Travis Konecny has had an exceptional season so far, opening up a discourse over what the Flyers need to do to keep him.
Travis Konecny has had an exceptional season so far, opening up a discourse over what the Flyers need to do to keep him.
Travis Konecny has established himself as a player and personality that you really, really don't like unless he plays for your team.
He's a firebrand, an instigator, an agitator. His signature smug grin when he scores against a rival team quickly becomes the profile picture of every Philadelphia Flyers fan account on social media. His cutting, vulgar, but undeniably hilarious chirps have become instant NHL classics (See: His Mic'd Up video at the 2019 Stadium Series between the Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins). He is the ultimate anti-hero. So it's no surprise that Flyers fans desperately want to keep him in the city where menaces like Konecny are embraced with open hearts and open arms.
And, hopefully, the team's open wallets.
Konecny has been a fan favorite since he first joined the Flyers in 2016, and has established himself as a key member of the organization in the years following. He's two-time NHL All-Star (2020 and 2024), has lead the Flyers in points in three seasons (and is currently in the lead so far this season), and is usually one of the first players on the scene when a teammate needs defending (if he's not the one that started the fight).
He's shown a deep respect for the city of Philadelphia and the history of the Flyers, most recently evidenced by his comments after the Ed Snider Legacy Game on Jan. 6, where the Flyers paid multiple tributes to the team's founder, and pulled out a scrappy win against the Calgary Flames.
All of these factors contribute to why fans are imploring the Flyers to do everything they can to keep the Ontario native when his contract negotiations open up. Aside from the obvious incentive of throwing more money at Konecny, many fans are calling for head coach John Tortorella to give his player the A, or even the C, a distinction that he has not been in a rush to give anyone since taking over the head coach position in 2022.
Tortorella famously said in March 2023: "There won't be a captain next year, so you don't have to ask me next year. There will not be a captain next year."
However, there is a strong argument to be made for Konecny to at least be named an alternate captain, much like how Scott Laughton currently wears the A. Despite only being 26 (turning 27 in March), Konecny is one of the longest-serving players on the team and, by all accounts, seems to have put down roots in the city. He has settled his family here, has actively taken part in the Flyers' community outreach efforts, and regularly interacts with and shows appreciation for the fans. If anyone was born to play Flyers hockey, you would be hard-pressed to find a better example than Travis Konecny.
It will be interesting to see how the Flyers go about retaining Konecny, especially with the influx of young talent that is due to come in the next couple of years. However, if it were up to the fans, the construction of Konecny's statue outside of the Wells Fargo Center would already be in progress.
Related: John Tortorella and Morgan Frost Build On Extensive Relationship
Related: Cutter Gauthier Could Be the Answer for Flyers