Flyers general manager Danny Brière sat at the podium following a busy July 1 and said what everyone was thinking.
“Shows that we focused on term — short term — to try to fill those holes,” he said. “Guys were willing to bet on themselves, which is awesome. And for us, term was way more important than anything else. … We know that the salaries were very competitive, but where it helps us is, it keeps the flexibility moving forward in our favor.”
Flexibility is critical for the Flyers as they climb out of a rebuild. Several players in the organization should push for roster spots in the coming years, and short-term deals fill gaps now without creating a logjam.
But one player signed on the first day of free agency probably is forcing the Flyers to consider taking a detour. Christian Dvorak, whom many viewed as an overpaid stopgap and potential midseason trade candidate, signed a one-year deal with the Flyers at $5.4 million on July 1.
He is earning every penny right now.
“He was more in a defensive role in Montreal, more on the fourth line,” coach Rick Tocchet said after Dvorak got the Flyers on the board in Tuesday’s win over the San Jose Sharks.
“And I think he’s getting a chance. He saw the opportunity here with our situation, and I think that he’s grabbing it.”
Part of the reason Dvorak came to Philly was to work with Tocchet — again. The Flyers coach ran Arizona’s bench when Dvorak set a career high with 38 points in 2019-20. Just 28 games into this season, the 29-year-old center has 19 points and is on pace for 56.
And a big factor is the trust between the two. Dvorak is deployed in all situations. He has played on the power play — like on Tuesday when Matvei Michkov missed the start of the second period — and is a key penalty killer. If Tocchet needs a faceoff man, it makes perfect sense to send out the player who wins 55.8% of them. The bench boss also uses him to close out games, even when it’s three centers and two defensemen.
Dvorak also is centering the Flyers’ top line, between Trevor Zegras and Travis Konecny. They haven’t played together for long but already are making noise.
According to MoneyPuck, among the Flyers lines that have played at least 35 minutes together, the trio ranks first in expected goals percentage (63.3%) and expected goals for per 60 minutes (4.33), but also tied for first in expected goals against (1.8).
And according to Natural Stat Trick, among lines that have played at least 12 minutes together, when they’re on the ice, the Flyers dominate. It has them ranked first in chances for percentage (57.5%), shots for percentage (73.68%), scoring chances for percentage (60.53%), and high-danger chances (72.2%).
A large part of that is because of Dvorak’s defensive acumen and his ability to not just be in the right spots but to let the creative duo of Konecny and Zegras do what they do offensively.
“Yeah, it’s been great. Two guys [with] high hockey, IQ, which is huge. You know they’re going to make the right play almost every time, and that helps a lot,” Dvorak told The Inquirer.
“And, yeah, getting to know TK the last handful of games, the chemistry is coming. Playing with Zegras for a while here, I think we read off each other pretty well, and that helps a lot. And I thought we’ve been pretty effective.”
The trio has been on the ice for two goals for the Flyers and just one against in more than 35 minutes at five-on-five.
“I played junior against him a lot. Dominated him, actually, in junior, quite a bit,” joked Konecny — or maybe not — who played against Dvorak in the Ontario Hockey League.
“But now it’s nice, yeah, be on the same line, and he’s got a ton of skill. He’s really, really smart, so he thinks the game the right way. And usually you just get into a good spot and going to know where you’re at.”
Tocchet likes pairs, and Dvorak and Zegras are attached at the hip on and off the ice. Friends long before either came to Philly, their connection has helped Dvorak feel comfortable in the room. It’s showing with Dvorak’s confidence, but he’s also elevating his linemates’ games as well.
“I’ve learned so much from him,” Zegras said after a spirited practice on Wednesday. “[Looking] back to earlier in my career, like maybe when things weren’t going my way, I’d be screaming and slamming sticks on the bench, and saying all crazy stuff that doesn’t really help in a positive way.
“He’s as cool as a cucumber, and his famous line or expression is: it’s a game of runs. So that’s what I tell myself. It’s a game of runs. And you go back out there, you get ready to go for the next shift. So I just think that from the aspect of being himself, he’s a leader in that regard. And I’ve definitely learned a lot from him.”
Maybe the Flyers should play long ball with Dvorak. At the time, his deal looked like an overpay. Today, it looks like they got him for cheap. And with the salary cap going up and the amount of available centers dwindling, the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent may just be someone the Flyers decide to keep around .
Breakaways
Defensemen Rasmus Ristolainen and Cam York, who are recovering from upper-body injuries, practiced on Wednesday in regular jerseys. … Defenseman Ty Murchison also remains with the club, and it sounds like he may get another game before possibly returning to Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League.
