Despite John Tortorella's hard emphasis on morning skates being optional, Noah Cates, along with some other Flyers, seldom stays off the ice.
Much to the chagrin of the head coach.
"It pisses me off that he's out on the ice," Tortorella said Sunday morning, peering down toward the rink from the upstairs at Flyers Training Center. "I'm going to outlaw those things because now it's routine for those guys and it's just so wrong."
Cates, a 23-year-old rookie forward, understands his body will soon need rest during the morning of game days if he wants to be effective through a full NHL season. He hasn't played an 82-game grind like this, so he'll heed his coach's advice down the line.
"Definitely moving forward I will," Cates said Sunday of taking fewer morning skates. "But I kind of like to say the hockey gods will reward you if you put in the work.
"It's definitely way different than college where you get three, four days to prepare, rest or whatnot. You've just got to look in advance of the schedule and really prepare and get mentally focused for the road ahead."
But the hard-working, often-smiling Cates can't forget his team-building values. Tortorella, an old-school, team-first coach aiming to form an identity with the Flyers, can probably appreciate that.
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"I think that's something you've got to do when you're a little younger, you've got to put in some more work, help clean up," Cates said. "You can't always take the option on skating when you're younger, but once or twice here or there, I think it'll be good for me."
Cates was well-groomed over a four-year collegiate career at Minnesota Duluth and it's showing with the Flyers. After winning a job in training camp, Cates has been arguably the Flyers' best defensive forward. He's playing 17:45 minutes per game, often against the opposing team's top lines, has a plus-4 rating, has committed just one penalty and leads the Flyers in takeaways with 26.
His humility, though, is just as impressive. He sees immense importance in taking on the rookie type of responsibilities.
"I think packing on the road, too, you don't want to forget something that's big," Cates said. "I think that's just something you can control. There are so many things you can't control in this game and in this world. Just something you can control — attitude, effort, doing the little things, doing that stuff always.
"Even when I was older at UMD, I still tried to do that stuff because it helps the team, it helps the culture. Around this locker room, around the rink, those things really go a long way, I believe, in kind of building the culture here like we talk about a lot, raising that standard. Just little things, they go a long way."
Tortorella had no familiarity whatsoever with Cates when he was hired to be head coach of the Flyers in June. He's now asking Cates to play center, kill penalties and chip in on the power play.
Suffice it to say he's become a fan.
"I didn't know anybody when I came here, I didn't know who Noah Cates was, but he has grown into the position, deservedly so," Tortorella said. "We try to be as fair as possible with our assessments of players and give them ice time accordingly. Everything he's getting, he deserves."
As the second half begins, Tortorella will keep an eye on the minutes the Flyers give to Cates and their other younger players.
Cates has put up 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) in 41 games. Over time, the Flyers would like to see some more offense, but his consistency and smarts on the defensive side of the puck have been key factors to the club cutting down its goals against.
Cates' transformation from a skinny 2017 fifth-round draft pick out of high school into a difference-maker at the NHL level has impressed the entire Flyers hockey operations department.
"I watch his subtle, little, just couple of strides he takes to put himself in position defensively or to get the puck out of our end zone on a breakout pass. Just subtle, little plays that are hard to teach," Tortorella said. "That's the nature of him, that's his strength. Eventually, as he keeps growing, we'll put more pressure on him making more offensive plays and the offensive part of it.
"But first things first is to allow him to work through this and continue to grow as a player that way, playing against all of the top players this year. He's always on the ice against top players. He's done a great job in development and eventually we'll add to it."
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