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Flyers Naughty or Nice: Who made the list?

It’s that time of the year, to see who has been good and who has been not so good. Here then is Santa’s naughty or nice list: Flyers edition.

Posted on by Jason MacNeil
Dec 16, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras (46) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Montreal Canadians during the second period at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

The holiday season is upon us, and with that Santa’s list to see who has been worthy of gifts and presents under the tree. Or who deserves a lump of coal and a bah humbug! We look at what each Flyer has done so far from October through the Christmas break to figure out which list each player lands on. Here then is Santa’s naughty or nice list: Philadelphia Flyers edition.

Dan Vladar – Nice

Goaltender Dan Vladar has been a surprise this season, and probably one of the best free agent acquisitions in the summer. He’s been given far more of a workload than even he had anticipated, but he’s been up to the challenge. And then some. With a save percentage over .900 since the puck dropped in Florida, Vladar has given the Flyers a legitimate chance to win or at least get a point in darn near every game. Whether it’s the timely saves, or coming up huge in the overtime and shootouts, the goaltender is one of a handful of Flyers who are keeping them in the fight for a playoff spot.

Garnet Hathaway – Naughty

Nothing great comes out of piling on a player when he’s in the midst of a season-long funk. But dang it, is Garnet Hathaway really this bad? Still looking for his first point of the season over 30 games in, the forward has done a decent job during penalty kills but outside of that appears to have lost a step or just can’t luck into anything. We hope for his own confidence he’s able to get an assist somewhere or have a shot bounce off his backside and in. Anything at all to get him off the goose eggs in what is looking to be a rather forgettable season.

Carl Grundstrom – Nice

Following a one-game stint earlier in November, Carl Grundstrom is proving to be a nifty addition among Philadelphia’s forwards. Acquired in the deal that shipped off Ryan Ellis and his remaining salary, Grundstrom has a pair of goals, helping the fourth line to show some semblance of a pulse. The winger was promoted in the lineup against the Habs, finding himself with Sean Couturier and Owen Tippett. It’s a bit different than Hathaway and Rodrigo Abols, and gives him a good chunk of minutes to show his talents.

Thus far, whatever Grundstrom has been called on to do, he’s done. And done quite well. There’s no guarantee he’s here for the long haul, but for now he’s done a very credible job.

Nick Seeler – Marginally nice

Nick Seeler is probably trying to find his way around this season and still coping with some changes. For one, the Flyers aren’t life and death to block every conceivable shot an opponent throws at them, meaning he’s not one of the top shot blockers he was routinely the last little while (he sits 46th overall with 54 blocks after the Montreal game Tuesday). As well, he’s found himself with Jamie Drysdale, Travis Sanheim, Noah Juulsen, Ty Murchison, and now it appears Rasmus Ristolainen. It might be a bit of a demotion to move down from the top four to the third pairing. Yet Seeler is hopefully going to find some long-term chemistry with a healthy Ristolainen, becoming a tough, gritty duo who make life difficult for the opposition.

Denver Barkey – A Nice Surprise

Denver Barkey didn’t expect to get the call this soon into his career. And many Flyers fans believed the same. However, on Saturday afternoon against the Rangers, he had two assists, was great on both sides of the puck, and made both Sean Couturier and Owen Tippett look a lot better. Same goes for the game Monday night against Vancouver. Toss in the fact Rick Tocchet said he would fight for him to stay up with the big club and Barkey is probably going to be an extremely nice addition to the lineup that is still trying to fill a hole from the misfortune of the next guy on our list.

Tyson Foerster – Nice

While healthy he was a buzzsaw, hitting double digits in goals before the injury knocked him and the Flyers for a loop. If Philadelphia can stay in the mix, and be in striking distance of a playoff spot (or only needing to hop over a team or two), they’ll be doing it knowing Foerster won’t be around after undergoing surgery earlier this week. That will put him out an additional five months and, barring a deep playoff run, he’s done for the year. He looked like he was on pace for 30 goals this season. It’s a kick in the teeth for the winger, and a big hole to address for the team.

Sean Couturier – Naughty

Sean Couturier is still contributing, but he looks like maybe he’s starting to hit another wall much like he did in 2023-24 after returning from two injury-plagued seasons. He’s very important down the middle, particularly for a team so thin down the middle. He can win faceoffs, take a lot of them in his own zone, and kill penalties when not trying to help out on the power play. But with just one goal this month to go along with three assists in December, he might have been slowing down Matvei Michkov. With Tocchet juggling the lines, that could help all parties.

As it stands now, Couturier needs to start looking a bit more like the center that started the season with nine points in October. His production has declined month over month. One silver lining might be he tied his season high in shots with four against Montreal on Tuesday night, matching his output in the Flyers home opener against the Panthers.

Rasmus Ristolainen – Nice

The sample size is small. One game actually. Yet in that game against the Canadiens, Ristolainen delivered a thunderous check against forward Juraj Slafkovsky. It was clean, but didn’t stop Ivan Demidov from taking a dumb retaliatory penalty. Ristolainen looks like he might be ready to go without showing much rust. Time will tell how it all plays out. Having him back in the lineup should be a plus, allowing the Flyers to see what they still have in the defenseman while at the same time hoping he can avoid injury and do his part to get the Flyers into the dance in late April.

Sam Ersson – Nice

The numbers are the numbers. Yet the eye test is the eye test. Sam Ersson has been better than last season. This despite the fact his save percentage is around the same ballpark it was last season. He has made key saves and crucial stops against some solid teams. More importantly, he’s been able to effectively shut the door and lock things down in the overtime session as well as the shootouts.

If Ersson can keep this level of play, or perhaps improve his numbers and metrics, the Flyers might find themselves with a far better one-two punch between the pipes than even Flyers general manager Danny Briere envisioned. The goalie has been very good regardless of where he’s at in terms of some metrics and league ranking.

Rodrigo Abols – Naughty

Abols has a feel-good story to him. Not even on the radar to make the club during training camp, Abols worked and worked to ensure he was a difficult cut. That never came to pass. Instead Abols has been a mainstay on the fourth line, responsible for the two points the trio of himself, Garnet Hathaway and Nic Deslauriers manufactured. That’s not nearly enough production even for a fourth line. If the center is able to get anything out of his wingers, that might be a win in itself. As for now, Abols needs to improve his game in the minutes he’s given to help the fourth line get off the mat.

Jamie Drysdale – Nice

Since moving away from Nick Seeler, and now with Emil Andrae being his defensive partner, Jamie Drysdale has seen his game go up a notch or two. He’s no longer earning the fourth-most amount of minutes of the top for but often solidly in the third spot, nearing the time and usage Travis Sanheim and Cam York get. Through 32 games Drysdale is on pace to eclipse his total of 20 points if not by the end of the calendar year than most likely sometime in early January.

He might be in Philadelphia the rest of his career, and some might compare him to what the Flyers shipped out in the trade early in 2024 the rest of his playing days. On his own, Drysdale looks like he could be making a case to stick around for a while yet. He’s been a pleasant surprise, someone whose game has been helped by the addition of another former Anaheim Duck.

Nic Deslauriers – Naughty

The Flyers have a good record when Deslauriers is in the lineup. And with nobody else really doing much on the fourth line, the enforcer isn’t really taking up a lot of space when he’s used from time to time. But like Garnet Hathaway, Deslauriers is still looking for his first point of the season. Bluntly, Hathaway is making Deslauriers and his play look fine. The forward, who has dropped the gloves this season but not often, has to keep playing his part, even if it’s nothing that has led to many Flyers goals or victories. A character guy, but a forward who should be scratched far more than he’s playing this season.

Noah Cates – Nice

With 16 points in 32 games, center Noah Cates is on pace for hitting 40 to 41 points this season. Not jaw-dropping production. However, he’s been arguably the best Flyers center the last two seasons. With Foerster out for the season, Cates has seen Bobby Brink on one side of him for the season. Now he finds himself with Matvei Michkov on his other wing, which is something many didn’t anticipate in October. The change could pay dividends for everyone, and could see Cates getting a few more points thanks to playing with the Mad Russian.

Cates is under contract for this season and the next three. And by then one hopes the Flyers have one or two more centers to beef up the dearth that is currently down the middle of the lineup.

Owen Tippett – Nice

Nearing 10 goals thus far, Tippett is ahead of his goal pace last year, as well as his point production. He still has had some hiccups and mental lapses (the offside call against Edmonton which negated a possible game-winning goal). He is showing some of his bursts of speed a bit more often, thankfully. Tippett has one measly power play goal this season, an indication of the problems still facing a special team that is regressing since the start of 2025-26. If Tippett can score more on the power play, it will help Philadelphia’s chances. Generally, he has been playing better this season on a more consistent level than he has been a hindrance.

Nikita Grebenkin – Naughty

The winger has forechecked, backchecked and is getting a paycheck. Outside of that, Grebenkin hasn’t done a lot. Considering he’s not a lock on the fourth line isn’t a great sign. Nor is the fact he has one goal and three assists in 22 games. What is apparent is that he hasn’t made much of an impact so far with Philadelphia. He is still finding his way, and there’s till time for a guy who is just 22 years young.

Travis Sanheim – Nice

With the Winter Olympics looming and some players hitting their strides, Sanheim might be on the fence in terms of making the roster. Some predictions have him as an extra. He’s been a workhorse for the Flyers. Following the win over Montreal the blueliner was fifth overall in ice time (25:21 per game, just behind former Flyer Ivan Provorov). And his production thus far (14 points) puts him well over the pace he had last season (30 points). He doesn’t have the dazzle or pizzazz in his game like Quinn Hughes, but Sanheim is certainly capable of being a quality shutdown defenseman. Philadelphia is lucky to have him.

Noah Juulsen – Naughty

Rick Tocchet liked Noah Juulsen’s game, otherwise he probably wouldn’t have vouched for him in the summer which resulted in the Flyers signing him. Juulsen fared a bit better than Dennis Gilbert, but that’s not saying a lot. He also played his way into the lineup thanks to Zamula’s abysmal play. However, with the rise of Emil Andrae, and Ristolainen back in the mix, it’s probably safe to assume Juulsen is going to be more of a seventh defenseman than a guy who will be often in the lineup. If Philadelphia runs into the injury bug he’s here. Otherwise, he hasn’t done a lot. Just your typical borderline sixth defenseman.

Juulsen might be possible trade fodder at the deadline as teams in contention look to stock up on healthy bodies regardless of their skillset. Not a lot would be coming back, but a mid-round pick would be worth shipping him off.

Matvei Michkov – Naughty and Nice

You can’t lay the entire blame with the coaching staff. Michkov entered training camp having done little training in the summer. An ankle injury didn’t help and put him on a far different conditioning timetable than his teammates in September. He’s starting to show a bit more flash, and could reap the benefits of getting away from Couturier and finding new linemates in Cates and Bobby Brink. Despite his playing time reduced from last year, Michkov is sixth on the team in scoring with 18 points through 32 games.

It would probably be a stretch to see the forward match his 67 points total in year one. He’d have to play at a point-a-game pace. Unless the power play catches fire, he won’t get there. Michkov is going to hopefully get better the longer the season goes on. With Foerster out, Michkov is certainly going to be needed if the Flyers have a legitimate shot at the playoffs.

Emil Andrae – Nice

He’s won the confidence of the coaching staff, and has moved up into the top four. Andrae has a few miscues at times and when he’s hesitant he’s problematic. With Drysdale, Andrae has been able to look better, making quick clears and reads and generally shutting down plays before they have a chance to turn into goals against. Andrae is making the most of his opportunity. It’s up to him to keep his level of play at a standard that doesn’t have him sinking back into the third pairing. If he’s demoted, chances are he’s on thin ice remaining with the big club.

Trevor Zegras – SUPER DUPER NICE!

What an add! Won’t dive into the details. He has more goals than last year, might have more points than last season well before the Olympic break. And he’s having fun. And he’s a shootout wizard. And he’s leading this team on his back, including on the power play which still needs a lot of work but would be worse than last year’s without him. Zegras should be making the Flyers his team for a lengthy stretch. Full marks to him for coming into a new environment and hitting the ground running. A tremendous get for Ryan Poehling and a pick.

A lot of Flyers fans might see Dec. 25 as a second Christmas as Santa Claus came back in late June and peppered the team and fanbase with gifts.

Travis Konecny – Nice (with a sprinkle of Naughty)

Konecny sometimes can be on the wrong end of a bad pass, a giveaway just inside the blueline or a bad pass in the neutral zone which gets the opponents going in transition. He’s made mistakes. He’ll still make mistakes. He has been producing quite well, with his pace just a hair behind last season where he registered 76 points (0.93 points per game last year versus 0.91 this year). He hasn’t done a lot on the power play (one goal, five assists), and has missed some golden opportunities. Having said all that, Konecny’s lapses don’t reflect that he’s +11 on the plus/minus scale, a far better number than the -17 he ended up with last season. He might still show some warts, but generally Konecny has started to make the dive in production the end of last year a distant memory.

Bobby Brink – Nice

This writer has been a fan of Brink the last two season. He’s small, not the biggest guy in the fight, but is rarely outworked on a shift. Brink found himself briefly on a line with Michkov and Couturier to try to offset Foerster’s absence. Now he’s back in more familiar settings with Noah Cates. And he also has Michkov on the other side. He also has a pair of power play goals and a game-winning goal also.

Overall, Brink has played himself into the conversation of being part of the rebuild going forward. There are plenty of wingers at Philadelphia’s disposal. But there would be few who could match the work ethic and one-on-one battles won Brink has had in the last year and a bit. Brink got a bit of a good bounce on the near empty net goal against Montreal on Tuesday night. Luck sometimes comes with hard work.

Christan Dvorak – Nice

A rich one-year deal. And with Foerster gone it’s perhaps becoming a longer shot that Dvorak finds himself on the trading block near the deadline. Unless the Flyers fall out of the race and are buried after the Winter Olympics, Dvorak is going to be needed the rest of the way. And he needs to do as much the rest of the way as he has the first 30-plus games. With roughly 50 games left, he has seven goals and 16 assists for 23 points, and should most likely set career highs in points (38 back with Arizona in 2019-20). Dvorak has been a welcomed addition, finding himself with Zegras and Konecny. Hopefully his steady play continues the rest of the way.

Cam York – Nice

Injuries aside, York has been having another strong year. He’s two-thirds of the way to last year’s point total (17 points) and has been a new player since the firing of John Tortorella. While not great on the power play yet (who has been other than Zegras?), York has been another solid defenseman who has made the top pairing one of the better tandems the Flyers have had the last few years.

If York continues his strong play, it will make that contract he signed in the summer look like another steal by Briere.

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