Konecny didn’t need a letter to be a leader

Travis Konecny

 

NEWARK, N.J. – When Travis Konecny had an “A” for alternate captain sewn on his jersey last season, it was for good reason.
But years before this, his teammates probably would have opted for an “L” because he had already evolved into a leader.
The Flyers veteran right wing has elevated his game to a new, higher level this season.
In addition to earning a place among the NHL’s top 10 scorers, (20 goals/53 points, good for 10th), Konecny has been a go-to guy in the Flyers’ locker room. He helps out the young players adjust to the NHL and elevates the veterans with his astonishing playmaking (33 assists) skills.
It’s a role with which the 27-year-old Konecny feels increasingly comfortable.
“For me, I didn’t necessarily change in the locker room,” he said after Friday’s practice at RWJBarnabas Hockey House (adjacent to the Prudential Center). “I’m not someone who stands up and says something.
“I’ve always been that way. For me, I think it’s more in-game stuff where I’m trying to recognize when to make the right play. Like in the third period, thinking about protecting that lead and making sure nothing happens on the other side of the puck. That’s something I’ve been trying to get into my head.”
Indeed. The numbers prove this out. Konecny had a double-digit minus number earlier in the season but entering Saturday afternoon’s game against the Devils, he’s gotten that negative number down to minus-1.
Early in his career, Konecny was a bit of a hot-head. Years of play have taught him when to pick his spots and when to keep his cool.
“I used to get so invested,” he said. “Maybe it got me a little bit more involved in the game. But it also took me out of a lot of games because I lost my focus.
“(Now) I just try to focus on myself, what I have to do every shift. If the other stuff happens, it happens.”
The Flyers’ other alternate captain, Scott Laughton, appreciates what Konecny brings to the table from the emotional side of the game. Every team needs someone who’s a bit of a firebrand.
“He’s probably been our most consistent guy for the past couple years,” Laughton said. “He brings it every night, brings energy, brings passion. Puts up numbers, too, so it’s nice to see.”
Coach John Tortorella is not exactly Mr. Calm behind the bench himself. When a player wears his emotions on his sleeve, it’s not necessarily a bad thing, at least not in the bench boss’s eyes.
Konecny signed a big eight-year, $70-million contract which kicks in next season. The Flyers think enough of him to make him one of their highest-paid players.
“He knows one way to play,” Tortorella said. “Whether he’s making peanuts or making a million, he knows one say to play when he puts his skates on.
“That’s why we’re starting down the road and trying to build him as a leader, also. Give him a letter and try to give him some of that responsibility.”
When the game gets underway, there is no off switch to Konecny’s game. He almost never takes a shift off.
“He’s got an engine that I’ve never seen before on players I’ve coached,” said Tortorella, who’s coached in the NHL for 23 seasons. “He just plays the right way all the time.”
There’s still room for improvement as a leader but Konecny has the right stuff to perhaps one day become the captain of this team, putting him in a league with Bob Clarke, Dave Poulin, Eric Lindros and Claude Giroux.
“For him (Konecny) to be a great player, I think that’s the part of the game he needs to grab ahold of,” Tortorella said. “I don’t think he’s been given many opportunities to become a leader.
“Hasn’t killed penalties before, hasn’t been put in a lot of situations I think. For him to be a great leader, it’s what he and I have conversations about.”
When Konecny plays by instinct, he’s at his best.
“We don’t want to give him too much information,” Tortorella said. “He needs to be reactive. He does some crazy things at times but we try to get out of his way a little bit.
“More often than not, the way he goes about it and just his instincts as a player, has proved to be pretty successful. He plays hard each and every night.”

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About Wayne Fish 2701 Articles
Wayne Fish has been covering the Flyers since 1976, a stint which includes 18 Stanley Cup Finals, four Winter Olympics and numerous other international events.