Owen Tippett is a player who makes you sit up in your seat.
He’s the kind of skater who, when given even a sliver of open ice, can change a game in an instant.
He’s fast, powerful, and deceptively creative, a rare combination of size and skill that makes him one of the Philadelphia Flyers’ most dangerous weapons.
And while the numbers don’t always tell the full story, interim head coach Brad Shaw has made it clear: Tippett’s impact on the ice goes well beyond what shows up on a stat sheet.
“When he gets a pocket of open ice, there’s few players like him in the league,” Shaw said. “I’d like for that to show up a little bit more.”
It’s a sentiment that feels both like praise and a challenge. Tippett’s ability is undeniable—he’s shown flashes of brilliance that few players possess. But Shaw, like many who have watched him over the years, knows there’s still another level he can reach.
The Art of the Impossible
Take Jakob Pelletier’s goal against the Buffalo Sabres. The play Tippett made to set it up was, in Shaw’s words, “ridiculous.”
“The play he makes on [Pelletier’s] goal is, you know, a play that you couldn’t describe to somebody unless you really knew how hard that is to do at this level. That’s ridiculous.”
Tippett has this uncanny ability to make the impossible look routine. It’s something Flyers fans have seen before—those moments where he seems to slow the game down, taking an extra second or two when everyone else is panicking. Shaw pointed to a goal Tippett scored against Dallas, where he used his backhand to beat a goaltender in a way that will leave anyone who watches it with their jaws on the floor.
“In my three years here, he’s probably made a dozen or so of those plays,” Shaw said. “Whether it’s the goal against Dallas on his back end, or where he takes three or four seconds and just turns the game magical. He has that ability.”
That’s the thing about Tippett—he’s not just a player who has speed and a great shot. He has creativity. He has vision. He has that intangible ability to see the game differently, to hold onto the puck just a moment longer than expected, to find seams where none seem to exist.
The Battle for Consistency
So why doesn’t it show up more often? Why isn’t Tippett making highlight-reel plays every single night?
“I think the consistency is hard for a guy who has that skill package,” Shaw admitted.
It’s the eternal battle for players with Tippett’s unique blend of size, speed, and finesse. The very thing that makes him special—the ability to slow the game down and create—also makes it difficult to replicate night after night. The NHL doesn’t always allow for that kind of artistry. Sometimes, you don’t have time to slow down. Sometimes, the best play is the simple play.
Shaw acknowledged that balance, noting that Tippett doesn’t always need to be flashy to be effective.
“You can’t always show that, but I think he’s becoming a more consistent performer…I don’t think it needs to show up all the time because it’s good enough in other elements to play a simpler game at times, or maybe a more north-south game.”
That’s the evolution of Tippett’s game—figuring out when to simplify and when to dazzle. The best players in the world don’t turn every shift into a highlight reel, but they also know when to take over. For Tippett, it’s about finding that balance.
A Player Still Coming Into His Own
Tippett has come a long way since arriving in Philadelphia. He’s no longer just the speedy prospect trying to prove he belongs. He’s a foundational piece of the Flyers’ offense, a player capable of taking over games when he’s on. But, as
Shaw alluded to, he’s still figuring out exactly what his best hockey looks like.
“I think how he combines the two eventually when he starts playing his absolute best hockey,” Shaw said. “I think you’ll see a little bit more of that simplicity come through, along with the exceptional skill and talent that he has.”
It’s a fascinating thought—what will Owen Tippett look like when he fully puts it all together? When he finds the perfect mix of creativity and structure, of raw skill and efficiency? If he’s already capable of producing moments of pure magic, what happens when those moments start appearing more frequently?
The Flyers Need Tippett at His Best
With the Flyers looking to finish out the season strong, players like Tippett—players who can turn a single shift into a game-changing moment—are invaluable down the stretch. The challenge, as Shaw laid out, is to find that next level, to bring that magic a little more often while still playing within the team’s structure.
It’s a difficult balance, but Tippett is well on his way to figuring it out. He’s already shown what he’s capable of. Now, it’s about doing it just a little more often. And if he can, he won’t just be a player with flashes of brilliance—he’ll be one of the most dangerous wingers in the league.
