The Philadelphia Flyers and their general manager, Daniel Briere, have made a talking point out of “evaluating” their players. With a 19-20-5 record, though, they haven’t seen much team-wide growth (so much for evaluating, right?). But that’s not important in the grand scheme of things. That’s not the right thing to focus on at all, actually.
Whether they want to admit it or not, the Flyers’ rebuild depends on Matvei Michkov. Everything is about him. So, the players who make him substantially better are worth keeping. This is where two young defensemen come in: Jamie Drysdale and Cam York.
Few players on the Flyers have given Michkov a sizable boost in chance generation. Drysdale and York are two of the exceptions. Let’s dive into the numbers, add context to figure out why those numbers are so good, and justify keeping the defenders long-term.
Why Drysdale and Michkov Are So Effective
I already did a deep dive into Drysdale’s resurgence this season, but one portion of that post is worth expanding on: his impact on Michkov. Specifically, we see a night-and-day difference in expected goals for per 60, a de facto play-driving metric. The greater the number, the more likely you are to score.
At 5-on-5, Drysdale has been able to activate Michkov’s offensive game to an extent that very few players on the team can. The Flyers drafted the 20-year-old Russian for just that: offense. So, the early signs of this duo are promising.
| Duo (5-on-5) | Ice Time | Expected Goals For Per 60 | Expected Goal Share |
| Drysdale-Michkov | 141:54 | 3.55 | 52.86% |
| Michkov without Drysdale | 376:36 | 2.40 | 53.22% |
| Drysdale without Michkov | 362:57 | 2.19 | 47.52% |
| Flyers without Either | 1,271:00 | 2.45 | 52.11% |
Anyone can throw out a bunch of numbers. But what’s the meaning behind them?
We can see Drysdale’s effect on Michkov’s game with our own eyes. One example was against the Florida Panthers last night (Jan. 13) in the first period. Drysdale forced a turnover low in the defensive zone and got the puck up to Michkov, who flung a one-touch pass up to Sean Couturier for a partial 2-on-1. The ensuing shot resulted in a juicy rebound, giving Michkov a high-danger chance (that was ultimately stopped).
Related: Noah Cates’ 2-Goal Game Leads Flyers to Important Win Over Panthers
This is just one specific example of the plays Drysdale has been making a lot more of since his return from injury on Dec. 8. Sometimes, like what was just referenced, the plays are subtle. Others, not so much (on the power play, sure, but worth sharing nonetheless):
Back-to-back games with multiple power play goals. ⚡️#FLAvsPHI | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/dDExoL4MCN
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) January 14, 2025
Drysdale, after numerous injury setbacks in his young career, has finally started to unlock his offensive game. In fact, he’s been one of the best generators of scoring chances in the NHL since his return in December. That hasn’t exactly translated to points, still sitting on 10 in 32 contests this season, but he has noticeably transformed his game.
A Michkov and Drysdale marriage at 5-on-5 has shown it can make both players significant offensive threats. Just 20 and 22 respectively, they have years to build upon this symbiotic relationship. They already feed off each other well in transition—doing so more frequently in the offensive zone can help them reach an even greater ceiling.
Why York and Michkov Are So Effective
There is only one other defenseman to reach the 3.00 expected goals for per 60 mark next to Michkov at 5-on-5. That defender is York, and he’s exceeded that by a lot. Their numbers are below:
| Duo (5-on-5) | Ice Time | Expected Goals For Per 60 | Expected Goal Share |
| York-Michkov | 114:34 | 3.80 | 62.37% |
| Michkov without York | 403:55 | 2.40 | 49.77% |
| York without Michkov | 437:40 | 2.14 | 53.98% |
| Flyers without Either | 1,196:16 | 2.48 | 50.27% |
The interesting part about York is that he’s more of a steady, off-puck defender than he used to be. He’s very methodical. Stapled to Travis Sanheim, who gets vastly more on-puck time, the opportunities York gets to unleash his fullest offensive potential are slim. Instead, he’s typically focused on keeping the puck out of his net, exemplified by being one of the league’s best in expected goals against per 60 (1.92).
So, why are his results so good with Michkov? Why does the following discrepancy, shown in the table below, exist?
| Trio (5-on-5) | Ice Time | Expected Goals For Per 60 | Expected Goal Share |
| York-Sanheim-Michkov | 93:25 | 3.28 | 59.62% |
| Sanheim-Michkov (without York) | 88:28 | 2.21 | 50.00% |
| York-Michkov (without Sanheim) | 22:09 | 5.99 | 69.72% |
Well, first of all, we have to consider York’s injury earlier this season. He missed a lot of time, leaving Sanheim without his regular defensive partner. Michkov’s offensive game suffered.
Sanheim and York’s time spent apart allows us to highlight the latter’s impact. York has the puck less, so why is there such a big gap?
My best answer here is his ability to get the puck up the ice and establish breakouts. More specifically, he’s allowing Michkov to get more touches than normal. The more puck touches Michkov gets, the better it is for the Flyers’ offense. He may be 20 years old, but his ability to create is already star-caliber. Hence, there are a lot more scoring chances when York is on the ice.
Drysdale & York Are Worth Keeping Around
This is based on what I’ve seen online, so take it with a grain of salt, but I feel a large portion of the Flyers’ fanbase has a neutral or negative view of both Drysdale and York. Meaning, they’d be open to a trade.
My take on it is that neither—and much less both—of Michkov’s best activators should be traded away. With York’s deal expiring this summer and Drysdale’s expiring the next, we’ll find out how much the Flyers value that ability.
Both of these players have room to grow. We’re seeing some of the best hockey Drysdale has ever played at the NHL level—he’s gone from concerningly behind schedule to promisingly ahead of it. That’s not to say he’s perfect, but his growth has been a huge plus for the Flyers this season.
Rasmus Ristolainen, in his late 20s no less, went from a career-long liability in a top-four role to a genuine asset under associate coach Brad Shaw. Considering this, Drysdale could have a very bright future in the City of Brotherly Love. Defensive development is a strong suit of this hockey team.
York is 24 now, so it’s easy to see why some people may be lower on him. His offensive game has taken a step back from where it was in 2022-23—it looked like a strength back then, but now it’s about average. However, there’s a catch.
One of the most productive defenders with the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP), York’s offense didn’t just go away. The top-five single-season defenseman point leaders in program history are the following: Cole Hutson, York, Lane Hutson, Adam Fox, and Quinn Hughes. The first player listed, drafted last summer, led the entire 2025 World Junior Championship in points. The third leads all rookies in points this season. The last two each have a Norris Trophy victory and multiple 70-plus point campaigns to their name.
It takes a special player to score that much with the USNTDP. So, what gives? The likeliest explanation is that York is being restricted too much. Sure, he’s been great defensively, but it’s offense, ironically enough, that separates the good defensemen from elite ones.
It could be a process, but an offensive renaissance may be in York’s future. Far from Hughes-esque, but a renaissance nonetheless. The Flyers need to give him that chance, though. If he gets it, his potential could skyrocket in a Michkov-led offense. He has the talent for it.
Lots of focus has been placed on getting Michkov—and the rest of the team—better centers for the future. Offenses depend on them, so it makes sense why. But it has been Drysdale and York, two young defensemen, who have quietly elevated Michkov’s game.
Advanced stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick
