NEWARK, N. J. — Scott Laughton couldn’t help but start snickering even before the question was complete.
Is Travis Konecny, a teammate of his for nine seasons now, better able to channel his fiery emotions compared to when he first broke into the league in 2016-17?
“I don’t know if I’ve seen that,” Laughton said, still chuckling. “I think that’s the best part of his game, honestly, is how much emotion he brings, and fire. I think it helps him throughout the games. Maybe sometimes it turns on him, but rather have it that way than the other way.”
Konecny remains the Flyers’ most dangerous and consistent offensive player with 21 goals and 54 points in 47 games. The 27-year-old is in the midst of the best season of his career, just 14 points shy of his previous high of 68, set last season. He’s undeniably the Flyers’ most valuable player and is now securely in the conversation as one of the best forwards in the game, too, ranking 10th in the NHL in scoring ahead of Saturday night’s league action.
But beyond the numbers, Konecny’s intense disposition and passion have been impossible to miss whether he’s denting the scoresheet or not, particularly in the last week.
In Cutter Gauthier’s first game in Philadelphia on Jan. 11, Konecny seemed to challenge the young player who forced his way out of town a year ago, taking exception to the player’s spurning the organization. He also tallied a career-high-tying four assists, putting on a show for the home fans who were out for blood.
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In Columbus on Tuesday, a hard hit by Mathieu Olivier on his buddy Travis Sanheim set Konecny off, resulting in him going after the Blue Jackets’ tough forward in the moments immediately after the hit and then blindsiding Olivier with an open-ice check at the end of his shift that earned him a minor penalty that the Flyers killed off.
On Thursday, after Ryan Poehling was creamed by Maxim Tsyplakov in the first period on a play that earned the Islanders rookie a three-game suspension, Konecny spearheaded the Flyers taking over the game in the second period both with his skill and his intensity, setting up two consecutive goals that pushed the Flyers to a 3-1 lead, and finishing with three assists in a 5-3 win.
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Konecny had an off night in the Flyers’ 3-1 win in New Jersey on Saturday, giving them a five-game point streak (4-0-1), but he still managed to put the game away with an empty netter with just three seconds to go.
Empty net goal for Philadelphia!
Scored by Travis Konecny with 00:02 remaining in the 3rd period.
Assisted by Tyson Foerster.
New Jersey: 1
Philadelphia: 3#PHIvsNJD #NJDevils #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/ukgkDfHYax— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) January 18, 2025
Laughton may playfully disagree. But Konecny himself believes at this stage of his career he’s better able to walk that line of running hot, but not too hot.
“I used to get so invested. Maybe got me involved a little bit more in the games that I wasn’t necessarily in, but it also took me out of a lot of games where I kind of lost my focus on what the main objective was for the game,” Konecny said. “I think that’s something I’ve brought on as I try to just focus on myself, and what I have to do every shift.”
Konecny’s eight-year, $70 million contract extension doesn’t kick in until next season. Suffice it to say, he hasn’t changed at all since securing his bag.
“He knows one way to play, whether he’s making peanuts or making the millions he’s going to make,” coach John Tortorella said on Friday. “He knows one way to play when he puts his skates on.”
It’s why Tortorella and those above him made an investment in Konecny for the long term. Yes, he should have plenty of productive seasons ahead, and still be in the prime of his career when the team plans on contending again. But the Flyers brass also views Konecny’s intangibles as a part of their overall identity. The letter stitched on his sweater, making him an alternate captain a little less than a year ago, is evidence enough of that.
Tortorella calls Konecny’s evolution as a leader a “work in progress.”
“I think he’s a really good player. For him to be a great player, I think that’s the part of the game he needs to grab ahold of,” Tortorella said. “(That) is the part of it that him and I have constant conversations on.”
There are still moments when Tortorella feels obligated to rein Konecny in, such as a game in Boston on Dec. 7 when the forward was benched for the final 14 minutes of regulation and overtime for some irresponsible plays with the puck. Konecny’s ill-advised turnover on Dec. 29 in a game in Los Angeles resulting in a late second-period breakaway goal by Warren Foegele sparked a 5-4 come-from-behind Kings win, as he tried making a play in a dangerous spot rather than taking the safe option with the Flyers holding a two-goal lead. Further, Konecny, who led the NHL with six short-handed goals last season, was taken off of the penalty kill coming out of the Christmas break because Tortorella wanted him to refocus at five-on-five (he’s back on the penalty kill now).
But those moments have been fewer and far between as he’s progressed in his career. Limiting them even more is still on Konecny’s agenda, particularly now that he’s someone who younger players look up to.
In fact, Tortorella gave him credit for still playing a responsible game on Saturday against the Devils despite Konecny’s not doing much in the low-event, tight-checking game.
“T.K. is one that I thought looked frustrated all (game) long, but I thought he kept his patience,” Tortorella said. “He didn’t do something stupid, and didn’t cost us going back our way.”
It was another small step in Konecny becoming someone who others can look to and follow.
“You see how hard he plays every night,” 23-year-old Bobby Brink said. “Doesn’t take anything for granted, and when he gets a chance to score, he always executes. There’s a lot to learn from him.”
By his own admission, Konecny isn’t a rah-rah guy. He’s more action than talk, at least when it comes to his role in the dressing room before and during games. He seems to recognize that as a player who’s no longer new to the league, and on a team that is still one of the youngest in the league, there are certain responsibilities in being a franchise cornerstone.
“For me, I think it’s more in-game stuff where we’re trying to recognize to make the right play,” he said. “Thinking about protecting that lead, and making sure nothing happens on the other side of the puck. That’s something I’ve been trying to get in my head.”
While that process is ongoing, Tortorella doesn’t want to interfere with what makes Konecny tick, either. There has to be some rope to let Konecny be himself.
“He’s got an engine I’ve never seen before in players I’ve coached,” Tortorella said. “Does some crazy things at times, but we try to get out of his way a little bit too and not over-coach that because more often than not, the way he goes about it and his instincts as a player has proved to be pretty successful for us.”
(Photo: Wendell Cruz / Imagn Images)
