When you look at the Flyers’ forwards on paper, Travis Konecny is the unambiguous first-line right winger.
But should that be the case when opening night arrives Oct. 11?
Hear me out.
With Matvei Michkov now in the big club’s picture two years ahead of schedule, the Flyers need to make sure they put him in the best possible position to succeed, to have a healthy transition to the NHL level as a 19-year-old coming over from Russia.
They also can’t forget what’s best for Morgan Frost and his important season. The 25-year-old center is a candidate to play alongside Michkov on the Flyers’ second line. The sheer talent of the teenage winger coupled with Frost’s creativity offensively is definitely intriguing.
However, assigning Frost with the initial task of getting Michkov acclimated to the top league in the world is a huge responsibility. That’s a ton of pressure on Frost, who has endured tough starts over the last two seasons.
In 2022-23, he put up six points (three goals, three assists) through his first 27 games. He turned it on down the stretch, leading the Flyers in scoring from Jan. 1 to the end of the season.
Last season, he was surprisingly benched for 10 of the Flyers’ first 20 games. He handled it like a pro and still finished the season with a career-high 28 assists.
What could shoot Frost out of a cannon this season? Playing him with the team’s best player. Konecny is now the guy for the Flyers. His presence on the second line would give the Flyers more balance and Frost a great opportunity.
But this isn’t strictly about Frost; it’s also about Michkov playing with Sean Couturier. The youngster would get an ideal chauffeur in the 2019-20 Selke Trophy winner, a 31-year-old veteran who will have him in good spots and can bring him along in the defensive zone.
The Flyers’ first and second lines will be interchangeable when it comes to minutes. Konecny is the team’s de facto first-line right winger. Couturier is the team’s experienced captain. Spreading them around just makes sense.
