Jamie Drysdale and Nick Seeler might be key to Flyers success next six weeks and beyond
The Philadelphia Flyers still have a hole on their blue line caused by injury and there is one pairing that will be leaned on heavily.
Mar 13, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale (9) passes the puck against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first period at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
With injuries still causing significant absences on the Philadelphia Flyers’ blue line and the destabilization of the bottom of the depth chart, it might be up to one single defensive pairing to really carry this team to early-season success.
The Flyers have a third pairing that very few people in the National Hockey League are envious of. Whether it’s been Egor Zamula, Noah Juulsen, Adam Ginning or (for a game) Emil Andrae, the fifth and sixth defensemen have been far from great. If it wasn’t for the team’s commitment to limiting shots (the 33 against Ottawa aside Thursday night) and the fact Dan Vladar has had five consecutive games with a save percentage at or over .900, the third pairing might be more of an Achilles’ heel than it currently is. Fortunately the Flyers are still treading water, earning seven points in seven games and keeping themselves from being buried in the standings.
With the third pairing in need of help as much as it seems, most are looking at just how stellar both Travis Sanheim and Cam York have been thus far. And deservedly so. Heading into Friday’s games, Sanheim now ranks second in the league in terms of usage with 26:22, 17 seconds behind Vancouver’s Quinn Hughes. Meanwhile, York is no wilting flower or subpar sidekick to the horse Sanheim has been.
As previously mentioned, York was atop the league in a few underlying metrics, showing just how well he has returned to action since being sidelined a few games to start the 2025-26 season. So their play isn’t up for debate or scrutiny. In fact, with both locked up for a while and at a very team-friendly cap hit, they could end up being one of the best pairings in the league for a few years to come.
So, with two of the three pairings spoken for, that leaves us with Jamie Drysdale and Nick Seeler. But these two defensemen could be the difference the next few weeks as to whether Philadelphia remains in good position for a possible playoff spot or end up needing to start chasing teams ahead of them even before December rolls around.
Drysdale, Seeler excelling in their roles
For now, Seeler and Drysdale have been more than fine. Offensively the pair are still looking for their first goals of the year and both have a pair of assists. After seven games Drysdale is averaging 22:15 of ice time per game and Seeler is at 20:34. Part of the difference is that Drysdale has been used often on the Flyers’ top power play unit while Seeler is often left to handle some penalty killing duties. Both are just over the plus/minus side at plus-1. Seeler has the advantage in shot quantity with five, one more than Drysdale.
But looking at the underlying metrics, a few things pop out. Among the 80 defensive pairings that have played at least 50 minutes together at 5-on-5 this season, the Drysdale-Seeler pairing is second in the league in expected goals percentage (xGF%) at 69.7 per cent. Only Carolina’s tandem of Shayne Gostisbehere and Alexander Nikishin (81.7 per cent) are ahead of them in that play-driving metric.
When it comes to just looking at the expected goals against rate, the Flyers’ second pairing is leading the entire league. Seeler and Drysdale are averaging just 1.12 expected goals against per 60 minutes — second-best is that same Hurricanes pairing with 1.28 xGA/60, and even York and Sanheim aren’t far behind with their 1.66 xGA/60 ranking them fourth among defensive pairings.
And for shot attempts against per 60, the duo of Drysdale and Seeler are sixth at 45.85. Finally, as if that wasn’t enough proof that this tandem is doing the job, they are second in unblocked shot attempts for percentage (66.2 per cent) and tops in unblocked shot attempts against (22). In layman’s terms, Sanheim-York are great, but Drysdale-Seeler aren’t exactly simply holding their own.
Flyers need help while missing helpful defenseman
Which is why it’s this second pairing that could hold the key to Philadelphia’s success in the next few weeks. With word that Rasmus Ristolainen is still a more than a few weeks away from being a few weeks away, it’s perhaps more crucial that Drysdale-Seeler continue to play as solidly as they have so far. In a way, they could be even seen as more important playing their role as a second pairing than Sanheim and York are on the top pairing.
If either of Drysdale or Seeler were to sustain an injury, then the second pairing wouldn’t be as strong. That’s fairly self-explanatory. The end result though is far more reaching and possibly troubling. Having a second pairing that is floundering is resolved by one of two basic moves that doesn’t include landing a stud top four blueliner.
One road will see the third pairing trying to pick up the slack and being exposed for what they are. The other road would see Tocchet trying to fix the problem or at least find some duct tape for a bit and end up playing Sanheim-York closer to 30 minutes a night. As it’s been said before, in the short-term, with no back-to-back games in October it might be difficult but doable. But it would be a huge problem in November as the Flyers have three pairs of back-to-back games with two of those on the road.
Obviously, Tocchet couldn’t reasonably see that top pairing play half the game and expect the tandem to not wear out much sooner than later. As Tocchet stated previously, you risk injury when you play someone that much or they just burn out. So it’s imperative Philadelphia does everything possible to avoid that disaster. As it stands now, each pairing is playing its share, the first two pairings perhaps far more of the share than the third pairing is. But an injury to the second pairing of any kind is going to put the Flyers essentially in a no-win situation: give more time to an exposed third pairing or throw more work at the top pairing in the hopes they bend but don’t break.
People perhaps have sold the second pairing far, far shorter than they should have. Drysdale will forever be seen by some as a not-so-good player in comparison, simply for the fact he’s not scoring goals like William Gauthier was supposed to in a Flyers jersey. On the other hand, Nick Seeler was once considering retirement before he found his shot-blocking, take-no-prisoners, never-give-up game in Philadelphia and was justly rewarded with a four-year extension. The pair don’t scream defensive chemistry or synergy on paper. However, the duo are in elite company looking at the statistics mentioned earlier. If Drysdale can somehow get going a bit more offensively, especially on the power play, then maybe some of the naysayers will finally zip their lips. A former sixth-overall pick in 2020 who has been ravaged by injuries most of his career can still find his game at age 23. And a long-in-the-tooth veteran defenseman in Seeler can maintain his play and compete level for a few seasons to come.
If Philadelphia are to end up being in the playoff hunt near the homestretch, a few things are going to have to go right. Dan Vladar (and/or Sam Ersson) is going to have to continue playing great. The power play is going to have to come to life and be a difference maker. Matvei Michkov and Trevor Zegras are going to have to create a bit of magic sooner than later.
And Travis Sanheim and Cam York are going to have to continue doing what they are doing. But those two are only going to be as great as they are if the tandem of Drysdale and Seeler are continually playing this well. The attention might be leaning towards the first pair’s talent and the dearth of talent (and competency) on the third pairing for most fans. They should realize just what Philadelphia has in a guy who at times looks like he can skate circles around the competition. And also in another guy who had black, blue and yellow-colored circles and welts all over his legs and body last season, throwing his body in front of pucks in games that didn’t matter outside of lottery balls.
Canadiens Coach Reacts to Patrik Laine’s Long-Term Injury: “A Huge Blow, But We’ll Adapt”
"Montreal faces tough road ahead as Laine is set to miss 3-4 months after surgery."
The
Head Coach of the Canadiens, Martin St. Louis, reacted to the news with a mixture of frustration and resolve, acknowledging the loss but stressing the importance of adaptation. “Losing Patrik for an extended period of time is a huge blow for us. He’s a key player, and we’ll miss his offensive ability and leadership on the ice. But we’re a team, and we’ll have to adapt. Our focus now is on supporting Patrik through his recovery, and when he’s ready to return, we’ll be here to welcome him back. In the meantime, we need others to step up and help fill the gap,”
This injury comes just as Laine was beginning to find his rhythm with the Canadiens, after a frustrating first season with the team. Last season, he missed significant time due to a preseason knee injury, and while he made a strong return, his performance waned in the latter part of the season and during the playoffs, where he was injured again in their series against
While Laine was able to make it through training camp healthy, the current season has not been kind. He was already struggling with limited ice time, having been relegated to fourth-line minutes after starting on the second line. In just
Laine's Determination to Return
Despite the setback, Laine remains determined to return stronger than ever. “It’s frustrating, of course, but I’m going to do everything I can to get back on the ice as soon as possible. I’ve been through injuries before, and I know the process. I’ll focus on my recovery, and when I’m healthy again, I’ll be ready to contribute to the team’s success. It’s not ideal, but I’m determined to come back stronger,”
The injury not only affects the Canadiens’ lineup but also Laine’s future. With this being a contract year, the long-term absence is expected to impact his value on the open market. Laine currently carries an
Montreal’s Next Steps
For the Canadiens, the focus now shifts to the next man up. With Laine out for months, they’ll need other players to step up in his absence.
Despite the tough situation, St. Louis remains optimistic that the team can overcome this challenge: “We’ve got a lot of depth, and this is where we see the character of the team. Everyone needs to elevate their game. We’ve dealt with adversity before, and we’ll do it again. The focus is on moving forward and making sure we stay competitive.”
As the season continues without one of their top players, the Canadiens will need to adapt quickly to keep their playoff hopes alive. Laine’s absence is significant, but his eventual return could provide the spark needed to push the team toward success.
