3rd-Quarter Player Grades for 2023-24 Season

The Flyers have a 31-22-7 record with the playoffs being in their grasp. How have they done individually these past couple of months?

The Philadelphia Flyers are just under 75% of the way through their season. And still, they’re in a playoff spot. Before we get to the final crunch of the season, let’s revisit how individual players have done during the third quarter of the season.

We’ll be switching up the grading system this time. Instead of grading based on expectation, we’ll grade on actual performance for the role that said player is in. For example, a player in the bottom six is not supposed to have more points than a player higher in the lineup, so that’ll be taken into account.

This way, every player can be held to a similar standard and the ratings make more sense. We’ll use both the eye test, stats test, and advanced stats test to determine where each player lies. All on-ice stats and references are at even strength to put everyone on an equal playing field.

Now on to the grades…

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A-plus to A-minus

Sean Walker, Defenseman

Arguably the Flyers’ biggest bait for the trade deadline, Sean Walker has only gotten better during the third-quarter stretch. His on-ice stats were terrific, and some of the best on the team. And that’s because he played a very good game. He’s one of the few true all-around defensemen in the NHL — he likes to block shots, play transitionally, and is good in the offensive zone. He doesn’t really have a specialty.

Sean Walker, Philadelphia Flyers (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Individually, Walker was one of the more productive defenders for the Flyers. He was first among defensemen in points per 60 (P/60) with 1.52 with two goals and seven assists for nine total points in 20 contests. Both the stats test and eye test showed he was a valuable contributor to the Orange and Black. It would hurt to part ways with him at the deadline, but it would probably be the right move.