Noah Cates continues to emerge as a leader on and off the ice for the surging Flyers

Alex Bump was trying to maintain a low profile on the plane ride home from Pittsburgh in early March.

He had just scored in his NHL debut and was trying to be quiet and soak it all in. But then Noah Cates stopped by, asking his fellow Minnesotan if he had been paying attention to the state’s famous high school hockey tournament. “He was all fired up,” Bump recalled on Monday.

Bump knew of Cates but hadn’t really met him until this year, when the rookie attended his first NHL training camp.

“Have you seen the high school goal that he scored to go to state?” a wide-eyed Bump asked this reporter about Cates’ spin-o-rama overtime winner for Stillwater in 2016.

“So that’s how I know him, actually, I’ve just heard of him. And then, obviously, I’ve always watched the NHL ... and him winning at [the University of Minnesota-] Duluth.”

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The “State of Hockey” runs deep on the Flyers, with defenseman Nick Seeler also a native; Bobby Brink was traded to his hometown team, the Wild, the day before Bump’s call-up.

But Cates, 27, going out of his way to talk to Bump was not about just the Minnesota connection; it exemplified the leadership qualities that the former has developed in his fourth full season in Philly. And since the NHL’s Olympic break, he’s leading the way on the ice, too.

Cates is one goal away from tying his career high from last season (16), and one point away from besting his previous career high of 38 points from 2022-23. But he had only four assists in the 17 games between Jan. 1 and the Olympic break. But since the NHL restart on Feb. 25, the center has 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 13 games, including two points on the power play and that overtime game-winner against the Anaheim Ducks.

“We had a tough January. I had a tough January, and we knew how important the games were going to be after the break,” he said, crediting a mental reset to his recent production. “Just got some rest and then our week back practicing, we got a good little training camp, and got back to some systems. And we’ve been aggressive since then, and I just think it’s helped my overall game.”

His overall game has taken off. Despite losing his linemate, Brink, at the NHL trade deadline, Cates has been a plus-4 over the last 13 games. He leads the Flyers with a plus-19 rating for the season.

“I think there were some things in my details, in my defensive game, that I didn’t like as much. And I think, after the break, we got to our systems and got more aggressive,” Cates said. “And that got us out of the D zone quicker and more energy and stuff like that. So it’s just little things that lead to that shift in that energy and just getting confident, stuff like that.”

It’s his details that have rubbed off on the new guys.

“I think it shows you how the structure works, how well it works because you don’t have to leave the structure just to get your looks,” Bump said. “You stick to the structure, and you get your looks. He never leaves the structure, very detailed, I think it just shows you that you don’t have to go on your own page to produce.”

Cates is developing leadership in more ways than one as he dropped the gloves, smartly, in defense of Trevor Zegras, who was hit hard by Barclay Goodrow of the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. It was his second fight of the year — and in the NHL.

But he’s also developed some chemistry with Matvei Michkov, who has shifted to right wing with Brink gone.

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“I think we have some different skill sets,” Cates said of Michkov. “I think it was a little bit like Bobby right away, where we had to work together to find where our strengths and weaknesses are. And I think we complement each other pretty well.

“So it’s just been talking to each other, getting some chemistry, finding where each other are comfortable, where we like to get on the ice and stuff like that. So it’s been good, and just continue to learn and grow and develop with him.”

Sean Couturier, Luke Glendening, and Denver Barkey participated in the Flyers’ morning skate. They are all game-time decisions. ... Dan Vladař (23-11-7, .908 save percentage) will start in goal. ... Forward Tyson Foerster participated in a yellow non-contact jersey.