Philadelphia Flyers Top 25 Under 25, No. 3: Cam York

No. 3: Cam York

2022-23 League/Team(s): Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL)/Philadelphia Flyers (NHL) 2022-23 Statistics: 20 GP, 3 G, 10 A, 13 PTS/54 GP, 2 G, 18 A, 20 PTS Age: 22 Acquired In: 2019 NHL Draft (1st round, 14th overall)

How did York\'s 2022-23 season go? Is his stock trending up or down from where it was entering the year?

The only thing that could have gone better for York\'s 2022-23 season is if he played with the Flyers more. It really might be as simple as that. For a defenseman just coming into his own, with loads of expectation, to have a season where you are able to score some points at the NHL level, and then dominate in the AHL, it\'s kind of easy to see the trajectory from here.

There is still a sizeable pile of potential for York, and he was able to show glimpses of what he is able to do in Philadelphia throughout last season.

https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1641613406846296064?s=20

But York is an interesting blueliner considering how he drives offense while also being very reliable in the defensive zone. In most of the offensive zone, York was slightly below-average in terms of getting scoring chances going, except almost directly in front of the goaltender , in the most dangerous area of the ice. You can even see it in that goal highlight, he is confident to cut right to the net and get his shots off. Or, on the other side, is able to see how he can consistently get teammates to have chances in that area.

All of this is to say that York\'s reputation at the NHL level should be only trending up. We were able to get a real, solid look at what type of player he can be in the best league in the world, and that is a two-way blueliner that can skate fairly well, and is someone this team has been missing.

What are we expecting from York this season? What should we be looking for from him?

This upcoming season, it would be considered a massive success if he was able to establish himself as a top-four defenseman in Philadelphia. If York is able to average at least 22 minutes a night, and essentially be the first defenseman that John Tortorella jots down when he goes over the lineup, it should be considered a very good season.

He might not put up any big numbers -- maybe 30 to 35 points could be a reasonable expectation -- but if his overall play in all three zones makes the team better, than York deserves a nice pat on the back.

How does York fit in the Flyers’ rebuild? Is it likely he’s going to be a part of the next good Flyers team?

York might just fit in with the Flyers better than anyone on the current team. That\'s probably why he\'s ranked the highest of anyone in the NHL (spoiler alert). Every single team needs a reliable, two-way defenseman that can move the puck up the ice, quarterback the power play, while also not being a defensive wart on the team. At 22, York has pretty much shown that he can do that.

He might not be the top, number-one defenseman that almost every Stanley Cup-winning team has, but he can be a very good second or third option on the blue line to just bring up the level of play and make the team better. Every team needs that and his age fits the timeline well enough that he might not even hit unrestricted free agency before the Flyers are in the playoffs once again.

What do we think York\'s ultimate NHL upside is, and how likely is it that he gets to something approaching that?

We\'ve kind of already mentioned it, but York\'s realistic NHL upside is to lead a second pairing or just be a supplemental piece on the top pairing. That\'s being realistic, but if we\'re talking about the \"ultimate\" potential of York, it\'s of course blossoming into that top blueliner.

His development has been treated fairly cautiously, with him getting sporadic NHL reps until last season, but even then he still was sent down for a good stretch of time. Now, we can see what he can do this upcoming year and York might just show more than we already assume he has.

Talking Points