Konecny finished with 47 points (24 goals, 23 assists) through 81 contests in 2017-18, surpassing the point total from his rookie season by 19.

At first glance Konecny's stat line doesn't jump off the page, but the second-year winger was dynamic in the second half of the season, especially after head coach Dave Hakstol moved him up to the first line with Claude Giroux and Sean Couturier. After the midway mark of the year, Konecny reeled off 33 points (19 goals, 14 assists) in the last 41 games, going plus-18 while collecting 108 shots on goal. The 21-year-old flashed the speed and stick-handling that was on display when he tore up the OHL two years ago when he posted 101 points (30 goals, 71 assists) in 60 games, and although the Flyers' late push wasn't all because of Konecny, his outburst was a big reason why they secured third place in the Metropolitan Division. While it was a small sample size, if Konecny is paired again with Giroux and Couturier, points seem likely to appear in bunches again in 2018-19 -- but if he winds up elsewhere, the youngster's inability to create points during the first half of the season when he wasn't paired with playmakers is worrisome.

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