The Flyers officially kick off the 2019-2020 season this afternoon as they face off against the Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL Global Series taking place in Prague, Czech Republic. While it came down to the wire for some, just about everyone is accounted for including a fan-favorite, Travis Konecny, who signed a six-year deal worth $33 million dollars with the Flyers just barely a few weeks ago. It came close as Konecny missed the on-ice camp in Voorhees and didn’t sign until after the preseason began. However, hands were shaken and the deal is deal done; Travis Konecny is locked up and will be donning a Flyers sweater for the next six years barring a trade. But nothing has changed in terms of his preparation.
“I’ve approached it the same way.” Konecny told Liam Jenkins on Thursday when asked about the season ahead. “I felt I had two good years in a row so I tried to g et ready and get prepared for the season in the same way. “
The Reasoning Behind Signing a Long Term Deal
This offseason saw a lot of speculation regarding what kind of contract the Flyers would sign Travis Konecny to. Will they sign him to a bridge deal? Will they lock him up long term? How much money are they willing to give him? The truth is no one really knew. For him, the decision was easy. If the Flyers were open to a long term deal, so was he. Konecny clearly wanted to be a Flyer for the foreseeable future.
“I didn’t know what I was going to get into”, said Konecny. “I was kind of open to everything, but when there was the opportunity to be in Philly long term I obviously hopped on that to be here for a while”.
Every Hockey Players Dream
The Flyers haven’t won a Stanley Cup since the 1974-1975 season when Bobby Clarke and the Flyers defeated the Buffalo Sabres in six games. It’s every hockey player’s dream to hoist the Stanley Cup.
That’s the goal for Konecny and the Flyers this year…and one he’s confident in after an offseason of transition for the team.
This season will mark Travis Konecny’s fourth year as both a Flyer and an NHL player. Back in the 2017-2018 season, Konecny got his first taste of playoff hockey against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Unfortunately, for Konecny and the Flyers, the Penguins bested the Orange and Black in six games and knocked the Flyers out of the playoffs. In both his rookie year and this past year, the Flyers failed to make the playoffs altogether. The quest for a Stanley Cup is definitely on Konecny’s mind and he wholeheartedly believes that in the time frame of those six years, he’ll get to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup with the Orange and Black.
“I think there is going to be a lot of good opportunity in those six years for our team to have success and I’m just happy that I can be a part of that”, said Konecny. “My goal in my career is to be on a championship team and I think this is where it’s going to be”.
Why Flyers fans should be excited
Travis Konecny is excited to be a Flyer for six more years and Flyers fans should be happy to have him. Konecny is only 25 years old and is already making a name for himself. Most of his success last year came on a line with Flyers captain Claude Giroux and center Sean Couturier.
In 82 games with the Orange and Black, Konency set a career-high in points (49) and matched his career-high in goals (24). There is no reason Konecny can’t hit the 30 goal mark in the near future. He’s got the shot to do it. His speed is also something that stands out from time to time. While he’s not the fastest player on the ice, he can turn on the jets when needed and win a race to the puck. Don’t forget his grittiness. Konecny is known to be a chirper and has the ability to get under other players’ skin. Just take a look at the Stadium Series game. It’s pretty obvious he got under Penguins forward Jake Guentzel’s skin.
The energy that Konecny provides on and off the ice is so crucial to the Flyers. On the ice, Konecny is always chirping at opposing players and stirring the pot. Off the ice and in the locker room, Konecny is always cracking a joke and having fun. That’s just the kind of player and person he is. Expect Konecny to continue to be the same player he has been over the past three years and bring that same kind of energy starting this afternoon when the Flyers kick off their regular season.
Always Looking To Improve
Take a look at guys like Connor McDavid and Alex Ovechkin. They’re two of the highest regarded players in the National Hockey League. However, nobody is perfect. There is always room for improvement and they’ll likely be the first to tell you that.
For Travis Konecny, at age 25, there’s still a lot he can improve on. For Konecny, he believes that his 200-foot game is something that needs some work.
“I think my 200-foot game’s got to come together”, said Konecny.”I know it’s come a long way since year one but I’m still in development mode as far as the 200-foot game and I just got to stick with that and I think everything else will take care of itself”.
In just a few short hours, Travis Konecny and the Flyers kick off their 2019-2020 regular season overseas in Prague. Expectations are high and Konecny is poised to live up to them. Let’s do that hockey Flyers fans!
