CALGARY, Alberta — In a season when the Flyers have just two 20-goal scorers on their roster, Michael Raffl is on pace to finish the season with 20.
He notched his 17th goal during Tuesday’s 4-1 loss to the Canucks in Vancouver.
Goal-scoring has been a problem on this club the entire season.
Raffl has missed 15 games with a broken right foot last November and pneumonia in late January. Imagine if he had played all 72 games to this point instead of just 57. He surely would be at 20 with a shot at 25 or more.
“I don’t know,” Raffl pondered. “I can’t tell you. I’m going to look back after this season. It’s 10 games left. Finish strong and go from there.”
Tuesday was the first time in six games he was back playing on the top line. Three of his previous five games, he had centered Ryan White and R.J. Umberger, who has since gone out of the lineup with a hip injury.
Raffl has 17 goals — 16 are even-strength, which leads the club — and one shorthanded goal.
NHL
Wayne Simmonds is second on the club with 13 even-strength goals.
To put it in perspective, Flyers captain Claude Giroux (11 power-play goals) has just one more goal (18) than Raffl, who has been moved throughout the lineup this season, playing both on the wing and center.
The 26-year-old Austrian forward had just nine goals last year in his first season playing in North America.
Last year was basically a tutorial for Raffl to discover what the NHL was about and what to expect. He’s a quick learner.
“He’s understanding about getting to the net and scoring goals,” said coach Craig Berube, when asked about what’s different with him this season. He’s done a better job at that this year and that’s why he’s been rewarded [with goals].”
There’s a big difference when Raffl is on the first line with Giroux and Jakub Voracek as opposed to using Brayden Schenn. Raffl creates chances with the puck.
Voracek has been vocal in his support of Raffl.
“Raffl knows what to do to make us better and make our line work,” Voracek said. “He’s skating very well. He’s battling.
“He wins a lot of battles, especially on the forecheck, and he drives the net a lot. It opens up the space for me and G, and I think as a line we had a lot of open looks.”
So what’s the difference between Raffl's nine goals last year and 17 now?
“He’s got a solid shot,” Voracek replied. “He knows how to get around that offensive zone to get in that scoring area. I called it before the season: I think one day he can be a 30-goal scorer.
“There’s a lot of things that he needs to work on as a player, as everybody else, but he’s improved big-time over last year.”
The Flyers gave Raffl a two-year, $2.1 million extension last April. There’s no reason to think he won’t be extended again after next year.
Raffl enjoys playing on the top line, where he shifts to left wing. It’s a lot different than centering or even playing the wing on a third line.
“Well, you’ve got to put your ego aside there,” he said of playing on the first unit. “It changes my game a little bit. I think it comes down to keeping it simple.”
He is a work dog for Voracek and Giroux, behind the net, in the corners. He also has the skill to back up his physical play.
Raffl hits people. He had five hits against Vancouver, giving him 138, fourth-most on the Flyers. Again, imagine what those numbers would be had he not been injured.
“I just go down there and work at loose pucks and get the puck in their hands,” Raffl said. “They’re two excellent playmakers.”
At this point, there’s no reason why Raffl should not remain on the top line for the Flyers’ final 10 games.