Travis Sanheim's defense quickly progressing on the fly

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article_body => "The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/flyers\" target=\"_blank\">Flyers<\/a> had a complete off day Friday and you couldn\u2019t blame Travis Sanheim if he wanted to lounge around all day and just scroll through the TV channels.<\/p>\nFor the first time since Philadelphia became his permanent residence, Sanheim now has a connection to the outside world. His television is finally hooked up to hundreds of channels. When asked if there\u2019s one show or program he\u2019s looking forward to watching, Sanheim replied, \u201cJust hockey games. I just love to watch hockey, even if we\u2019re not playing.\u201d<\/p>\nUntil now, that\u2019s been Sanheim\u2019s only option.<\/p>\nWith the help of video coach Adam Patterson, the Flyers have wired each player\u2019s home so they can review each game, and more importantly, shuttle through shift by shift so players like Sanheim can perform some self-assessment when they\u2019re not at the rink. <\/p>\nSanheim will probably go back and evaluate the second-period play during Thursday night\u2019s game against the Jets when he lost control of the puck at the blue line, couldn\u2019t recover and was caught up ice, which led to Winnipeg scoring a 2-on-1 goal, cutting the Flyers lead to 2-1.<\/p>\n\u201cI think I have a good ability to turn the page when I do make mistakes, whether it's big or small and not letting it affect and creep into my game,\u201d Sanheim said. \u201cRight now, I\u2019m just focusing on the little areas of my game defensively and trying to make smart reads and not try to give up too much defensively.\u201d<\/p>\nThere has been a significant progression in Sanheim\u2019s game just over the past few weeks coming off some early-season growing pains starting in his NHL debut in Los Angeles. There have been some coverage and positional breakdowns, but like any rookie, he\u2019s beginning to clean up those areas of his game. <\/p>\nAfter the four-game road trip to begin the season, Sanheim was pulled for a few games in favor of Brandon Manning, but he was reinserted in the game against the Predators and hasn\u2019t been a healthy scratch since. <\/p>\n\u201cSanny just keeps becoming more and more consistent and more and more comfortable,\u201d head coach Dave Hakstol said. \u201cTravis is a player that really had to earn his way onto this team. Everybody does, but coming into camp, he just put one day after another of good performances and he\u2019s continued that as we\u2019ve gone on into the regular season here. He\u2019s an exciting young player.\u201d<\/p>\n\u201cI\u2019m starting to settle in a little more,\" Sanheim said. \u201cI\u2019m happy with how my play has been growing as a player over the last couple of weeks. I think just my confidence. Being able to make plays with the puck, seeing the ice.\u201d <\/p>\nThe numbers also suggest the defensive aspect of his game is coming together. After a rocky month of October that saw him finish with a minus-6 rating, Sanheim has bounced back in November and is currently a plus-2. While positionally he\u2019s still learning the game at the NHL level, he has shown tremendous control with the puck on his stick. <\/p>\nAt 5-on-5 play, Sanheim has been credited with just four giveaways in nearly 226 minutes of ice time, or a ratio of one giveaway every 56:29 of ice time, which is by far the best on the team. Comparatively, Shayne Gostisbehere has struggled in this area recently and has 14 giveaways this season in almost 262 minutes, an average of one giveaway every 18:47. <\/p>\nWhile we\u2019re still waiting to see the dynamic element of Sanheim\u2019s offensive game that he displayed during the preseason, he\u2019s picking his spots and finding those seams when he can take advantage of the defense. As Sanheim found out, the recent home-and-home series against the Wild was not one of those opportunities when he was held without a shot in both games. <\/p>\n\u201cYou learn how little space you have out there,\u201d Sanheim said. \u201cJust the other night against Minnesota, how good they are defensively. You don\u2019t get a lot of space. When you get your chances, you've got to try and make the most of them.<\/p>\n\u201cObviously, I\u2019m not allowed to do the offensive stuff that I could in junior and skating the puck up. I think it\u2019s something I learned last year was making a good first pass and having an ability to read the play and jump up and find seams in areas that create space and offense as well.\u201d<\/p>\nThursday, more than 50 family and friends made the three-hour drive from Elkhorn, Manitoba, to Winnipeg to watch Sanheim play for the first time.<\/p>\nThey may not notice it right away, but the kid from the tiny town on the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border is already making great strides in a short amount of time in his first full NHL season. <\/p>\n"
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Flyers

The Flyers had a complete off day Friday and you couldn’t blame Travis Sanheim if he wanted to lounge around all day and just scroll through the TV channels.

For the first time since Philadelphia became his permanent residence, Sanheim now has a connection to the outside world. His television is finally hooked up to hundreds of channels. When asked if there’s one show or program he’s looking forward to watching, Sanheim replied, “Just hockey games. I just love to watch hockey, even if we’re not playing.”

Until now, that’s been Sanheim’s only option.

With the help of video coach Adam Patterson, the Flyers have wired each player’s home so they can review each game, and more importantly, shuttle through shift by shift so players like Sanheim can perform some self-assessment when they’re not at the rink.

Sanheim will probably go back and evaluate the second-period play during Thursday night’s game against the Jets when he lost control of the puck at the blue line, couldn’t recover and was caught up ice, which led to Winnipeg scoring a 2-on-1 goal, cutting the Flyers lead to 2-1.

“I think I have a good ability to turn the page when I do make mistakes, whether it's big or small and not letting it affect and creep into my game,” Sanheim said. “Right now, I’m just focusing on the little areas of my game defensively and trying to make smart reads and not try to give up too much defensively.”

There has been a significant progression in Sanheim’s game just over the past few weeks coming off some early-season growing pains starting in his NHL debut in Los Angeles. There have been some coverage and positional breakdowns, but like any rookie, he’s beginning to clean up those areas of his game.

After the four-game road trip to begin the season, Sanheim was pulled for a few games in favor of Brandon Manning, but he was reinserted in the game against the Predators and hasn’t been a healthy scratch since.

“Sanny just keeps becoming more and more consistent and more and more comfortable,” head coach Dave Hakstol said. “Travis is a player that really had to earn his way onto this team. Everybody does, but coming into camp, he just put one day after another of good performances and he’s continued that as we’ve gone on into the regular season here. He’s an exciting young player.”

“I’m starting to settle in a little more," Sanheim said. “I’m happy with how my play has been growing as a player over the last couple of weeks. I think just my confidence. Being able to make plays with the puck, seeing the ice.”

The numbers also suggest the defensive aspect of his game is coming together. After a rocky month of October that saw him finish with a minus-6 rating, Sanheim has bounced back in November and is currently a plus-2. While positionally he’s still learning the game at the NHL level, he has shown tremendous control with the puck on his stick.

At 5-on-5 play, Sanheim has been credited with just four giveaways in nearly 226 minutes of ice time, or a ratio of one giveaway every 56:29 of ice time, which is by far the best on the team. Comparatively, Shayne Gostisbehere has struggled in this area recently and has 14 giveaways this season in almost 262 minutes, an average of one giveaway every 18:47.

While we’re still waiting to see the dynamic element of Sanheim’s offensive game that he displayed during the preseason, he’s picking his spots and finding those seams when he can take advantage of the defense. As Sanheim found out, the recent home-and-home series against the Wild was not one of those opportunities when he was held without a shot in both games.

“You learn how little space you have out there,” Sanheim said. “Just the other night against Minnesota, how good they are defensively. You don’t get a lot of space. When you get your chances, you've got to try and make the most of them.

“Obviously, I’m not allowed to do the offensive stuff that I could in junior and skating the puck up. I think it’s something I learned last year was making a good first pass and having an ability to read the play and jump up and find seams in areas that create space and offense as well.”

Thursday, more than 50 family and friends made the three-hour drive from Elkhorn, Manitoba, to Winnipeg to watch Sanheim play for the first time.

They may not notice it right away, but the kid from the tiny town on the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border is already making great strides in a short amount of time in his first full NHL season.