Meltzer's Player Profiles: Travis Konecny

A slightly belated start to training camp did not prevent fourth-year NHL right winger Travis Konecny from getting off to a torrid start to the 2019-20 season after signing a six-year contract ($5.5 million average annual value) on Sept. 16, 2019.

Konecny roared out of the gates with two goals and an assist in the Flyers' season-opening win over Chicago in Prague and then had another multi-point game (1g, 1a) when the club returned to Philadelphia to defeat New Jersey.

Konecny has never never looked back, earning his first NHL All-Star Game selection and leading the team in scoring for the season to date with 61 points (24g, 37a) in 66 games played.

The forward missed three games as a result of a concussion sustained on Dec. 7 after receiving an open-ice check from Ottawa defenseman Mark Borowiecki However, he didn't skip a beat; collecting four points over his next two games upon his return to the lineup on Dec. 17.

Konecny isn't big (5-foot-10, 175 pounds) but he's fearless and skates with a lot of energy as well as skill. Earlier in his career, Konecny sometimes got in his coaches' doghouse for a tendency to make high-risk plays somewhat indiscriminately. He has steadily improved in his decision-making as he has gained experience yet remains aggressive in making plays with the puck.

The player has also improved defensively over the course of his career. For example, Konecny has been noticeably better on weak-side coverages than he was earlier in his career. He'll always be more of an offensive-minded player but he is willing to work for the puck when he doesn't have it.

One of the more agitating players around the NHL, Konecny drives opponents to distraction with non-stop chirping. WIthin the team, he helps keep things loose with his locker room banter. Konecny has forged close friendships with many teammates, including Oskar Lindblom, whose stall is next to his in the team's training facility locker room in Voorhees.

FIVE KEY FACTS

1) Konecny has not had any prolonged offensive droughts this season. Only twice has he gone three straight games without a point; never four or more. Conversely, he opened the season with at least one point in nine of the first 10 games. More recently, he had a four-game point streak (3g, 3a) between Feb. 25 and March 4.

2) Konecny has scored the first goal of the game seven times this season, leading the team. The next-closest players are Sean Couturier and Scott Laughton, with four apiece.

3) Konecny has scored on 17 percent of his shots on goal this season; a single-season career high. Overall, he has hit the net at a 13.1 percent clip for his 299-game NHL career to date.

4) Per Natural Stat Trick, Konecny has an on-ice expected goals (5-on-5) of 54.58 percent this season; third among Flyers forwards. Last year, it was 46.61 percent. In terms of high-danger chances when on the ice at 5-on-5, Konecny was also in the red last season (46.76 percent) and in the black this season (52.29%).

5) Over the last two seasons, Konecny's 128 credited hits (63 to date this season) ranks fourth among Flyers forwards; an indicator of how he does not let his relative lack of size affect his aggressive style of play.

TOP HIGHLIGHTS

Video: CHI@PHI: Konecny snipes opening goal from circle

Video: CHI@PHI: Konecny nets second goal with backhander

1 Oct. 4, 2019 vs. CHI (6:24 1st period, 18:04 2nd period): Konecny got the 2019-20 regular season off to a strong start for the Flyers, scoring two goals and assisting on another in the team's 4-3 win over Chicago in the NHL Global Series in Prague. The earlier tally was the game's first goal. First forechecker Oskar Lindblom applied pressure, second forechecker Konecny intercepted the puck at the blue line,moved in and fired a shot from the left circle past Corey Crawford to the glove side. The latter was a dazzler that gave the Flyers a 3-1 lead. On a Flyers line rush at four-on-four, Konency dangled wide on Duncan Keith and then scored on a nifty backhanded shot.

2. Jan. 15 @ STL (0:26, 3rd period): Using a double-netfront alignment on the power play, the Flyers struck on a cross-crease touch-pass from James van Riemsdyk for an easy tap-in by Konecny. The goal gave the Flyers a 3-1 lead on the way to a 4-3 overtime win against the defending Stanley Cup champions.

3. Feb. 20 @ CBJ (9:28, 1st period): Konecny has tortured the Blue Jackets more than any other team in the NHL, registering 18 points (6g, 12a) in 15 career games against Columbus. Never was this more true than when Konecy had back-to-back three-point games (one goal, two assists in each game) during the Flyers home-and-home sweep of the Blue Jackets on Feb. 18 and 20. Here, Konecny's skate deflection starts the Flyers comeback from an early 2-0 deficit in the rematch game at Nationwide Arena. The play had to go to replay to determine that the puck went in the net, although Konecny himself realized it right away. Check out Travis Sanheim's lead pass to Konecny on the front end of the play, and Konecny's hustle in crashing the net for the eventual goal.

THEY SAID IT

"TK's speed is a weapon. The way he plays creates a lot of room for guys to make plays. [Defenders] have to respect his speed and they back off. The other thing is that he finds the seams in the D and get open."

-- Claude Giroux, Dec. 17, 2019.

HE SAID IT

"It's a combination of a lot of things. I think the bounces are just working for me this year. I mean, the players I've been playing with have been putting me in really good situations to get these points, so a lot of that goes to my teammates. And I'm also playing a little more on the power play and in different situations, and that kind of gives you those opportunities as well."

-- Travis Konecny, Feb 18, 2020.