When Jamie Drysdale stepped up to the podium for his exit interview, there was an easy, almost lightness to him—a kind of relief that only comes with surviving a season filled with the typical turbulence of youth and growth, and coming out the other side better for it.
Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News
Drysdale’s first full season as a Philadelphia Flyer was far from perfect, and he knows it. But that’s what made his final words all the more meaningful. After a career thus far defined by untimely injuries and start-stop development, Drysdale is heading into the summer healthy, and with a clearer vision of the player he is—and the player he’s becoming.
“That was a goal of mine coming into the season,” Drysdale said. “I had a little bit of a shaky start, but got over it and then had a pretty good stretch of games, so it feels good. I’m going into the summer healthy.”
The importance of those last few words shouldn’t be lost. For a player who, up until this year, dealt with frustrating injuries that kept him out of contention for long stretches, this feels almost monumental. No surgeries. No watching from the press box for weeks on end. Just an entire summer to focus not on getting back to zero, but building above it.
Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey NewsIt didn’t come easily. Early in the season, Drysdale found himself on the outside looking in—he was hurt, yes, but had stayed out of the lineup for a bit longer than what maybe was necessary for his recovery. It can be a humbling experience for any young player, especially one with the pedigree and promise he carries. But rather than sulk, he took it as a wake-up call.
“I’d say it was just kind of when I was out at the start of the year,” he reflected. “There was a lot of talks with Torts and [Brad Shaw] and just kind of—full transparency, just saying, like, ‘Hey, it’s not good enough. We need this out of you.’ At that point, it was just kind of realizing I’ve gotta do it. There’s really no way around it. I started feeling confidence in my game… It brought me to realize the player I could be and can be and am capable of being.”
There’s an honesty there that shines through. Drysdale didn’t skirt around the frustration of sitting out; he owned it.
“Yeah, it was frustrating… but I think it was a good learning period for me," he said. "In that time, it obviously sucked in the moment… but I appreciated the feedback and communication was there, so it was good.”
The payoff showed up in flashes all season long—the smooth exits from the defensive zone, the quick read-and-react plays at the offensive blue line, the heady puck movement that made him a top draft pick in the first place.
And of course, it showed up during that game in January.
Facing his former team, the Anaheim Ducks, in Philadelphia, under the circus of the Cutter Gauthier drama, Drysdale played his most electric hockey of the season. You could see it on his face, hear it in the roar of the crowd (the "Jamie's better!" chants have since become one of the most iconic moments of this season), and feel it in the building.
“That was definitely the coolest game I’ve ever been a part of," Drysdale said. "There was obviously a lot of anticipation there. It was a lot of fun to be a part of. It was absolutely wild. It was definitely a confidence booster, definitely something you can use to fuel the system.”
It wasn’t just the spectacle. It was a glimpse into what Drysdale looks like when he’s fully engaged—dynamic, creative, decisive.And it offered a preview of what might be coming, especially as he’s started to form a partnership with another young Flyer, Cam York.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s no secret that I love Yorky," he said. "We’re good buddies off the ice; I knew him before I came here. I think he’s a heck of a player—has been, will be. It’s definitely different from [playing with Nick Seeler], and we’ve talked about it.
"I think we’re both the kind of players that would like to make plays and read plays. I think definitely someone I’d like to play with, for sure, but there’s a lot of work that can be done there.”
Drysdale’s awareness is refreshing. He’s not pretending he’s a finished product, nor is he rushing the process. It’s a slow grind—an understanding that the flashes have to turn into full games, and then full seasons. But now, for the first time in a long time, he’s getting the opportunity to work toward that without a rehab protocol weighing him down.
“Going into the offseason healthy—a little unfamiliar for me!" he joked. "I’m really looking forward to it. It’s not just the rehab and getting my body to where it’s at, I’m really dialed in on what I work on on the ice. Obviously get stronger conditioning, but I’ve put a lot of thought into things to elevate my game.”
He sounds excited. Energized, even. And it’s hard not to get excited with him. After all, the Flyers’ future hinges not just on the top scorers and highlight-reel plays, but on players like Drysdale—the ones willing to do the hard, unglamorous work behind the scenes to transform potential into reality.
This summer is Jamie Drysdale’s blank canvas. For the first time, the brush is fully in his hand.
And from the sound of it, he’s ready to paint something special.
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