Examining Flyers’ Defensive State As Preseason Draws Closer
Every team that dreams of contention eventually has to ask the same question: is our top defensive pair truly championship-caliber, or are we just making do until the real answer arrives?
For the Philadelphia Flyers, that spotlight rests squarely on Travis Sanheim and Cam York.
They’ve been penciled in as the team’s top duo for the better part of two seasons now. Sanheim has quietly become the Flyers’ undisputed No. 1–logging heavy minutes, driving play, and shaking off years of “solid but not spectacular” labels to finally cement himself as the backbone of the blue line.
York, meanwhile, is the ascending piece: younger, smoother, occasionally inconsistent but brimming with poise and vision that the Flyers desperately need more of on the back end. Together, they’re the closest thing this team has had to a stable top pair in years.
But stability isn’t the same as certainty.
And so the question lingers: are Sanheim and York the foundation of the Flyers’ future, or are they paired together for necessity’s sake until someone else—a trade, a prospect, a reshuffle—emerges as the true answer?
The Case for Foundation
Let’s start with the positives, because there are many. Sanheim has grown into the exact type of defenseman contenders lean on. He’s long, mobile, eats tough minutes, and now, finally, has the confidence to dictate play instead of merely surviving it. After years of uncertainty surrounding his abilities, he’s proven himself to be the steady No. 1 who tilts the ice and makes everyone else’s job easier.
York complements him with a skillset that no other Flyers defenseman really replicates. At 24, he still has growing to do, but his game has layers of subtle brilliance. The way he evades forecheckers, the little shoulder feints, the quick first pass to kickstart a breakout—those are the plays that fuel success in hockey.
When York is on, he makes Sanheim better. When Sanheim is steady, he makes York’s life easier. It’s not the sexiest pairing in the league, but it’s balanced, reliable, and evolving.
The Case for Impermanence
And yet, doubts linger. York has earned the organization’s trust (with a shiny new 5-year deal to prove it), but he’s still growing and developing his game. Injuries slowed him this past year—not to mention that, under former head coach John Tortorella, he was forced to adapt to a defensive style that he could play capably, but didn’t naturally suit him. The top-pair mantle requires consistency above all else, and that’s the one box he hasn’t fully checked yet.
And while the Sanheim-York pairing has overall been a very good one, many can’t help but feel like there’s something missing—an X factor that could take them from dependable to transcendent. They’re not each other’s defensive soulmates, and with new head coach Rick Tocchet not afraid to shuffle around combinations, it’s entirely possible that we might not see as much of them together in 2025-26.
Tocchet’s Options
Tocchet will have some fascinating choices to make with this group. The Flyers’ blue line, while imperfect, does have puzzle pieces that could be rearranged depending on what he wants.
- The Rover (Jamie Drysdale): When healthy, Drysdale is the closest thing the Flyers have to a high-end puck mover. He’s arguably the most dynamic D-man on this blueline—albeit less defensively polished—with the kind of skating and playmaking that screams “top-four.” Tocchet could experiment with York-Drysdale for a more offensively tilted pair, leaving Sanheim to anchor with a stay-at-home partner.
- The Rock (Nick Seeler): He’s not glamorous, but every team needs a defenseman like Seeler. Shot blocks, physicality, fearless penalty killing. If Tocchet wants to free Sanheim up a little more offensively, a Sanheim-Seeler pairing could become his safety blanket.
- The Fringe (Emil Andrae & Egor Zamula): Andrae has offensive talent to burn, but his defensive reads remain a work in progress. Zamula has size and reach, but he hasn’t captured the trust of fans — or fully the coaching staff — despite playing steady minutes. Both are depth options, but Tocchet could lean on either in sheltered roles.
- The Wildcard (Rasmus Ristolainen): Big, bruising, but brittle. When he’s on, he brings an edge the Flyers lack elsewhere. When he’s hurt or struggling, he’s dead weight. He’s also constantly dangled in trade rumors, meaning his long-term place is far from guaranteed.
- The Future (Oliver Bonk): Still developing in Lehigh Valley, but his pedigree and all-around steadiness suggest he’ll be a factor sooner than later. If he comes along quicker than expected, the Flyers might have their next long-term piece to pair with either Sanheim or York.
Building a Contender’s Blue Line
So, where does that leave Sanheim and York? Probably still together, at least for now. They’re both signed long-term, they’ve proven functional, and there’s value in continuity. But for the Flyers to make the leap from “tough out” to “legit contender,” the blue line will likely need more than just stability.
The best-case scenario? York continues to grow into the consistent, all-situations defender his talent suggests he can be, Sanheim maintains his level as a true No. 1, and someone like Drysdale or Bonk emerges to give the Flyers a three-headed monster on the back end. That would make York-Sanheim less of a stopgap and more of a bedrock.
The alternative is that the Flyers find themselves one piece short—solid but never quite elite—and Danny Briere eventually has to swing for the fences on a top-pairing addition.
The Verdict
York and Sanheim are both easy to root for: a homegrown talent who’s growing into his game and a once-underappreciated defenseman finally stepping into the spotlight. They might not be the flashiest top pair in the NHL, but they represent progress—and for the Flyers, that matters immensely.
Are they the final answer? That’s still TBD. But for now, they’re the best answer the Flyers have had in a long time. And whether they become the foundation of a contender or a bridge to something bigger, their partnership will shape the Flyers’ future.
