A few weeks ago, the New York Giants stunned the Philadelphia Eagles, their fans, and the world, to be honest with you, with a smashing victory over the Birds. A lot of this had to do with the youthful energy of rookie QB Jaxson Dart and rookie RB Cam Skattebo. For a franchise that has fallen on hard times, they both bring an infectious, youthful vibe that is catching on with the rest of the team. And let's be honest; they are a fun duo to watch.
Don't look now, but the Flyers may have some of that magic, too. No, it wasn't found in a super high draft pick like Porter Martone. It hasn't been from a young phenom like Matvei Michkov. Nope, this energy is found in Nikita Grebenkin. And if the rest of the Flyers follow his lead, the NHL had better be on notice and watch out!
At a cursory look, his stats don't jump out at you. Grebenkin has appeared in four games and has one assist. In total, he's averaging just over 9:30 minutes of ice time and has registered just one shot on goal in a mostly fourth-line role. That's something that you wouldn't take notice of.
However, in that time, he's blocked one shot and has dealt out three hits. It's also one play in particular that has gotten noticed.
On its own, the fight between Grebenkin and Cale Fleury wasn't impressive. It was a pretty quick fight with Grebenkin clearly the winner. There is more to this fight than you may realize. Let's do a deeper dive into this fight.
Seconds before the fisticuffs, Fleury laid out a hit on Garnet Hathaway. Grebenkin, obviously, didn't appreciate the shot to his linemate and took matters into his own hands. First of all, Hathaway can defend himself. He's got no trouble dropping the gloves. To have a rookie stand up for a veteran like that shows a lot of respect for his teammates.
This was also Fleury's first fight. By the looks of it, it should be his last. For Grebenkin, this will be the first of many in a Flyers' uniform.
If you watch Grebenkin's style of play, he's all over the ice. Yes, he's coughed up the puck three times already. That's something young players do often. However, you can see he wants to be involved in the play. As he gets more comfortable in his skates, he will use his body more as he battles for the puck in the corners. As he gets more time on the ice, you will probably see him take more shots on net. To be honest, a line with Rodrigo Abols, Hathaway, and Grebenkin could end up becoming one of the nastiest fourth lines in the league.
Again, it's just a small sample size. Youthful energy is contagious. Grebenkin really seems as if he loves to be out on the ice and loves to play. That kind of energy can start to filter out to the other young guys and should trickle back to the older vets. It's fun energy like that that this team has been lacking. A team having fun playing hockey is a lot more dangerous than a team going through the motions.
Grebenkin isn't a star player yet. He may never be. However, he plays in the mold of his coach, Rick Tocchet. His coach is someone who can mentor him on how to get better. Together, Grebenkin and Tocchet can make this team better by enjoying playing hockey again. If that continues, this team may not be in the basement. In fact, the Flyers may start to become fun to watch again.