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Flyers need boost from core players; Rubtsov makes strong debut

Improvements in team defense and goaltending are needed if the Flyers are going to qualify for the playoffs again.

They also need better production from their core players.

Heading into Thursday, Jake Voracek was the highest-scoring Flyer as far as points per 60 minutes of ice time.

Voracek was tied for 45th in the NHL with 2.69 points per 60 minutes, according to sportingcharts.com.

But the Flyers' core players have underperformed in five-on-five play. Travis Konecny tops the team with 1.78 points per 60 minutes in five-on-five play, and he is ranked just 103rd in the NHL.

Voracek is ranked 136th (1.70), Wayne Simmonds (1.22) is 270th, Claude Giroux (1.01) is 313th, and Brayden Schenn (0.87) is 335th.

Here is where some Flyers ranked when the power play was included: Giroux (2.54 points per 60 minutes) was 60th; Schenn (2.38) was tied with Calgary's Johnny Gaudreau at 78th; and Simmonds (2.32) was 88th.

In  addition, Konecny (1.90) was 165th, followed by Nick Cousins (1.61) at 233, Mark Streit (1.56) at 247, Matt Read (1.38) at 305, Michael Raffl (1.34) at 319, Shayne Gostisbehere (1.33) at 324, Sean Couturier (1.13) at 332, and Ivan Provorov (1.22) at 367.

Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby was No, 1, averaging 4.12 points per 60 minutes of ice time.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was that Detroit's Thomas Vanek ranked fifth with 3.62 points per 60 minutes.

Several former Flyers were high on the list, including Columbus' Sam Gagner (10th at 3.26 points per 60); Toronto's James van Reimsdyk (11th at 3.25), who was just ahead of Edmonton's Connor McDavid; Los Angeles' Jeff Carter (22nd at 2.94); and Columbus' Scott Hartnell, who was 24th at 2.93, two places ahead of the Capitals' Alex Ovechkin (2.90).

Washington's T.J. Oshie, a potential free agent who might interest the Flyers in the off-season, was 43rd at 2.70 points per 60 minutes.

Rubtsov's debut. German Rubtsov, the Flyers' top pick (22nd overall) in last June's NHL draft, had two assists in his QMJHL debut on Thursday and helped Chicoutimi defeat Halifax, 4-3, in a shootout.

Rubtsov, 18, fired six shots on goals and was named the game's third star.