VOORHEES, N.J. — Here’s the difference between NHL hockey and the other major professional sports, in a nutshell: When two vitally important players, who also happen to be good friends, start throwing haymakers at one another, everyone in charge generally loves it.
Such was the case on Friday when Travis Sanheim, a top-pair defenseman, went after Travis Konecny, the Flyers’ leading scorer, after a whistle. Teammates such as Tyson Foerster had to break up the minor scuffle, which elicited what looked to be a hearty chuckle from team president Keith Jones and other executives on the balcony hovering just above the fracas.
“We’re all good, obviously,” Sanheim said afterward, through a wry grin. “I think it’s just the battle of playing against each other. We always say we’re better playing together. … That’s just the competitiveness coming out. It’s good. That’s what these are for. We’re supposed to be intense, be physical and get involved. Maybe we don’t want to get to that level, but we can laugh about it after.”
“I think they planned it, to be honest,” Cam York joked.
Yes, the intensity level was high, higher than this time last year, in coach John Tortorella’s eyes. Tortorella has apparently been pleased with the way the players have handled themselves through a rigorous couple days of skating, and had no issue with two of his key players going at one another’s throats in what was the first of a pair of spirited scrimmages on Friday.
“It doesn’t surprise me. Both competitive,” Tortorella said. “I think Sanny gave (Konecny) a good whack. … I think our camp now in three years has grown into, let’s just get (the skating) done and not be theatrical about it when you’re done with it. It’s part of the camp. They know more is coming. I just like the kind of a businesslike attitude with it.”
Here’s what else I’ve seen so far.
Frost, Michkov show chemistry
Flyers general manager Daniel Briere mentioned this week that it’s impossible to predict which players will develop chemistry on the ice together as linemates. He referenced his own situation 14 years ago, when he, Scott Hartnell and Ville Leino were an unstoppable force when they were assembled, leading the team to a surprise run to the 2010 Stanley Cup Final.
Briere was responding to a question about rookie Matvei Michkov, of course. Since Michkov was signed, it’s been a hot discussion topic as to where Tortorella would put the teenaged winger.
Friday offered an answer — at least for now. Michkov skated in one of the two scrimmages with center Morgan Frost and a rotating cast of left wings, beginning with Owen Tippett. It’s inevitable that Tortorella will experiment with his combinations over the next several weeks. Still, Frost and Michkov appeared to mesh right away. On nearly every shift together, they seemed to be looking for one another — and connecting — in the offensive zone.
In one sequence, Michkov had a partial breakaway that was stopped by goalie Samuel Ersson, but stayed with the puck and found Frost in the slot. Frost’s shot was deflected away.
Later, though, Michkov helped keep the puck alive in the offensive zone, and eventually Olle Lycksell found Frost for a one-timer from a tough angle on what was the prettiest goal of the day.
“We were having fun out there,” Frost said of playing with the Calder Trophy candidate.
If they do stay together — which, at this stage of camp, is still a pretty big if — Frost said he may have to change his approach a bit.
“I probably have to shoot a little more, because I think his playmaking ability is really good,” Frost said. “As long as we’re using our creativity, I think we can read off each other pretty well.”
Other notable line combinations included Sean Couturier between Konecny and Foerster; Scott Laughton centering Bobby Brink and Elliot Desnoyers; Ryan Poehling with Garnet Hathaway and Nic Deslauriers; and first-round pick Jett Luchanko flanked by wingers Noah Cates and Joel Farabee.
Ristolainen, Drysdale look mobile
It’s likely that two of the Flyers’ top six on defense when the season begins will be coming off of major injury issues last season.
Ristolainen stood out in the first scrimmage. He was moving well, finishing hits (including one on Lycksell behind the net, which flattened the forward) and showed good chemistry with Egor Zamula, his likely partner. The defenseman spoke on Thursday about how he endured multiple surgeries last season on his triceps tendon, and had been rehabbing for approximately six months after latest surgery in April.
“Risto was all over the place,” Tortorella said of his play on Friday. “I think it’s really important that we get Risto to play more games in the regular season. He was the most improved player for me the first year. We need him to play and stay healthy, and I think he’s had a better summer conditioning-wise. … He looks good. Big, right-handed D. We need him.”
Drysdale had some struggles on Thursday in the skating test. Perhaps that was partly a consequence of his own summer rehab from a sports hernia that required offseason surgery. Whatever it was, Tortorella recognized Drysdale was fighting it a bit.
“I went over and told him, gave him a couple words of advice, you’ve got to finish the skate,” Tortorella said. “He did it.”
On Friday, though, Drysdale showed good lateral movement, and also straight-ahead speed, when he charged back to the defensive zone to cover Konecny, who was attempting to sneak behind the defense.
Other than Michkov, there may be no player more vital to the Flyers this season than Drysdale, who will be in the top four and will likely quarterback the top power-play unit. Sean Walker’s departure last season hurt the Flyers’ transition game, and Drysdale struggled to fill those shoes before he ultimately got hurt again.
To his credit, Drysdale stayed in the area over the summer, working hard to rehab his injury while also adding some bulk — nearly 20 pounds of it.
“It’s been a decent rehab, but right now I’m feeling good,” he said.
Said Tortorella: “Jamie looks free. We all know how great a skater he is. He just looks more confident in his skating. As I’ve said, we have a lot of work to do with him as far as being a pro, all the things we need to do in teaching his demeanor, and how he goes about it. Knock on wood, he stays healthy — he’s a very important guy for our organization.”
Zamula flashes some offense
The first two offensive highlights of the day came from an unlikely source: Egor Zamula, who posted five goals and 16 assists in 66 games last season.
The fact that Zamula has some offensive flair isn’t completely surprising, as he spent some time on the power play last season. But he looked especially spry when he made a move around a defender and unleashed a wrist shot past Cal Petersen, and then a few minutes later he eluded some players in the offensive zone before finding Ristolainen cutting the slot, where he flipped in the second goal of the morning.
“I get more confidence this summer, I now know what (to) expect from NHL,” Zamula said. “I want to step up (to) the next level.”
Leftovers
• Ersson looked solid in net, playing half of each of the two scrimmages. Briere has already labeled him as the No. 1 goalie, so there is not much doubt he’ll be the starter on Oct. 11 in Vancouver. Petersen, on the other hand, struggled, giving up three goals in the first scrimmage in 20 minutes of running time.
• Defenseman Ronnie Attard made perhaps the nicest pass of the day, springing Poehling for a breakaway goal.
• Foerster also scored a pretty goal. On a one-on-one with Erik Johnson, he stormed around the veteran defenseman and behind the net before depositing a wraparound.
• Hathaway was noticeable, as he was almost every night last season, hitting everything in sight. Brendan Furry was on the receiving end of a few of his body blows.
• Former Edmonton Oliers coach Jay Woodcroft was spotted at practice on Friday. He apparently reached out to Tortorella, asking to observe. The Flyers don’t have any plans to hire Woodcroft, but it’s interesting nonetheless.
(Photo of Morgan Frost from April 2024: Len Redkoles / NHLI via Getty Images)
