The NHL careers of Morgan Frost and Owen Tippet thus far have seen their fair share of ups and downs. Both players dominated the OHL before making their transition to the NHL. They were first-round selections in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. Tippett was selected 10th overall by the Florida Panthers and Frost was selected 27th overall by the Flyers.
There’s no denying that both players have extremely high upside and talent, but it has yet to be seen at the NHL level consistently. The upcoming season will be important for Frost and Tippett, as they need to take a major step forward and unlock the potential that is waiting to break out.
Morgan Frost
Frost recently signed a 1yr/$800k extension with the Flyers. This is the perfect deal for Frost. It’s a chance for him to prove his level of talent and ability to be a key part of the Flyers’ offense.
Frost’s confidence issues in 2021-2022 stemmed from the frequent moves between Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia. He was never able to find a consistent groove between both clubs. Whenever consistency started to show, he was either called up or sent down.
Frost scored 16 points in 55 games played with the Flyers and 19 points and 24 games with the Phantoms during the entirety of the season. Frost took a step forward in 2021-2022 but his inconsistencies remained.
He showed confidence towards the end of the 2021-2022 season. The best hockey that Frost played was on “The Kids Line” with Noah Cates and Tippett. Frost seemed relaxed and confident in his playmaking abilities and all three players were able to feed off each other and grow together.
It seems unlikely that “The Kids Line” will be together to start the 2022-2023 season. If not together, Frost must play with the same confidence and swagger no matter who his line-mates are.
Owen Tippett
Tippett has played in 21 games with the Orange and Black since being acquired before the trade deadline. He scored seven points in those 21 games (4G, 3A). When you’re included in a deal that sends a franchise icon to another team, the pressure to play well is always high.
Just like Frost, Tippett has shown inconsistencies during his time in the NHL and has seen changes between the OHL, AHL, and NHL. He made his debut with the Florida Panthers during the 2017-2018 season and scored one goal in seven games. He was sent back to the OHL where he scored 75 points in 51 games.
In 2018-2019, Tippett spent the entire season in the OHL. In 2019-2020, he played in 46 games with the Springfield Thunderbirds in the AHL and scored 40 points, almost a point per game pace. Tippett earned another stint with the Panthers in 2020-2021 and scored 22 points in 51 games played, including a playoff push on the same line as Johnny Huberdeau. He seemed to be finding consistency in the NHL.
Tippett took a minor step-back in 2021-2022. He played in 42 games with the Panthers totaling 14 points. He found a groove with the Charlotte Checkers in the AHL and scored 18 points in 12 games before being traded to the Flyers.
A player who has a shoot-first mentality, Tippett also has speed and size which makes him a power forward. Scouts gave high praise to Tippett ahead of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.
He has produced with the Flyers even though his point totals may say otherwise. Tippett constantly generates chances when with Frost and Cates.
Tippett had 53 shots on goal in his first 21 games, but only four of those saw back of the net. There’s no doubt that Tippett can score between 25-30 goals a year and be close to a point-per-game player. The potential and skill are there, but his finishing is yet to be discovered.
Once Tippett finds his consistent scoring touch, he will be a threat on the Flyers’ offense.
The Flyers are confident in his abilities; the centerpiece in the Claude Giroux trade. If the Flyers were never confident in Tippett, then they wouldn’t have traded one of the best players in franchise history for the young power forward.
Tippett was recently given a qualifying offer but has yet to sign a deal for 2022-2023.
(Photo Credit: Alex McIntyre)
