Noah Cates keeps proving he’s one of the Flyers’ most important pieces, even if he rarely grabs the spotlight.
At 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, he doesn’t jump off the page physically. He also isn’t the kind of scorer who gets the most attention, though his 149 points over five seasons with Philadelphia have him 73rd on the franchise’s all-time list.
For a fifth-round pick, that’s a strong return. In a market that has watched too many recent first-round picks fall short, Cates’ rise into a core piece of the roster stands out.
What makes him so useful is the full package. He’s not a true first-line center, even if he has spent time there.
He’s been compared to Sean Couturier and has been mentioned as a possible Selke Trophy candidate because of how complete his game is. Last season, that two-way work earned him 11th place in Selke voting.
He can handle the defensive end, kill penalties and still create offense when the right linemates are around him.
That offensive growth has come year after year. Cates posted career highs last season with 18 goals, 29 assists and 47 points, and 20 goals and 50 points this season is within reach. That’s especially notable because he’s usually working on the third line and often with changing linemates.
And yet the production keeps following him around because the players next to him tend to benefit, too. Tyson Foerster thrived with Cates at center.
Bobby Brink had his best numbers as a Flyer alongside him. Denver Barkey stepped into that spot after Brink was traded.
Matvei Michkov and Nikita Grebenkin have also spent time on Cates’ line. Before John Tortorella put Cates with Brink and Foerster, he was skating with Ryan Poehling and Garnet Hathaway on the fourth line, and from there he worked his way up.
Over the last two seasons, the Foerster-Cates-Brink trio was often described as the Flyers’ most reliable line for scoring and play.
Cates also learned the center position from Scott Laughton, and while faceoffs remain a weak point - his career win percentage is 43.2% - he keeps finding ways to make the group around him better. That has mattered for a younger Flyers team, and it could matter even more if other young forwards end up alongside him.
He doesn’t give the puck away much. He’ll throw a big hit without crossing the line into bad penalties.
He can thread the puck to teammates in scoring spots, and he has earned real respect in the room. More and more, he’s being recognized as one of the league’s better all-around players.
This season has brought another round of line shuffling as the Flyers search for chemistry. Cates opened with Michkov and Alex Bump on his wings. In the last two games, he has been paired with Foerster, and now Porter Martone has joined them.
After his first two games, Martone said he expects more from himself. Cates may be exactly the kind of player he needs beside him.
If Martone starts to find his game, Foerster could benefit too. And if that line gets rolling, the rest of the Flyers may follow.
In Other News...
Flyers Make A Tough Lineup Call As Barkey Returns
Denver Barkey is on track to give the Flyers another look against Tampa Bay, with the young forward expected to make his season debut after working back from a lower-body injury. Rick Tocchet confirmed Barkey is likely to play and pointed to the qualities that make him intriguing for this roster, especially his hockey sense and ability to create offense. It is the kind of return that can quietly shift the feel of a lineup, particularly for a team still sorting out which young pieces are ready for bigger minutes.
The move also comes with a tough decision elsewhere, as Alex Bump is expected to come out of the lineup to make room. For a club trying to balance development with immediate performance, those calls can say plenty about where the staff sees its depth chart right now. Dan Vladar will also be back in goal for his second start of the season, adding another layer to a game that will offer a clearer picture of how the Flyers want to line up as Barkey re-enters the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Linked To A Young Defenseman Worth A Bold Push
Contract talks in Detroit have turned into one of the more closely watched subplot lines of the offseason, and a young defenseman with size and upside is now at the center of it. Philadelphia is among the teams reportedly monitoring the situation, with the kind of blue-line profile that tends to draw attention if it becomes available.
Simon Edvinssons frustration with his contract negotiations has opened the door to the possibility of a move, even as the Red Wings still want to work something out. Seattle and Pittsburgh are also said to be in the mix, which means any team serious about making a push may have to come in aggressively before Detroit is forced to decide whether to keep negotiating or listen more seriously to outside interest. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Get Timely Boost Before Tampa Bay But Two Statuses Loom
The Flyers got a little healthier at the right time as they prepared for Tampa Bay, with the latest injury report bringing some encouragement to a lineup that has had to absorb its share of bumps. Denver Barkey appears close to returning from a lower-body injury, and his progress gives Philadelphia another option as it looks to sharpen its depth for a tough matchup.
There is still some uncertainty, though, because Rasmus Ristolainen remains in the mix after leaving a recent game with a hand issue. Barkeys possible return also comes with a procedural wrinkle, since he would have to come off injured reserve first, which could mean a corresponding roster move before he is available. [Read more 🡒]