97.5 The Fanatic Flyers Roundup: Carter Hart Injury, Morgan Frost & Gators
Can the Philadelphia Flyers survive if Carter Hart is dealing with a long-term injury? They might have to. The 25-year-old goaltender suffered a mid-body injury against the Buffalo Sabres on Nov. 1.
After a strong start to the 2023-24 season, the Flyers have lost three consecutive games and five of their last six to fall to 4-5-1. They’re anxiously awaiting injury news.
Carter Hart Injury
The Flyers had their best stretches of the 2022-23 season when Carter Hart was at his best, and an injury could officially evaporate the early-season momentum they built in 2023-24.
Hart won the Bobby Clarke Trophy as the team’s MVP last season despite a suspect defensive structure in front of him. He started 2023-24 with a 4-3 record in eight starts, a .913 save percentage (SV%), and a 2.52 goals-against average (GAA).
His goals saved above expected (GSAx), considered the most comprehensive advanced stat to measure goaltending, is just below the mean at -.3.
Sam Ersson will take over as the top netminder. His GSAx in 2023-24 is the worst of any NHL goaltender. Three appearances don’t define his abilities, but he has a lot to prove at the NHL level.
The 2018 fifth-round pick showed flashes of excellence in 2022-23 during a stretch in late December and early January when both Hart and Felix Sandstrom dealt with injuries.
John Tortorella typically delegates technical instruction to goaltending coach Kim Dillabaugh. However, the head coach regularly evaluates the way his goalies carry themselves.
“I think he (Ersson) self-evaluates very well. That’s a really important part of a player, their self-evaluation. I think he’s very strict with that, as far as how he feels about himself. I think that’ll get him through it.” -Tortorella
Morgan Frost Back in the Lineup
Frost sat out six consecutive games while the trade speculation flew around and the debates raged. He didn’t sound quite so intense when he spoke about his return to the lineup.
“I don’t want to go anywhere, I think I’ve made that pretty clear. Even in talking with my agent or whoever else it may be, I never had any intention of that. I can’t control what management does, but I obviously didn’t ask for a trade. I don’t want to get traded. I love it here. I love playing here, and I think I can make a big impact here.” –Morgan Frost
The former first-round pick didn’t perform up to the right standard in the first two games of the season, which led to the healthy scratches. He hasn’t found the scoresheet since returning, but he has shown visible improvement.
His bursts of speed as a puck carrier have helped the Flyers generate scoring chances in two losses against goaltenders who’ve played well above average. He even threw two strong bodychecks in a matchup against the Buffalo Sabres.
His increased ice time is also an indicator that John Tortorella is willing to give him additional opportunities to work himself into a bigger role.
Tortorella On Flyers Expectations
The Flyers bench boss knows full well that his team isn’t as talented as some of the Stanley Cup contenders. However, he doesn’t want to encourage a mindset of moral victories during a losing skid.
“I’ve got to be careful in just staying patient and learning from that. Losing sucks. At the end of the night, when you lose, it sucks. I have to be cognizant of where we’re going, where we want to get to, and the process we have to go through.” -Tortorella
The newly-constructed front office trusts the veteran head coach. They look to him as the voice who can stabilize the organization during the pain of a rebuild.
Tortorella spoke after the loss to the Sabres on Nov. 1 about maintaining the right attitude within the room.
“Sometimes, when you think you’re doing okay, you’ve just got to stay with it. That’s a big part of my responsibility right now with some of the players because I think there’s frustration already.” -Tortorella
It’s easier for NHL coaches with lineups loaded with talent to let their players have space. It’s more difficult for the coach of a rebuilding team to find the correct balance between finding positives in losses, correcting mistakes, and encouraging overall continuity while developing young talent that will survive the rebuild.
Let’s see how John Tortorella responds to the challenge.
Emotional Support Alligators
The Phillies turned away an “emotional support” alligator from entering the gates at Citizens Bank Park in the final days of the 2023 regular season.
The Flyers had no problem accommodating the (hopefully?) trained reptile. The gator, whose name is Wally, posed for pictures with Gritty at the Wells Fargo Center on Monday night during a matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes.
John Brazer, Phillies Director of Fun & Games, told The John Kincade Show that the alligator wasn’t an option as a rallying cry for the MLB Playoffs.
The Flyers lost 3-2 to their Metropolitan division rival. If nothing else, they did catch the eyes of some fans who would’ve tuned out otherwise.
The emotional support alligator has entered the building. #chompchomp #letsgoflyers pic.twitter.com/QSswJ3PWAS
— amy 38Photography (@flyersgirl38) October 30, 2023
Watch The John Kincade Show live on the 97.5 The Fanatic YouTube page on weekday mornings from 6am-10am.
The New Era of Orange: Meet the 2023-24 Philadelphia Flyers
Travis Konecny (RW)
Konecny is the sparkplug that embodies the attitude the Flyers need to carry through the rebuild. He set a career high with 31 goals last season, and Tortorella will count on him as one of the leaders of the team helping less-experienced players grow into bigger roles.
Sean Couturier (C)
The former Selke Trophy winner missed the final 53 games of the 2021-22 season and the entire 2022-23 season. Couturier is the longest-tenured member of the Flyers and their most accomplished scorer. While the 30-year-old doesn’t necessarily fit the timeline of the organization’s rebuild, his contract runs through 2029-30. He must prove he’s capable of staying healthy to avoid becoming an albatross contract that handcuffs the Flyers.
Owen Tippett (RW)
Tippett broke out with 27 goals in his first season as a full-time NHL player in 2022-23. The Flyers acquired the former 10th-overall pick in the trade that sent Claude Giroux to the Florida Panthers in March 2022. He earned the respect of John Tortorella by taking the impact of his game to a new level, and he is one of the centerpieces of the organization’s rebuild.
Joel Farabee (LW)
An offseason neck injury and ensuing surgery certainly didn’t help Joel Farabee get into a rhythm during the 2022-23 season. The 23-year-old winger is back fully healthy after two underwhelming statistical offensive seasons in 2021-22 and 2022-23.
Cam Atkinson (RW)
The 2022-23 season was a nightmare for Cam Atkinson. An injury in training camp was supposed to be a short-term issue, but it ultimately kept him out for the entire season. The 5-foot-8 right winger is now 34 approaching the end of an impressive NHL career, but he can stay play a key role as a top-six forward and a penalty killer in 2023-24.
Morgan Frost (C)
He is one of the most polarizing players in the world of the Philadelphia Flyers. Morgan Frost struggled to find his footing early in his NHL career, but a strong offensive output in the second half of the 2022-23 season earned him a spot in the lineup in 2023-24. The former top prospect must prove himself during the span of his new two-year bridge contract to earn the respect of a demanding head coach who has consistently pushed him hard during their time together.
Scott Laughton (C/LW)
There are not many people who don’t have a tremendous amount of respect for Scott Laughton. Teammates, fans, coaches, and media praise the veteran because of his demeanor and leadership and his impressive journey to become a full-time NHL player. The reputation convinced Danny Briere to pass on a legitimate trade market and hang on to Laughton as part of the leadership core that could help the Flyers bridge to the future.
Noah Cates (C)
Noah Cates couldn’t have been more impressive during his rookie season in 2022-23. He was one of only three Flyers to play 82 games, and he established himself as a reliable shutdown defensive center. Cates received votes for the Selke Trophy (Best Defensive Forward) and the Calder Trophy (Rookie of the Year). Tortorella hopes to see his young center take another step offensively in 2023-24 after posting a solid numbers with 13 goals and 25 assists last season.
Tyson Foerster (RW)
The rebuild will depend on the development of young players with the talent to become contributors at the top of a lineup for a Stanley Cup contender, and Tyson Foerster will be a major factor. At age 21, he faces his extended chance to contribute at the NHL level after an impressive run in the Ontario Hockey League and the AHL. He has the ability to become the type of dangerous sniper who can be the focus of a power-play unit.
Bobby Brink (RW)
The surprise of the 2023 preseason earned himself a spot on the NHL roster to begin the season. The 2019 second-round pick led the NCAA in scoring two seasons ago, but an injury kept him from gaining momentum in 2022-23. Brink is a smaller playmaker who must compensate for the lack of size with excellent puck skills. He has his opportunity on a rebuilding Flyers team looking for young players to break out and prove themselves as full-time NHLers.
Nicolas Deslauriers (LW)
While the NHL has transitioned into a new era, some tough guys like Nicolas Deslauriers have maintained roles. He finished with only six goals and six assists in 80 games in 2022-23, but the organization values his experience and physicality enough to count on him as a fourth-line role player.
Ryan Poehling (C)
The Flyers can afford to give young players like Ryan Poehling a shot to develop in a new setting during the rebuild. He brings legitimate speed to the bottom six after struggling to gain footing in his first four NHL seasons with the Montreal Canadiens and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Garnet Hathaway (RW)
The Flyers signed Garnet Hathaway to a two-year contract on the first day of free agency in July 2023. He brings physicality and the experience of a Stanley Cup run with the Washington Capitals in 2018. At age 31, he could potentially be a short-term stopgap that helps the Flyers maintain a respectable competitive nature for the next two seasons while playoff contention looks unlikely.
Cam York (D)
John Tortorella surprisingly sent Cam York to the AHL to begin the 2022-23 season, but the former first-round pick and University of Michigan star responded with a strong performance for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms before finally getting called up for 54 games. He was arguably the best defenseman on the team during his time at the NHL level.
Travis Sanheim (D)
There was skepticism surrounding Travis Sanheim during the 2023 offseason. Briere tried to trade him in a blockbuster deal with the St. Louis Blues that ultimately fell through. Sanheim has legitimately struggled in two of his past three seasons. The eight-year, $50 million he signed during the tenure of Chuck Fletcher runs through 2030-31. It forces pressure onto Sanheim to perform from a fan base that is justifiably skeptical of the long-term investment.
Rasmus Ristolainen (D)
The move to acquire Rasmus Ristolainen for a 2021 first-round pick, a 2023 second-round pick, and defenseman Robert Hagg seemed like a leap of faith at the time. The 6-foot-4 bruiser played a strong defensive game in 2022-23 with the help of assistant coach Brad Shaw. He hopes to prove his value to the Flyers during the final four years of a lucrative contract he signed in March 2022.
Nick Seeler (D)
Seeler has impressively carved out a role for himself as a reliable third-pair defenseman during his tenure with the Flyers. He brings an element of physicality to the blue line, and his willingness to drop the gloves has stood out within the organization. He was Philadelphia’s nominee Masterton Trophy after the 2022-23 season because of his admirable journey through the pros after the Minnesota Wild drafted him in the fifth round in 2011.
Marc Staal (D)
Marc Staal has played 1101 regular-season games and 128 playoff games in 16 NHL seasons. Tortorella is looking for the veteran to play a part-time role to help pave the way for young blueliners like Cam York, Emil Andrae, and Egor Zamula in 2023-24.
Sean Walker (D)
The Flyers acquired Sean Walker as part of the Ivan Provorov trade. Including Walker looked like a move for salary cap purposes. The 28-year-old righty is playing in the final season of his current contract in 2023-24 with a $2.65 million cap hit.
Emil Andrae (D)
Most pundits didn’t project Emil Andrae on the roster to begin the 2023-24 season. However, the young Swedish defenseman has turned some heads with an aggressive offensive game. His development will prove whether he is a long-term piece of the blue line after the rebuild begins to take better shape.
Egor Zamula (D)
Egor Zamula has his NHL future on the line in 2023-24. The Russian blueliner put on legitimate muscle during the 2023 offseason, and he has an opportunity to emerge from a group of young defensemen looking to earn playing time.
Carter Hart (G)
The franchise goaltender has played more games at the age of 25 than many NHL goaltenders play in their entire careers. Hart compensates with a questionable defensive corps in front of him, and he’s proven himself in a limited tier of number one goaltenders in the modern landscape of the league. Briere desperately wants to hang onto Hart to stand between the pipes when the Flyers finally regain their footing as Stanley Cup contenders.
Sam Ersson (G)
Sam Ersson earned his spot as a backup with an excellent showing in limited action in 2022-23. The flashes of potential forced the Flyers to entertain the idea of trading Carter Hart with consideration to the timeline of the rebuild.
Felix Sandstrom (G)
Sandstrom played 20 games as the primary backup to Carter Hart in 2022-23. He has a place within the organization as a third goaltender with considerable NHL experience who can step in for a limited time if injuries invade the crease in Philadelphia.
