‘He fits in everywhere’ – NBC Sports Philadelphia
PITTSBURGH — Christian Dvorak did not know Travis Konecny earlier than signing with the Flyers final summer season.
And as Konecny’s opponent, that often means one factor.
“I mean, if you don’t know him, you probably don’t like him,” Dvorak stated with amusing two days in the past. “That’s kind of how it goes, that’s his game. Once I met him, he became a good friend of mine and he’s a great teammate, too.”
No doubt, Konecny can agitate with the very best of them. But teammates love him. You need him in your facet.
Dvorak, extra of a stoic, laid-back sort, has seen Konecny’s worth up shut. And the Flyers have seen why Dvorak was such a worthwhile man on a playoff staff final season in Montreal. This season, it’s totally attainable the Flyers would have missed the playoffs for a sixth straight yr in the event that they did not purchase Dvorak.
“He has fit in seamlessly here with our group,” Nick Seeler stated Friday. “He’s such a good teammate, but he’s a heck of a player. He’s kind of a jack of all trades, he’s a good 200-foot player and he can put the puck in the net.”
The 30-year-old middle had a profession yr with the Flyers, placing up 51 factors (18 objectives, 33 assists) in 80 regular-season video games. He had a plus-11 score and a 54.5 faceoff win share in 18:28 minutes per recreation. He additionally recorded solely 27 penalty minutes.
In the Flyers’ playoff opener Saturday night time, a 3-2 win over the PenguinsDvorak had an help, a plus-2 mark and performed essentially the most minutes of any ahead on the staff.
Last season, Dvorak played all 82 games for the Canadiens and scored a pair of objectives in the playoffs.
He has become probably the most common teammates in the Flyers’ locker room.
“He’s just a great guy, he’s a guy that wants to be at the team dinners, he wants to be involved in the card game,” Konecny stated Saturday. “He’s just involved in everything. He’s friends with everybody. It’s a great thing for a leader, he’s great to the young guys. He fits in everywhere.”
Before signing a five-year extension in JanuaryDvorak joined the rebuilding Flyers on a one-year deal. I believed the staff may win.
“I did, yeah,” Dvorak stated. “When I assumed I’d come right here, I assumed we may make the playoffs or else I most likely would not have signed right here. That’s part of it. I knew there was numerous expertise on this roster and we believed the entire time. There have been ups and downs via all of it, however we at all times knew we had an opportunity. Made a great run after the Olympics and put ourselves in place right here to be in the playoffs, which is nice.”
Dvorak has performed on a line with Konecny and lately the 19-year-old Porter Martone. Dvorak and Konecny have made one another higher this season.
“He has become one of my good buddies,” Konecny stated. “And it’s not often you get to play with one of your good buddies. We enjoy every game, we laugh about a lot of things and it helps to get through some of the swings of momentum throughout the games. You kind of just shake it off. He has done a great job, he kind of helps me a lot, too, on the ice, he’s calming when he’s out there. It just helps you relax and get into a game.”
When the collection shifts to Philadelphia for Games 3 and 4the Flyers can have their first house playoff video games since 2018. With Konecny again in the postseason for the primary time since 2020, Dvorak is aware of that is the place his pal belongs — in the center of issues, when the video games matter most.
“I think his style of play is meant for playoff hockey, so I’m excited for him,” Dvorak stated. “I know it has been a while, especially with fans in attendance for the playoffs, it has been a while here. I’m excited to see him out there and enjoy it.”