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[Philadelphia Flyers]

Flyers @ Oilers: How to watch, lineups, and gamethread

The Philadelphia Flyers continue their Western Canada swing and are now visiting the Edmonton Oilers in what should be a very interesting Saturday matinee matchup.

Puck drop: 3:30 p.m.
How to watch/listen:
: NBCSP
: 97.5 The Fanatic

Pregame reading​

• Team USA announced their roster for the Olympics next month and Trevor Zegras wasn’t on it. While it’s not a surprise at all that the Flyers forward was left off, there is an argument to be made that he should’ve. [BSH]
• As we’ll surely touch on later, Garnet Hathaway draws back into the Flyers lineup after taking six games off as a healthy scratch in this down-right bad season from the veteran. [BSH]

Pregame watching​

By the numbers​

Philadelphia Flyers – 20-12-7 (3rd in Metro)

Goals: Trevor Zegras (15)
Assists: Trevor Zegras (24)
Points: Trevor Zegras (39)

Edmonton Oilers – 20-15-6 (1st in Pacific)

Goals: Connor McDavid (24)
Assists: Connor McDavid (46)
Points: Connor McDavid (70)

Projected lineups​

Philadelphia Flyers

Trevor Zegras — Christian Dvorak — Travis Konecny
Denver Barkey — Sean Couturier — Owen Tippett
Matvei Michkov — Noah Cates — Bobby Brink
Carl Grundstrom — Rodrigo Abols — Garnet Hathaway

Cam York — Travis Sanheim
Emil Andrae — Jamie Drysdale
Nick Seeler — Rasmus Ristolainen

Dan Vladar
(Sam Ersson)

Edmonton Oilers

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins — Connor McDavid — Zach Hyman
Vasily Podkolzin — Leon Driasaitl — Jack Roslovic
Quinn Hutson — Adam Henrique — Trent Frederic
Ike Howard — Curtis Lazar — Matthew Savoie

Mattias Ekholm — Evan Bouchard
Darnell Nurse — Alex Regula
Spencer Stastney — Ty Emberson

Calvin Pickard
(Connor Ingram)

Storylines to watch​

Hathaway back in, Grebenkin out

It’s something we were all too familiar with earlier in the season, but is now just hopefully a little bit of single-game rotation. The youngster Nikita Grebenkin is going to be a healthy scratch for this afternoon in Edmonton as veteran Garnet Hathaway is back on the fourth line. In case you don’t necessarily remember why Hathaway was brought out of the lineup to begin with, the 34-year-old winger has yet to register a single point this season and has not been anywhere close to even last year’s slightly above-average performance as a consistent depth forward. Is this a permanent decline or just a very rough start to the season? He has the opportunity now to show that it’s the latter.

Deciphering the Oilers attack

Obviously, playing against the NHL’s leading scorer and the best player in the league is something that a team will have to figure out — and then add Leon Draisaitl to the equation and it’s just a whole other problem. It’s not anything new that this Flyers team has had to try and best the Oilers’ plan of attack and focus on getting the right matchups to take advantage of the weak depth that Edmonton has.

And now the Flyers’ lineup has one less depth weapon with Grebenkin out of the lineup, but that’s just something we’re used to at this point. The Oilers’ own fourth line that features their top two prospects flanking Curtis Lazar might pose a threat. While both Howard and Savoie are not even close to their pre-season expectations from some optimistic Oilers fans, they still do have plenty of individual skill and talent. Without being able to hard-match Noah Cates against McDavid’s line, this is going to be a very interesting coaching battle.

Another game, another chance for Matvei Michkov to explode

This is probably just an eye-rolling storyline at this point, but we’re just waiting for the multi-goal game from the young Russian star and something we can all remark as the turning point where Michkov just ran through the rest of the season.

When the Flyers visited the Oilers last season, all the way back at the start of their campaign, it was then when Michkov scored his first NHL goal in a two-goal effort. It ended up being a 4-3 overtime loss for the Flyers but it was kind of the coming out party for the rookie. Could we see the same this afternoon?

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/flyers-oilers-how-to-watch-lineups-and-gamethread/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Ex-Flyer Egor Zamula already in trouble after AHL no-show

The Philadelphia Flyers made one final trade in 2025, sending defenseman Egor Zamula to the Pittsburgh Penguins for forward Philip Tomasino. Tomasino reported to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the AHL and made his debut on Saturday night in Belleville.

However, while Tomasino was hitting the ice for the first time with his new team, Zamula was suspended by the Penguins, according to the AHL’s transaction log.

Zamula recently changed his agent to Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey in an effort to facilitate a move from the Flyers. There were talks that Zamula wanted to have his contract terminated in order to find a new home, but the Flyers waited it out and swapped the disgruntled defenseman for Tomasino.

Zamula hilariously suspended after no-show on new AHL team​

It’s still only been a few days since the trade, and nothing has come out from Zamula or the Penguins regarding the suspension, so it might just be a formality. The blueliner may be working with the Penguins on a delayed arrival in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton or a possible contract termination.

Acquired earlier this week from #LetsGoFlyers, the Penguins #LetsGoPens have suspended defenseman Egor Zamula for failure to report to AHL Wilkes-Barre.

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) January 4, 2026​

Zamula may be looking to return to Russia to play in the KHL, but that’s pure speculation. He played in Russia as a 16- and 17-year-old before coming over to North America for the 2017-18 season.

Whatever the reason, Zamula has failed to show up after getting what he wanted and was traded away from the Flyers since there was no place for him in the lineup anymore after plenty of defensemen overtook him in the depth chart. But apparently it wasn’t the right situation or maybe he didn’t realize that since he cleared waivers less than 30 days ago, he can still be easily sent down to the AHL like he was assigned there by the Penguins immediately following the trade.

The now 25-year-old Zamula failed to establish himself as more than a bottom-pairing defenseman in the last few years for the Flyers. He’s played 168 NHL games in his career, though, so it’s possible that one of the other 30 teams outside the state of Pennsylvania may desire his services. If not, a return to his home country could very well be in the cards for the defenseman.

Swapping Zamula for Tomasino was the latest of subtly shrewd moves by Danny Briere and the Flyers. They’ve been able to find undervalued players in recent years and turn them into important players and trade pieces (Sean Walker), as well as some role players like Carl Grundstrom in the Ryan Ellis trade.

Tomasino does have the potential to contribute at the NHL level. He was the 24th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft by the Predators and has put up strong numbers in the AHL. That hasn’t quite translated into a ton of success in the NHL, though, even with a change of scenery to the Penguins.

It’ll all be worth it if it results in Flyers fans getting a chance to poke fun at Pittsburgh for Zamula refusing to play there.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/ex-flyer-egor-zamula-already-in-trouble-after-ahl-no-show/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Could Porter Martone solve the Flyers power play

As a tool for prospect evaluation, sometimes the World Juniors can be a bit overblown. It is technically as close to “best-on-best” as you can get at the U-20 level, but it is ultimately just a one-off tournament during the holidays that disproportionately benefits players who are playing well at that specific moment.

With two of the Flyers’ most important prospects representing Canada in Porter Martone and Jett Luchanko, it has been intriguing to watch how they have adapted to their linemates and different roles on what is a stacked roster full of future NHLers. At the same time however, there is only so much to be gleaned from games where they blitz an unsuspecting Danish team with nowhere near as much talent.

What has been more consistently interesting to watch is how the players are being deployed. Canada’s head coach Dale Hunter is one of the more respected names in Canadian Junior hockey, and his talent evaluation has been part of building a dynasty with the London Knights that the Flyers have benefited from greatly in recent times. So when he plays Jett Luchanko in pressure situations and on the penalty kill, it is a confirmation that those skills exist and should be an asset at the next level.

In the same vein, the Canadians have deployed Porter Martone in one particular way that could offer a glimpse into his future usage at the NHL level.

Martone has primarily played alongside Utah prospect Tij Iginla, and the Sharks’ Michael Misa. As by far the biggest player on the line (Iginla is listed at 6 foot, Misa 6 foot 1), it hasn’t been surprising to see Martone try and force his way to the front of the net, while the other two work more on the perimeter.

But it’s been Martone’s power play involvement that has been the real illuminating factor for a Flyers team that has struggled with the man advantage for the better part of the last decade. Canada has opted to use Martone as a net front presence on their “second” power play unit, which also features Luchanko. Martone uses his big, 6’3 frame to screen the goalie, and has created some great opportunities for electric Canadian defensemen like Zayne Parekh and Kashawn Aitcheson to get dangerous opportunities through screens.

This goal from Michael Misa is one of the best illustrators of this, as the Slovakian goalie’s view is completely eclipsed by Martone, who gives him no chance to even react before Misa’s shot is behind him.

CANADA IS COMING OUT HOT! MICHAEL MISA SCORES CANADA'S THIRD GOAL OF THE FIRST PERIOD! #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/bIg6JtPTuE

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 3, 2026

Even more encouragingly, Martone hasn’t just been confined to a run of the mill netfront role. While he has profited from that spot, he has also been free to flare out to either side of the net and make plays. Whether it be recycling the puck to the point men, looking cross-seam, or even letting sharp angled shots fly, Martone has shown himself to be a dangerous weapon that can beat you to the net with both physicality and skill.

On both his weak or strong side, Martone has been capable of getting shots to the net while constantly relocating, and while yes, the NHL will be another level up than the Danish U-20 team, it is promising to see his confidence on the man advantage be so evident.

Porter Martone has his second goal of the World Juniors. pic.twitter.com/DkDD0YBlRs

— Andrew Coté (@acote_88) December 30, 2025

While it isn’t the only problem the Flyers’ power play faces, the lack of a dominant netfront presence has helped make the team’s man advantage historically inept over the last half-decade. And while there will still be questions regarding his transition to the next level, right now Martone is looking like he could offer a light at the end of the tunnel.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/could-porter-martone-solve-the-flyers-power-play/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Oliver Bonk scores first AHL goal with Phantoms in Toronto

It’s certainly been a good week for Oliver Bonk.

The Flyers prospect, though having gotten off to a late start to his professional career after an injury taken during rookie camp left him sidelined until a bit into the month of December, has been steadily ramping up his play through his first month of play with the Phantoms, and has really seemed to turn a corner since the team returned from their holiday break. Bonk closed out 2025 on a high note, getting in for his ninth game with the team and picking up his first professional point — the secondary assist on Lane Pederson’s first goal of the game — along the way. He continued to build up a solid run of play over into the next game, contributing a pair of shots against the Belleville Senators on Saturday and keeping up a high level of impact in their transition game, even though he was held off the board, but Sunday in Toronto saw him take that next step forward.

Past the halfway point in the period and holding on to a tie game at one goal — but only just barely — the Phantoms were looking for a bit of a jolt, a way to tilt the ice back in their favor. But with a second penalty taken in under six minutes and the Marlies gifted another power play to work with to continue to build on their mounting momentum, this game had a chance to go sideways on the Phantoms fast, but Bonk stepped up to bail them out in a big way.

Just as the power play was beginning, Tucker Robertson was able to kick start a breakout for the Phantoms, but instead of just chipping it deep into the Marlies’ zone and going for a change, the Phantoms went for the rush play — Lane Pederson skated it into the zone with some speed, and was able to thread a pass cross-ice through some traffic to the trailing Bonk, and even with an extra second to close in on goal and dust off the puck, Bonk was able to beat the Marlies’ goaltender cleanly, pulling his team back into the lead.

A BEAUTY #LVvsTOR| #LVPhantoms pic.twitter.com/0jweRxcKGF

— Lehigh Valley Phantoms (@LVPhantoms) January 4, 2026​

Bonk has noticeably been ramping up his level of play, but this has also come with an apparent increase in usage — he’s getting some more play on the power play, and while the Phantoms have the benefit of the depth available to roll all three pairs pretty evenly, the eye would suggest that (a vague impression that, without time on ice data publicly available for the AHL, we’ll simply have to trust). The Phantoms have been careful in their handling of him, not wanting to throw too much at him too quickly as he makes a big jump up in levels, but he’s been taking everything in stride, and continuing to earn more trust and opportunities from his coaching staff.

It’s been a big weekend for former London Knights in the Flyers’ pipeline, as yesterday also saw Denver Barkey — forever linked with Bonk — pick up his first NHL goal on the road in Edmonton. Here, too, it was a nice exclamation point put on a strong run of play put together of late, as both have been continuing to put in good work to acclimate themselves to their respective levels. The narrative, it would seem, just writes itself.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/oliver-bonk-scores-first-ahl-goal-with-phantoms-in-toronto/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Why Sam Ersson not making Sweden’s Olympic roster is great for Flyers

It was just over a year ago, and Sam Ersson was feeling some national pride knowing he’d be on the Swedish roster when the 4 Nations Face-Off took place in mid-February. In the three games leading up to the National Hockey League break for the international tournament, Ersson, the then Flyers starting goaltender, laid claim to three consecutive games where he had over a .900 save percentage. He lost a 2-0 decision to Colorado, making 30 of 32 stops. The following game, Ersson was sensational, stopping 39 of 42 shots against host (and pre-Mammoth) Utah in a 3-2 overtime loss. Finally, he got a victory at home against Pittsburgh, stopping 31 of 33 in a 3-2 regulation win. He was heading into the tournament strong.

During the tournament, Sweden fared okay but weren’t the team to beat, especially given the depth and talent Teams Canada and the USA had. But Ersson did earn a victory in the lone game he started, stopping 32 of 33 shots (.970 save percentage) in an impressive appearance defeating the United States 2-1 in the round-robin portion. Perhaps the goaltender could ride that wave of self-confidence and boost himself into being the Flyers starter not just by default but on merit.

Well, that didn’t work out so well. Despite three games over that .900 marker in the three consecutive games before the tournament, Ersson managed to get to or over that measuring stick just five times the rest of the season, including in his last two games in April. The rest of the games were just, well, poor. Most starts ended up with him roughly stopping four out of five shots. Sometimes it was even less than that, including being pulled early after giving up three on five shots to Calgary on March 4. Whatever it was, Ersson’s 4 Nations Face-Off one-off was possibly his highlight in 2024-25. He certainly didn’t have many (if any) with the Flyers.

So, with news last week that Ersson wouldn’t be on the Swedish roster when the upcoming Winter Olympics take place in Milano/Cortina, it might be disappointing to Ersson. But it could end up being the catalyst for a better second half for the goaltender who is now essentially the back up. Don’t let Travis Konecny or any of the Flyer players tell you otherwise. Dan Vladar is Philadelphia’s go-to goaltender in key games. Ersson is also important but no longer the guy.

What the time off should do​

Last season, Ersson didn’t really have a mid-season break like most of the National Hockey League collective. Whether it was interviews, practices, games or just other off-ice requirements for the tournament, Ersson was busy. He had no real huge amount of down time despite just playing the one game against the United States. Now, with about three weeks off (20 days actually) from Philadelphia’s Feb. 5 game against Ottawa and their next contest Feb. 25 against Washington, Ersson should be able to have time to rest and, perhaps more importantly, clear his head. He’s not been terrible like he was a good chunk of last season. But he’s had multiple games this year where that one extra save at a key time in regulation wasn’t there. Through 15 appearances prior to Tuesday’s game against Anaheim, Ersson has four games where that magic number for capable NHL goaltending (.900 save percentage) has been matched or surpassed, the last being just before Christmas where the Flyers beat Chicago 3-1. The fact he has helped the team earn points in two-thirds of his 15 starts (6-5-4) despite an .868 save percentage is rather remarkable.

Another aspect to the conversation is there’s a decent chance Dan Vladar is going to end up as part of Team Czechia’s Olympic roster. So, in short, Vladar isn’t going to get that rest or downtime, which could be pivotal down the stretch when the games seem to matter a bit more and the playoff race tightens. Having Ersson rested at least gives Philadelphia one goaltender who should have something left in the tank in late March and through April. That becomes even more important given Vladar has 24 starts this year compared to 30 in Calgary all of last year. Nobody is saying Vladar can’t play 45 to 47 games this season. There’s just no concrete evidence to support that. If the Flyers have to go all in with Ersson starting the majority of games the rest of the way due to a Vladar injury, it’s a safe bet they’re probably screwed. But putting that aside, knowing he’ll have three weeks to refocus should be a plus for Ersson and the team.

At this rate, one would expect Ersson to be used around the same amount the second half of the season as he was the first half. Unless he gets on an incredible roll (or Vladar gets hurt), it’s a safe bet that Ersson will be used more in relief, especially during back-to-back games or in situations where Vladar is going to need the rest. And with every game important in such a condensed schedule, Ersson is going to have to hit that .900 mark more often than not for Philadelphia to keep its current playoff seeding.

Snub a plus?​

With Team Sweden going a different direction without Ersson, it might putting a chip on his shoulder also. Ersson doesn’t seem to be the sort to ruffle feathers or rock the boat, particularly given a national team in international competition. So he will say the right things regarding not making the club. But he’s probably got a bit more oomph or motivation to prove them wrong the rest of the season. And that notion could be a huge boost for Philadelphia. A player with an axe to grind or to simply prove their worth, especially in a crucial position like goal, could pay dividends down the stretch. Ideally the saves he makes in the shootouts continue. Yet, if he makes more saves in the first 60 minutes, it’ll be great for the Flyers, especially when they still only have 14 regulation wins.

Ersson has the 45th best record, the 45th best goals-against average, and the 59th best save percentage in the league. Those are rather low numbers even for a backup goaltender. If he can stack some games together where he rivals Vladar’s output and play, it’ll be the best of both worlds for Philadelphia. Being rejected from your national team just a year after playing for them at the same level should be rubbing Ersson the wrong way. Here’s hoping that rejection stokes a fire inside him that sees his play and overall numbers improve.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/p...g-swedens-olympic-roster-is-great-for-flyers/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Flyers officially sign Christian Dvorak to 5-year contract

The Philadelphia Flyers have decided to keep Christian Dvorak around for the long term and not have this just be a one-and-done experiment after signing him last summer.

Announced by the team, just hours after it was rumored to be happening through multiple sources, the Flyers have signed Dvorak to a five-year, $25.75-million contract extension that starts next season. That comes in at a $5.15-million AAV through the 2031-32 season.

DONE DEAL FOR DVO.

We have agreed to terms with forward Christian Dvorak on a five-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $5.15M. https://t.co/0jLng32Pec

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) January 6, 2026​

According to The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz, Dvorak will have a full no-trade clause for the first two years, that then goes down to a limited no-trade clause for years three and four, and then it’s complete free rein for the final year of his contract, with no trade protection whatsoever.

“We’re very happy to have Christian be a part of the Philadelphia Flyers for the foreseeable future,” said Flyers general manager Danny Briere via the team’s press release. “He has played a pivotal role in our team’s success this season and proven to be a reliable, two-way center that can be trusted in all situations. More importantly, he plays a big role in our locker room and has fit in seamlessly to our group and what we are building.”

Dvorak signed a one-year, $5.4-million contract with the Flyers on July 1 last summer, as an immediate addition down the middle. Philadelphia needed someone to play center and it snatched the player that would agree to signing just a one-year deal that has at least some capability of being more than a bottom-line forward. It was seen as a high cap hit because of the single year, and now Dvorak is getting an extension very close to that number.

Why? Almost immediately, head coach Rick Tocchet linked Dvorak next to fellow newcomer Trevor Zegras and since the former Anaheim Duck has elevated into being this team’s top forward, the veteran free agent acquisition was brought along to the top forward line. Dvorak has now scored nine goals and 25 points through 39 games — well on his way to breaking his 38-point career high he made in the 2019-20 season.

Flyers commit future to keep some security around​

The Flyers will be heavily criticized for this. It is a taste of what Flyers fans have been used to for years before this management group was put in place — committing multiple years to keep some mid-level player around for a lot longer than anyone expected because they are terrified of the risk. The risk that comes with this team going into next season without someone who is capable of being a middle-six center when they don’t really have a center prospect banging on the door.

And that being said, Jett Luchanko is the obvious answer for someone who wants to think Dvorak is blocking a prospect. There is an argument there but the most likely situation is that Luchanko will start his first couple of months next season down in the AHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms no matter what; and the decision will go from there.

Jack Nesbitt, Heikki Ruohonen, Cole Knuble — the other Flyers prospects that play down the middle are multiple years away. That’s the Flyers thinking. It’s all about trying to keep the current level of competition and not sinking down to the bottom of the standings, and having Dvorak around after finding some chemistry with one of their best forwards, keeps the status quo.

Is it smart? Is it forward-thinking? We’re not sure. There is a risk of this not panning out and Dvorak reverts to his fourth-line self as soon as next season and the Flyers suddenly have a very expensive bottom-six center that they just signed for several years.

Let’s just see how it all goes from here but it’s not looking like a deal that fans will be happy with in a couple years.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/flyers-officially-sign-christian-dvorak-to-5-year-contract/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Flyers vs. Ducks: How to watch, lineups, and gamethread

After a trip out West to wrap up the old year and welcome the new one, the Flyers are finally back on home ice to kick off a four-game homestand with a matchup against their budding rivals in the Anaheim Ducks.

Puck drop: 7:00 p.m.
How to watch/listen:
: NBCSP
: 97.5 The Fanatic

Pregame reading​

• This game is winding up to be another potential big revenge game, and we’re not the only ones rooting for Trevor Zegras to make some noise in it. [BSH]
• Oh also, some news! In case you somehow missed it, Christian Dvorak has himself a contract extension. [BSH]
• This makes for another center locked up with some term, so what does this mean for Jett Luchanko’s standing and track to the NHL? [BSH]

Pregame watching​

By the numbers​

Philadelphia Flyers – 21-12-7 (4th in Metro)

Goals: Trevor Zegras (15)
Assists: Trevor Zegras (24)
Points: Trevor Zegras (39)

Anaheim Ducks – 21-18-3 (3rd in Pacific)

Goals: Cutter Gauther (19)
Assists: Troy Terry (27)
Points: Leo Carlsson (42)

Projected lineups​

Philadelphia Flyers

Trevor Zegras — Christian Dvorak — Travis Konecny
Denver Barkey — Sean Couturier — Owen Tippett
Matvei Michkov* — Noah Cates — Bobby Brink
Carl Grundstrom — Rodrigo Abols — Garnet Hathaway

Cam York — Travis Sanheim
Emil Andrae — Jamie Drysdale
Nick Seeler — Rasmus Ristolainen

Dan Vladar
(Sam Ersson)

Anaheim Ducks

Chris Kreider — Leo Carlsson — Troy Terry
Cutter Gauthier — Mason McTavish — Beckett Sennecke
Nikita Nesterenko* — Mikael Granlund — Ryan Strome
Ross Johnston — Ryan Poehling — Alex Killorn

Jackson LaCombe — Jacob Trouba
Olen Zellweger — Radko Gudas
Pavel Mintyukov — Ian Moore

Lukas Dostal
(Ville Husso)

Storylines to watch​

Michkov’s status a question mark

The Flyers will be largely rolling with the same lineup as they did in their last game against the Oilers, but with one notable exception, at least potentially. As it stands, Matvei Michkov is a game-time decision for tonight’s game, after missing yesterday’s practice as he’s dealing with some swelling after taking a shot off the foot in Saturday’s game. If he’s good to go, he’ll slide back into that same spot on the third line alongside Cates and Brink, but if this is lingering on him a little more and they decide he’d be best served by another day off to rest it, based on the arrangements from practice yesterday, Nikita Grebenkin will come into the lineup in his place. The good news is that, either way, it doesn’t seem to be a serious situation that he’s dealing with, so it’s just the short-term management that we’ll have to keep an eye on.

Keeping the scoring balanced

There was a lot that was working for the Flyers last time out in Edmonton, but one of the biggest pieces which helped drive them to that win is the balanced scoring they were able to bring, the fact that they had three lines going while the Oilers spent the most of their energy trying to contain the top line proved to be too much for them. And the Flyers have the chance to do the same to the Ducks, who have also struggled defensively at times this season (they’re sitting with a -10 goal differential on the season), so long as they can overcome their own tendency to backslide after a good performance. But the opportunity is certainly there for them.

Getting the rest advantage again

Also of note in this one is that this will be something of a mismatch as far as rest is concerned. After wrapping up their road trip over the weekend, the Flyers were able to enjoy a day off on Sunday and a regular practice day yesterday, easing back into it ahead of a long homestand. On the flip side, the Ducks played last night in DC — and were beaten 7-4 by the Capitals — and will be having to find a way to respond both physically and emotionally quickly for this one. There’s an advantage to be found here, if the Flyers are able to make a statement early, but particularly continue to pour on chances as the game goes on and the Ducks’ energy begins to wear down. They’ve found some success recently in this type of setting — as recently as their game in Vancouver — but it will be up to them to keep that ball rolling.

Revenge, again?

Lest we forget, this is almost certainly going to be one of the more meaningful games on the calendar for the Flyers. It will feature Jamie Drysdale facing off against his old team, and now Trevor Zegras doing the same for the first time, and of course, Cutter Gauthier coming back to town to face off against the team he didn’t want to play for. Last year’s installment of the matchup here in Philly certainly turned into a spirited game, and we’d expect nothing less in the rematch, and it will sure make for appointment viewing.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/flyers-vs-ducks-how-to-watch-lineups-and-gamethread/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Trevor Zegras torches Ducks in revenge game as Flyers dominate

Everything was set up perfectly and Trevor Zegras took full advantage. As his former team, the Anaheim Ducks, made their way to Philadelphia to face the Flyers, multiple things were in place for the star forward to get some revenge against the team that gave up on him before he even reached his prime.

The Ducks were heavily limping as they entered the doors of the Xfinity Mobile Arena. Before Tuesday night, they lost their last six straight games and last earned a win all the way back on December 20 against the Columbus Blue Jackets; and even before that they lost four of the previous five games making it a total of two wins since December 9. After starting the season as the new and hot team, the Ducks were tumbling down and proving to be a completely fake team that was riding some percentages to undeserved wins.

So, it was the perfect time for a former player to kick them directly in the head while they’re down. Add the fact that Cutter Gauthier is coming back to Philadelphia with his tail between his legs and ready to face a crowd that have never felt such hatred for an opposing player in a very long time, and Zegras’s ability to come up big in the important games in his first season in the Orange and Black — it was guaranteed to at least be a good one.

Zegras takes advantage of perfect opportunity and gets revenge​

Sure, Gauthier opened the scoring and we had a slight panic, but Zegras quickly calmed out nerves with an absolute rocket of a one-timer off a nice little passing play through linemate Christian Dvorak.

TREVOR ZEGRAS IS HAVING FUN!!

He's got one against his former team! pic.twitter.com/MfMjw76S8C

— NHL (@NHL) January 7, 2026​

Right back in it, Zegras tried to connect with Travis Konecny as the puck was fumbled on the zone entry but thankfully, Christian Dvorak was right there to pick up the loose pieces, weave his way through a couple of Ducks defenders and find his star winger awaiting at the side of the net for a picture-perfect one-timer opportunity. And considering just how often we’ve seen Zegras rocket a shot high up past the opposing netminder this season, it was bound to happen once again.

Later in the first period, as the Flyers were on the power play, Zegras set up in the same area on the ice and was ready to rifle home a chance set up by another favorite teammate of his.

SAME SPOT. SAME GOAL. SAME TREVOR ZEGRAS!!

He's on hatty watch! pic.twitter.com/7LuqjzpdOM

— NHL (@NHL) January 7, 2026​

Owen Tippett had control of the puck along the boards, laid it off for a streaking Cam York, helped along by Sean Couturier, and the defenseman faked a little bit of a shot while in motion to fake out some Anaheim penalty killers. But instead, York quickly sent it to Zegras who, once again, one-timed it into the back of the net with almost every single Ducks defender baffled as to how he got over there so silently and unnoticed.

Zegras finished the game with those two goals as his only earned points to make it a total of 17 tallies and 41 points in 41 games this season. He also managed to attempt a total of seven shots on Tuesday night, with three of them hitting the net.

While the two first-period goals was certainly nice to accomplish against his former team, it was his impression of how much passion the fans in attendance were showing that really made him blown away.

“It’s incredible, I’ve never seen anything like it. I’ve never felt anything like it. The fans are nuts. The boos were awesome, the cheers were even better,” Zegras said during the first intermission.

That’s what the building sounds like when there is finally a game worth getting up for in it. Zegras also continued to show appreciation for the fans and gave one of the best post-game interview clips we’ve seen in a while.

Officially Philly. pic.twitter.com/M566sJelHs

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) January 7, 2026​

After the Flyers secured the 5-2 win over the Ducks, Zegras was asked how it feels to score two goals against the team that gave up on you. And all he could say, is that it was “f–king amazing”. God, we cannot get enough of him and will never praise the Flyers enough for them bringing him in.

Flyers push through Ducks rather easily for 5-2 win​

While Zegras shone bright and was truly the best player on the ice for what he was able to do in the first period, the Flyers as a whole truly took full control of the game.

Sure, maybe it was because they were technically handed eight power-play opportunities and spent a total of 17:04 on the man advantage, compared to the 4:53 the Ducks were able to get. But, because they are the Flyers, they scored just one power-play goal during Tuesday night’s game, and in the small amount of time they had, Anaheim managed to score two.

The Flyers finished the game with a dominant 39-18 advantage in shots on goal and in all situations, registered a total of 51 unblocked shot attempts compared to the Ducks’ 34. And even if we want to dive deeper, according to Natural Stat Trick, the Flyers managed to earn 4.59 expected goals, while the Ducks got just 1.92. It was an overwhelming amount of offense coming off the Flyers’ sticks and from just all the high-danger areas on the ice.

Maybe it was getting up for Zegras to have this revenge game hit so hard for him, or maybe it was trying to prevent Cutter Gauthier from really dominating enough to walk away with a win; but whatever their motivation was, it was more than enough for them to earn the full two points on Tuesday night.

It’s just nice to see a player leave a bad situation and turn into the player he’s always meant to be. It’s even better when it benefits your team.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/p...hes-ducks-in-revenge-game-as-flyers-dominate/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Signs point to Trevor Zegras signing long-term with Flyers

Fresh off the Christian Dvorak five-year extension, it sure sounds like there’s going to be more business in the coming weeks for the Philadelphia Flyers.

This time, it’s his linemate Trevor Zegras who’s at the center of those discussions. Zegras, in his press availability prior to Tuesday’s win over the Anaheim Ducks, seemed like a guy who was quite intent on re-signing in Philadelphia.

“It’s cool to see somebody (Dvorak’s) age around 29 decide that this is the place that he wants to be and this is the place he feels like we can win. It’s definitely a nice feeling, for sure,” Zegras said in an interview about Dvorak’s extension.

When asked if he felt the same as Dvorak about Philadelphia, Zegras said: “Absolutely, absolutely. I mean we weren’t going to let him leave as a group of guys, either. We were kind of on him all year about sticking around and staying. We were all pretty happy today.”

Trevor Zegras seems to want to play for the Flyers for a long time​

That sounds like a guy who’s loving his time in Philadelphia, and is very excited about the possibility of being here long term. Add in all the Zegras quotes throughout the win over his former team on Tuesday — such as, “The boos were great, but the cheers were even better” — and it would be downright shocking if Zegras and the Flyers didn’t work something out in the second half of the season.

Zegras came into the league with a real knack for the cameras, for soundbites, and as one of the first really fun personalities in a long time. He lost that a bit in the last two years in Anaheim, as his on-ice level dropped considerably with Pat Verbeek and the Ducks losing faith in him. Now, Zegras is rejuvenated, and his personality is back into the spotlight again.

TREVOR ZEGRAS WITH AN ALL-TIME INTERVIEW.#LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/e7QeSfHQxz

— Flyers Clips (@Flyers_Clips) January 7, 2026

Also, the Flyers seem well-inclined to bring Zegras back as well. In his first public comments since the Dvorak extension, Flyers GM Daniel Briere also had some high marks for Zegras.

“Trevor’s another reason why we’ve taken a step. We’ll see. We haven’t started discussing anything with Trevor, but he’s restricted, so we have a little more I guess power on that front. But we want to keep him here. It’s been working out. Hopefully, he keeps playing the way he has. It’s been impressive this year,” Briere said Tuesday during a media availability.

When the Flyers acquired Zegras from the Ducks in the offseason, they probably didn’t expect it to go this well. Immediately having Zegras become a point per game player (41 points in 41 games) was probably not in the plans for the Flyers front office, but it’s been such a treat to have the lineup infused with another high-end talent for little cost. There was no guarantee that Zegras was ever going to reach his potential, and the Flyers have unequivocally won a buy-low trade.

It’s definitely unfortunate that Zegras hasn’t produced like this down the middle, but perhaps Zegras’ level is just an indication that the wing is much better suited for his skillset. Maybe the Dvorak-Zegras pairing just works exceedingly well, and can be a staple in the lineup for years to come. Or, we’re in the process of witnessing Trevor Zegras become a player that raises everyone’s level on his line, no matter who is next to him.

Either way, Zegras is well on his way to becoming an indispensable piece of the Flyers organization for many years to come.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/signs-point-to-trevor-zegras-signing-long-term-with-flyers/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Thursday Morning Fly By: Rake ’em up

*Leafs tonight, friends. The Leafs who have not performed as expected up til this point in the season. Before tonight’s game, have a look at Charlie’s thoughts on that last game. Which was very fun. [PHLY]

*About that last game… evidently the league saw no issue with the blatantly dirty hits thrown by Ducks players Tuesday night. Cool. [BSH]

*Related, if Jamie Drysdale and Bobby Brink have to miss any time, these are the six players we think would be best to replace them. [BSH]

*We’ve somehow reached the halfway point of the season which means everyone is in Evaluation Mode, and here’s what we think of their chances to get into the ‘yoffs 41 games in. [BSH]

*Honestly at this point, with where this team stands right now, they kinda got to go for it. [The Athletic]

*These are our biggest surprises and disappointments so far this season. Evaluation Mode baby!! [BSH]

*Anyway it seems like Trevor Zegras is going to sign here long term, and that rules. This dude is so much fun. [BSH]

*Speaking of contracts, was that one they gave Christian Dvorak a good idea? Maybe! Maybe not! [Inquirer]

*If Danny Briere and the Flyers decide they want to try and make some moves at the deadline this year to facilitate a playoff push, they might be better off getting started on that sooner rather than later. [Sportsnet]

*Alright one more piece of WJC content: biggest surprises of the tournament and the kids who played the best overall. Enjoy. [ESPN]

*And finally, Matvei Michkov is teaching Denver Barkey to do the Michigan. Who’s going to hit one first?! [BSH]

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/thursday-morning-fly-by-rake-em-up/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Flyers vs. Maple Leafs: How to watch, lineups, and gamethread

After demolishing Cutter Gauthier and their new favorite rivals to play, the Philadelphia Flyers are hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs, a team that suffered a disastrous first half of the season but is slowly inching back into the playoff conversation.

Puck drop: 7:00 p.m.
How to watch/listen:
: NBCSP
: 97.5 The Fanatic

Pregame reading​

• After Tuesday’s game, Cam York spoke out on the Cutter Gauthier situation and how it felt to get that win over the Ducks. [BSH]
• Everything that Trevor Zegras is saying, is making it really seem like he wants to sign long-term with the Flyers. [BSH]
• Now that we’re halfway through the season, let’s look at three surprises and three disappointments. [BSH]
• Bobby Brink and Jamie Drysdale are out with some injuries, so Maddie took a look at some potential AHL replacements for them. [BSH]

Pregame watching​

By the numbers​

Philadelphia Flyers – 22-12-7 (3rd in Metro)

Goals: Trevor Zegras (17)
Assists: Trevor Zegras/Travis Konecny (24)
Points: Trevor Zegras (41)

Toronto Maple Leafs – 21-18-3 (3rd in Pacific)

Goals: Auston Matthews (21)
Assists: William Nylander (27)
Points: William Nylander (41)

Projected lineups​

Philadelphia Flyers

Trevor Zegras — Christian Dvorak — Travis Konecny
Denver Barkey — Sean Couturier — Owen Tippett
Matvei Michkov — Noah Cates — Carl Grundstrom
Nikita Grebenkin– Rodrigo Abols — Garnet Hathaway

Cam York — Travis Sanheim
Nick Seeler — Rasmus Ristolainen
Emil Andrae — Noah Juulsen

Dan Vladar
(Sam Ersson)

Toronto Maple Leafs

Bobby McMann — Auston Matthews — Max Domi
Matias Maccelli — John Tavares — Matthew Knies
Easton Cowan — Nicolas Roy — Nick Robertson
Steven Lorentz — Scott Laughton — Calle Jarnkrok

Morgan Rielly — Brandon Carlo
Oliver Ekman-Larsson — Troy Stecher
Simon Benoit — Philippe Myers

Joseph Woll
(Dennis Hildeby)

Storylines to watch​

Auston Matthews is looking like himself, oh no

The Leafs were having a disastrous start to their season and at the forefront was star captain Auston Matthews looking more like he wanted to be a mediocre version of Ryan O’Reilly instead of the Rocket Richard-winning center he’s been for the majority of his career. Well, he turned a corner and scored five goals in six games last week, which also led him to breaking Mats Sundin’s all-time goal scoring record for that franchise.

Well, now he has scored six goals in his last three games and really appears to be the dominant world-class center once again. Oh, perfect. Just in time for the Flyers to get their good vibes potentially crushed. Matthews will need to be addressed heavily by one of Sean Couturier or Noah Cates, while the other deals with the John Tavares-Matthew Knies partnership. It might just be the depth that can carry Philadelphia to a win.

No Brink or Drysdale, but no call-ups yet

Speaking of depth, it will be tested. After suffering two dirty and nasty hits against the Ducks that knocked them out of Tuesday’s game, both winger Bobby Brink and defenseman Jamie Drysdale will be absent. There was no update from head coach Rick Tocchet, other than they will be missing Thursday’s game against Toronto.

But due to the Flyers hanging around at home, there is no need to recall anyone from the AHL quite yet and will just have their regular extra skaters dress instead. The decision will need to be made eventually, if those two are out for an extended period of time, but for now they’ll just get their backups in.

Thanks to this, the Flyers’ depth will really be tested offensively. Matvei Michkov is thankfully back, but now Carl Grundstrom is up on the third line and Garnet Hathaway is once more playing a regular role alongside Rodrigo Abols and former Leafs prospect Nikita Grebenkin.

Dan Vladar starting again and roles could be cemented

Dan Vladar is getting the start once again and now Sam Ersson hasn’t appeared in a game since the Dec. 31 drubbing in Calgary where he let in five goals on 26 shots in a brutal 5-1 loss. This all forces us to ask the question: Has Vladar truly cemented his role as a starter even moreso?

Of course, we have already thought this earlier, but Ersson getting at least some regular appearances — had five since Dec. 13 — and now Vladar will be in the crease for three consecutive games. The dynamic seems to have at least been softly cemented.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/flyers-vs-maple-leafs-how-to-watch-lineups-and-gamethread-2/