A Return to Form for Shayne Gostisbehere?
Shayne Gostisbehere’s tenure with the Flyers has been unconventional to say the least. As a third-round pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, he was not expected to play a key role in the team’s lineup for years to come. Fans were first introduced to Gostisbehere’s incredible talent and star potential at the 2014 NCAA Frozen Four held in Philadelphia, where his Union College Dutchmen triumphed over Minnesota to win the National Championship. Gostisbehere shined throughout the entire tournament, putting up 3 points in the title game. As someone who was at that game, I can describe firsthand just how much excitement and noise the hometown crowd produced whenever he touched the puck. It was quite clear that the Flyers had struck gold by selecting Gostisbehere and he had the ability to be a real impact player in the NHL.
His first three seasons were excellent, as he was one of the most efficient defensemen in the league and received Calder Trophy votes in one of the deepest rookie classes in history. He also set a league record for the longest rookie point streak at 11 games for a team with a notoriously bad reputation for developing defensemen. After a sensational 65 point season in 2017-18, Gostisbehere has had quite the fall from grace. In 78 games during the 2018-19 season, his production fell drastically, recording only 37 points to go along with a measly -20 rating. Many fans and players around the league figured he would continue blossoming into a superstar. I mean, how couldn’t you? His rookie season included 3 overtime winners, highlight reels of him skating circles around opposing teams, and looking like the next great offensive defenseman. So, what happened? How could a player go from receiving Norris Trophy votes to being a healthy scratch in just a few seasons, much less a player in his mid-20s?
Gostisbehere has been the living, breathing definition of “trade bait” for years now. At the moment he began to underperform in relation to his contract, he would be mentioned in every mock trade involving the Flyers. This year, more than ever, is a prove-it year. That could be said for every “bubble” player in the league, given next year’s expansion draft. The Flyers have difficult decisions to make- do they try to get salary relief from a veteran contract (think JvR, Voracek, etc.), or do they keep the core together and leave a younger player unprotected? In the case of Gostisbehere, there is a lot of uncertainty regarding his future in Philadelphia. While much of his prior trade value is likely gone, improvements in performance this year could certainly change that. Improvement would be Plan A for the Flyers, as making a trade for a defensemen would likely leave a promising youngster unprotected for the expansion draft. Despite the rumblings over the summer of a possible trade for Patrik Laine or the signing of Mike Hoffman, the Flyers management definitely had the expansion draft in the back of their heads while pondering potential moves.
Overall, the biggest takeaway from this season so far is the lackluster defense. Gostisbehere has looked much improved since his return from the COVID-19 list, and could be primed to finally prove that his 2 elite seasons were not a fluke. He looks like he’s having fun again, and back in his place toying with opposing forwards and making big chances actually happen. Vancouver’s Quinn Hughes reminds me much of how Gostisbehere used to play- an undersized, offensive-minded defenseman who is capable of skating coast-to-coast in any situation, and can be especially useful during special teams situations. We even caught a glimpse of Gostisbehere quarterbacking the top powerplay unit a few times. As the march to the playoffs continues, Gostisbehere could certainly see increased minutes alongside Ivan Provorov and the team will likely rely on him to stay healthy and effective on ice. With such a depleted blue line this year, the Flyers need Gostisbehere to at least put himself on a trajectory back to his top form.
Featured Image: Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images
Discover more from Philadelphia Sports Nation
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Categorized:Flyers