A key Philadelphia Flyers youngster with the first name of Travis spent the bulk of the season’s first half languishing low on the depth chart before a December promotion helped unlock his offensive gifts and established him as one of the organization’s most exciting talents.



That, of course, outlines the 2018-19 breakout of Travis Sanheim. But every word could just as easily be applied to the work of Travis Konecny a mere calendar year ago.



Like Sanheim this past season, the 2017-18 version of Konecny showcased his ability in flashes over the first few months, but struggled to earn the trust of the Flyers’ coaching staff. Also like Sanheim, it was a dramatic, unexpected December promotion — in Konecny’s case, his move to top-line duties alongside Claude Giroux and Sean Couturier — that resulted in his massive 37-points-in-46-games breakout.



The excitement surrounding Sanheim today in the wake of his sophomore second half...