Noah Cates’ Impact on the 2024/25 Flyers

For quite some time, the Flyers have been desperate for depth and production at the center position.

While Noah Cates may not be the answer as the team’s top-line center moving forward, he has definitely given the Flyers the production they need to win games.

“Every player wants responsibility, and we’re certainly giving it to him, and he sees the doors open, as far as the minutes that he’s getting,” Flyers head coach John Tortorella said Monday night after Cates’ two-goal third period helped lead the Flyers to a 4-3 win over the Florida Panthers.

This season, Cates has nine goals and 10 assists for the Flyers in 39 games played. Cates began the year off the roster, being a healthy scratch to open the season.

“Remember, at the beginning of the year, he wasn’t playing. I had him scratched,” Tortorella said. “Any player that sees the door open, he wants to succeed, and you can’t help but pull for a guy who doesn’t say much, doesn’t talk, and he just continues to work at his game,”

Cates’ ice time became consistent starting October 26th, but even then, he still was not producing. In the first month of the season, Cates had just one point, an assist against Minnesota.

In 28 games since then, Cates has totaled 18 points. That would put him at just under a 53 (52.7) point-per-game pace. With his slow start, Cates is at a 40 (39.9) pointy-per-game pace.

Cates’ play has elevated his line—Tyson Foerster – Noah Cates – Bobby Brink—to the second line on this Flyers team.

Cates’ production has led to an increase in his on-ice time and, therefore, an increase in the Flyers bench boss’s reliance on him.

“He’s he’s in our end zone defending the leads. I have him on the ice with the goalie pulled in the neutral zone. He’s on one of the power plays. He’s leading off with the penalty killing. I’m relying on him for basically everything. He’s taken ice time from people.” Said Tortorella.

Noach Cates has become a player involved with almost everything for the Flyers this season.

Cates’ 19 points put him at ninth on this Flyers team, one shy of his linemate, Tyson Foerster. His nine goals make him seventh on the team in goals scored, and his 10 assists put him in a tie with Garnet Hathaway for 11th.

After Monday’s win, John Tortorella recognized Cates’ development, even from last season.

Tortorella said, “I mean, look at look at his second goal. Look what he did a year ago. He’s going to his backhand. He’s throwing it into the pad, right, and that’s the level of confidence the kids playing with.”

Torts was not the only one singing Cates’ praises. Postgame on Monday, forward Garnet Hathaway had plenty of good things to say about Cates.

“I could stay here probably all night and talk to you guys about Noah and just what he means to this team, the organization,” said Hathaway. “To be able to see him, you know, take a step, but to keep going to his potential. I don’t think he’s done either right like it. He plays the game the right way. And I think if he keeps doing that, he knows that’ll lead to offense.” 

Hathaway ended by saying, “He’ll be he’ll be here for a long time, doing a lot of, a lot of great things.”

Cates is 25 years old (Will be 26 on 2/5/25) and will be a restricted free agent at the end of this season.