2022-23 Flyers Player Profile: Noah Cates and Bobby Brink
By Scott Cole
The 2017 draft hasn’t turned out quite like the Flyers had hoped. Nolan Patrick, the second overall pick has been traded away for Ryan Ellis, who is still struggling to get back on the ice. Morgan Frost, another first round pick, has struggled to stay consistently on the roster. Fifth round pick Noah Cates, however, has turned out to be a pleasant surprise. And if he continues to grow, he could end up being quite a bargain.
With everyone hurt last season, Claude Giroux traded to Florida, and the season in shambles, Cates was one of many late season call ups. Playing in 16 games, Cates made quite an impression. He scored five goals, including two against the Penguins on April 24th.
Cates hadn’t played in the AHL yet, so seeing the 23 year old forward come right up from the college ranks into the NHL was impressive. This past year, he played in 37 games for Univ. of Minnesota Duluth, scoring 11 goals.
Cates is one of those guys that could play a major role in how this team goes forward. If he can recapture what he did at the tail end of last season and bring it to this upcoming season, he could easily win a spot in training camp. He could end up being one of those late round draft picks that really shined for the Flyers.
His brother, Jackson, also is signed to the Flyers and has scored one goal in 15 games over two seasons. So, the Sedin brothers and Staal brothers they are not. But Noah has shown that he can be counted on to score when possible.
For Cates, this is his moment. If he can step up and take advantage of it, there is no telling as to how high his ceiling can go. He’s still on an entry level deal that’s worth $925,000. At that price, it is worth it for the Flyers to give him every opportunity to prove himself. If he gets that chance, there is no reason he can’t score 10+ goals. If not, we can see what he does at the AHL level and see what happens next.