‘We’re looking to prove people wrong:’ Flyers’ Morgan Frost wants to show team’s strong season was no fluke

If someone were to tell you back in September that, with nine games to go, the Philadelphia Flyers would not only be in the playoff picture, but own the third spot in the Metropolitan Division, you wouldn’t believe them.

By no means is this a fluke. 

The Flyers have held a tentative postseason spot for almost the entire season. But outside the locker room, the assumption was that things would go south eventually.

The team inside never saw it that way.

This organization has undergone many changes in the past few seasons, and one player who has been around to see them is the team’s first-line center, Morgan Frost. 

Frost has been with the Flyers since the 2019-20 season and had a breakout year last season as he scored 19 goals and 46 points in 81 games. This season, he has followed it up with another 12 goals with 28 assists for 40 points in 62 games, which has given this group a major boost offensively. He has dealt with the odd healthy scratch, but he’s still been one of Philly’s better players.

But he cares more about the team’s success than his own personal results. And the 24-year-old is still looking for his first taste of playoff hockey. 

“As a group, we haven’t paid too much attention to the outside noise,” Frost said. “And if we have, I think it’s a bit of a motivator. Even since the start of the season, people were surprised and would say things like ‘They’re going to fall off,’ and I think we’ve just kept with it all year.”

Throughout his career, the season’s latter stages haven’t mattered too much. This time, it’s different.

“We’re just looking to prove people wrong,” Frost said. “This next stretch of games is super important, but it’s been really fun so far, and it’s fun to be playing for a spot.” 

Flyers head coach John Tortorella’s press conferences this season have become must-watch TV. Tortorella has always been one of the more entertaining personalities in the NHL, whether on TV with ESPN or behind the bench.

People outside the room might question his decisions sometimes, but there is no doubt that his players love and appreciate him.

“In a different kind of way, he makes us all laugh,” Frost said. “There’s the serious stuff, but there’s a lot of times where he’ll do stuff and it’s pretty funny the way that he’ll convey something. We have a really funny group in general, and we make the most out of any laugh that we can get.”

While the standings continue to trend in the Flyers’ favor, there’s still no guarantee that they’ll be playing hockey a month from now. To help make it happen, the team needs to keep building upon what they’re good at – including playing with pace.

“When we’re playing fast, moving the puck up quick, getting in on the forecheck – pretty cliche things, but that’s when we’re at our best,” Frost said. “Our group’s been based on doing the simple things all year and capitalizing when we have an opportunity.”