Brayden Schenn being consistent on top line

Two months ago, Brayden Schenn probably wouldn’t have had the confidence to make some of the recent plays that set up goals for linemates.

Replacing Jake Voracek, one of the league’s better playmakers, on the top line at right wing is no easy feat.

While Flyers coach Dave Hakstol waits for Voracek to start putting the puck in the net with checking line forwards Chris VandeVelde and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Schenn is filling in just fine with Claude Giroux and Michael Raffl.

“It’s starting to click,” Schenn said. “We’re getting the feel for one another just working hard on the forecheck and trying to turn over some pucks. Obviously that goal by G (Thursday night against St. Louis) was pretty amazing and fun to watch.”

Schenn tipped the puck to a streaking Giroux, who danced around two defenders and scored a highlight-reel goal as one of his three points on the night. Schenn also fed Raffl with a terrific cross-ice pass for a goal that Hakstol called “the biggest point in the hockey game.”

The line as a whole has been producing even without Voracek. The catalyst has become Schenn.

“I think we do a good job playing three guys together,” Giroux said. “We never have that one guy playing by himself. I think when you have three guys on the same page and supporting each other, it just makes everybody’s job a lot easier.”

So far this season, Schenn has played all three forward positions. A natural center, he found himself on what was the fifth line during training camp as a right wing and has worked his way up to the top unit. His 14 points are fourth on the team.

Back in training camp the Flyers didn’t even know what position to put him at. There’s been a logjam at center for what feels like half a decade and it was a toss-up between having him at left wing or right wing.

His being a good soldier has afforded Schenn the opportunity to make plays with the Flyers captain and he’s been taking advantage of it.

“I think that’s a fair statement,” Hakstol said. “Every day he’s kinda come back and shown up and worked hard. Right now I see Brayden playing very confidently. He’s playing hard and he’s giving us that power-forward type of presence. He’s playing confidently.”

“It’s a fun job,” Schenn added. “Yes, it’s easy playing with (Giroux) but at the same time you’re playing against the other team’s top line or top D-pair every night and that doesn’t make it easy.”

Giroux drawing the opposition’s top defense was part of the idea in getting Voracek, who still has only one goal on the season, off the line. His last seven points have come on the power play. With VandeVelde and Bellemare, the opportunities have been few and far between.

“I think Jake has found some chemistry with Vandy and Belly,” Hakstol claimed. “Are there as many 5-on-5 points as what we’ve been accustomed to in the past? Maybe not, but I thought that group generated some offensive opportunities and no question allowed us to have good energy through four lines.”

The fact that Schenn is producing up top is why it’s been difficult to switch things up. Hakstol did reunite Giroux and Voracek late in the second period of Friday’s loss to Dallas, but he kept Schenn on the line and moved him to left wing. With Giroux on a tear — he has 15 points in his last 10 games — Schenn is playing some of his best hockey in his 302-game career, too.

“I just feel more comfortable playing with him,” Schenn said. “He’s so gifted with the puck, you just try to get open for him and he likes that give-and-go type game. He’s good in the 10-foot areas playing that give-and-go style. For me and Raff, it’s just our job to play with him and play close to him.”

This is a big year for Schenn, whose contract expires at the end of the season. General manager Ron Hextall basically challenged Schenn in the offseason when Sean Couturier got a big extension and it looked like Schenn was next in line. The message was essentially, “let’s see how he plays this year, first.”

So far, so good.

“It’s not just the goal scoring,” Hakstol said. “I look at No. 10 out there and he’s started every game after the last two, three nights with a physical presence and that seems to roll into a good night for him and his linemates.”

Loose pucks

Saturday the Flyers returned defenseman Andrew MacDonald to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. MacDonald played one game after being called up this week. … After a day off Saturday, the Flyers return to practice Sunday at 10:30 a.m.

Dave Isaac; (856) 486-2479; disaac@gannettnj.com .