Again-to-back 30-minute video games? Sanheim has gone to ‘entire completely different stage'

Back-to-back 30-minute games? Sanheim has gone to ‘whole different level’ initially appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

VOORHEES, N.J. — It wasn’t all that way back when John Tortorella benched Travis Sanheim in Calgary, Alberta, spoiling a homecoming for the defenseman.

It wasn’t all that way back when Sanheim practically performed his ultimate recreation in a Flyers jersey.

In 2022-23, Tortorella’s first season because the Flyers’ head coach, he challenged Sanheim to have more of a difference-making attitude. Sanheim then endured a rocky offseason showered in trade speculation.

Now, he is Tortorella’s go-to man, consuming up half-hour in consecutive video games.

And taking part in effectively in these heavy minutes.

“He needs extra, you’ll be able to inform,” Tortorella stated Wednesday after observe. “You keep in mind how I felt about him the primary 12 months, I used to be fairly vocal about it. I simply suppose he has made super strides. I believe there was extra there. I do. As I at all times say, the extra necessary factor I believe is he thinks there’s extra there.”

Sanheim set a regular-season profession excessive with 30:19 minutes in the Flyers’ 4-3 shootout loss last Saturday to the defending champion Panthers. Two nights later, he topped it with 30:23 minutes in the Flyers’ 4-3 shootout win Monday over the Sharks. Emil Andrae was Sanheim’s defensive accomplice and performed a career-high 25:40 minutes.

“I will not complain,” the 22-year-old rookie stated with a smile. “I like to play hockey.”

Sanheim, too. The 28-year-old did not observe Wednesday for upkeep causes. It would not be shocking if the Flyers needed to implore him to remain off the ice. The one time he performed extra minutes than these previous two video games was the 2020 playoffs, when the Flyers won a second-round Game 6 over the Islanders in double overtime. He performed 33:48 that evening.

“He has obtained engine,” Tortorella stated. “I believe he has introduced his recreation to an entire completely different stage.”

The Flyers have wanted it. They misplaced Sanheim’s top-pair accomplice Cam York to an upper-body injury when they dropped to 1-5-1 with a sixth straight loss. With out York, the Flyers have discovered a solution to stabilize by incomes not less than a degree in six of their final 9 video games (5-3-1). Over that stretch, Sanheim has put up 5 factors (two objectives, three assists) and solely a minus-1 score in 26:37 minutes. Up to now this season, he leads the Flyers in minutes per recreation (24:57) and blocked pictures (33).

What has impressed Tortorella maybe essentially the most is the “super enhancements” Sanheim has made as a pacesetter.

“He is by no means going to be a man to do numerous speaking, he is simply not constructed that manner,” the top coach stated. “As I’ve stated to him, anytime he needs to step up within the locker room and say one thing, inform the coaches to, ‘Get out, let me deal with this,’ no matter he needs to do, I believe he has the fitting to do this. I believe he has earned that manner.

“I am undecided what goes on once we’re not in there, if he does that, however the way in which he has carried himself and the way in which he has simply improved in all aspects, on and off the ice, he has became that for us.”

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