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There are always a few surprising teams in the NHL in any given season. This year, there are a few teams that fit that description. One of them is the Philadelphia Flyers, who find themselves in a playoff spot after Christmas. In fact, you could make an argument that they have an outside chance at contending for the Metropolitan Division crown.
It's a remarkable turnaround for a team still working through a rebuild. Whether they can keep this up certainly remains to be seen. That said, being in a playoff spot at this point is a good sign moving forward. If they keep it up, they could send a few players to the 2024 NHL All-Star Game in Toronto.
Speaking of the All-Star Game, that is quickly approaching. The league's best and brightest stars from the first half of the season will gather in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on February 3, 2024. With that in mind, let's take a look at the top candidates to represent the Philadelphia Flyers at the event.
Owen Tippett is one to consider
Owen Tippett joined the Philadelphia Flyers under interesting circumstances if you will. He was an underperforming former first-round pick of the Florida Panthers prior to the deal. Now, he's a main piece in a trade involving respected Flyers forward Claude Giroux. Inherently, that creates a heightened sense of expectation.
So far, the 24-year-old has performed well. He turned in a career-high performance with Philadelphia last season. And in 2023-24, he continues to be an offensive force. His 12 goals rank second only to Travis Konecny, and his 21 points place him fifth among Flyers skaters.
Those totals put the Ontario native on pace for another career season. And his first-half performance has built him an interesting case for representing the Philadelphia Flyers at the 2024 NHL All-Star Game.
Sean Couturier has bounced back well
Sean Couturier missed a year and a half of NHL hockey due to injury. His first goal in his return was a nifty penalty shot marker that, in hindsight, should have been a sign of things to come. Though not a goal-scorer by trade, the veteran Flyers forward has certainly made an impact.
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Couturier has nine goals through 31 games for Philadelphia. That said, he ranks third on the team with 23 points so far. The Arizona native is on a 59-point pace so far this season, which would represent his highest full-season point total since 2019-20.
The 31-year-old has exceeded expectations so far as the Flyers mount their shocking playoff push. And he has built quite the case to skate in the 2024 NHL All-Star Game along the way, as well.
Travis Sanheim, Travis Konecny may be in the lead
Finally, we get to two players who have the strongest cases on the Flyers roster. Travis Sanheim was nearly traded to the St. Louis Blues in the summer. However, he has absolutely thrived for Philadelphia in 2023-24.
Sanheim has already surpassed his 2022-23 point total, scoring 24 points through 32 games. The veteran blueliner is on pace to smash his previous career high of 35 points, as well. The Manitoba native is starting to live up to the big-money contract he signed back in October 2022. That can only mean positive things for the Flyers.
On the other hand, forward Travis Konecny is following up on his impressive 2022-23 season. The London, Ontario native leads the Flyers with 16 goals through 33 games so far. He is on pace to flirt with the 40-goal mark for the first time in his NHL career, as well.
Travis Konecny, much like Travis Sanheim, heard his name in the rumor mill in the summer. Now, both players are leading the charge as the Flyers have a realistic chance of making the playoffs. And they both have to be considered as top candidates to represent Philadelphia at the 2024 NHL All-Star Game.
