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If you’re trying to track down a Canadian-born hockey player during the NHL off-season, if you can’t find him in Muskoka, he’s probably living within a stone’s throw of where he grew up.
Travis Konecny is an exception. Born in London, Ont., and raised in the nearby rural community of Clachan, he now spends his summers in Calgary.
In the Konecny household, wife Karly’s family bonds take precedence. Her twin sister, Kristin, is married to Brody Sutter. Brody is the son of Duane Sutter, a four-time Stanley Cup champion with the New York Islanders and one of the six brothers from Viking, Alta., to have reached the NHL.
Brody’s 10-year pro career included 12 NHL games before he wrapped things up in Austria in 2022. Now, he’s settled back in Calgary with Kristin and their two young daughters, honing his craft as a referee for AHL and WHL games and hoping to carve a new path back to hockey’s top league.
Travis and Karly have spent their past three summers in Calgary. Their oldest son, Rhett, is now three, and their younger son, Beau, is one. The cousins are growing up together, with the Konecnys as ‘Sutter-in-laws.’ “I just speak with Duane here and there, and, obviously, it’s pretty special, knowing the hockey name,” Konecny said. “Me and Brody are best buddies now and have gotten to know each other really well.”
Hockey talk is kept to a minimum, but the Sutters’ longstanding commitment to hard work at both ends of the ice matches Konecny’s approach to the game. Now in his ninth NHL season, he has become an important part of the rebuilding Philadelphia Flyers.
When Sean Couturier was named captain last February, Konecny was awarded an ‘A,’ joining Scott Laughton at the core of the team’s leadership group.
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Coach John Tortorella, himself a stickler for playing “the right way,” lauded Konecny’s commitment to setting a good example. “He’s made big plays at key times,” Tortorella said. “He does everything for us. I’d hate to think where we’d be if we didn’t have his energy in our lineup. Not so much him talking, just what he is as a pro, what he’s become as a pro. And I think there’s more there.”
Selected 24th overall by the Flyers in the talent-rich 2015 draft, Konecny jumped straight into the NHL as a 19-year-old and never looked back. After his rookie year, he stood out on Team Canada’s speedy and disruptive ‘Kid Line’ with Mitch Marner and Brayden Point at the 2017 World Championship, picking up eight points in 10 games on his way to a silver medal.
In 2019-20, en route to breaking 60 points for the first time in his career, Konecny represented the Flyers in his first All-Star Game in St. Louis. Last year, he made his second All-Star Weekend appearance in Toronto before leading the Flyers with 33 goals and 68 points, both career highs.
A year before Konecny was set to hit unrestricted free agency, he and the team were able to work out a long-term commitment. In July, he inked an eight-year extension worth $70 million, which will keep him in orange and black until he’s 36. “Travis has grown into a significant leader on our team,” said GM Daniel Briere. “He truly embodies what it means to be a Flyer.”
Since Briere and president of hockey operations Keith Jones moved into their posts a year-and-a-half ago, they’ve worked to build a strong foundation for the long term. It’s all part of their efforts to modernize the Flyers’ blue-collar identity as part of the club’s ‘New Era of Orange’ ethos and branding. “Maybe it’s not the Broad Street Bullies in the sense of fights and big guys,” Konecny said. “But the way we play, as far as being physical and playing hard, if you’re going to get two points from us, it’s going to be difficult, and you’re going to have to earn it.”
“If you’re going to get two points from us, it’s going to be difficult, and you’re going to have to earn it.” – Travis Koneccy
Spend any time around the Flyers and you’ll most likely notice Briere and Jones keeping a watchful eye on the proceedings. Both former players, they use their voices to support and encourage inside the dressing room. “I’ve been around now for quite a while, and they’re in the room in a positive way,” Konecny said. “They’re not looking for things to get on your case about. They let us internally deal with that as players and the coaching staff. It’s just very positive.”
This year, Konecny’s leadership duties have included the mentorship of the Flyers’ prized top prospect, Matvei Michkov. Eager to learn the North American game, the 19-year-old started his NHL journey under the watchful eyes of Konecny and Couturier on Philadelphia’s top line. Thanks to the universal language of hockey, he’s quickly finding his way. “Guys that play the game seem to understand one another, so he’s going to be fine,” Konecny said. “You can tell that he sees the ice really well. He’s got a lot of skill. We’ve still got to get used to one another, but that’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Konecny was quick to grab the puck after Michkov set him up for a power-play tally against the Calgary Flames on Oct. 12, giving the Russian winger his first NHL point in his second game. As someone who plays bigger than his 5-foot-10 frame would suggest, Konecny also hasn’t hesitated to step in and harass any opponent who dares to try to intimidate his rookie mate.
Early on, the chemistry experiment was working well for both the mentor and his apprentice. Through their first eight games, Konecny and Michkov led the Flyers in scoring, both with four goals and nine points.
“Travis has grown into a significant leader. He truly embodies what it means to be a Flyer.” – Flyers GM Daniel Briere
As high as Konecny’s motor runs when he’s in the heat of battle, he’s a master at blocking out the noise when he’s away from the rink.
He loves being in nature, and after spending his free time fishing with his brother, Chase, while growing up, he now also leans into the opportunity to wind down on the links. Even his workouts are low-key. They’re done solo in his garage or with a “good group of guys” for small skates in Cowtown.
The 27-year-old says he doesn’t study his stats. If he did, he’d see that he hit 400 points at the end of last season. Approaching 600 career games, he ranks eighth in points among players from his draft class – and first in penalty minutes.
And even though he’s in the prime of his career, Konecny won’t admit to sparing a thought about his chances to skate for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off or the Olympics when there’s work ahead with the Flyers. “No, no,” he said. “I mean, obviously, it’d be a huge honor if you get named to that team, but my priority right now is focusing on this. If that’s something that comes along, that’s a huge bonus.”
He also brushes aside the subject of the life-changing money that the Flyers just committed to him, with barely a shrug. “It’s great,” he said. “I think for me, it just allows it to go away. Now, I can focus on the things I need to focus on.”
Sounds a lot like a Sutter.
This article appeared in the Nov. 25, 2024, World Junior Championship issue of The Hockey News. In this edition, we feature wall-to-wall coverage of the 2025 World Junior Championship, complete with previews of all 10 teams plus some of the most prominent players involved. Also in this issue, we shine the spotlight on San Jose’s Tyler Toffoli, Philadelphia’s Travis Konecny and a team from Haida Gwaii that really goes the extra mile.
It’s available on newsstands now, or you can get it in print for free when you subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/Free today. All subscriptions include complete access to more than 76 years of articles at The Hockey News Archive.
