with a 32-goal campaign, while also tying a career-high 60 points.
6. Dave Hakstol
Dave Hakstol joined the Flyers in 2015-16 after a lengthy career at the University of North Dakota as one of college hockey’s best coaches, and immediately established himself as a calming, yet expecting, presence behind the bench. He guided the Orange and Black to the playoffs as the final seed, when many had already written them off at the start of the season. It’s no secret at this point that the Flyers have a promising young corps, and Hakstol has been seen as the ideal solution to helping their development. Even though Hakstol’s still learning on the job, he’s already proving that he belongs behind an NHL bench.
5. Claude Giroux
It may seem hard to believe, but Claude Giroux is in his fifth season as Flyers captain — the team’s longest-tenured captain since Eric Lindros. Giroux’s win-at-all-costs style of play was instrumental in the Flyers’ playoff push, and he’s one of those players that has the ability to break a game open at any time, all while bringing out the best in his linemates. One of the league’s elite players, his 474 points are most among players since 2010.
4. Brayden Schenn
Brayden Schenn elevated his game in the latter half of the 2015-16 campaign, and the end result was career-highs in goals (26), assists (33) and points (59). That performance not only earned him a four-year, $5.125 million contract in the offseason, it carried over into this season. He’s on pace to crack the 20-goal mark for the third time in his career, and continue to be a mid-line presence the Flyers have been looking for.
3. Ron Hextall
Entering the third year of Ron Hextall’s plan, the Flyers are already in shape for a great future. He selected 10 players in this year’s draft, including German Rubstov, Wade Allison and Carter Hart, and managed to free the Flyers of the burdensome contracts of Luke Schenn and Vinny Lecavalier. One of the biggest indications of Hextall’s eye for young talent is the nine Flyer prospects currently playing in the World Juniors tournament — by far, the most of any team in the NHL. Hextall’s plan is coming to fruition, and the Flyers are all the better for it.
2. Shayne Gostisbehere
Shayne Gostisbehere’s path to the NHL wasn’t exactly an easy one — it took a Mark Streit injury to get there — but he got himself off to a skyrocketing start. His silky play rejuvenated the Flyers, and he jumped out to a 15-game points streak — an NHL record for rookie defensemen. He became the first rookie to score four overtime goals in a season, and the rest of the league took notice as to what he was capable of, as he finished as the runner-up for Calder Trophy voting. The ‘Ghost Bear’ confirmed to Flyers fans that the future was brighter than originally thought, and he’ll be a fun fixture on their blue line for years to come.
1. Ed Snider
A Flyer forever. Ed Snider’s passing in April wasn’t just the passing of a Flyers great; it was the passing of a true fixture in the NHL as well as the rest of the Philadelphia sports community. His love and passion for the Flyers was well-known, and he’ll be remembered for being one of the most interesting and entertaining owners in all of professional sports. The Flyers would not be what they are today without the passion and drive of Snider, and his legacy will continue to live on.
