Philadelphia Flyers right-winger Nicolas Aube-Kubel underwhelmed during the 2020-21 season. He was one of the many young players on the team who regressed in their development at the NHL level.
Although he is not as heavily scrutinized during rough patches as goaltender Carter Hart or former second overall pick Nolan Patrick, he clearly took a step in the wrong direction following a strong rookie season in 2019-20. He failed to replicate the strong forechecking style that made him so valuable as a bottom-six winger who could also add some secondary scoring.
Perhaps the most puzzling element of NAK’s regression, however, was the infrequency of his willingness to play the role as a pesky agitator who could frustrate opponents and bring grit to the bottom-six. It was a significant part of his appeal in 2019-20, but he contributed very little in this role in 2020-21.
Flyers Need Muckers and Grinders
The role as an agitator has maintained prominence in the NHL as enforcers have all but disappeared from the sport. While wingers Travis Konecny and Joel Farabee both bring some elements of grit to the game, the Flyers would prefer that both players prioritize their roles as scorers above all else.
Aube-Kubel was one of the few players the Flyers could’ve counted on to stir the pot against their MassMutual East Division opponents this year, especially given the division realignment that resulted in rivalry matchups on an almost game-to-game basis.
During Philadelphia’s early season struggles against the Boston Bruins, Aube-Kubel looked like he wanted to be the type of spark plug agitator that he was during the previous season. He played an aggressive style that appeared to be an attempt to send a physical message to a team that was pushing the Flyers around. He ended up dropping the gloves with Boston defenseman Connor Clifton on February 5.
However, this style also dwindled away as his forechecking prowess became less effective. Although he led the team in penalty minutes with 44, the majority of his penalties had nothing to do with aggressive play to forcefully stir the emotions of his opponents. His sloppy defensive play consistently resulted in tripping and hooking infractions that forced the second worst penalty killing unit in the NHL onto the ice more often than was necessary.
While fighting in the NHL has dissipated, some agitators still attempt to spark energy by dropping the gloves, especially when their teams are struggling. During the Flyers horrific month of March in which they finished 6-10-1, Farabee and winger Oskar Lindblom fought in efforts to turn momentum while Aube-Kubel made little contribution on the ice. The role was particularly unideal for Lindblom, a recent cancer survivor who grew up playing with the Swedish style of play where finesse is more prevalent. NAK did drop the gloves on March 25 with New York Rangers defenseman Brendan Smith.
Like many players on the 2020-21 Flyers, Aube-Kubel had no rhythm to his game down the stretch run. It is very much conceivable that he’ll be given a chance to bounce back next season, but he must realize that fourth line players in the NHL have very little job security. He’ll be fighting for his NHL career next season.