Travis Konecny

Travis Konecny Bio

Travis Konecny is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is a forward and alternate captain for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Flyers selected him in the first round, 24th overall, of the 2015 NHL entry draft. Born in London, Ontario, Konecny grew up practicing on frozen ponds and went on to play for junior teams before making his NHL debut in 2016. Known for his speed and physical style of play, Konecny has become a key player for the Flyers and has represented Canada in international competitions.

Early Life and Background

Konecny was born on March 11, 1997, in London, Ontario. He grew up in nearby Clachan with his father Rob, a firefighter; mother Terri-Lee, who works with autistic children; and brother Chase, an engineering student. Outside of his immediate family, Konecny’s cousin Bo Horvat also played ice hockey from a young age. Because Clachan was too small to have its own ice rink, Konecny practiced on frozen ponds and watched hockey games to develop his skills. Coaches began to notice Konecny when, at the age of 10, he scored four goals and an assist in one period of a youth ice hockey tournament. Although he began playing minor ice hockey with the local Chatham-Kent Cyclones, when Konecny was 14 years old, he moved to Mount Brydges, where he joined the Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs of the Alliance Hockey organization and began attending the PEAC hockey academy in London. Smaller than most of his teammates, Konecny was known for his physical style of play, with 24 penalty minutes through the first nine games of the 2012–13 season. He was also a strong scorer, recording 53 goals and 61 assists in 54 games that season. Elgin-Middlesex captured the Alliance championship, sweeping the Waterloo Wolves.

Path to Hockey

The Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) selected Konecny first overall in the 2013 OHL draft, an honor that came with the Jack Ferguson Award for the top OHL draft pick of the year. Younger than most of his new teammates and opponents at only 16, Konecny registered two assists in his OHL debut, a 5–4 win over the Belleville Bulls. While the 67’s missed the OHL playoffs, Konecny had a dominant rookie season, scoring 26 goals and 44 assists while playing on an offensive line alongside Erik Bradford and Ryan Van Stralen. Leading all OHL rookies in scoring for the 2013–14 season, Konecny was named Rookie of the Month on four out of six possible opportunities, and at the end of the season, he received the Emms Family Award for OHL Rookie of the Year. Going into his second year with the 67’s, Konecny was named team captain for the 2014–15 season. Although he had a slow start, Konecny soon recovered, finishing second on the 67’s in scoring with 29 goals and 68 points in 60 regular season games. The Philadelphia Flyers traded two picks in the 2015 NHL entry draft to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for the 24th overall pick, which they used to draft Konecny in the first round.

Travis Konecny Career

Early Career (2016–2018)

On October 10, 2016, Flyers general manager Ron Hextall announced that Konecny had been named to the opening-night roster for the 2016–17 season, foregoing the usual nine-game tryout period for junior-aged rookies. Konecny’s first two professional hockey points came in his NHL debut on October 15, with two assists in a 4–2 defeat of the Los Angeles Kings. His first NHL goal came on October 26, in a 4–3 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Konecny’s rookie season was uneven, with 11 goals and 17 assists in 68 games. He started the 2017–18 season in a slump, but turned his performance around in the second half, finishing with 24 goals and 47 points in 81 games. Konecny scored his first NHL postseason goal in the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Breakthrough (2019–2021)

Heading into the 2018–19 season, Konecny solidified his position on the team and finished the year with 24 goals and 49 points while playing all 82 regular season games. He completed his first career Gordie Howe hat trick that season. A restricted free agent during the 2019 off-season, Konecny signed a six-year, $33 million contract extension with the Flyers. In the 2019–20 season, Konecny led the team in scoring with 24 goals and a career-high 61 points in 66 games. He was invited to the NHL All-Star Game that season, where he recorded three assists. Konecny scored his first career hat trick in the second game of the 2020–21 season, lifting the Flyers to a 5–2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. He played in 50 games of the truncated season, recording 11 goals and 34 points.

Notable Works and Milestones

Travis Konecny has established himself as a key player for the Philadelphia Flyers, known for his scoring ability and physical style of play. He has been recognized for his contributions with an NHL All-Star Game invitation and has consistently been a top scorer for his team.

Travis Konecny Award Nominations

Throughout his career, Travis Konecny has been nominated for various awards, including the Emms Family Award for OHL Rookie of the Year during his junior career.

Travis Konecny Awards Won

Travis Konecny has received recognition for his performance on the ice, including the E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence, awarded to the prospect who best exemplifies commitment to excellence in hockey.

Travis Konecny Family

Konecny is of Czech ancestry on his father’s side, and he was taught a few phrases of the Czech language by his grandfather. His cousin Bo Horvat also plays in the NHL.