Noah Cates shines as three Flyers participate in Da Beauty League

Da Beauty League, founded in 2015, was developed to help continue to grow the sport of hockey. The 4-on-4 league meets every year in Edin, Minnesota, and allows players from all around to compete in a more relaxed style of hockey.

The rules differ slightly from the traditional NHL style. There are two, 23-minute periods followed by overtime if necessary. But it's not a normal OT period. It plays more like a skills competition where it is a breakaway style race as the teams quickly compete to score three goals. The difference is that each player must race back to the bench to allow the next teammate to come onto the ice.

There is also a "Za Hot Puck" that is sponsored by a local pizza chain, Bernatello’s Pizza Inc. Each team is allotted a two-minute window they can cash in on where any goals scored are doubled. It adds a fun aspect to the game and can give either team a chance to get back into a game.

The league consists mostly of NHL and AHL players and has featured a few Flyers players over the years. This year, three Flyers participated in the league that ran from July 10 to August 28. Those players were Bobby Brink, Noah Cates, and Ryan Poehling.

Bobby Brink

This was Brink's second season participating in Da Beauty League. And for the second straight year, he was drafted to Element. In four games, Brink posted three goals and 10 points. He was middle of the pack on the team, finishing ninth in points. Unfortunately for him and Element, they did not make the postseason despite averaging nearly 10 goals per game.

Brink is coming off a rather rocky rookie season. At times, he looked like he belonged in the NHL and was producing at a strong pace. Other times, his confidence was shaken and his defensive play was inconsistent. It forced a stint in the AHL where Brink worked to regain that confidence and found his way back up. The Flyers showed faith in him with a two-year contract this offseason. Now it's about reaching that potential that he has shown flashes of.

Noah Cates

A native of Minnesota, Cates returned to the league for for the third straight year. Drafted to TRIA, Cates was looking to help the team defend their back-to-back John Scott Cup victories. He put up strong numbers during the regular season, finishing third on the team with 15 points in six games. He was also tied for second with eight goals.

Cates made the one playoff game count, scoring twice and leading the team with four points. TRIA captured their third straight championship and fourth in the league's history.

Cates is coming off an injury-riddled season where he appeared in 59 games a season after playing all 82. His numbers suffered as he posted just six goals and 18 points. It's going to be an important season coming up as he will be an RFA at the end of the year. John Tortorella liked what he saw from Cates in his first season, but he's going to need to show plenty more in the upcoming year to prove that wasn't a fluke.

Ryan Poehling

It was a short appearance for Poehling in the league. He appeared in one game for Walser but made it count by scoring a goal. He also registered an assist as well. This was his first ever time playing in Da Beauty League.

There is some confusion on the league website, listing Poehling on the Anderson roster, but his stats show Walser. The goal below also goes up on the scoreboard for Anderson while the announcers mention Walser. But a closer look shows teammate Riley Tufte on the 2-on-1 rush and he is a part of the latter's roster. Regardless, not a bad debut for Poehling.

Poehling bet on himself with he signed with the Flyers in the offseason and that bet paid off big time. He had struggled to find a place for himself in the NHL before coming to Philadelphia. Here, he posted a career-high 11 goals and 28 points in 77 games, the most he has ever played in a single season. That, along with his speed and ability to play up and down the lineup, earned him a two-year extension back in January.

While this league gives players a chance to keep in game shape over the summer, NHL training camp is just under three weeks away.