So far this season, the Flyers have not given fans much to cheer about. They are 4-10-5 and have the lowest point total in the Eastern Conference. But while the team as a whole has not been very impressive, there are a few bright spots on the roster. Specifically, the play of rookie defenseman Oliver Bonk. Since being recalled from Leigh Valley on October 11th, Bonk has been playing at an elite level. He's one of the reasons fans should have hope for the future. But what has made Bonk so impressive this season?
Oliver Bonk is establishing himself as a reliable top four defenseman
Through 13 games with the Flyers this season, Bonk has logged a goal and six assists for seven points. That is the second-most points by a rookie defenseman this season. He has shown a tremendous ability to set up guys for goals, with four of his six assists being primary. This production has not been the result of luck. According to Natural Stat Trick, he has a 53.48 CF%, a 52.56 SCF%, and a 54.55 xG%. Bonk success is solely based on his ability to generate offense.
But what has been so impressive about Bonk is his ability to instantly adjust to a top-four role. He is currently averaging 18:46 of ice time a night. He has also been on the ice for over 20 minutes in three games this season. He is not only taking on a large amount of playing time, but has also improved the pairing's play. He has spent most of the season next to Travis Sanheim, and they have produced a 53.2 xGoals% according to Moneypuck. This is the best of any Flyers pairing.
Normally, when a team calls up a young player, they ease him into the starting lineup. They put him on a lower pair and give him less responsibility, so they can focus on adjusting to the speed and physicality of the NHL game. But the Flyers took a risk and decided to give Bonk a trial by fire, and he passed it with flying colors. While it's a short sample size, both the eye test and the stats show that Bonk can be a reliable top-four defenseman for the rest of the season.
With Bonk's strong play and the state of the Flyers' roster, he should be a top-four defenseman for the rest of the season. The Flyers should give them as much ice time as possible to see if he can continue his strong play for the rest of the season. Have Bonk become a key piece to this lineup and establish himself as one of the lead defensemen. It will give the Flyers a player to build around and help establish a core for the future.
Although it's early in Bonk's career, his play has demonstrated he can be a core piece for the Flyers moving forward. It is a bright spot in what has been a miserable season.
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