While the Flyers have gotten off to a decent start after four games, not everyone has been able to say the same. Nicolas Aube-Kubel, who had a disappointing season last year, hasn’t been able to put things back together early on in this campaign.
The gritty fourth line winger is known for having a specific style of play on the ice. Along with Nate Thompson and Zack MacEwen, their role is typically to give the team energy and make life harder for their opponents.
Through four games, Aube-Kubel has not registered a point and hasn’t been on the ice for a Flyers goal either. At just over 39 minutes of even strength play, the team is getting outplayed in just about every metric. Opponents have out scored Philadelphia 4-0 when Aube-Kubel is on the ice. His 40.54 CF% also shows how little the team controls the play when he is on the ice.
And for a player who does play the physical style, it has gotten Aube-Kubel into trouble once again this season. After posting 44 penalty minutes in 50 games last year, he already had four in four games. His most recently penalty, which was called a trip on the ice, drew extra attention from the league.
He was fined $2,687.50, which is the maximum allowed for him under the CBA, for kneeing Mason Marchment of the Florida Panthers. The Flyers didn’t give up a power play goal after the fact, but it was still a dangerous play that could’ve ended up far worse than it did.
Here's another look. Aube-Kubel given two minutes for tripping pic.twitter.com/0EYhZ7Yurz
— NHL Review (@nhl_review) October 24, 2021
Alain Vigneault praised Aube-Kubel coming into the game against Florida, mentioning again that he was one of the best conditioned players coming into camp and did everything the team asked of him.
"“I think Q [Aube-Kubel] is working extremely hard. He’s done everything he was asked to do in the summer. He was our best conditioned athlete, him and TK. In the last game, there were a couple of turnovers that I’m sure he’s very aware of that those are plays that he can make. But he’s a powerful young man that is learning the game and like our team, he needs to improve. That’s what he’s working on right now.”"
One of those turnovers in particular ended up leading directly to Karson Kuhlman’s second period goal for Boston. That originally tied the game in the first period. While his mistakes aren’t always leading to moments like this, there have still been far too many lapses.
They wouldn’t necessarily be as noticeable if Aube-Kubel’s other numbers weren’t also towards the bottom of the team. With players like Wade Allison injured and Morgan Frost not making the team out of camp, Aube-Kubel has been able to hold onto a roster spot for now. But if these mistakes continue to show up in his game, it may not be long before he ends up in the press box. Especially if Patrick Brown is able to play on this upcoming road trip.
The Flyers claimed MacEwen and Brown to add more depth to their lineup. The former plays a style almost identical to that of Aube-Kubel. And while Brown described his play in a similar way, his versatility can make him an asset to the lineup as well. So it adds even more pressure for Aube-Kubel to clean up the mistakes that have been evident dating back to last season.