Writer: Kevin Durso
Gostisbehere adds to impressive season in Flyers win over Capitals
I have been writing for Sports Talk Philly since 2011. Currently editor and lead writer of Philadelphia Flyers coverage. Co-host of the YWT Podcast. I also am Flyers insider for 97.3 ESPN-FM in South Jersey. I graduated from Cabrini University in 2014.
All posts by Kevin DursoPublished28 Jan 2016
The Flyers get a five-day break, along with the rest of the NHL, as the All-Star Game takes place in Nashville this weekend. Claude Giroux is the Flyers lone representative.
That said, another Flyer could certainly be entering the All-Star discussion as soon as next season. Flyers rookie Shayne Gostisbehere, who has arguably put up All-Star numbers in his first season with the team, added to his already impressive season in the Flyers win on Wednesday in Washington.
Gostisbehere assisted on Brayden Schenn's power-play goal in the first and Jake Voracek's overtime winner. The two-point game was Gostisbehere's fifth multi-point game of the season. Per Elias Sports Bureau, Gostisbehere is the first rookie defenseman to record five or more multi-point games in his first 30 career games since Kevin Shattenkirk of the St. Louis Blues recorded five in his first 21.
Gostisbehere also enters the All-Star break among the top candidates for the Calder Trophy. Ghost is third among all rookies in points per game with 0.759. He trails only Connor McDavid, who is averaging 0.923 points per game with 12 points in 13 games, and Artemi Panarin, who is averaging 0.868 points per game with 46 points in 53 games. Gostisbehere has 22 points in 29 games.
| Points Per Game for Rookies | ||||||
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | P | Points Per Game |
| Connor McDavid | EDM | 13 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 0.923 |
| Artemi Panarin | CHI | 53 | 17 | 29 | 46 | 0.868 |
| Shayne Gostisbehere | PHI | 29 | 8 | 14 | 22 | 0.759 |
| Dylan Larkin | DET | 48 | 15 | 18 | 33 | 0.688 |
| Jack Eichel | BUF | 50 | 16 | 18 | 34 | 0.680 |
| Max Domi | ARI | 49 | 13 | 19 | 32 | 0.653 |
| Anthony Duclair | ARI | 48 | 13 | 12 | 25 | 0.521 |
Overall, Gostisbehere is tied for sixth among all rookies with 22 points. All other rookies ahead of him have been with their teams for the duration of the season. Gostisbehere has as many as 24 games fewer than those in front of him.
In addition, the Flyers franchise record for points by a rookie defenseman is 49 by Behn Wilson in the 1978-79 season in 80 games played. Gostisbehere would need 28 points over the team's final 35 games to set a new record. Wilson also holds the record for goals and assists for a Flyers rookie defenseman with 13 goals and 36 assists.
The 22 points also has Gostisbehere easily ahead of the pack for rookie defensemen. Gostisbehere has a three-point lead on Colton Parayko of the St. Louis Blues, who has 19 points in 49 games. The next highest defenseman is Colin Miller of the Boston Bruins, who has 15 points in 36 games.
| Points for Rookie Defensemen | |||||
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | P |
| Shayne Gostisbehere | PHI | 29 | 8 | 14 | 22 |
| Colton Parayko | STL | 49 | 6 | 13 | 19 |
| Colin Miller | BOS | 36 | 3 | 12 | 15 |
| Ben Hutton | VAN | 43 | 1 | 12 | 13 |
| Brett Pesce | CAR | 41 | 4 | 8 | 12 |
Those are the numbers of a future All-Star and a budding superstar in the making. Gostisbehere has also been one of the most consistent pieces to the Flyers offense of late, even during a three-game losing streak that was snapped on Wednesday night. With the two-point game in Washington, Gostisbehere is on a four-game points streak.
Gostisbehere and the Flyers return to the ice on Tuesday night when they host the Montreal Canadiens at 7 p.m.
Kevin Durso is managing editor for Flyerdelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Durso.
