Top 4 Philadelphia Flyers Players Going Into 2026-27 – Hockey Writers – Philadelphia Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers made a surprise run to the playoffs last season with 98 points, ending a franchise record-tying drought. Here are four of the most underrated players on the team heading into 2026-27, all of whom will be important in helping Philadelphia get back to the playoffs.

Noah Cates

Last season was business as usual for Noah Cates. Few, if any, players contested his defensive impact, and he was awarded 11^th-Reserve a spot in the Selke Trophy voting (very little, if you ask me). He recorded 18 goals, 29 assists, and a plus-26 average in 82 games with 16:15 of average ice time.

Even though I have 47 points, I would still consider Cates to be a slightly below average offensive driver. Defensively, however, he is off the charts. Overall, he’s one of the best third-line players in the league, and he can handle a bigger workload if needed.

The 27-year-old probably doesn’t have room to grow yet, and that’s okay. He’s the best 3C stopper in the league, which he arguably doesn’t get enough credit for.

Tyson Foerster

Looking purely at total points, Tyson Foerster projects to be a mid-six wing player. The 24-year-old has a career-high 43 points in 81 games, and while he scored 13 goals in 29 games last season (on a 21.3% shooting clip), he added just four assists.

Foerster may never be a great player, but he is more than a middle-six player. He’s always been very effective on defense, for one. His defensive impact at even strength is high, especially for his age group.

Also, Foerster is one of the league’s best finishers since entering the league, according to Evolving-Hockey. His shooting percentage reached 92^n.d percentile among forwards with 1,000 minutes of ice time from 2022-2023, recording 61 goals on 385 shots. Seeing as the Flyers’ power play has been a huge liability despite his best efforts, he ranks even higher at even strength: 94^th the percentile.

Foerster may never reach the original six point total. He’s been compared to Mark Stone in the past, but the Vegas Golden Knights winner had a season with more than 60 points when he was Foerster’s age—and during a more difficult scoring season (the mid-2010s). While the star will be tough, the 24-year-old should reach his eight-year, $7.1 million contract that begins next summer.

Rasmus Ristolainen

For a long time, Rasmus Ristolainen was one of many excessively players in the league. He was big, physical, and somewhat reliable at the time, but his results faded in the early 2020s. In the past few seasons, that has completely changed. However, some hockey fans have not adjusted their opinions to reflect his growth.

Ristolainen isn’t an elite player, but he’s been very good defensively in a front-four role lately. Life will be a big factor for the 31-year-old going forward, as he has only played in 57.8% of all possible games since 2023-24. When on the ice, the Flyers are the best defensive team.

Travis Sanheim

Philadelphia wouldn’t have sniffed the playoffs without Travis Sanheim. The 30-year-old defenseman had a career-best season, recording 11 goals, 26 assists, and a plus-12 average in 81 games with 24:13 of average ice time. His 11.6% shooting clip will likely be cut in half (his career average is 6.4%), but his overall game has been impressive.

According to Hockey Stats, in goals-against-adjustment (GAR; an impact metric), his most recent campaign ranked 93rd.^rd percentile among all defensive seasons with 500 minutes since 2023-24.

Suffice it to say, Sanheim had an exceptional showing in 2025-26, evolving into the No. 1 defense. 1 of the truth. Age decline is not linear, but now that he’s in his 30s, it’s worth noting. That said, he is playing at a high level and should continue to do so until he is recognized again.

With an average age of about 28.5 years, this group is veteran heavy for my liking—you’d like the younger guys on this list. But in any case, the Flyers have four great players that are overlooked by many hockey fans.