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[Philadelphia Flyers]

Takeaways from Flyers’ 6-3 loss to Flames as Farabee, Frost return

Coming off arguably their most impressive win of the season, the Philadelphia Flyers returned to Wells Fargo Center Tuesday night with hopes of closing the four-point gap separating them from a playoff spot. But against the Calgary Flames — and a pair of familiar faces — the Flyers suffered a demoralizing 6-3 loss less than three days ahead of the fast-approaching trade deadline.

The Basics​

First period: 7:40 — Zary (Pachal, Huberdeau), 8:13 — Kadri (Hanley), 9:32 — Zary (Lomberg, Rooney), 9:54 — Cates (Foerster, Brink), 17:11 — Kuzmenko (unassisted), 17:29 — Sharangovich (Pospisil, Frost)
Second period: 16:33 — Weegar (Frost, Huberdeau)
Third period: 10:43 — Michkov (Kuzmenko, Sanheim), 18:59 — Coronato (Kadri, Weegar)
SOG: 33 (CGY) – 27 (PHI)

Takeaways​

The revenge game

The top storyline ahead of puck drop was the return of Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost. On January 30, the Flyers traded the duo to Calgary in exchange for Andrei Kuzmenko, Jakob Pelletier and a pair of draft picks. The trade caught fans off guard, especially due to its timing. The trade deadline was still over a month away, and there wasn’t much public chatter surrounding Farabee and Frost as imminent trade candidates. But there’s a whole lot that happens behind closed doors that fans — and even the press — don’t hear about.

Farabee and Frost haven’t been all that productive since joining the Flames. The duo has combined for just four total points in 10 games since being traded. Did their luck change when taking on their former team? For Farabee, not so much. He was held without a point for the eighth straight game. Frost, meanwhile, had himself a solid outing, logging a pair of assists and 16:22 of ice time.

This wasn’t just a revenge game for Farabee and Frost, though. Kuzmenko and Pelletier also came in with a little extra intensity after they were shipped out of Calgary. Pelletier was held off the scoresheet, but Kuzmenko logged an assist and found twine with a laser that whistled right by the glove of Flames netminder Dustin Wolf in the first period to momentarily shrink the deficit to 3-2.

Ersson struggles again

Sam Ersson was given the night off Saturday after a rough outing against the Pittsburgh Penguins last week. With the added rest, one would expect Ersson to enter Tuesday night’s tilt refreshed and primed for a strong performance.

That didn’t happen. Ersson allowed three goals on just five shots, all scored within a span of just 1:52.

He had no chance on the first goal. Connor Zary pulled off a perfect redirection in the low slot that few goalies would have been able to stop. But the next two were inexcusable. Less than a minute after the icebreaker, Nazem Kadri zipped a wrister right past Ersson, who didn’t appear prepared for the shot. Soon after, Zary scored his second goal of the night with an angle shot that banked in off of Ersson’s shoulder.

We love a Zar goal.

We love a second Zar goal even more pic.twitter.com/SEpmlCc5kF

— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) March 5, 2025

Before the first period even hit its midway point, Ersson was pulled from the game and replaced by backup Ivan Fedotov, who was a star in the Flyers’ victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday. But at that point, the damage was already done. The early 3-0 hole proved too back-breaking to overcome.

Ersson has been playing very well over the last few months, but in his last two starts, he first gave up five goals on 25 shots, allowing the Penguins to erase a 3-0 deficit, and was pulled less than half a period into Tuesday’s game.

Not ideal.

Cates keeps it up

This loss didn’t come without a couple silver linings, and the continued strong play of Noah Cates is certainly one of them. Cates logged his career-high 14th goal of the season seconds after Ersson was replaced by Fedotov in net, briefly shifting momentum in the Flyers’ favor.

Cates has now logged points in four straight games after being held off the scoresheet for 11 consecutive outings.

The 14th goal of the season for @cates_noah is a career-high as this line keeps cooking. #CGYvsPHI | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/HlIbZya7jr

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 5, 2025

His line also thrived from a play-driving perspective. Cates, flanked by Bobby Brink and Tyson Foerster, finished the night with a 71.43 Corsi For percentage and 77.57 Expected Goals For percentage at 5-on-5. Head coach John Tortorella ended up shuffling lines throughout the game, but he didn’t dare tinker with the Cates line, which totaled 11:28 of 5-on-5 ice time.

Michkov back on the scoresheet

While the Flyers were playing, San Jose Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini scored his 19th goal of the season to tie Matvei Michkov for the lead in rookie goal scoring. Michkov must have somehow been keeping track on the bench, because he quickly netted a marker of his own to reach the 20-goal mark.

Or so we thought.

The goal was initially credited to Michkov, but the NHL ruled after the game that captain Sean Couturier touched the bouncing puck just before it crossed the goal line.

MM39 gets No. 20 on the season to draw us closer. #CGYvsPHI | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/Efj62iJAdr

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 5, 2025

Regardless, Michkov now has 45 points on the season, which is the fourth-most by a Flyers rookie since 2000. And he still has 20 games to add to that total.

This kid sure is something.

Statistics courtesy of Natural Stat Trick and NHL.com.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/p...s-6-3-loss-to-flames-as-farabee-frost-return/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

John Tortorella not looking to ‘magnify and dissect’ Flyers’ 6-3 loss to Flames

Last night’s game, there’s no other way around it, was a rough one. The Flyers were riding high, coming home after defeating one of the best teams in the league on their own home ice in Winnipeg on Saturday, and looking to keep the ball rolling and make an impression as the Calgary Flames came to town.

But with that goal in mind, it very quickly became apparent that something was just off with the Flyers on a pretty collective level. It began with Sam Ersson looking lost in net, giving up three goals on the first five shots he faced, and getting yanked before we even hit the midway point of the first period, but as off as he might have been, it pretty quickly became clear that he was far from the only player who wasn’t at top form in this matchup.

Because the Flyers struggled on a collective level with their fundamentals across just about the whole of the game — they were losing their battles, turning pucks over, failing to complete on routine looking passes, and struggling to get up-ice in transition as a result. It was messy, and players were, as John Tortorella commented post-game, making mistakes “that we just don’t make.”

This was a game that left everyone looking around for answers, but it was one where none might be found. Tortorella (and players alike) wondered about the fatigue level, “the second day after those guys get to bed [at] three thirty, four o’clock coming back from Winnipeg,” how “lethargic and sloppy” the whole group looked, and if the weight of the long trip was catching up to them. Noah Cates lamented the way that the team can sometimes come back home and play differently, and Travis Konecny wondered if that’s them overcomplicating it, trying to put on a show for the fans, but Tortorella sort of didn’t buy that.

“I think players always have to say something to you guys and answer your questions,” he told the assembled media last night, suggesting that those were perhaps too easy or tidy narratives to assign to this game. Their play isn’t excusable, and if it spills over beyond last night’s game that’s a problem, but as far as why this went so badly sideways here, it’s not worth deeply reading into.

As he sees it, this “happens all through the league. Teams have bad games. Again, I’m not going to magnify and dissect it. I do think when you see a group as lethargic and just not sharp, I’m going to lean on it just comes off of that travel. Whether it’s right or wrong, I’ll go with that. Then I’ll flush it down the toilet and just get ready to play our next game. I’m not gonna dissect it and answer a bunch of questions about why this or that. It’s done with. We played pretty well here since after the break, we’re just gonna try to get back at it.”

It’s a long season and teams are going to have poor showings smattered throughout, some explicable, some not. At this point, the team’s job is not to analyze it to death, but take what they can from it and put in focused work not to let these bad habits breach containment from this bad game. They’re staring down a very good Jets team coming to town tomorrow, who are going to want to get some revenge on them, and the task at hand is to be ready to regroup and be ready to go when they arrive. Simple as that.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/p...agnify-and-dissect-flyers-6-3-loss-to-flames/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Why now is the best time for Flyers to trade Scott Laughton

Scott Laughton has been in trade rumors for what seems like forever now. The Philadelphia Flyers forward always has his name thrown around as a depth forward option at the deadline but Danny Briere & Co. have set a high price for the locker room leader.

But now feels like the right time to pull the trigger on a Laughton trade.

Laughton is under contract through next season with a cap hit of $3 million. The 30-year-old forward is having one of his best seasons in a while and teams are taking notice.

Everything is coming together for this to be the right time to trade Laughton.

Thinning Center Market​

If you take a look at any of the many NHL trade boards around the interwebs, Laughton is one of just a few centers available at this year’s deadline.

Brock Nelson is the top center available if the Islanders decide to move him, but he’s in a different category from Laughton. Nelson already has 20 goals this year and would be a rental for whichever team lands him. He’s more of a middle-six center while Laughton is a bottom-six option.

Sure, Nelson may end up playing on the third line for some team and Laughton could hold his own in that spot, but the difference in talent and contract status is clear.

Another top option who could be available is Brayden Schenn. However, the Blues appear to want to keep the centerman signed for the next three seasons as they’re only a few points out of a playoff spot.

Outside of Nelson, another rental option is Ryan Donato. The Blackhawks center is having a decent year in Chicago and carries a very manageable $2 million cap hit. There’s a chance that Chicago re-signs Donato, but he could be a solid consolation prize for whoever misses out on Laughton.

Besides that, you’re looking at guys like Dylan Cozens, Yanni Gourde (who is reportedly going to Tampa Bay along with Oliver Bjorkstrand for two first-round picks), Michael McCarron, and Nick Bjugstad. It’s not a very robust market for teams looking to add a center this year.

Eight Teams Interested​

It feels like every day there are reports of another team being interested in Scott Laughton. Darren Dreger reported on Tuesday that as many as eight teams are now swirling around the Flyers centerman and first-round picks are already in play.

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets were two of the first teams linked to Laughton, and I ultimately believe one of them will be where he lands, but we’ve seen teams like the Washington Capitals, New Jersey Devils, and Ottawa Senators also been mentioned in recent weeks.

And with the recently reported trade of Gourde and Bjorkstrand to the Lightning with two first-round picks going the other way, the price should keep going up for Laughton. The supply is shrinking and the demand is growing. You don’t have to be an economist to know what that means.

Flyers Lose Leverage in Offseason​

If the Flyers decide to keep Laughton for the rest of the season, an offseason deal may not be as easy. Laughton will then be entering the last year of his contract so teams would get him for one playoff run instead of two.

While there may be more viable landing spots for Laughton in the summer when teams are more open to revamping their rosters, there are also more players available.

His $3 million cap hit and reputation will still draw some interest from around the league, but teams may decide that they can get someone just as good as Laughton in free agency without having to part with a first-round pick (or any picks).

Right now there are a handful of desperate general managers looking to add the final piece to the puzzle entering the playoffs. The Maple Leafs have a few key free agents this summer as do other teams in on Laughton. They might feel like this is their last chance to go all-in, especially with the Eastern Conference wide open this season.

Opens up Roster Spot in Rebuild​

The biggest thing that the Flyers risk losing with Laughton is his off-ice presence. He’s one of their locker room leaders and is heralded as a great glue guy around the league.

But Laughton’s on-ice production would be easier to replace.

He is having a good bounceback season with the Flyers, but replacing Laughton with any of the AHLers who have had cups of coffee with the team this year wouldn’t bring things down too much. And even if it does, it doesn’t particularly matter this season with just 20 games left and the Flyers’ playoff chances circling the drain.

Perhaps more importantly, there is a lineup spot open heading into training camp. The Flyers have several prospects who might be ready to knock on that door for a lineup spot as soon as next season.

Sean Couturier, Noah Cates, and Ryan Poehling likely aren’t going anywhere, and Jett Luchanko is penciled in as one of the team’s centers next season. If Briere does go big game hunting this summer, there may be a logjam of middle-to-bottom-six forwards fighting for playing time and you don’t necessarily want Laughton keeping a fast-rising prospect out of the lineup.

As far as the off-ice stuff is concerned, it is worth noting that the team hasn’t missed a beat after trading away two of the more-liked guys in the room in Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost. And at this point in the rebuild, the culture should be able to sustain itself without Laughton around.

---

This isn’t a situation where Briere has to trade Laughton before Friday’s 3 p.m. deadline, but it certainly seems like this is the best time to do so.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/p...best-time-for-flyers-to-trade-scott-laughton/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

BSH Roundtable: Bold predictions for the Flyers’ trade deadline

We are less than 24 hours before all 32 NHL teams have to be happy with their teams for the rest of the 2024-25 regular season. The transactions will be minimal past 3:00 p.m. on Friday, after a frenzy of trades are no doubt going to pour in every single hour.

The Philadelphia Flyers could be heavily involved, as well. Scott Laughton, Rasmus Ristolainen, Andrei Kuzmenko, and maybe even Egor Zamula, could be on the move before the trade deadline hits. That is a substantial amount of movement that could set up the rest of the season and change the outlook for a couple years down the road.

Regardless, we have decided to turn our brains on and come up with some predictions for what the Flyers are going to do in the next 24 hours. One realistic prediction, for what we could rationally see happen; and then one Bold prediction of what we sort of want to see happen or just accepting the chaos.

Realistic predictions​

Thomas: While there has been no buzz about what the Flyers are specifically going to do other than a couple players on some trade boards and insiders using all their vague lingo for Scott Laughton rumors, they are probably still going to do something. If I had to put my foot down on something concrete, I think Laughton is going to get traded and then something we don’t expect like trading away Egor Zamula for a young forward around the same level and age.

Ryan G.: I’ve gone back and forth on this a little bit but it really is time for the Flyers to trade Scott Laughton. A first-round pick is going to be on the table and Danny has to pull the trigger. Toronto seems likely with either a first or Fraser Minten as the main part of the return.

Cole: We’ve been talking about it for years now, but it appears like Scott Laughton is finally going to be traded. Laughton will probably be traded after the Brock Nelson situation is completed, and I’d say the Flyers get a first-rounder from whatever team is desperate. I’m going to go with Washington to be that team, as I think Toronto and Winnipeg are angling towards something larger than Laughton. Other than that? I think the most we see happen is something like Rodrigo Abols for a 5th, and that’ll be it.

Cameron: Like most others have already touched upon, I don’t think Laughton will be a Flyer by Friday. The two teams he seems mostly linked to are Washington and Toronto but I also have an odd gut feeling he goes to a wild card team that wants just a bit more special teams help like the Columbus Blue Jackets who are in the bottom 10 in PK this season. Considering the interest in Laughton, however, I’m sure Briere will wait until he has the best return he can get. The other player with rumors surrounding him recently is Risto but knowing Torts likes him and his hefty contract, I don’t see him moving.

Jason M: The Flyers I believe will not do anything that lands them a 1C. What they should do is (if the package is right) unload Laughton for a first round pick and prospect and/or Ristolainen also. If someone is interested in Erik Johnson or another UFA pending then fine. But I think all sides here will be pissed off, meaning Danny did the right thing!

Kyle: Laughton to the Caps. Zamula to Winnipeg. Risto stays put. Fans are mad just because.

One BOLD prediction​

Thomas: Trevor Zegras is going to be a Flyer by the end of Friday. The Ducks would for sure be selling low on the young forward, but it’s not like they’re going to be in a situation to up his value anytime soon. Just pull the trigger and the Flyers get to add some more young dynamic talent.

Ryan G.: The Flyers are going to go big game hunting at some point so why not now? Tage Thompson is who I would say is bold to predict, but yeah Zegras is a solid guess or one of Ottawa’s centers as a smaller game hunting..

Cole: I’ll go with another Sabre, but it’ll be JJ Peterka that I think the Flyers could acquire by Friday. He’s been rumored to be on the block, and that Sabres front office is a certified mess that I’d love to take advantage of. He could theoretically play down the middle, but Peterka is more of a left-winger and would slide in nicely to a Flyers team that has too many right wingers.

Cameron: My first thought is the long awaited Zegras trade that’s lived in some Flyers fans head for so long finally happens. That, or some other young center (Tage Thompson would be really nice) that has at least a year or two left on their contract. My bold prediction is the Flyers may take a swing on a guy like Jared McCann from Seattle. The Kraken did make a big trade earlier this week to free up space and acquire assets and perhaps moving McCann would help solidify their rebuild plans this summer.

Jason M: The Flyers will end up with somebody nobody thought they would be looking at to add to their roster. That person? Brett Howden of the Vegas Golden Knights. Bet on it. And probably lose money.

Kyle: The Flyers are part of a three-team deal with St. Louis and they acquire one of their many centers.

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Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/p...ld-predictions-for-the-flyers-trade-deadline/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Some takeaways from Flyers’ 4-1 loss to Winnipeg

The rematch wasn’t a match at all as Winnipeg foiled the Flyers throughout for a 4-1 victory over Philadelphia on Thursday night at the Wells Fargo Center. Could it have been the swan song for Scott Laughton and Rasmus Ristolainen in a Flyers uniform? Time will tell.

The basics

First period: 8:32 – Mark Scheifele (Gabriel Vilardi, Kyle Connor) (PPG), 15:13 – Nikolaj Ehlers (Mark Scheifele, Gabriel Vilardi) (PPG)

Second period: 5:28 – Kyle Connor (Mark Scheifele, Gabriel Vilardi), 9:03 – Adam Lowry (Mason Appleton, Nino Niederreiter)

Third period: 17:17 – Matvei Michkov (unassisted)

SOG: 22 (PHI) – 27 (WPG)

Some takeaways

Over before it started? Kinda

It was one of those games that might have been another well-played and highly entertaining game for the Flyers. Winnipeg’s talent and lethal precision a man-up proved otherwise. Nothing went right and the biggest push in the third period (outside of a late goal) consisted of a few fleeting seconds of a line that included Nic Deslauriers. It wasn’t pretty, nor close most of the night.

Rematch with new goalies

As stellar as Ivan Fedotov was against the Jets, the Flyers went with Sam Ersson between the pipes. Philadelphia might have got a break when Winnipeg went with Eric Comrie as their starter, giving Connor Hellebuyck a night off. Ersson nipped a bad first shift for the Sean Couturier line as Couturier and Tippett flubbed clears. He also made a good save shortly thereafter which, despite being a rather easy shot, was a little confidence booster as it didn’t go through him.

Winnipeg had its own problems in net when Comrie got hit by Matvei Michkov, hopping into him but the Mad Russian’s backside hitting Comrie in the head. He didn’t lose any time and it appeared there were no spotters regarding concussion protocol. The Jets used the power play to open the scoring as Mark Scheifele collected the rebound to keep the league leaders in that special teams realm so potent.

Trade winds a blowing but no scratches

With the talk of Scott Laughton and Rasmus Ristolainen possibly being elsewhere in under 24 hours, Philadelphia went ahead with both Laughton and Ristolainen in the starting lineup. Laughton threw a good check to start the game and then had a good chance late in the first. He had some open ice but Comrie made the stop.

Laughton got the crowd going momentarily when he decked Jets defenseman Dylan Demelo with a lovely but hard body check along the boards. But outside of that it wasn’t a very strong night for the forward.

Foerster and Brink

The kudos for Noah Cates are well-deserved. But both Tyson Foerster and Bobby Brink are also keys to that line’s success. Both wingers were buzzing before Foerster took a minor in the first which could have been a turning point in the game. And it seemed to be. The Jets are deadly a man up, and this was a ridiculous tic-tac-toe (with a slight deflection during it) put Winnipeg up 2-0. Ersson had little chance on that one as Nikolaj Ehlers buried it.

Brink (who nicely set up Foerster late in the first but again, no dice) continues to look like he’s playing for a decent bump in his next contract as a Restricted Free Agent. However, unlike the first meeting, the Cates’ line had their hands full more on this evening than in Winnipeg. The Mark Scheifele line was giving them problems, driving play most of the game and picking them apart at other times. Philadelphia jumbled the lines up a bit to start the second to try to find some momentum, but all that was found was a leaky goal by Ersson as Kyle Connor beat him rather cleanly for a 3-0 lead.

In the third Brink had a good wrister that Noah Cates jumped out of the way of. Unfortunately for Philadelphia, Comrie (who earned a shutout in his previous game against the Flyers) was solid.

Deadline watching, not scoreboard watching

One got the sense throughout the game that the Flyers were playing a great team who deserved their lead. Yet the team was playing with the sense one or two shoes were about to drop regarding trades. Clearly the Flyers aren’t trading to make themselves competitive for the stretch, so maybe that realization might have finally slapped the team up side the head. The cold, hard reality is the roster could be different for the Saturday afternoon game against the Kraken and not necessarily for the better. By the time the Jets made the line of Couturier, Owen Tippett and Travis Konecny look foolish for a 4-0 lead, it was basically a game to see what Michkov might do to improve his Calder Trophy aspirations.

Winnipeg goal!

Scored by Adam Lowry with 10:57 remaining in the 2nd period.

Assisted by Mason Appleton and Nino Niederreiter.

Philadelphia: 0
Winnipeg: 4#WPGvsPHI #LetsGoFlyers #GoJetsGo pic.twitter.com/avq9zBO2Fg

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) March 7, 2025

Speaking of Michkov, even he took a little bit of a beating with some redness on his face but it didn’t appear to be very concerning He also was on the Flyers’ first power play. The opportunity didn’t amount to much outside of a Jamie Drysdale wrister which had Comrie making probably his best stop of the middle frame. He did break the shutout late in the game with an unassisted tally, his twentieth of the year.

MATVEI MICHKOV SCORES HIS 20TH GOAL!!!#Flyers pic.twitter.com/TAtaahjvM7

— Flyers Nation (@FlyersNation) March 7, 2025

Hard night for everyone, including the blueline

Two of the three defensive pairs were very offensive to watch on this night. After 40 minutes the top pair of Travis Sanheim and Cam York were at 70.97 and 67.86 percent in terms of chances for. Meanwhile Egor Zamula was the best of the rest, meaning the tandem of Jamie Drysdale (34.62 percent) and Nick Seeler (28.57 percent) were having a very, very off night.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/some-takeaways-from-flyers-4-1-loss-to-winnipeg/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Flyers reportedly trade Erik Johnson to Colorado Avalanche

Trade Deadline day has just about wrapped up, and the Flyers have capped off their day with a smaller, but undoubtedly weighty, move.

With Scott Laughton officially sent off to the Leafs, and the market for expensive big-name defensemen closing up quickly and Rasmus Ristolainen looking like he would indeed be staying in Philadelphia to close out the season, it looked like things might just be wrapped up early, but just after the 3:00 deadline closed, Elliotte Friedman reported that the Flyers had sent Erik Johnson back to Colorado.

Feel-great story: hearing Colorado is bringing back Erik Johnson

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) March 7, 2025

And while this might not be a move with massive implications on the Flyers’ on-ice situation — Johnson has only played in 22 games for the Flyers this season, and hasn’t played in just about a month, since February 8 against the Penguins — it’s a meaningful move for Johnson himself. There were questions after the end of last season about whether he would retire, but instead he opted to stick around with the Flyers for one more year and provide a bit of depth and experience for them, but this year really does feel like it for him, and for the Flyers to be able to facilitate him being able to close this out back in Colorado — where he spent many years and won a Cup and in many ways still feels synonymous with the organization — is a very nice gesture.

The rumored return in this trade is for forward Givani Smith, who will slot in as further organizational depth — he’s on the roster of the AHL Colorado Eagles, and one imagines he will be sent to join the Phantoms in turn. He’s an unrestricted free agent after this season.

It’s about what you’d expect as far as return goes, but that’s secondary to the Good Story that we come away with here.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/flyers-reportedly-trade-erik-johnson-to-colorado-avalanche/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Flyers to recall Andrae, Lycksell, Abols from Lehigh Valley

Deadline Day has officially come to a close, and while the Flyers didn’t see a positively massive overhaul of their roster, there’s still been some notable movement — going out was Andrei Kuzmenko (to the Kings), Scott Laughton (to the Maple Leafs), and Erik Johnson (to the Avalanche). And, ahead of the deadline, the Flyers’ NHL roster wasn’t exactly robust (Johnson was their extra defenseman hanging around and they had no extra forwards, with Garnet Hathaway out with injury), there is some definite need for reinforcements.

To fill in some of these gaps, Flyers General Manager Danny Briere said in his post-deadline availability, the plan is to recall Olle Lycksell and Rodrigo Abols, at least for the weekend, and we’ll see what happens from there. On top of that, Emil Andrae will be joining them on that recall, and, so says Briere, the plan is to keep him up for the remainder of the regular season. Each of these players, since they were on the Phantoms’ roster at the time of the 3:00 deadline, will maintain their playoff eligibility, and so long as none of these recalls are officially categorized as emergency recalls (which is yet to be seen), this will burn three of the team’s available four post-deadline recalls.

And, if nothing else, this is a well-deserved nod to each of these players. They’ve been playing significant roles with the Phantoms and showing very well in those heavy minutes — Abols has been largely consistent on both the defensive and offensive sides, and has points in seven of his last 10 games, Lycksell is scoring above a point per game rate on the season, and Andrae has taken off after a bit of an initial settling back in period. The Phantoms have been a little up and down on a collective level, but these three have been instrumental in the success that they have found, and it’s nice to see them get the nod here. We’ll see what they’ll be able to do this weekend, back in action with the big club.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/flyers-to-recall-andrae-lycksell-abols-from-lehigh-valley/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Some takeaways on Flyers’ 4-1 loss to the Kraken

Some fresh faces, some new blood. But the power play and questionable goaltending remains the same. The result was a 4-1 Seattle victory over the Flyers, reducing their tragic number while possibly sliding a few spots down for lottery balls in the draft.

The basics

First period: 19:28- Owen Tippett (Matvei Michkov, Sean Couturier)

Second period: 10:11- Tye Kartye (Vince Dunn), 18:57- Matty Beniers (Ryker Evans, Adam Larsson), 19:38- Chandler Stephenson (Unassisted) (SHG)

Third period: 3:55- Brandon Montour (Matty Beniers)

SOG: 24 (PHI) – 33 (SEA)

Some takeaways

Some of the gang’s not here

The Flyers entered the game without Scott Laughton and Andrei Kuzmenko but with a few interesting line combinations. Olle Lycksell, Ryan Poehling and Travis Konecny was one as Konecny was without his two linemates from Thursday’s loss to Winnipeg. On top of that, the back end welcomed Emil Andrae back as Cam York was not in the lineup. The Flyers had two complete lines with Noah Cates and Sean Couturier having their wingers unchanged. The other two lines were patched together. And it showed.

Penalty kill fares better than Sam Ersson

The Flyers penalty killing unit will take some adjustment, particularly for Konecny as his longtime partner in Laughton is now a Leaf. Konecny was paired with Ryan Poehling for the first half of the kill as Seattle was foiled.

Philadelphia looked okay for parts of the second but defensively they were quite loose, with some horrible defensive errors the Kraken couldn’t capitalize on. Seattle finally were rewarded for their one-on-one puck battles wheen Tye Kartye rifled a shot that Ersson didn’t move on. It was a bad look even if screened as Ersson only knew where the puck was when it went by him.

Ersson was just awful on the Kraken’s go-ahead goal late in the second as Matty Beniers eluded Andrae and beat Ersson from a horrible angle, being very tight to the net but somehow getting the puck in.

Matty Beniers breaks the tie with a pretty 4 on 4 goal late in the 2nd period!#SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/Ekh9fRAIXE

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) March 8, 2025

Shortly after that Couturier coughed up the puck which resulted in Chandler Stephenson a short-handned goal. Ersson looked hopeless and helpess as Seattle’s insurance goal was a dagger. And one defender momentarily went from looking like “playoff Risto” to “Buffalo Risto” as Stephenson got behind him.

Chandler Stephenson steals the puck and finds twine for a shorthanded goal, doubling the Kraken lead to 2!#SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/TaudI31zc6

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) March 8, 2025

Andrae was…what’s “awful” in Swedish?

Emil Andrae wasn’t flashy in his return from Lehigh Valley. Initially paired with Rasmus Ristolainen, Andrae was hemmed in his own end early and often, with him being buried 1-8 in terms of chances for (a paltry 11.11 per cent). He ended the period a little better for a 4-10 (28.57 per cent) record after the first period. But he was clearly out of his league (no pun intended) Saturday afternoon with an abysmal 8-28 (22.22 per cent) after two periods. A bad, forgettable return. But hopefully he can prove something down the stretch to keep his name in the running for a spot next season.

Late in the game Andrae, who avoided being sandwiched in the corner in the final meaningless moments, took a shot off his leg or somewhere on his person. Hopefully it was just a stinger that left him hobbling.

Paging Rodrigo Abols

Aside from Andrae and Lycksell, the Flyers also recalled Rodrigo Abols. It wasn’t much to see in the first as Abols took a 43-second shift and sat on the bench the rest of the opening frame. Abols was also on the ice in the second during a ridiculously long shift in the Flyers end where it became a shooting range for Seattle, leaving Ersson on his own to keep things tied. He made a key save and swallowed it up for a whistle as the five Philadelphia skaters headed for oxygen masks and the evil eye from Tortorella.

TCM, TCM

The Flyers got a few bounces late in the first period. Sean Couturier won a battle at center ice. From there Michkov picked up the puck in the neutral zone and shoveled it to Owen Tippett. Tippett shifted gears, coming in off the wing and drove the net. The puck was touched by Seattle defender Ryker Evans but bounced off Tippett and found its way behind Kraken keeper Philipp Grubauer.

Owen Tippett got the goal off his own deflection

ABC/ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/3Te7Ier5Sa

— ESPN (@espn) March 8, 2025

After killing a penalty early in the second, a rush by Jamie Drysdale almost led to another goal by Michkov as Tippett fed him a cross-ice pass. Late in the second, with some open ice being four-on-four, Tippett took a shot on Grubauer but didn’t handle the rebound. Michkov’s backhand was grabbed by Grubauer to keep it tied.

Power play and passion to start

An early power play almost paid off when Konecny gathered speed over the blueline and fed Cates whose shot hit the iron. The Flyers had a few great chances with Michkov the playmaker. Just as that minor ended the Kraken also hit iron. What might have been obvious early was that the Flyers weren’t rolling over after the deadline. Although clearly not as talented as they were a month ago, Philadelphia started the game playing with a lot of oomph. In short, they weren’t sleepwalking through the game, which was a good sign.

The other noteworthy aspect of the first two power plays was how there was no tired “slingshot” start. Instead, the speed created in the neutral zone pushed the Kraken off the blueline a little bit, letting the Flyers set up a bit easier. Another failed power play concluded with a Kraken rush which, you guessed it, resulted in another shot off the post. The third chance of the period was all about using the “slingshot” and it was pitiful. Philadelphia ended the game 0-for-5.

Boo birds to end it

Following the fourth Seattle goal, the Flyers were probably content to keep the clock running and put this one behind them. The crowd at Wells Fargo Center started booing throughout the third and it was pretty evident they were not happy with the product the ice. It marked the third straight home loss in what is a seven-game homestand.

Poehling takes another to the head

Ryan Poehling and getting hit in the head is becoming a bad run of luck. After returning Feb. 22 after a dirty head shot by the Isles’ Maxim Tsyplakov, Poehling inadvertently ran into an official and looked like he might have been hurt again. In the second, Poehling was whacked in the back of the neck and appeared hurt. No penalty was called which pissed off John Tortorella and, after a brief trip down the hallway, Poehling returned to the bench.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/some-takeaways-on-flyers-4-1-loss-to-the-kraken/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Breaking down every single Flyers trade deadline move

The NHL trade deadline has come and gone. Franchise legends have found new homes, a superstar has been traded for the second time in a matter of weeks, and countless depth players are now flying across the continent to meet their new teammates. A wonderful time of year for the hockey sickos like we are.

And for our own benefit, the Philadelphia Flyers were very busy. They made a total of three trades on trade deadline day and that kept us all very busy over here at this website that covers this dang hockey team.

But not just on this website, either. Over on our fresh YouTube channel, throughout the day we hopped on livestreams and recorded some videos covering the very busy deadline the Flyers had. So, we thought it would be nice to just put it all in one place.

Oh, and please subscribe to the channel. It means a lot and is a completely free way to support independent Flyers coverage with one click. AND, you can listen to most of the YouTube content on our podcast feed as well.

Andrei Kuzmenko to the Kings​

Kuzmenko was the first shoe to drop and while we headed into the deadline with the possibility of him being traded in the back of our minds, we didn’t fully expect him to be dealt so easily and for a decent return of a future third-round pick from the Los Angeles Kings.

Ryan Gilbert and Kyle hopped on a quick call to breakdown the Kuzmenko deal, what they saw from the player and what it means for the Flyers.

Scott Laughton to the Maple Leafs​

The biggest move of the day came shortly after, as Scott Laughton was sent to his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs. Almost as soon as we wrapped up with the Kuzmenko chat, the notification of the Flyers-Leafs trade came through.

So the same duo, and joined by Joe DeMarini later, hopped on and combed through every detail of the Laughton trade.

While that was an instant reaction to the trade and we didn’t really get to settle in with the idea that Laughton is no longer a part of the organization that drafted him 13 years ago, we got an extra special something.

A more concise and concentrated breakdown of the Laughton trade made by Kyle exclusively for the YouTube channel.

Full deadline recap​

Okay, sorry EJ, we didn’t do an individual video or stream dedicated to you. The Flyers sending Erik Johnson to the Colorado Avalanche for a feel-good Stanley Cup run with his former team before his eventual retirement, and then getting an AHL forward who is better known for dropping the gloves than using his stick, might be the shortest stream ever.

But, later with a bigger Broad Street Hockey crew, we had a little Happy Hour and broke down the entire deadline for a good time.

Thank you all who read, listened, and watched our trade deadline coverage through every rumor and transaction.

It would mean so much for you to stick around on the YouTube and help us build over on that platform as we continue to grow Broad Street Hockey from being thrown away by SB Nation years ago. Slowly but surely, we’re just going to keep on doing our thing and hoping people enjoy it.

There’s going to be upcoming prospect chat, NHL Draft discussions, and even more fun stuff on the YouTube and podcast feeds. So, one last time: Subscribe and enjoy our stuff.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/breaking-down-every-single-flyers-trade-deadline-move/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Tortorella: Look at bigger picture before starting ‘bulls–t’ about benching Michkov

The Philadelphia Flyers suffered their fourth straight loss on Sunday afternoon falling by a 3-1 decision to the New Jersey Devils. But the final score wasn’t the only decision that caused concern for hockey fans in Philadelphia.

Head coach John Tortorella benched rookie winger Matvei Michkov for the final 8:50 of the first period after being on the ice for Cody Glass’ goal to open the scoring. Michkov played just four shifts totalling 2:20 in the opening frame.

Michkov was caught up ice and drifted away from Glass, who appeared to be the winger’s defensive assignment on the play. The puck was sent across the slot and bounced to Glass for the opening goal.

Agent Cody Glass breaking the ice in his Devils debut. pic.twitter.com/Ok8wipTP76

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) March 9, 2025

You can see Michkov just enter the screen as Glass is winding up for his shot.

Travis Konecny took the next shift in Michkov’s spot on the Sean Couturier line and the Russian rookie’s absence in the second half of the first period was noted.

Michkov went on to play 4:51 on six shifts in the second period and 6:39 on 10 shifts in the final frame so he did get back out there. However, Tortorella was asked about the benching after the game.

“It’s a part of the process,” Tortorella said. And he continued with a stronger stance after a follow-up question.

“Let me tell you guys something. There are a number of things that come into play, not one specific play, OK? And you are at a disadvantage because I’m not going to give you information.

“It’s not always the play on the ice that I’m trying to teach. So use that as context before you start all your bulls–t. There are so many things that go on, and with me trying to develop that player, and we’re going to continue to do it the way I think it should be done.”

Torts met with the media following Sunday's 3-1 loss to the Devils. #NJDvsPHI pic.twitter.com/TlHctr0gM5

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 9, 2025

Michkov was on the ice for the Devils’ first goal and then again for their second. His failed execution on a pass up the boards in the offensive zone led to New Jersey gaining possession on its eventual goal.

“But don’t just look at the play. No, he didn’t do the job as far as backchecking. No, he didn’t do the job in the offensive zone,” Tortorella continued. “But there are a number of other things that come into play. Again, I hate to show you the respect that I’m not going to give you that information and you don’t realize that. So don’t make a bigger deal out of it than you think you need to.”

And that brings us to the big question: how big of a deal should we be making out of it?

The Flyers have stressed the importance of culture and rebuilding and developing the right way. That includes everyone and it’s been made clear that no one, even the team’s budding superstar, is immune to the ramifications of a bad play or stretch of plays.

Ultimately, these final weeks of the Flyers should be about developing Michkov and the rest of the young players on the roster. Only time will tell what impact Tortorella and the rest of the coaching staff’s decisions will have on the roster as more players work their way up the system.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/p...fore-starting-bulls-t-about-benching-michkov/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Monday Morning Fly By: Going to be a long month

*Banner weekend of hockey for your Philadelphia Flyers, starting off with a miserable loss to the Seattle Kraken on Saturday. Recap, if you missed it.

*The boys followed that up with another lackluster performance against those New Jersey Devils. So. Much. Fun. Recap!

*But anyway, Friday was Deadline Day, and the Flyers really did some stuff. The headline, of course, being that they traded Scott Laughton to the Maple Leafs. Did well in the trade, too. [Inquirer]

*Also said goodbye to Andrei Kuzmenko, who got shipped off to L.A. [NBC Sports Philly]

*Those were the big ones, really, but we’ve broken down all the moves for you. [BSH]

*So what does this trade deadline signal for the Flyers’ rebuild moving forward? We’ll find out. [Inquirer]

*Another interesting question to ask post-deadline: will this affect John Tortorella’s future with the team at all? [BSH]

*If you’re a subscriber over at Charlie’s website you can check out his thoughts on all the moves the Flyers made Friday afternoon. [PHLY]

*There were a pretty good number of movies this year, and these were the spiciest ones. [Sportsnet]

*It’s always fun to hear about the moves that DIDN’T happen on Deadline Day, and this one between the Canes and the Leafs would’ve been a doozy. [TSN]

*With the deadline behind us, these are the things we think you should be watching for as the season winds down. [BSH]

*And finally, the latest Farm Stars! Lots of stuff happening with the kids this week. [BSH]

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/monday-morning-fly-by-going-to-be-a-long-month/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Two years after Fletcher firing, Briere righting the Flyers ship

During the 2023 NHL trade deadline, most Flyers fans expected one thing and one thing only: then general manager Chuck Fletcher would get something, anything for James van Riemsdyk. At the time van Riemsdyk was going to be an unrestricted free agent and was going to walk. As the deadline approached, Fletcher shipped off Isaac Ratcliffe for future considerations, Patrick Brown for a Senators’ sixth-round pick and acquired Brendan Lemieux and a fifth-round pick in exchange for Zack MacEwen. But Fletcher didn’t part with van Riemsdyk when the deadline passed, stating he could “only control my half, and there has to be a willing buyer.”

Flyers fans and season ticket holders didn’t buy it, booing Fletcher justifiably and mercilessly at a town hall days later. That was the final straw as Flyers ownership cleaned house, showing Fletcher the door and replacing him with Danny Briere. That was on March 10, 2023, two years ago today. Since that time Briere hasn’t seen the Flyers play one playoff game (under Fletcher they made the playoffs during the 2019-20 pandemic-shortened season). They have played meaningful hockey (this coming stretch being an outlier) and had a chance last season to make the playoffs. But a late season collapse dashed those hopes. In short, Briere has managed to do a hell of a lot in two years, effectively getting the Flyers slowly but surely out of cap hell (a rising cap ceiling certainly helps that), getting rid of pieces that didn’t fit, and beginning to restock the prospects pool.

Since taking over, Briere has added Keith Jones as President of Hockey Operations as the Flyers brass replaced Flyers Governor Dave Scott with the affable and personable Dan Hilferty. Those moves won’t translate into wins. But it appears as if all three share common ground: this is going to take patience, smart decision-making, and discipline to ensure the Flyers begin turning the corner towards competitiveness, eventual contenders and, dare I say it, champions.

Briere’s biggest moves in his first season were getting rid of three pieces of cap space that weren’t going to be part of the long-term solution. Kevin Hayes was shipped to the Blues while retaining 50 per cent of his salary. Ivan Provorov’s departure was a coup for Briere, receiving a first-round pick from Columbus (which turned into Oliver Bonk), Helge Grans (who is still developing in Lehigh Valley), Cal Petersen (okay everything didn’t come up roses, but he’s off the books at the end of this year) and Sean Walker. Walker was a gem to pick up as his stellar play nabbed Briere an additional 2025 first-round pick from Colorado. Provorov’s Pride Night debacle also didn’t endear him to many in the organization. And finally, Tony DeAngelo was bought out of his contract in July, 2023.

Adding the recent retainments of Scott Laughton (who garnered another first round pick in 2027), Andrei Kuzmenko (for a third-round pick in 2027), and Cam Atkinson’s buyout, the Flyers have $15,696,428 tied up in buyouts and retention this current season. In 2025-26, with a rising cap ceiling, that total will be reduced to $6,829,761. As of now, they have zero dollars tied up in buyouts or retention for 2026-27, and with the expected cap ceiling for that season at $104,000,000! Granted there will be contracts to be doled out over that time (Cam York, Tyson Foerster, Noah Cates, possibly locking up Matvei Michkov long-term), but the Flyers should find themselves with flexibility.

Briere also hasn’t lost sight of the big picture, with a few decisions reflecting his goal. Many speculated he wouldn’t be eager to trade Scott Laughton at all. But clearly his asking price was met and one of the big “culture” or “locker room” guys is now in Toronto. Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee weren’t looking like great pieces moving forward so they were dealt to Calgary (as well as Kuzmenko who played a handful of games in Philadelphia), removing all of Farabee’s cap hit and term while avoiding possibly giving Frost more money and years then they desired. And Briere’s earned brownie points in some of these trades, dealing Laughton to Toronto as he resides in nearby Oakville and returning little-used veteran Erik Johnson back to Colorado (where he won a Cup) as the Avalanche prepare for another playoff run.

He also hasn’t been averse to going against the grain, particularly in the NHL Drafts. Although, in hindsight, he would’ve looked moronic to pass on Michkov, he did something six other NHL general managers didn’t do. Briere also took a swing of sorts last year when he took Jett Luchanko, a center who looks like he has speed to burn and endeared himself to coach John Tortorella. Although Tortorella looked like he wanted Luchanko up for the long haul, the youngster clearly wasn’t ready for the pros. This coming draft he has a possible seven of the top 50 selections in the opening two rounds, a mammoth haul of potential. Or pieces that could land him a top-end center.

Even a simple decision in the 2024 Draft with Edmonton showed his smarts, trading their first round pick (then the last pick of the first round), for the Oilers’ 2025 first-round pick. As it currently stands, that decision has made what would’ve been the 32nd pick in round one last year the 23rd overall selection in 2025. Possibly nine spots gained through patience! And you can’t forget what he’s done regarding the entire William Gauthier situation. Keeping such a secret for months while trying to get the disgruntled Gauthier to at least explain his side face-to-face would’ve been leaked by many NHL teams in the same predicament. That would’ve crippled any leverage he might have had in trading him. But Briere managed to turn a chickens–t into chicken salad, dealing Gauthier for a young defenseman in Jamie Drysdale. Drysdale hasn’t burned it up, but this is his first healthy season in some time. And his rover-like style when he’s playing well is a joy to watch.

Perhaps I’m shilling too much here for Briere, but to these eyes, he hasn’t really made a wrong move yet. Or one that has been a huge disaster. The juries might still be out on Travis Konecny and Owen Tippett with their extensions. And how Briere walks through the valley of Tortorella when it is time for Tortorella to reposition himself in the organization or just part ways is unclear. A lot still needs to be done. And a lot of questions remain to be answered. Will Kolosov, Fedotov, or Ersson be here in a few seasons? Who will be behind the bench after Tortorella? Can Briere turn the team around quickly enough to lure UFAs in 2026? Will he fall in love with those he signed long-term versus cutting them loose if needed?

All I know is that roughly two years ago an NHL general manager of a team I’ve lived and died with could not trade an expiring contract for a bag of pucks or a seventh-round pick in 2082. Now the Flyers have a general manager who can think outside the box, cuts the strings on players who were once considered lifers, take swings during the NHL Drafts, make three-team deals, and still manages to keep insiders like Elliotte Friedman out of the loop regarding controversy or pending deals. He might not be the greatest NHL GM that ever lived, but Danny Briere seems to be a great fit for a team still dog-paddling through rough waters, with hopefully smoother sailing on the horizon.

---

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/p...tcher-firing-briere-righting-the-flyers-ship/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Flyers host dangerous Senators in middle of downfall

The Game: 7:00 PM | NBC Sports Philadelphia | 97.5 The Fanatic

The Philadelphia Flyers are quickly losing their grip on any semblance of what can be considered a competitive hockey season. Before and after the trade deadline that sent out multiple roster players, resulting in much more youth getting relied on for big minutes, the Flyers have not been playing good ice hockey.

Philadelphia is now on a four-game losing streak and in the last three games, they have managed to score just one goal. Even zooming out the lens a little bit further, in their last 13 games (since Jan. 29) the Flyers have a record of 4-8-1 — playing some miserable hockey that has led to the goaltending collapsing even further and all the scoring drying up.

And now, they have to host a red-hot Ottawa Senators team tonight. A Senators group that pulled off a fairly savvy move by adding Dylan Cozens at the trade deadline — who is much more dynamic of a player and fits their overall style more than Josh Norris, who they sent to Buffalo in return — and are seemingly clicking. Ottawa did suffer a five-game losing stretch that could have ended their season as they push into the playoffs, but have now quietly gone 3-0-1 since that stumble — and to be fair, that losing streak did feature games against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, and Winnipeg Jets.

This appears to really be the first major competitive Senators team since they have pooled all of these young players together. Forming what could be a look-out playoff team in a couple months. They might not be able to compete with the very top of the top, but they sure do seem annoying to play against. The Flyers will certainly experience that tonight.

Storylines to watch​

Claude Giroux’s homecoming (for the final time?)

Every time Claude Giroux steps a foot in the Wells Fargo Center wearing the other team’s colors will be weird. Tonight, he will be doing it for the last time this season as a member of the Senators and it might an extra special time and while it probably won’t be, there is a slim chance that it could be Giroux’s final game playing hockey in Philadelphia.

There has been zero noise about this whatsoever, but Giroux is a pending unrestricted free agent and this summer will hit the open market. He is still a productive player at the age of 37, is fifth on the Sens with 39 points in 62 games, but you have to wonder whether or not he will sign another NHL contract. Giroux is most certainly staying in Ottawa no matter what — everything he does and says screams quality of life and family over pursuing the Stanley Cup — so the logical thing to do would be to see if he would sign a one-year deal from the Senators’ point of view. But, it’s not impossible that he would just be done if Ottawa doesn’t really hit his financial ask.

Maybe we’re out to lunch here and he would certainly formally announce something before possibly playing in the city that drafted and developed him into the best player this city has known, but it is the final time he will be doing that before a summer of uncertainty.

Are you there, Travis Konecny?

Maybe it is just the haze of misery over this entire team right now, but specifically when it comes to Travis Konecny and his scoring, there is a severe lack of it coming from the Flyers’ top player. In the eight games since he has returned from the 4 Nations tournament, Konecny has scored zero goals and earned three assists while averaging just over 20 minutes a game and has a rating of minus-6 (if you like that statistic). To go even further down the depression hole, the 28-year-old (it’s his birthday today, happy birthday Travis, sorry for writing this!), just one of those points has come not on the power play.

Simply put, the title of No. 1 offensive option for this team is slowly getting taken off of Konecny’s waist and is heading towards Matvei Michkov. A reality that we did not see coming as early as this season but is becoming more and more evident.

Now, Konecny’s lineup situation is not great. With the trio of Tyson Foerster, Noah Cates, and Bobby Brink cemented, and Owen Tippett, Sean Couturier, and Michkov finding a real rhythm together, Konecny is left with the scraps of this offense. Since the deadline, he has been with Ryan Poehling and Olle Lycksell. They have not looked terrible together, but Konecny certainly has to be the motor and potential finisher on that line as the other two buzz around the ice just trying to do something.

It isn’t the best environment to score a whole lot of points but it is just what it is and you have to think that John Tortorella will not be taking him out of that scenario until he shows something more. An endless loop, most likely.

What the blue line is going to look like

Emil Andrae was called up. Cam York was then a healthy scratch. Cam York got back into the lineup on Sunday. Emil Andrae was a healthy scratch. Trust us when we say that there is a world where a blue line can exist with both of those players, and Jamie Drysdale, on it at the same time.

We don’t know what the configuration of this lineup will look like until morning skate, but with neither game going swimmingly when just one of those young defensemen were on it, we don’t know what Tortorella will go with against the Senators.

Andrae is going to be staying up here for the remainder of the regular season and most likely will be featured heavily next season. There has to be some conclusion that should be figured out before then as to what this blue line looks like with the talent that is available. It’s not like Egor Zamula is too good to sit, either.

Can Sam Ersson bounce back?

Sam Ersson played so bad over the weekend that people who previously believed in his potential as, at the very least, someone who can start over 40 games in an NHL season reliably well, are doubting his chances at being anything close to that. His questioners are now calling him a backup at best and his doubters want him out of this league.

It is these stretches of play from the Swedish netminder that make you question everything before it. Heading into the 4 Nations, since New Year’s Day, Ersson earned a .912 save percentage and a 7-4-1 record in 12 games. That is more than enough to be a good NHL starter. If the Flyers had that level of goaltending through the season, we would be talking about what a first-round playoff matchup would be.

But since he represented Sweden in the mid-season tournament, in six games he has earned an .847 save percentage with a 2-2-1 record. Not good! Not anywhere close to what he should be doing to earn a stable starting role. Results can certainly be volatile for a 25-year-old goaltender in the NHL, but this feels like a different level of back and forth we have been seeing from Ersson. And with a stretch of him having to face teams like the Senators, Hurricanes, Lightning, and Capitals, is it going to even close to getting better?

Projected lineups​

Philadelphia Flyers

Tyson Foerster – Noah Cates – Bobby Brink
Owen Tippett – Ryan Poehling – Travis Konecny
Olle Lycksell – Sean Couturier – Matvei Michkov
Nic Deslauriers – Rodrigo Abols – Jakob Pelletier

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

Sam Ersson
(Ivan Fedotov)

Ottawa Senators

Brady Tkachuk — Tim Stutzle — Claude Giroux
David Perron — Dylan Cozens — Drake Batherson
Ridly Greig — Shane Pinto — Michael Amadio
Fabian Zetterlund — Adam Gaudette — Matthew Highmore

Jake Sanderson — Artem Zub
Thomas Chabot — Nick Jensen
Tyler Kleven — Nikolas Matinpalo

Linus Ullmark
(Anton Forsberg)

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/p...ost-dangerous-senators-in-middle-of-downfall/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Takeaways from Flyers’ 5-2 loss to Senators as skid continues

If the Flyers had any remaining hopes of making the postseason, those should be all but gone now. After allowing a goal just seconds into the game, the Flyers fell to the Ottawa Senators by a score of 5-2 Tuesday night, extending their losing streak to five games — all coming on home ice.

With 62 points on the season, the Flyers are eight points out of a playoff spot. Barring a miracle, this team will be watching the playoffs from the couch for the fifth straight year.

The Basics​

First period: 00:24 — Tkachuk (Giroux, Stützle)
Second period: 03:05 — Drysdale (Konecny, Lycksell), 04:14 — Kleven (Perron, Batherson), 08:45 — Abols (York, Pelletier), 15:01 — Amadio (Gaudette, Sanderson)
Third period: 10:59 — Cozens (unassisted), 19:25 — Pinto (Amadio)
SOG: 24 (OTT), 22 (PHI)

Takeaways​

Horrendous start sets the tone

The first few minutes of a game can sometimes give a great indication of how a team will perform through a full hour of play. But Tuesday night, it only took 24 seconds to tell the Flyers’ losing streak would probably be extending to five games.

Before fans could even get comfy in their seats, the Senators took a 1-0 lead courtesy of a piece-of-cake one-timer from Brady Tkachuk.



Then, moments after the icebreaker, Nick Seeler took an interference penalty that sent Ottawa to the power play. The Senators did not convert, but those two lapses ended up setting the tone for yet another demoralizing loss.

Poor goaltending is killing the Flyers again

Last season, the Flyers were stunningly in position to make the playoffs with about a quarter of the season left to play. Ultimately, they fell just four points shy of a playoff berth. The Flyers’ postseason dreams were shattered for numerous reasons — lack of depth and a sudden scoring drought being two of them. But perhaps nothing doomed the 2023-24 Flyers more than poor goaltending. Sam Ersson, while strong for much of the campaign, was gassed after enduring a grueling workload after the dismissal of Carter Hart, and the Flyers didn’t have a reliable backup option in place.

This season, while postseason play is now a pipe dream at best, poor goaltending may doom the Flyers once again.

Flyers goaltenders have allowed four or more goals in four out of the five straight losses in their current skid. Ersson hasn’t inspired confidence since before his rough showing against the Pittsburgh Penguins back in February, and Fedotov, despite putting together a stellar performance against the Winnipeg Jets on March 1, has been unable to consistently string together strong outings for the entirety of the season.

Against Ottawa, Fedotov made several big stops to keep the Flyers in the game. But he also allowed a pair of softies that had no business ending up in the back of the net. In the second period, just a minute after Jamie Drysdale tied the game, Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven (real person) beat Fedotov with a desperate swat toward the net to keep the puck from crossing the blue line. Granted, an accidental Travis Sanheim screen didn’t make Fedotov’s life any easier, but that’s a shot that should be stopped.

Toward the end of the middle frame, Fedotov allowed another ugly goal when Michael Amadio beat him five-hole to break the 2-2 tie. Another shot that an NHL goalie simply has to stop.



The Flyers took a gamble entering the campaign with Ersson and Fedotov as their goalie tandem, but it’s clear something will need to change in the offseason.

Drysdale is looking confident

If there was one positive to take away from this loss, it was the play of Drysdale, who seems to finally be turning a corner as a legitimate offensive weapon.

Early in the second period, Drysdale got on the board with a beautiful play to tie the game at one goal apiece. Olle Lycksell gained the zone and slid the puck over to Travis Konecny, who picked up on Drysdale barreling through the high slot as he scanned the ice. Drysdale gathered Konecny’s touch pass, outwaited Senators netminder Anton Forsberg and beat him with a backhander for his fifth goal of the season.



Drysdale made several eye-catching plays throughout the game, which has become something of a trend since the 4 Nations break. Drysdale is playing with confidence. He’s seeing the ice well, distributing the puck effectively and getting more comfortable pinching in the zone as a “fourth forward.”

He still has plenty of room to improve, but Drysdale is finally making noticeable strides.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/takeaways-from-flyers-5-2-loss-to-senators-as-skid-continues/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Flyers fall short against Senators, but make positive strides

With the Flyers’ 5-2 loss to the Senators collected last night, their losing streak was extended to five games, tying them for their second longest of the season, and marking their fourth in a row in which they’ve failed to score more than two goals. All of this considered, it feels a bit strange to note that last night’s game was the first in which they really felt like they were getting things moving in the right direction again, but there’s some real truth there.

It’s easy to say that there’s no such thing as moral victories in this sport, but there are, and with the Flyers all but officially out of the playoff race, these are the ones which are becoming more and more important to them. The Flyers have played some truly brutal and uninspired hockey over the past week, and it’s been critical for them to find a way to right the ship, if not for the standings implications, but for their own morale. Last night felt like a step in the right direction — the pace was there, and the Flyers looked the most cohesive in their passing as they have in a little while here. John Tortorella would agree. “Past couple of games have been better,” he said after the game. “A couple of games ago, we were lethargic. But the past couple, I think we’ve done the things we need to do. Trying to find a way to finish more often. We don’t score enough goals. I thought [Fedotov] gave us an opportunity,” and while his play wasn’t perfect either, he did well enough with the support he was given.

So the Flyers are beginning to see their process be revived, and the hope is that their luck will soon begin to shift, in turn. This is a point Tortorella really sought to drive home — “We’ve got to make them break our way. Again, held them to 15 scoring chances tonight. I think we had 18 or 19. Bang in a rebound, something’s got to go off us. [Couturier] has a great chance on a great stick
by [Sanheim] to start it. We’ve got to dig out of the hole. We’re the ones that have to get through some of this and try to regain some of our confidence step by step. Had some good minutes, had some bad minutes.” That is, they’re doing better at getting more and better looks, but they need the bounces to start going their way too, because they don’t seem to be getting a single one to go in their favor right now. Their confidence is building, but it will build even more if some of their snakebitten players can actually convert on some of these chances, and really get going again.

“All we can do is work at it,” he concluded. “Keep on working at other parts of our game. The one part of our game that we have to stay constant is our checking because we’re not balanced through our lineup. It is a different lineup. I think the past couple of games, we’ve turned it into a low event game. We have to play that way right now, and hopefully get some guys banging a couple goals in.”

For the Flyers, the answers are in the room with them. They have to be. Their group for these last 16 games is what it is, and they aren’t going to be getting much coming in the way of reinforcements. A bit of luck would certainly help them, but even more critical is the players continuing to find ways to keep their energy up and keep pulling in the same direction. It’s all on them now.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/p...rs-but-make-positive-strides-john-tortorella/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Phantoms provide injury updates on Samu Tuomaala, Massimo Rizzo

The Phantoms are nearing the last month of their regular season, and just as they’ve found their lineup a bit depleted from call-ups to the Flyers, they’ve found themselves equally hit by the injury bug on top of that.

The weekend of February 28 was an unkind one to the Phantoms. That Friday game saw Massimo Rizzo take a pretty brutal blindside hit, and though he was able to finish the game, he was out of the lineup for the Saturday game on March 1, and he’s been out ever since. The Phantoms also lost Samu Tuomaala in that March 1 game, as he — already seemingly a bit banged up, as he’d been in and out of the lineup over the previous couple of weeks — got tangled up with a player along the boards in the third period,

It’s been about two weeks now that these two have been out, but we finally have an update on their statuses. For Rizzo, it’s relatively good news — per Phantoms Communications, he’s “progressing nicely” with an upper-body injury, and while he’s still questionable to return this weekend, it’s certainly a positive that he’s getting so close to returning that he can’t be ruled out entirely.

For Tuomaala, though, the news is a bigger blow. He’s dealing with a lower body injury that is expected to keep him out of the lineup for six-eight weeks. This means, assuming everything goes to schedule, he’ll likely be out until at least the first round of the playoffs.

Now, the Phantoms are set to get some reinforcements soon — Nikita Grebenkin and Givanni Smith should be available to join the team this weekend, and with the NCAA and CHL seasons winding down, they might well see some new faces joining the mix at their conclusion — but this is undoubtedly still a tough blow. Both Rizzo and Tuomaala have faced up and down seasons, but have been looking, of late, that their games have been trending again in the right direction. So the timing here is certainly suboptimal, but the hope is that they’ll both be back in action sooner rather than later, and can get back rolling and finish the season on a high note.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/p...flyers-prospects-samu-tuomaala-massimo-rizzo/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Flyers aim to end losing skid against Lightning

The Tampa Bay Lightning are coming to Broad Street, and the Philadelphia Flyers are desperate to break out of their losing skid. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of puck drop.

The Game​

When: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Wells Fargo Center
How to watch: NBCSP, FDSNSUN, ESPN+

Storylines to Watch​

Will Ersson bounce back?

Sam Ersson has seen better days. Over the last two weeks, the 25-year-old goaltender has allowed an average of 5.05 goals against per game while sporting an abysmal .820 save percentage en route to either losing or being pulled in each of his four starts.

Arguably no player on the Flyers needs a strong outing more than Ersson. Unfortunately, the Lightning aren’t exactly a team known for making opposing netminders’ lives very easy. Only two teams — the Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets — have scored more goals than the Lightning this season. And on top of that, the Bolts also boast one of the most efficient power plays in the league, converting on 26 percent of their opportunities on the man advantage.

Yeah. Beating this Lightning team is a pretty tall task.

From December 28 until the 4 Nations break, Ersson was playing like one of the best goalies in hockey. But since representing Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off, his play has dipped dramatically. Consistency has been an issue for Ersson this season, and it’s beginning to impact his long-term outlook as the Flyers’ No. 1 goalie.

No Risto, and maybe no Kuch?

The Flyers will be without one of their better defensemen against the Lightning, making matters even more difficult for Ersson. But the Lightning may also be without their superstar winger.

Rasmus Ristolainen is “banged up” with an unspecified injury, Flyers head coach John Tortorella revealed Thursday morning. Egor Zamula is expected to replace him in the lineup. Ristolainen has completely reinvented himself this season after several years of being a complete liability on the Flyers’ back end, and his absence will be felt when the Lightning march into Wells Fargo Center.

However, something to monitor with Ristolainen out of the lineup will be the look of the top power-play unit. Ristolainen has been manning the point on the top unit recently, but his absence will likely open the door for Jamie Drysdale to take the reins.

Drysdale is looking like a new, confident player after a rough start to the season. He’s found the back of the net in each of his last two games and is finally showing glimpses of the high-end talent the Flyers were hoping they were getting when they acquired him from the Anaheim Ducks for Cutter Gauthier last year.

For the Lightning, Nikita Kucherov was not on the ice for morning skate. The superstar winger did not play in the third period of Tampa’s contest against the Carolina Hurricanes Tuesday night.

Can TK break his slump?

Travis Konecny has been going through it for some time now. After logging 21 goals and 58 points in his first 51 games of the season, Konecny has since entered a rough stretch that is beginning to degrade what has otherwise been an outstanding campaign. Since January 29, he’s managed just seven points in 15 games, and he’s been held to just two goals since January 9.

In other words, he’s currently averaging less than a goal per month at his current pace.

The Flyers’ reigning Bobby Clarke Trophy recipient is still leading the team in goals, assists and points, but his recent struggle to find the back of the net has unquestionably been a clear source of frustration as of late. He’s bound to heat up eventually, and perhaps that turnaround will begin against Tampa.

Projected lineups​

Philadelphia Flyers

Tyson Foerster — Noah Cates — Travis Konecny
Owen Tippett — Sean Couturier — Matvei Michkov
Olle Lycksell — Ryan Poehling — Bobby Brink
Nic Deslauriers — Rodrigo Abols — Jakob Pelletier

Cam York — Travis Sanheim
Nick Seeler — Jamie Drysdale
Emil Andrae — Egor Zamula

Sam Ersson
(Ivan Fedotov)

Tampa Bay Lightning

Jake Guentzel — Brayden Point — Nick Paul
Brandon Hagel — Anthony Cirelli — Zemgus Girgensons
Gage Gonclaves — Yanni Gourde — Oliver Bjorkstrand
Cam Atkinson — Luke Glendening — Mitchell Chaffee

Victor Hedman — JJ Moser
Ryan McDonagh — Erik Cernak
Emil Lilleberg — Nick Perbix

Jonas Johansson
(Andrei Vasilevskiy)

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/p...iew-aim-to-end-losing-skid-against-lightning/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Takeaways from the Flyers 4-3 shootout win over the Lightning

The Flyers’ home stand rolls on, and it continued tonight with a big matchup between them and the high-powered Lightning. This ended up a close one, with a shootout to decide it in the end, but the Flyers stepped up in a big way here, and brought enough to come away with the win, and bring their five-game skid to an end.

The Basics​

First period: 8:29- Gage Goncalves (Gourde, McDonagh)PPG, 14:20- Bobby Brink (Lycksell, Poehling)
Second period: :15- Zemgus Girgensons (Cernak, Hagel), 10:55- Bobby Brink (Couturier), 19:01- Ryan Poehling (Lycksell, Brink)
Third period: 3:50- Cam Atkinson (Hedman, Moser)
Overtime: No scoring
Shootout: Konecny (no goal), Guentzel (no goal), Mihkov (goal), Point (goal), Brink (no goal), Hedman (no goal), Couturier (no goal), Hagel (no goal), Tippett (goal), Bjorkstrand (no goal)
SOG: 29 (PHI) – 20 (TBL)

Some Takeaways​

New looks pay off

The Flyers did a bit of shuffling of their forward lines ahead of this game, and it would appear that the tinkering paid dividends this time around. Particularly the line of Olle Lycksell, Ryan Poehling, and Bobby Brink found some pretty notable and immediate chemistry. They were easily the Flyers’ most dynamic line tonight, buzzing nicely in the offensive zone, and creating good looks on both the cycle and rush alike. All told, it was a productive night for the line, as they combined for two goals (one for Brink, one for Poehling, and with Lycksell getting the primary assist on both), while Brink had a second goal, but this on a shuffled line as he was coming out of the penalty box. There was some pretty tremendous jump shown from this line, and an effective mixing of skill and checking tenacity, and they’ve certainly earned the opportunity to stay together for at least one more game. It’ll be interesting to see if they can keep this rolling into the next game.

Ersson holds steady

The Flyers went back to Sam Ersson for this one, and while the numbers don’t bear out spectacularly for him, it remained a solid showing on the whole for Ersson. He came away with saves on 17 of the 20 shots he faced (good for an .850 save percentage), and this was a hard fought game for him. He may not have faced a high volume of shots, but he was pretty continually having to battle through traffic, and contend against dangerous shots from the Lightning. They brought some real surges — particularly in that overtime frame — and Ersson came up with some huge and timely saves to keep this game within reach for the Flyers. It may not have been perfect, but it was certainly a step in the right direction for him.

A note on discipline

If there’s one bit that we can really zero in on as something of a negative from this game, it would be the volume of penalties the Flyers found themselves taking here. This wasn’t hugely extreme, with three minors taken on the night, but they did feel a little needlessly sloppy, and what’s more, when you’re facing the sixth best power play in the league (even short Nikita Kucherov), ideally you’d like to see them playing a little tighter than that.

And while they did get burned on that first penalty kill, credit to them, the Flyers did well to shut down the Lightning from there. It was something of a bend but don’t break approach, as they didn’t keep the Lightning from creating any looks at all, but between some good work from the skaters to limit the quality of those looks, and a few big stops from Ersson, the Flyers were able to otherwise get the job done. So, while it’s a situation they’d ideally not be in in the first place, credit to the penalty killers for stepping up to keep things from getting out of hand.

Sticking with it

This was a huge win for the Flyers, there’s no doubt about it. To see the losing streak snapped here and now was meaningful, but it felt like it was only a matter of time before it happened. The Flyers played some truly brutal hockey last week, but over the previous couple of games, they took some real steps forward in terms of both their levels of energy and focus, and in shoring up their overall process. Tuesday against the Senators was the best game we’ve seen them play in a while, and the first one where it truly felt like they deserved a better result than what they got, and tonight we saw them build off of that effort, still.

There’s still some work to be done here, and it’s not as though the Flyers didn’t do their fair share to allow the Lightning to stay in this game, but they also managed to do just enough to keep them from pulling away with this one, too. It’s another small step forward, but it’s a step forward all the same. There’s surely a ceiling to what the Flyers can do through the rest of the season with the players they have available to them, but at the very least, they can get themselves back to competing. And compete they did tonight.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/p...e-flyers-4-3-shootout-win-over-the-lightning/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Deadline trades show Flyers will try to do right by veteran players

It’s been barely a week since the Flyers traded Scott Laughton, Andrei Kuzmenko and Erik Johnson at this year’s trade deadline. We’ve written extensively about these trades here at Broad Street Hockey, and we’re going to highlight one more aspect: how all three players were sent to a desirable location despite a lack of trade protection. Laughton’s now playing for his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs; Johnson spent over a decade with the Colorado Avalanche and won a Stanley Cup there. The only exception might be Kuzmenko but, considering his brief tenure as a Flyer, he hadn’t “earned” the right to choose a destination–though to be fair, there are worse things to do than chase a Stanley Cup in sunny Los Angeles.

A lot has been said about the ability of Philadelphia to attract important free agents or get contract extensions done if this rebuild is to succeed. An eccentric head coach much of the league doesn’t want to play for, years of missing the playoffs, and over a decade of mediocrity aren’t going to lure top-end players here–and that says nothing of the ~taxes~. Danny Briere and Keith Jones have their work cut out for them rebuilding not just the roster, but the image of the Philadelphia Flyers to players around the league.

Before the salary cap, the Flyers could pay whoever they wanted as much as was necessary to get them to sign; Ed Snider wasn’t concerned about money as long as it brought the team closer to winning a Cup. It’s taken quite a while for the Flyers, as an organization, to lose that “spend, spend, spend” mentality in a cap world. They handed out bloated contracts to players who didn’t deserve them (lookin’ at you, Andrew MacDonald and Ilya Bryzgalov), thus hamstringing their ability to support their best players with high-end reinforcements. Now, in a cap world, every team has to operate under those guidelines, and with top free agents getting similar contact offers, players are looking at more than money when it comes to choosing a destination.

Take Mikko Rantanen, for example: he signed an eight-year, $12-million AAV contract with the Dallas Stars last week. There were reports that he was offered even more by the Carolina Hurricanes, but he ultimately decided he didn’t want to play there. We’ll never know Rantanen’s exact reasons but, from the outside, ownership’s penny-pinching, hardball tactics, and underwhelming investment in the team may’ve played a role. Carolina ran away with “worst facilities in the league” in the player poll linked above, and owner Tom Dundon is reviled by agents everywhere.

So how are the Flyers going to set themselves apart from other franchises? It starts with taking into account that the players are people, too, and not just video game characters you can joystick around. For years, many of us have bemoaned how being a Flyer gives you an inside track to a front office job with the organization that you may not be qualified for. Hell, the two most powerful people in the organization are former Flyers! It doesn’t have to be that high stakes though, and last week’s deadline shows a methodology that favors players, but not at the expense of improving the team or overcommitting to “good soldiers” in front office positions they have no business being in. It can also be as simple as management passing through the locker room after a game and building that connection with the players.

In a recent interview, Briere said there were numerous teams calling about Laughton. He didn’t go into the specifics of offers received but, considering the deal the Flyers ultimately accepted, one has to imagine there were 1st-round picks involved. Laughton, of course, has zero trade protections on his contract, and the Flyers could’ve sent him to Winnipeg if the Jets made the best offer. They didn’t do that, though–they traded him to his hometown team, close to his family where his father-in-law recently passed away unexpectedly. The Flyers sent a veteran player to a team they knew he’d be happy to join in a place he’d be pleased to live–they did as right by Laughton as they could have under the circumstances.

Then, you have Erik Johnson, a veteran, pending-UFA defenseman without trade protections on his contract. The Flyers could’ve sent him wherever a good offer came from (or not moved him at all), but instead they returned him to the team he got a ring with in exchange for Givani Smith who, fun as he may be, is an AHLer. Johnson was contemplating retirement at the end of last season, so these are surely his last few months in the league–and the Flyers sent him to a place they knew he’d be happy to retire.

Doing right by a player is not nothing, and others in the league will notice that: if you pay your dues and put in the effort, the Flyers will do what they can to do right by you. That was a big part of the organization’s allure in the Snider days, and it kind of got lost over time. It’s harder for franchises to stand out when everyone is under the same spending restrictions, but every organization has to find its niche and use that as a lure to get players to sign. Briere and co. are trying to restore that old appeal, and how they handled last week’s deadline hints at part of their approach.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/p...yers-will-try-to-do-right-by-veteran-players/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Bobby Brink’s big night proof of ‘huge step’ in development

Adjusting to life in the world’s top hockey league hasn’t been a total cakewalk for Philadelphia Flyers forward Bobby Brink. As is the case with most young players, he’s experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.

Just a year ago, the Minnesota native learned a difficult lesson when he was scratched for a road game against the Minnesota Wild in Minneapolis. It would have been his first time suiting up as an NHLer in his home state with friends and family in attendance. Instead, he watched from the press box as his teammates celebrated an overtime victory on the ice below.

But with time and lots of patience, Brink’s highs have gradually begun outweighing the lows. Thursday, for example, was a testament to how far he’s come since that bittersweet night in his return to Minnesota.

With the Flyers trudging through a miserable five-game losing skid, Brink led the charge against a high-powered Tampa Bay Lightning club, logging a pair of goals and an assist to help his squad earn a 4-3 shootout win on home ice — the Flyers’ first victory in nearly two weeks.

Brink hadn’t lit the lamp in seven straight games leading up to Thursday night’s tilt, but the scoring slump was more a result of bad luck than poor play. Frankly, Brink’s recent play has been anything but ineffective.

“Bobby’s been playing good, period. He just hasn’t finished. He hasn’t scored,” Flyers head coach John Tortorella said after the game.

Finishing certainly wasn’t an issue against Tampa.

He scored his first goal off the rush, beating Lightning netminder Jonas Johansson with a quick glove-side wrister following some nifty passing from Olle Lycksell and Ryan Poehling. His second marker came soon after he was assessed a two-minute hooking penalty. After a successful kill by the Flyers’ PK, he stepped out of the box, aided his teammates in the defensive zone, then darted up the ice to find open space in transition. Captain Sean Couturier hit him with a cross-ice feed on the rush, and Brink turned on the jets to pull away from a pair of Tampa defenders before beating Johansson again, this time with a silky backhander to the blocker side.

“You’re not gonna score every game. Some games you’re gonna get two, so I think you just kind of stay even-keeled and don’t ride high or low,” said Brink.

“Sometimes when the pucks are going in, you just look better out there.”

But perhaps Brink’s most impressive play of the night came on a goal scored by Poehling. Owen Tippett shoveled the puck into the Lightning end, and Brink raced after it to gain possession deep in the zone with three Tampa defenders closing in on him. He fended off a pursuer along the boards and alertly zipped the puck to Lycksell, who fed a wide-open Poehling with a pass between the legs of Erik Cernak. Poehling proceeded to take care of the rest.

Patience makes perfect for Poehls. #TBLvsPHI | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/J3qDDWEQ6w

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 14, 2025

It was a highlight-reel goal for Poehling — his first in over a month — and it wouldn’t have been possible without Brink’s hustle.

“He does the little things right, which is super important for a guy like that. He has top-end skill. Some of the best I’ve seen,” said Poehling. “For him to kind of do the little things, to teach other skill guys that, ‘Hey, this is how you get more ice time,’ and on top of it, he’s helping his game a lot creating more offensive chances too, so he’s a great guy and I couldn’t be happier for him.”

Poehling doesn’t typically skate on a line with Brink, but in an effort to get Travis Konecny out of his slump, Tortorella opted to bump Konecny up to the second line with Noah Cates and Tyson Foerster.

The Brink-for-Konecny swap turned out to be a worthwhile experiment — just not in the way Tortorella was planning.

“[Brink] is a good match for Tyson and Catesy. I need to get TK going. I need to get something going with him. That’s why I switched that,” said Tortorella. “But he’s such a good match with them, and the part of the game is he works so hard away from the puck. That helps his offense. You look, he has eight goals coming into tonight’s game, but he ends up with a ton of chances during the year. He just hasn’t finished. I take him off that line, he scores two.

“Not a big guy, and I think we have to get bigger as a team, but he’s taken a huge step in his development as far as what it is to be a pro first of all, how he carries himself, and how well he’s played consistently throughout the year.”

Still just 23 years old, Brink is far from a finished product. But his maturation as a creator of offense has been a major development. Most impressively, he’s doing the lion’s share of his damage at 5-on-5.

Believe it or not, with just 15 games left to play in the regular season, Brink leads all Flyers — yes, including Konecny, Tippett and rookie sensation Matvei Michkov — with 2.18 5-on-5 points per 60 minutes. Only Konecny has registered more points than Brink at 5-on-5 this season, and that’s with a whopping 247 additional minutes of 5-on-5 ice time compared to Brink.

Brink’s growth over the last year has been encouraging. He’s already set new career highs in assists and points, and there’s a good chance he’ll end up setting a personal best in goals as well. Unquestionably, there’s still work to do in rounding out his game away from the puck, but the progress he’s made in that realm hasn’t gone unnoticed.

“I have been all over Bobby for the first couple years, and I just like the way he’s handled it. He’s just taken it on. I think he’s accepted the challenge, and I’m happy for him,” said Tortorella.

“I think he’s found an area that I don’t think he thought he could play. He was a scorer in college. Small guy. Probably doesn’t think he’s good enough to check, but he’s found a way to play hard in those areas, and I think that’s taken him to another level this year. It’s good to see.”

Statistics courtesy of Natural Stat Trick and NHL.com.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/p...-big-night-proof-of-huge-step-in-development/