General manager Chuck Fletcher said in September that he didn't expect the Flyers to be a major player in free agency over the next couple of years.
Some of that is because of the flat cap era forced by the coronavirus pandemic. Some of it is because of the club's belief in its burgeoning youth, the product of an organizational refocus on drafting and developing. It was a process that required patience but the Flyers are seeing it bear fruit.
In the latest NHL Power Rankings on NBCSports.com, Adam Gretz broke down his top-25 players under the age of 25. Carter Hart cracked the list while Ivan Provorov and Travis Konecny made the just missed category. Including the just missing group, the Flyers were the only Metropolitan Division team to have three players mentioned.
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The Hurricanes and Blue Jackets had two players apiece in the top 25 and the Islanders had one, while the Penguins, Rangers and Devils had one player each in the just missed section.
The Flyers have to like the promise around their three foundational-type players featured on the list.
At 22 years old, Hart is the Flyers' franchise goalie and starting to join the conversation with some of the better netminders.
At 23 years old, Provorov is an all-situation defenseman, has never missed a game — playing in 315 straight — and received a pair of fifth-place votes for the 2019-20 James Norris Memorial Trophy.
NHL
At 23 years old, Konecny is coming off his first All-Star nomination as he led the Flyers in goals (24) and points (61) during 2019-20, and finished tied for second on the team in assists (37).
"We have a lot of good young players who still have their best days ahead of them," Fletcher said.
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