Konecny: Flyers 'have all the tools' to become playoff contenders
Travis Konecny hopes the heartbreaking end to the Philadelphia Flyers' season can help them become a consistent playoff contender in the future.
"We have all the tools to do it," he said during the Flyers' exit availability on Wednesday. "I think this year was good for us being in the spot we were at. ... Maybe it makes you realize that nothing game on a Tuesday in a random city, that game matters. It's a good mindset for our team to have."
"I'd love to say right now that it's going to be next year," he added. "I don't know."
After occupying a playoff spot for much of the campaign, the Flyers officially finished outside the postseason picture on Wednesday night. Philadelphia lost nine out of its last 11 games, ultimately dashing any hopes it had of playing beyond the regular season for the first time since 2020.
Despite falling short, the Flyers were still one of the biggest surprises of the season, something that is not lost on Konecny.
"I think it was awesome for a lot of the guys to prove a lot of people wrong, and maybe even prove themselves wrong. ... Now, it's just believing," he said.
Only five players on the current roster have suited up for a playoff game while donning a Flyers jersey:
| Player | GP | G | P |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sean Couturier | 39 | 10 | 22 |
| Scott Laughton | 24 | 6 | 10 |
| Travis Konecny | 22 | 1 | 8 |
| Travis Sanheim | 20 | 2 | 8 |
| Joel Farabee | 12 | 3 | 5 |
"It's tough when we put ourselves in such a good spot at the start of the year," veteran forward Scott Laughton said. "You're pushing towards that goal of making the playoffs and you get that taste a little bit, you want to get back there. I haven't experienced playoff hockey in Philly in quite some time and there's nothing really like it."
He added: "This one stings the most out of my career. ... It could have been a lot different."
Laughton said he needs some time to decompress before he can fully focus on the positives that came from this campaign.
Konecny's performance was arguably one of those bright spots. He posted a career-high 33 goals and 68 points in 76 games.
The 27-year-old has one more season remaining on his deal with a cap hit of $5.5 million. He's eligible to sign an extension this summer, though he admitted contract talks haven't been at the front of his mind.
"I'm sure down the road here I'll deal with that," he said. "I've been focusing so much on trying to get (into the playoffs). But we'll see moving forward.
"I love Philly."