Woooooo it’s a feel good story out of Philadelphia in regards to Flyers hockey. The once depleted franchise in terms of prospects is no longer. General Manager Ron Hextall has restocked the farm system with some really talented prospects. This has Flyers fans throughout the area excited for the fresh new look Flyers this season.
This upcoming Flyers season will be a season that people have not seen in recent memory. The youth infusion will begin right off the bat with the likes of Samuel Morin, Robert Hagg, Travis Sanheim, Philippe Myers, Nolan Patrick, Oskar Lindblom, and Mike Vecchione all vying for spots with the big club. Will all of these young guns make the Flyers roster on opening night…of course not. However, some will and it shows the strength of the farm system.
There are many players on the current Flyers roster that have a lot to prove this coming season. If these players do not improve from prior years, then the end result might be a young prospect taking their spot on the roster in the near future. In this week’s Part 3 segment, let’s look at Forward Dale Weise.
Wiese came to the Flyers as a free agent from the Chicago Blackhawks in 2016. He signed a four-year deal worth $9.4 million, as it was a shock to many fans as the Flyers elected to sign Weise. Most fans had the Flyers re-signing fan favorite Ryan White. White of course elected to sign with the Arizona Coyotes on a one-year deal worth $1 million.
In just his first season with the Flyers, Weise got off to a slow start. He only managed to register just 2 points in his first 14 games of the season. However, he managed to finish the season on a high note on a line with Sean Couturier, and Brayden Schenn. For the season, Weise tallied 8 goals, and 7 assists for a total of 15 points in 64 games played.
Weise’s new linemates of Couturier, and Schenn following the trade deadline had a major impact for the Flyers. They had physical play, and Weise was a major contributor by tallying 6 goals in his last 14 games. Moreover, Weise notched the fastest Gordie Howe hat trick in NHL history against Winnipeg later in the season.
Even with the highs late in the season, unfortunately there were a lot of lows. Weise struggled with consistency all season. With that he found himself in and out of the lineup throughout the year. Weise missed 15 games for being a healthy scratch, and he served a three game suspension for an illegal check on a player from the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. He struggled finding chemistry with linemates as he was shuffled through the second line to the fourth line at times. Fortunately, he found chemistry with Couturier, and Schenn or else he would have a new home by now. The main question is should his late season push be enough to keep him safe this coming season?
The Answer is absolutely not. Weise hasn’t shown he is consistent enough to be an everyday player. For instance, the player Weise replaced in Ryan White was a physical force. But, shockingly enough he could skate, and also had a little bit of skill offensively to remain an everyday player. White was also cheaper than Weise. A player with Weise’s contract should have produced at least 30 points this past season.
With the likes of Nolan Patrick, Oskar Lindblom, Mike Vecchione, Taylor Leier, Colin McDonald, and Danick Martel vying for spots with the big club. For once the Flyers are stockpiled with young prospects who are chomping at the bit to get their shot in the NHL. This leaves little room for error on Weise’s behalf. Hopefully for his sake Weise can build off his solid end of season last year, and prove the doubters wrong. One thing is certain Flyers fans, the future is bright in Flyer land.
