Travis Sanheim may be Philadelphia’s top defenseman, but his standing among NHL peers is far less flattering.
In Bleacher Report’s latest ranking of each team’s best blueliner, the 29-year-old Flyers defenseman checked in at just 29th overall — ahead of only Adam Pelech (30th, New York Islanders), Alex Vlasic (31st, Chicago), and Dmitry Orlov (32nd, San Jose).
What’s even more striking is that players like Erik Karlsson, Morgan Rielly, Vince Dunn, and Cam Fowler were ranked above Sanheim, even though many argue that Fowler isn’t the best defenseman on his own team. That distinction belongs to the towering right-shot Colton Parayko, who represented Canada last winter at the 4 Nations Face-Off alongside Sanheim and new Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet.
While Karlsson and Rielly, in particular, are shadows of the stars they once were, Sanheim himself had a down year offensively. Factors like limited power play opportunities, heavy defensive minutes, and an underwhelming Flyers roster that repeatedly fell short of expectations — even after the surprise addition of Matvei Michkov last summer — contributed to his quieter stats.
Sanheim has the tools to be a strong No. 2 or an elite No. 3 defenseman on a Stanley Cup contender, putting him in the same tier as Dunn, Parayko, or even Dougie Hamilton. Yet, given the Flyers’ struggles last season, he didn’t receive the recognition his performance deserved.
This isn’t the first time Sanheim or the Flyers have been overlooked. Just days earlier, Bleacher Report left top prospect Porter Martone off its list of the 10 most exciting NCAA players for the upcoming season. While the Flyers are hopeful that Michkov and Martone will rank among the NHL’s top 30 players by 2030, these snubs have only added fuel to a team looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2024-25 campaign.
Last season, Sanheim recorded eight goals, 22 assists, and 30 points, posting a -6 rating while averaging a career-high 24:30 of ice time — solid numbers that underline his value despite the lack of recognition.
