New line might help Foerster regain his scoring touch

      Big things were predicted for Tyson Foerster last season.

      The Flyers former first-round draft pick had been coming off seasons of 20 goals in 2023-24 and 25 goals in 2024-25 and the arrow on the graph was definitely pointing upward.

      Last season started off fine. An early push had him scoring 10 goals and leading the team in that department.

      Then misfortune struck. He suffered an arm injury, had to undergo surgery and wound up playing only 29 games and finishing with 13 goals for the year.

      This season the former first-round draft pick was supposed to pick up where he left off.

      That, however, has not happened, at least not for his first 17 games.

      Going into Sunday night’s game at Calgary, Foerster had scored only three goals and added two assists.

      Coach Rick Tocchet believes Foerster might need a change of scenery, so he put him on a line with Christian Dvorak and Travis Konecny.

      Speaking before the game at the Saddledome, Tocchet explained why he made the adjustment.

      “I think he’s trying to find his game,” Tocchet said. “He’s a guy that you know we count on to score some goals for us. He’s had a couple good looks lately. He’s that guy in the slot who can score for us. He’s been working on that shot and I think the scoring will come.”

      Tocchet mentioned that he also wants to get Owen Tippett going. Tippett missed a couple weeks of action with an injury and is still trying to find his scoring touch.

      A playmaker such as Dvorak could help Foerster get untracked.

      “Trevor and him (Tippett) had success last year,” Tocchet said. “We’re trying to get some combinations with guys to supply some offense. I think Trevor (Zegras) can help ‘Tip.’ And ‘TK’ (Konecny) can help Tyson.”

      Aside from a late collapse in Thursday night’s loss at the New York Rangers, the Flyers have been showing signs of improvement lately.

      “Just look at the games, the Minnesota game (a 4-2 loss, including an empty-netter), the Columbus game (a three-goal rally which ended with an overtime loss),” Tocchet said.

“We’re in these close games. We’re trying to stick with it, right? It seems like in these losses, it’s an ill-advised penalty or a missed breakaway or missed shot. Hopefully we come out on the right side of one of these, connecting on those moments. That’s really what it comes down to. Can we make that moment go the other way?”

>Knuble confident

Young players have been coming and going out of the lineup but Cole Knuble has survived these personnel moves. He looks like a confident player who plans on sticking around.

He already has a two-goal game under his belt and hasn’t let his offensive prowess affect his defense.

“Every day I try to improve myself,” Knuble said. “But I think that’s part of the mindset, day by day, don’t think ahead but (rather) about the process and the actions that will lead to me staying up.”

Knuble was moved to center recently and that has seemed to get him more involved in the action.

“It honestly didn’t feel any different,” he said. “It’s just getting to pucks in the D-zone a little bit more, working low. It’s why I like center.”