In this edition of our 2023-24 Philadelphia Flyers player grades, we look at the campaign of 23-year-old defenseman Cam York. He took on a true first-pairing role for the Orange and Black in their quest for the postseason that fell just four points short.
With the second-most ice time of all skaters for Philadelphia, York took on an immense role at both even strength and on special teams. How did he perform, and what grade did he earn?
York Handles Top-End Minutes
In 2022-23, York showed signs of being a legitimate top-four defenseman but did so with an average ice time of 19:39. This season, he saw a three-minute spike in his usage overall and averaged 25:05 of ice time in his last 22 contests (fourth-highest in the NHL in that span).
It’s a lot to ask of a young defenseman like York to play first-pairing minutes against the NHL’s elite, but he was fantastic in that role. Among the 70 defensemen who had 18 or more minutes of ice time at just even strength, York ranked 17th in expected goals against per 60 (xGA/60) at 2.63. His chance-suppression abilities have been above average and among some of the best defensemen in the league, which shows how much of a leap he has taken in his short career.
York was putting up those great numbers despite the Flyers’ struggling depth forwards this season, which hurt his on-ice numbers. Without Scott Laughton, for example, York had an xGA/60 of 2.43 and an expected goals percentage (xGF%) of 53.9. On a contender with better depth, his on-ice stats would likely be better than what they were with the Flyers, if not elite.
Scoring 10 goals and 20 assists for 30 points in 82 games, the offense wasn’t exactly there for York, but it could be something that evolves with time. On a Flyers team that ranked 27th in goal-scoring and had the worst power-play percentage (12.2 percent) the NHL has seen since 2020-21, the offense should be something that improves for him naturally.
York is a good outlet passer and had some solid possessions in the offensive zone, but the Flyers were too weak of an offensive team to make his contributions worthwhile. There’s a lot of promise for his two-way game, but it didn’t necessarily show on the stat sheet as much as it should have.
Flyers’ Shutdown Game Aided by York
Head coach John Tortorella had the Flyers run a taxing yet effective play style in 2023-24. Scoring on the rush was a massive contributor to their offense; meanwhile, their ability to shut things down in the defensive zone and keep goals against at a minimum was their plan at the other end.
For depth defenders who play most of their minutes against bottom-six forwards, that’s not too big of an ask. For someone like York, who has to go against some of the toughest competition the NHL has to offer, that’s a significantly harder challenge. However, he handled it like a champ and gave the Flyers a chance to win every night.
York was 16th in the NHL in blocked shots with 174, quietly being an elite shot-blocker even though Nick Seeler stole much of the recognition with 205 of his own. It wasn’t just blocks, though. The young defender held his own in the physical areas of the ice despite his 6-foot, 194-pound frame. The Flyers were a solid net-front team on defense as a result.
It wasn’t just York’s even-strength shutdown ability that made him a great defender, either. Among the 120 defensemen with 100 minutes or more of ice time on the penalty kill, he ranked 31st in xGA/60 and fourth in xGF%. The Flyers’ transformation into having one of the best penalty kills in the NHL had a lot to do with York’s comfort there.
York’s Final Grade
York was objectively the Flyers’ best defenseman in 2023-24, which is big praise for a team that was led by the efforts of their defense. While he wasn’t perfect, it was a largely positive season for the youngster. He earns an A-minus grade for his play.
York’s youth didn’t factor into his grade, but it is important to recognize how sensational it is for a 23-year-old defender to be getting the results he is. His maturation has been a pleasant surprise, as he probably isn’t even in his prime yet. The future is immensely bright for him.
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