Tag: Owen Tippett

Owen Tippett may have had a smile on his face when chatting in the locker room in Voorhees recently. But the big grin hid some of the anxiety he had heading into the Flyers’ home opener on Oct. 13.

It wasn’t about scoring. At that point, the winger already had his first goal of the season under his belt — a power-play one to boot.

No, this was a different kind of pressure.

Tippett is now in charge of setting the tone. He is the new vibes guy. So, after months of preparation, of picking the right songs, of sending them to the Flyers game presentation group for the proper mix, his warmup playlist was making its debut.

The Flyers’ aux cord now belongs to No. 74.

For years, the playlist had been closely guarded by Scott Laughton, with Joel Farabee assisting. But both were traded last season: Farabee at the end of January to the Calgary Flames, and Laughton in early March to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Tippett took charge of the aux afterward, saying last season that he did it because he’s the “closest guy that kind of offered up for the Bluetooth not to cut out.” However, he didn’t really change much from the 105-song playlist he was handed in the group chat.

Until now.

“I’m always one who’s kind of looking for new music,” said Tippett, who ran the aux a handful of times playing for Mississauga and Saginaw of the Ontario Hockey League.

“Obviously, there’s some staples that you can kind of keep in [the playlist] from years past, but I think anything that’s new, you kind of throw it in the playlist and hopefully guys catch on to it.”

Note: Some songs on the playlist embedded below may be offensive to certain audiences or contain explicit content. Use caution while enjoying this playlist by making sure you’re aware of your surroundings.

‘T.N.T.’ – AC/DC

Tippett hasn’t just set the mood in the locker room — there are several playlists, one has “slower songs” and “more of an easy vibe” for morning skates, and another before they get on the ice — but his on-ice presence has been setting the tone, too.

During game action, he’s been like song No. 2 in warmups, AC/DC’s “T.N.T.,” and playing “dynamite.” Just six games into the new season, Tippett has collected five goals. Last season, when he finished with 20 tallies, it took him 25 games to hit that mark.

The dip in production came after two consecutive seasons with at least 27 goals — it took him 15 games in 2023-24 and 13 in 2022-23 to score No. 5 on the season — and expectations that he would crack the 30-goal mark in his third full season with the Flyers.

“I think it’s just getting reset and looking back onto those years and what worked and what made me kind of more successful than I was last year,” he told The Inquirer on Oct. 6. “End of the day, everyone has those years; it’s going to happen and not get too frustrated with the dips and just trying to regroup as quick as you can.”

And he is using it all as motivation.

“I think it’s just take that next step,” he said about his ambitions during training camp. “Obviously, a bit older now, and more games played, and I think it’s time that I kind of take that step and take on that bigger role. … That comes with little things within the game, but as a player, just kind of round out my game.”

Tippett sounds like a grizzled veteran, but the 26-year-old winger has only 353 regular-season games under his belt — 94 with the Florida Panthers and 259 with the Flyers after being acquired in the Claude Giroux trade.

And this year, he has taken on a bigger role, averaging 16 minutes, 31 seconds a night, while being put into more situations by the new coaching staff led by Rick Tocchet.

‘Because You Move Me’ – Helsloot & Tinlicker

Tippett has always played on the power play, but this season he has been moved into a rotating spot between the net-front and the bumper. It’s different than his previous spot on the flank, but he likes that it “gives you more options.”

His one power-play goal came from being atop the crease — he was screening Carolina Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen — when he pounced on a shot that caromed off the glass behind the net.

Tippett has become an all-around special teams threat. In his first 253 games with Philly, he was on the ice killing penalties for an average of nine seconds per game (36 minutes, 3 seconds total). This season, he’s up to 24 seconds per game for a total of 2:24. Former coach John Tortorella always said Tippett played better with more ice time, and it’s showing.

And the additional responsibilities play into what the Flyers wanted to see from Tippett this season. The winger is in Year 2 of an eight-year, $49.6 million extension that he signed in January 2024, and before the season, Flyers general manager Danny Brière said he wanted to see Tippett take the next step and work on “developing his all-around game.”

“He is becoming even more of a true threat. … We hope he becomes a 30-, 35-goal scorer,” Brière said on Oct. 2. “That’s what we hope from him. I mean, what he brings is more than just goals, too. The size, the speed, the powerful explosiveness that he has is tough to find.

“So that’s what we want to keep seeing from him. Evolving, finding ways to take advantage of the best time to use those assets that he has that not a lot of players have.”

‘Walk It Talk It’ – Migos (feat. Drake)

Recently given the title of “the fastest skater I’ve ever seen” by new teammate Trevor Zegras, Tippett is a dynamic, speedy winger packed into a 6-foot-1, 210-pound power forward’s body. He crunches guys with ease — as noted by his big hit on Seattle Kraken forward Tye Kartye on Monday — and also keeps defenses on their heels because they cannot predict when he will turn on the jets.

He is known for highlight-reel goals, but when he mixes his speed, shiftiness, and big shot, Tippett can resemble a freight train. According to NHL Edge, Tippett’s max speed last season was 23.89 mph — Miles Wood’s 24.82-mph burst was the NHL’s fastest last season — and he recorded 38 bursts of 22 mph, ranking fourth in the NHL. Two seasons ago, he was clocked as the fastest skater in the NHL — yes, faster than Connor McDavid — by hitting a max of 24.21 mph, and was ranked fourth in the league with 46 trips at 22-plus mph.

This season, his max speed is 22.89, with Bobby Brink the fastest Flyer at 23.30. But Tippett has hit at least 22 mph seven times already, putting him right behind McDavid’s 11.

Just because he has dropped a little speed doesn’t mean anything. It’s actually a good sign because, while “it’s obviously exciting when you look up and see no one in front of you … and you start turning the legs,” he also has realized that he doesn’t need to be going 100 miles an hour all the time.

“I know my speed’s always going to be there,” he said. “So it’s focusing on the other little things and then letting my game take over from there. There’s definitely going to be times where it fits in, and we’re still trying to figure that out. … It’s just a matter of finding times, and then letting the game kind of open up and not force things.”

‘Can’t Stop’ – Red Hot Chili Peppers

After he was hired as the Flyers’ coach in May, Tocchet told The Inquirer, “I think Owen Tippett is a guy who I feel has another level in him. I think he’s a prototypical big, fast winger. Can we unleash him?”

Well, it looks like the collar is off.

The bench boss noticed early on that the winger had a habit of exposing the puck; Tippett has been working on it. Tocchet mentioned his “incredible” speed and how he is a “great off-the-rush guy,” but wanted to see him go to the inside more. One of his two goals Monday came because he positioned himself in the slot, and he combined his newfound inside game with his trademark speed to beat two-time defending Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck on Oct. 16.

“In the short time I’ve been here, [and] this coaching staff, he’s been a pleasure to coach,” Tocchet said. “He’s been in the room. He’s asking questions. He’s in the video room. He’s taking the information. He’s really taken ahold of the game like a leader-type of role. That’s what I see. I don’t know what happened in the past, but he looks like a guy who’s dialed in.”

Indeed.

Like the music he listens to — EDM (electronic dance music) to house to rap to remixes — Tippett is adding variety to his game while burying five goals on 19 shots. For someone notoriously criticized for missing the net, Tippet is ranked sixth in the NHL with an eye-popping 26.3% shooting percentage (minimum 15 shots).

Of course, Tippett’s taste in music isn’t for everyone, but as Cam York said, “It’s been good. If he keeps scoring like that, keep going.”

Entering Monday night, the Flyers were tied for the sixth-fewest goals per game this season, averaging just 2.6.

But Monday night, they rose from the depths with a 5-2 win to hand the visiting Seattle Kraken its first regulation loss of the season. The Flyers have now won two straight and three of their last four and are 3-2-1 to start the season.

The Orange and Black did it backed by two goals from Owen Tippett, two power-play goals — one by Tyson Foerster and one from Noah Cates — three assists by Cam York, and with several players registering their first point, including Travis Konecny notching his first goal of the season.

Tippett stayed hot by snagging his fourth goal of the season in six games, to tie the game 1-1 at the midway point of the first period. Sean Couturier stripped Kraken goalie Joey Daccord as he tried to play the puck behind the goal line. The captain fed Nick Seeler as he snuck down into the left circle and tried to rip a shot. It deflected off the stick of Eeli Tolvanen, allowing Tippett to shovel the puck home into a gaping net.

Foerster then gave the Flyers the lead with a power-play goal less than 4 minutes later.

The winger and Bobby Brink worked the boards after a return pass by York missed its connection with Brink. Foerster got the puck and the two got to work with Brink drawing two Kraken players to him before passing to an open Foerster, who took his time and picked the top corner. The 23-year-old Foerster now has two goals and five points in six games.

Konecny hinted Thursday that he wasn’t too worried about not having a goal, but the reaction after he scored told a different story. The play started when Matvei Michkov corralled the puck in the neutral zone, carried it into the offensive zone, and found trailing Egor Zamula.

The defenseman, who is well known for his patience with the puck, used it wisely as he skated down to the bottom of the left faceoff circle — used a little shoulder shrug to get around Jani Nyman along the way — and found Konecny for the tap-in at the right post to make it 3-1. It was Zamula’s first assist of the season.

Cates got the Flyers their second power-play goal less than a minute later, tipping in a point shot by York. The blueliner received a great pass from Trevor Zegras after the center drew winger Tye Kartye in tight, creating space. Cates has three goals and five points in six games.

Tippett added his second, to extend the lead to 5-2, with a bad-angle shot that squeezed through Daccord and the left post with under five minutes remaining in the second period.

Jordan Eberle had gotten the Kraken on the board first in the opening frame when a point shot by Cale Fleury hit him in the slot and changed direction on Flyers goalie Dan Vladař, who was ready to make the glove save. The puck instead went over his right shoulder.

Nyman had made it 4-2 on a Seattle power play when Matty Beniers found him in the right circle after a scramble in front.

Vladař, who was starting his second straight game, made 21 saves on 23 shots, including a big pad save on Kartye during a two-on-one when the Flyers were on the power play in the first period and then Chandler Stephenson on a breakaway four seconds later. Foerster scored his first on the power play soon after.

Breakaways

Nikita Grebenkin got back into the lineup and made an impact by coming to the defense of his teammate, Garnet Hathaway, who was hit awkwardly by Fleury along the boards in the neutral zone. The Russian earned five for fighting, two for instigating, and a 10-minute misconduct but earned his money by body-slamming Fleury down and then motioning to the crowd — a la Nic Deslauriers — to get excited. … In the third period, Konecny also dropped the gloves and was given a 10-minute misconduct. He went to the defense of Couturier, who was cross-checked unexpectedly and from behind by former New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren. The play happened after Tippett nailed Kartye in front of the Kraken’s bench. … Jett Luchanko also returned to the lineup and played 8 minutes, 43 seconds and had a shot on goal in what was his fourth game of the season.

Up next

The Flyers hit the road for a matchup with the Ottawa Senators on Thursday (7 p.m., NBCSP). The Sens will be without captain Brady Tkachuk, who is out 6-8 weeks after thumb surgery.

For the second straight game, the Flyers faced a road team fine playing the long game in a low-event contest.

Saturday night’s game saw a combined 106 shot attempts, with just 37 shots needing to be stopped by the netminders. But unlike Thursday’s loss to the Winnipeg Jets, the Flyers beat the Minnesota Wild, 2-1, in overtime on a goal by Noah Cates.

The Flyers are now 2-2-1, and here are two key contributors who helped them get to .500.

Tippett scores again

The season is only five games old, but Owen Tippett has been flying around the ice in midseason form. On Saturday night, he notched his third goal; the last two seasons, it took him 14 games to reach that mark, with his first goal coming both years in Game 7.

“I said it since the start of camp, coming in with a clear mind after maybe not the start I wanted last year,” he said. “And, you know, a clean slate and just going game by game.”

Once again, Tippett was clearly one of the Flyers’ best players as he used his legs and big body to create opportunities. On Thursday, the speedy winger scored with a burst through the neutral zone before firing off a shot from the right faceoff circle.

On Saturday, he tried a similar move in the second period, this time using his legs and cutting to the middle before sending a backhand wide. He had four missed shots and another one blocked, but didn’t let that deter him as he scored on his fourth of five shots, staying with the play — after his initial shot couldn’t be handled cleanly by goalie Jesper Wallstedt — before banking it in.

There wasn’t much speed on the goal, and while Minnesota defenseman Brock Faber had to transition to defense quickly after Trevor Zegras and Christian Dvorak created a neutral zone turnover, you had to wonder whether the knowledge that Tippett can turn it on was on the blueliner’s mind.

“You just saw his speed and his confidence going,” Cates said. “He scored two nights ago. He scored tonight. So when he gets into the game, you can see, he turns the tide. He can be a one-man show with his speed. So obviously, we need him to keep going.”

Added Zegras, who got the primary assist: “He’s the fastest skater I’ve ever seen. It’s awesome. “I’ve never played with a guy that has that much speed. And he does some wild stuff. I think he did like a spin-o-rama in the third period. I’m just like, oh my God. Somebody so big that skates that fast, it’s fun to watch.”

Although NHL Edge had Bobby Brink as the Flyers’ fastest skater with a max burst of 23.30 mph, that was his only one. Tippett’s max right now is 22.89, but he’s had six bursts at 22-plus, 18 at 20-22 mph, and 40 at 18-20 mph.

“I think that’s one of the things I’ve kind of focused on is if my legs are there, the rest will kind of follow,” Tippett said. “I think there’s times when I don’t need to be going 100 miles an hour all the time, but I think if I can get in the first shift or two, if I can kind of feel my legs a little bit, it usually sets me up pretty well.”

Vladař making his case

Several eyebrows were raised externally when the Flyers signed Dan Vladař on July 1. It’s early, and he’s only made three starts, but those naysayers are certainly being proved wrong right now.

Vladař has stepped up and become not just a reliable goalie partner for Sam Ersson — something that was desperately needed after the 25-year-old Swede carried the workload the last two seasons — but has maybe even supplanted him.

After an impressive 32-save performance against the two-time defending champion Florida Panthers in a loss on opening night, he stopped 24 of 26 in a win against the same team in the home opener. Vladař earned his second win of the season, stopping 15 of 16 shots against the Wild.

“He’s a big guy who moves well,” said Cates, adding that he has a big personality to boot. “Any time you’ve got a guy with that size, you’re going to have to pick corners pretty precisely. And, he’s kept us in a lot of games.

“Every time he’s in there, we trust him back there — both our goalies have been great so far, and we trust both of them back there. But he’s put up some big minutes for us so far, made some big saves.”

Minnesota didn’t make it easy for Vladař. Although Natural Stat Trick had him down for just three saves on high-danger shots — the lone goal by Vladimir Tarasenko was mid-danger — the stat is a little misleading. Several of the nine low-danger saves he was credited with came despite screens set or players skating through the slot as the shot was being taken.

“You know that’s their strength,” said Vladař, who entered the night with a 3-1-1 record and .896 save percentage against the Wild across five games. “They really get in front of the goalies, and really good at tipping the pucks and stuff. They’ve got a big, heavy team. So, you know, good for them, but I thought we had our legs tonight and we played a really good hockey [game].”

The idea behind coach Rick Tocchet’s box-and-one defense is to keep shots to the outside and allow the goaltender to see it. The Wild, a team Tocchet has seen quite a bit in his last few years with the Vancouver Canucks, have several big guys who try to take away the goalie’s eyes — like Joel Eriksson Ek, who tipped a shot as he was backing in for the screen on a power-play in the second period. But part of the coach’s system is to avoid double deflections. The Flyers blocked 16 shots, but it looked like they avoided those double deflections that can trick goalies.

But while he was great at dealing with the traffic, Vladař also moves and reads plays exceptionally well. He didn’t get an assist on the game-winner, but after making a glove save on Matt Boldy, he opted to play the puck despite Marco Rossi being there and all over Jamie Drysdale. Luckily, the fleet-footed skater got away, and 15 seconds later, Cates scored.

“He’s great,” Zegras said of Vladař. “I saw a ton of him over the last couple of years when he was in Calgary, and he was always unbelievable. He’s just so big and great at keeping pucks into the corner and plays it really well, too. So he was awesome tonight.”