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[Philadelphia Flyers]

Why acquiring David Jiricek is a massive risk for the Flyers

The NHL draft represents the league’s casino for fans and franchises alike. Much like the table games and slot machines lining the floor of a casino, the rounds and pick slots all represent different risk and value propositions to the beholder. Amongst the litany of games where the house has an overwhelming advantage, there are a few opportunities for sharp bettors to capitalize when the odds are right.

In this metaphor, a first round pick is blackjack. Statistically, blackjack is the table game with the closest edge between player and the house. Much like blackjack, first round picks are the most likely to result in success for the team making the selection. That said, not all first round picks, like not all hands in blackjack, play the same way.

The sliding scale in pick slot value is immense. There is a larger gap in pick value from first overall to fifth overall than there is between 10th and 32nd overall. That value gap is why teams are willing to spend an entire season taking it on the chin in hopes of getting a lottery selection and ensuring a pick within the top 10.

For players selected in the top 10, there is a massive impetus on behalf of the organization to give them every opportunity to succeed. After spending an entire season icing a team that was bad enough to qualify for the lottery, stakeholders (GMs and coaches) have every incentive to make that bad season worth it.

So, when the Philadelphia Flyers acquired defenseman David Jiricek on Friday in exchange for Bobby Brink, it set off an alarm bell. Jiricek was the sixth overall pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets back in 2022, yet less than two full seasons after his selection, the Blue Jackets moved on.

Now, it is worth noting that Jarmo Kekäläinen, the GM that selected Jiricek in 2022, was fired in February of 2024. The following November, the Blue Jackets new GM, Don Waddell, sent Jiricek to the Minnesota Wild. So, with one of the stakeholders who’d made the initial choice out the door, there wasn’t as much institutional support for the Czech defenseman.

Yet, the Wild, who paid a first-, second-, third-, and a fourth-round pick, and prospect Dameon Hunt for Jiricek, tapped out on him after 31 NHL games over two seasons. With two different organizations deeming Jiricek not worth the squeeze in less than four years, there is a real game theory problem playing out in real time for the Flyers.

For all of the scouting and preparation the Flyers may have done in the lead up to consummating the trade on Friday, there’s no way they’d have more intel on Jiricek than either the Wild or Blue Jackets. For Columbus, they got an entire grocery list of assets to cut their losses on the defender. That makes it all the more concerning that less than two years after acquiring Jiricek that the Wild were more than willing to cut their losses for a singular piece in Brink.

What Workload Says​

Improbable as it sounds for a player drafted in 2022, Jiricek has only played 84 career NHL games. In addition to the 84 games at the NHL level, the defender has logged 139 games in the AHL. Registering just 223 games in North American leagues over four years reveals an important subplot: injuries.

Hockey is an incredibly physical, taxing game. Injuries are an inherently unavoidable component to a sport where physical contact is a key component to entire phases of the game. In Jiricek’s case, the defender has a lacerated spleen (spring 2025), knee (January 2022) and hip (August 2021) on his ledger. Injuries aren’t an excuse, but they are context for a player’s performance, especially one that’s supposed to be in the ascending period of his career.

For a young player, especially on defense, so much of the early stages of NHL action are about getting their feet under them and understanding the game around them. It is especially concerning that the deeper into Jiricek’s career he’s gotten, he’s had his minutes faded

Remember, the Blue Jackets took Jiricek in the top 10 and the Wild gave up five assets to acquire the defender. Both organizations had every reason to give the defender an opportunity to find his game and grow alongside their respective cores.

Yet, both the Blue Jackets and Wild went out of their way to give Jiricek an easy workload in the third pair minutes he has played so far in the NHL.

Jiricek’s skillset is a challenge for typically risk-averse NHL coaches. For the defender to ever find his footing at the highest level, he’s going to need leeway to create offensively, which means taking chances and gambling to do it. In a third pair role, with minimal power play opportunities, it’s always going to be a challenge for someone like Jiricek to break through the glass ceiling.

The Ticking Clock​

At 22 years old, Jiricek is by no means a finished product. There are plenty of players who take time to find a home in the NHL. So much of whether or not a prospect lives up to their potential and manages to stick as a 200+ game NHLer is tied to their situation. Getting drafted highly usually means a player is going to a bad team which offers an opportunity to play right away.

But Jiricek first in Columbus and then Minnesota failed to earn equity with his head coach. Unfortunately for young players, a lot of their fate is tied to whether or not a hockey lifer is willing to give them rope. You can be the best defenseman imaginable in your 14 minutes per game on the third pair, but that doesn’t even guarantee an opportunity to advance up the ladder.

The Blue Jackets’ first power play unit was always locked out to Jiricek because of Zach Werenski. Then, in Minnesota, the defender couldn’t ever pass Brock Faber, then later Quinn Hughes on the depth chart to play to his offensive strengths.

Think of the challenge for Jiricek. At every level of hockey he’s been a power play quarterback and playing first-pair minutes. Then, he achieves the goal, drafted high to an ascending team. Everything in front of him, but the things that make him valuable, his offensive traits, aren’t of as much value because of the role he plays. Said player’s confidence wanes because he can’t make as much of an impact, then spends the better part of the next four years volleying between riding the bus in the AHL and fighting for a roster spot in the NHL while being waivers exempt.

Now, Jiricek is on his third NHL team in four years with Jamie Drysdale and Rasmus Ristolainen ahead of him on the depth chart. While Ristolainen may ultimately depart in the summer as the Flyers continue to reorganize their roster, it’s going to be tough for Jiricek to leap frog Drysdale because of the investment the Flyers made in the latter.

While it’s not fair to compare Drysdale’s output to Cutter Gauthier’s in Anaheim, those two are inextricably linked forever. Gauthier was a fringe candidate for the US Olympic team while Drysdale’s first full season with the Flyers has been up and down as he approaches restricted free agency this summer.

If the Flyers hadn’t given up Brink as the return and it was simply picks or prospects outside of the NHL, I wouldn’t dislike the gamble nearly as much. But at this point, Jiricek is more of an idea than a player. While he has some NHL experience and a strong pedigree at lower levels of the game, he’s beginning to reach the danger zone of development.

For the most part, the majority of NHL defenders will produce most of their career wins above replacement value by age 25. While there are outliers who breakout later than the most players, it’s hard to believe a player like Jiricek that’s failed to stick as a full time NHLer through four years will put it all together with players ahead of him on the depth chart and Rick Tocchet as his head coach.

Considering the fact that Brink, as a former second round pick, was at close to half a point per game on a team that struggled to produce offensively, swapping that out for a defenseman still trying to find himself seems like a bad bet for a team that at large still has significant roster questions for the near and short term.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/why-acquiring-david-jiricek-is-a-massive-risk-for-the-flyers/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Flyers’ Jamie Drysdale dropped the gloves and he loved every second of it

The Philadelphia Flyers scratched and clawed to a gutsy 4-3 shootout win over the archrival Pittsburgh Penguins Saturday afternoon. It was a game that ended up being full of firsts. Winger Alex Bump made his NHL debut and scored his first goal in a very successful game from the 22-year-old, and defenseman Jamie Drysdale dropped the gloves for the first time every in his hockey career.

It was a beautiful sight. All game long, the Flyers and Penguins were getting into their typical extra curriculars — plenty of scrums after the whistle, some penalties spread across the board — but no one really saw that the peak moment of violence coming between these two heated rivals would be created by the hands of the 5-foot-11, 185-pound defenseman.

Jamie Drysdale drops the gloves for the first time​

Drysdale’s defense partner Cam York had possession of the puck behind his own goal, attempting to kickstart the breakout but Penguins forward Avery Hayes decided to come in and just absolutely level the 25-year-old blueliner. Well, Drysdale did not like that.

Within milliseconds of York being laid out, Drysdale rushed over to Hayes, grabbed a hold of him, and dropped the gloves for the first time. And it was a beautiful bout.

CAM YORK GETS DRILLED AND JAMIE DRYSDALE FIGHTS TO STAND UP FOR HIM#LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/gjX56wPTJO

— Flyers Clips (@Flyers_Clips) March 7, 2026​

It sometimes just means more from certain players. This isn’t a more orchestrated affair involving now former Flyer Nic Deslauriers, it’s an act of pure aggression and retaliation. Drysdale threw one punch, Hayes fell, and the Flyers blueliner didn’t just go and wrestle on the ground with him until an official or two separated them — he let the Penguins forward get back up and go right back to trying to feed him punches.

Then, the officials got in and it got squashed. But, we do know that Drysdale absolutely loved being able to fight.

“It was first — first one ever,” Drysdale said via the NBC Sports Philadelphia broadcast after the game. “It felt good. I mean, a few guys have stepped up for me and gotten in there for me and that’s kind of just, a lot of guys on the team have done it for other guys on the team, so I figured it was just my turn.”

That’s just the best. Is there anything you like to see more from your favorite hockey team than knowing that every single player has each other’s backs? Well, maybe winning a whole lot of hockey games and winning a Stanley Cup — but punching players on the other team in the face because they messed around with one of your teammates, is also very nice to see.

It hits even harder that it’s Drysdale and it was his first ever fight. If it was Garnet Hathaway or Nick Seeler out there doing that, we wouldn’t think second of it. We wouldn’t be writing a separate blog about it and how cool it was to see. We probably wouldn’t even remember it happening 10 minutes later. But because it was Drysdale and specifically it happening right now, is just perfect.

The 23-year-old blueliner has truly come into his own more than anyone on this team this season. Last year, it was just about staying healthy for the majority of the season and playing regular minutes. This year, we were hoping for a step forward in some capacity and Drysdale has more than done that. He isn’t the player that most scouts thought he would become when he was 18 years old and having OHL defenses turn into mush around him, as it was projected that he would become one of the next great offensive defensemen in the league. But, he’s turned into an extremely well-rounded rearguard averaging almost 22 minutes a night, and could still finish the season with a career-high in points as he’s just eight away from hitting that mark.

And now, he appears to be growing even more off the ice while being a great teammate on it.

If we want to take any silver lining from this season, which has been mostly filled with watching mediocre Flyers hockey, it’s Drysdale firmly cementing himself as a long-term player on this team.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/p...d-the-gloves-and-he-loved-every-second-of-it/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

David Jiricek’s Phantoms debut was a wild adventure

It’s been a whirlwind weekend for the Phantoms. With a busy schedule, three games on deck, and a roster very much thrown into disarray by the trades made by the Flyers on Friday’s trade deadline day, an already difficult stretch has been made a little more complicated for them. We can expect to see a few more new faces integrated when they get back to action next weekend, but this one already saw the much-anticipated Phantoms debut made for newly-acquired defenseman David Jiricek come to pass, and it was, perhaps predictably, something of a mixed bag.

In a stroke of good luck, when the trade was finalized on Friday morning, sending Jiricek to the Flyers’ organization, he was already out east with his Iowa teammates for a pair of games in Springfield, and a quick turnaround was pulled off to get him into the lineup for the Phantoms on Saturday night. It was a big challenge placed in front of him — to set aside any lingering emotions which all but certainly came from being traded and getting rolling immediately, with no practice time, with a brand new team — but he largely made the most of that situation.

It was a wild game that unfolded for the team on a collective level — a poor start had the Phantoms in a four-goal hole before the first period was even out, and saw Carson Bjarnason chased from the game, but the team was able to find their footing after that, and came all the way back to tie the game late in the third period, before ultimately still falling in overtime. And Jiricek’s role in that bit of whiplashing was, in all, quite active.

Our Olympian kicks things off! pic.twitter.com/lPMeH1Edsw

— Charlotte Checkers (@CheckersHockey) March 8, 2026​

His game started on a bit of a low note, as he was pretty directly responsible for the first goal against of the game, not even two minutes into it, as he made the initial heads-up play to block down a shot from the point and look to make a quick play to turn that into a breakout, but instead of finding that clean exit, he bobbled the puck, got himself off balance, fell down, and that all left the Charlotte skater wide open to jump on the loose puck and skate it in to score.

It was just about as ugly of an introduction as he could have made on his new team, but credit to him, just as the team around him was ramping up, he was able to settle in more. Most of the rest of the game was more stable for him, and a bit more of his physical edge, along with his distributing game, began to come into focus.

POWER PLAY TIE!!#LVvsCLT | #LVPhantoms pic.twitter.com/V9YEptGHZJ

— Lehigh Valley Phantoms (@LVPhantoms) March 8, 2026​

Jiricek was looking more and more confident as the game went on, and was able to bring the very best of his game when it was needed most, as the Phantoms got a power play late in the third period, looking for a chance to complete their comeback. Jiricek was tasked with quarterbacking their top unit for that game (with Christian Kyrou sitting out) and the strength of his shot from the point was immediately apparent — an initial shot wide was able to create a bit more motion for them, and then when it came right back up to him again, he was able to thread it through traffic to put away the equalizer. It was a huge moment in the game, but also a nice window into the potential he offers to help them shore up both of their power play units down the stretch here.

pic.twitter.com/gPUvtBNuGN

— Madeline Campbell (@madelinecampbll) March 9, 2026​

Of course, one goal does not evaporate all struggles, and there was a play in overtime that once again spotlit the reality that Jiricek is very much still a player with a long ways to go to get comfortable with his new teammates. There was a bit of a head-scratcher of a play that he made at the end of his shift in overtime when, with the puck in the offensive zone and the Phantoms open to work a bit of a cycle, when he didn’t seem to find any lanes that he liked, he opted to skate the puck all the way out of the zone, and send it all the way down the ice to (a seemingly somewhat unsuspecting) Aleksei Kolosov to task him with leading the next regroup on the other side of the line change. Kolosov was able to handle it, but it looked in the moment like a real breakdown in communication, one of the many things they’ll have to work on when the group convenes for some practice time again.

On the whole, though, it was a decent enough introduction to his new team, a fine impression made on his coaching staff, in the face of an uphill battle.

“Yeah, I thought he was fine,” head coach John Snowden said after the game. “I thought, obviously early it was a tough start there, with, you know, the first goal against, [but] I thought he settled his way in after that. I think, you know, when you’re coming to a new team, it’s been a whirlwind essentially 48 hours for him, and you know, traveling from with his team in Iowa and Springfield traveling all the way here, and then having to, you know, watch a game yesterday, get himself organized to play today, and knowing that he has to get all his stuff organized that’s all over the country right now. But I thought as he went on he he started to find his game, got a little bit more comfortable inside of what we were doing, and then obviously scores a really big goal for us on the power play there.”

It wasn’t an easy task to jump right into action like that, and even if that first look wasn’t a polished as he would have liked, the first look was illuminating in and of itself, and it helped to establish a baseline for player and coaching staff alike to build up from.

And for Jiricek, too, despite the wildness of the day leading up to this debut, he was eager to get going and show a bit of his game right from the jump.

“Every time I step on the ice,” he said, “I’m just [trying] to do my best, and I was lucky to score tying goal today. And yeah, just a start. I just think I have still have a lot of things [I’m] working on. So that’s my goal for the rest of the season.”

There was an acknowledgment from him, too, that the start was not quite what he wanted, but he agreed that he got more comfortable as the game went on. He’ll only get more comfortable over the coming days, and with 16 games remaining in the regular season, there’s plenty of runway ahead for him to get settled into the Phantoms’ system and continue to tinker with his game. This is just the beginning of a long introduction process for the evaluators up in the management group, and it will be interesting to see how it all progresses.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/david-jiriceks-phantoms-debut-was-an-adventure/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Takeaways: Flyers fall 6–2 in embarrassing blowout loss to Rangers

After an entertaining 4–3 shootout win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, the Philadelphia Flyers came out flat against a struggling New York Rangers squad and never recovered, losing 6–2.

The Basics​

First period: 1:04- Noah Laba (Matthew Robertson, Tye Kartye), 13:06- Mika Zibanejad (Alexis Lafreniere, Vladislav Gavrikov), 19:23- Alexis Lafreniere (Mika Zibanejad, Vincent Trocheck) (PPG)

Second period: 3:54-Matvei Michkov (Jamie Drysdale, Trevor Zegras)(PPG), 6:40- Gabe Perreault (Vincent Trocheck, Adam Fox) (PPG), 18:40- Mika Zibanejad (Gabe Perreault, Vincent Trocheck) (PPG) 19:00- Vladislav Gavrikov (Noah Laba, Conor Sheary)

Third period: 15:28- Sean Couturier (Nikita Grebenkin, Luke Glendening)

SOG: 34 (PHI) – 27 (NYR)

Takeaways​

Giving up the first goal – yet again

If you tuned into this match-up a minute late, you probably noticed the Flyers were already down 1-0 a minute into the game. The Flyers have allowed the first goal for the 43rd time in 63 games – definitely not ideal. To be fair, they have won 17 of those 43 games, so this was not an uncomfortable spot for the team to be in. But they do seem to struggle in the first 10 minutes to start a game, and it’s hurt them. At some point, if they’re going to be a serious playoff contender, they’re going to have to get that cleaned up.

Even in Saturday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Flyers struggled to generate anything in the first 3 minutes before they inevitably gave up the first goal. It’s become a major talking point during the first period of many games, and it seems to be something the Flyers have struggled to fix over their 63 games under head coach Rick Tocchet.

Penalty/Penalty Kill trouble

The Flyers’ penalty kill struggles from the month of January reared their ugly head in this one, as they gave up three power play goals on four power play opportunities. Dan Vladar struggled to gather rebounds, and the defense in front of him struggled to stop the Rangers 12th ranked power play.

Troch Mika Laf RANGERS GOAL pic.twitter.com/Gc5GEggNgo

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 9, 2026

The Flyers’ penalty kill was one of the worst in the league during their slide in January, but it has returned to league average since returning from the Olympic break. Tonight, they looked like the penalty kill from January.

With that in mind, the Flyers need to be better about taking unnecessary penalties. Alex Bump, Travis Konecny, and Cam York all took unnecessary penalties that led to a Rangers power play goal. These are disciplinary issues that the Flyers are going to need to clean up if they’re going to make a push for the playoffs next season.

Overworking Vladar?

Dan Vladar had possibly one of his worst games as a Flyer tonight, allowing 6 goals on 24 shots. The 28-year-old goalie has been the MVP of this Flyers season so far, and after his performance tonight, I think it’s fair to question whether or not the Flyers have run him into the ground a bit – the same way they did with Sam Ersson in the 2023-24 season.

Since returning from the Olympic break, Dan Vladar has gotten the start in six of the seven games and has allowed less than three goals in all five contests prior to tonight. It’s fair to question if the fatigue of the season has started to wear on him. From starting in 40 of the Flyers’ 63 games, to traveling and playing in the Olympics, the stress and workload could have started wearing on him.

Matvei Michkov on the right wing

Even in the midst of this dumpster fire of a game, where nobody played particularly well, Matvei Michkov showed signs of being back to his 2024-25 season form in this game. Michkov scored on the power play from down low for his 16th goal of the season.

MATVEI MICHKOV STAYS WITH IT AND BANGS IT HOME!! INSANE HANDS. 3-1…#LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/k2NfurFPEF

— Flyers Clips (@Flyers_Clips) March 10, 2026

This is Michkov’s second point since being moved back to the right wing in the wake of the Bobby Brink trade. He’s playing a lot more confidently on the right, and you can tell he feels a lot more comfortable as well.

On Sunday, head coach Rick Tocchet was asked about him moving Michkov back to the right wing, and he responded, “Well, Bobby leaving, and then Mich wants to try it. We’ll see. I’ve got my thoughts on that, but we’ll see how it goes.” That quote doesn’t seem to imply that the head coach has a ton of confidence in the young 21-year-old winger playing the right side.

However, Michkov has made the most of his opportunities on the right side, and he’s making a case that he should stick there for the foreseeable future.

Sean Couturier scored a goal on a goalie

On brightspot is, Flyers captain Sean Couturier scored a goal on a goalie for the first time since December 7th! There weren’t many positives after a game like this, but hopefully, Couturier got the monkey off his back and can continue moving forward with his season.

Captain Coots. #NYRvsPHI | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/j9pyBQAjJb

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 10, 2026

Sean Couturier has been a popular topic on social media, but the Flyers captain is here for the foreseeable future, so his success is going to be imperative for the team moving forward. His defensive game is still solid, but he’s going to need to contribute offensively if this team is going to make a playoff run over the next few years.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/p...-6-2-in-embarrassing-blowout-loss-to-rangers/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Emil Andrae emerges as a Flyers trade candidate this summer

Emil Andrae, just one year ago, was playing top-four minutes for John Tortorella’s Philadelphia Flyers. It looked like the club might have unlocked a new level for their Swedish defender, until the very moment it stopped. You can almost pinpoint on a calendar when things changed for Andrae– December 20, 2024, the day he was sent back to the AHL.

“It’s gotten too rich for him,” said Tortorella about the demotion. He was pretty clearly told to work on a specific part of his game, and perhaps emphasize others, but when he returned to the NHL that February, the player of old was missing.

Rick Tocchet isn’t playing him, either​

Any thoughts of a new coaching staff taking more of a liking to Andrae’s game were short-lived. He failed to make the team out of camp, with guys like Adam Ginning and Noah Juulsen surviving that round of cuts. Andrae bounced back and forth a few times in the early going, receiving two one-game call-ups before a return to normal playing time in November. Nothing seemed too out of the ordinary, though he wasn’t consistently standing out or making much happen every night.

It did always feel like he was still on the bubble of the lineup– Rasmus Ristolainen would be returning at some point, and it became a bit of a position battle between Noah Juulsen and Andrae. Within a month of Ristolainen’s return in mid-December, Andrae was having trouble getting to the 15 or 16 minute mark on most nights, and was a healthy scratch for five games leading up to the long Olympic break. Tocchet’s unwillingness to bend the lineup for Andrae led to a four week disappearance for the young defenseman, and with Ristolainen remaining a Flyer through March’s trade deadline, there isn’t much coming in the way of change.

On Monday, Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet talking about Emil Andrae: “We gotta get him in somehow… I don’t want him to not play these next two games.”

The head coach (the guy who makes the lineup decisions) healthy scratched him the next two games. pic.twitter.com/fXlJB9DMOV

— Travis Ballinghoff (@travieballin26) February 6, 2026

In a 65 minute battle in Pittsburgh on March 7, Andrae played just 7:36. He would again come out of the lineup for the next game, and it remains to be seen how he’s used the rest of the way, but we’ve got plenty of sample size saying he’s not in favor of the current staff.

Other prospects are on their way​

Danny Briere addressed one particular roster logjam at the deadline, trading Bobby Brink to the Minnesota Wild for defenseman David Jiricek. While he freed up a roster spot for Alex Bump to get a look, Ristolainen remained, and now Jiricek will be knocking on the door before too long. Suddenly, with Oliver Bonk also waiting in the wings, the Flyers will need to move one or two defenders in the summer just to clear space.

The organization doesn’t seem quite as motivated to move things along for Andrae’s sake; the seven minutes he just played suggests they’re probably not too high on him at this point. With Jamie Drysdale and Cam York considered “undersized”, the Flyers have prioritized adding more size than Andrae will ever have. Jiricek would be one of the bigger players on the roster, and with his waiver eligibility expiring this summer, will have to have a spot in the NHL roster next season– likely at Andrae’s expense. If Bonk has a good training camp, he may push for a spot himself. The Flyers might choose to part ways with Andrae in a trade, but the way they’ve devalued him, it’s going to be tough to extract much value from a swap.

We may already have seen the best of him​

Andrae looked pretty intriguing as a rookie– not Shayne Gostisbehere exciting, but his puck-moving ability was one of the best on the blue-line. Even Tortorella had noted as such when they demoted him that December. There was a confident player in there at one point, but somewhere along the way, Andrae lost what made him unique. It felt like the risk factor had been beaten out of his system; he was playing it safe to stay in the lineup rather than being dynamic.

In roughly the same amount of even-strength ice time, Andrae’s analytics have taken a pretty significant hit. The actual goals percentage could be explained by no longer having the worst goaltending in hockey punishing every mistake, but the process behind it has deteriorated a little. These aren’t bad numbers, but if a defenseman is going to be undersized, the reality is that he’s going to have to play better than the average guy to make a name for himself in this league. At 24, it could be time to move on. A change of scenery would be a good refresh, and there might be a team willing to give the Flyers a center prospect or a mid-round pick.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/emil-andrae-emerges-as-a-flyers-trade-candidate-this-summer/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Why Matvei Michkov fits best at right wing for the Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers have been on a roller coaster this past weekend, beating the Pittsburgh Penguins 4–3 in a thrilling shootout victory Saturday night before getting embarrassed at home by the New York Rangers 6-2. Not much has gone right for this team lately, but one positive development has been Matvei Michkov’s shift to the right wing and the effectiveness we’ve seen from the move.

In the wake of the Flyers dealing forward Bobby Brink to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for defenseman David Jiricek, head coach Rick Tocchet was more or less forced to move Michkov to the right wing. Brink – who was playing on the right wing on the same line as Michkov – was a guy that Tocchet relied on heavily in his first 60 games coaching the Flyers.

He had Brink playing first-line power-play minutes, over Michkov, who, just last year, was one of the Flyers’ most prolific power play weapons.

It had been apparent for much of the season that Matvei Michkov looked slightly uncomfortable playing left wing. It’s not the natural position he grew up playing, and even last season under John Tortorella, he spent most of his time on the right side. Still, Rick Tocchet opted to start him on the left wing.

Rick Tocchet made is clear moving Michkov wasn’t his first choice​

A few months ago, Tocchet was asked about his decision to move Matvei to the left, and his explanation was fairly uncertain.

“Whether it’s right or left, it really doesn’t matter. It’s just to line up,” Tocchet said via The Inquirer. “When you’re in the offensive zone, it doesn’t matter where you [start]. So I think everybody makes a big deal. But through the neutral zone, for me, the faster you can go on your forehand is the better [side]. But that doesn’t mean you can’t go to the other side.”

After the Brink trade, Michkov must have talked to Tocchet about moving back to the right wing, and with the Flyers being down a right winger – and new call-up Alex Bump being a left winger – it has put Tocchet in a bit of a handicap regarding where to put the young 21-year-old winger.

In a press conference on Sunday afternoon, Tocchet was asked whether or not moving Michkov to the right wing was to pair him with Barkey, and he responded in a less explanatory way and more pointing his finger at the player.

“Well, Bobby leaving, and then Mich wants to try it. We’ll see. I’ve got my thoughts on that, but we’ll see how it goes.”

Not exactly the vote of confidence you would expect from your head coach, but one positive is that it seems Michkov knows he’s more comfortable on the right, and over the past two games, he’s proven that to be true.

Michkov’s play has exploded after the move to the right side​

Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins was one of the first games in a very long time in the Rick Tocchet era in which Matvei Michkov was lined up on the right wing. He didn’t let the opportunity go to waste as he set up his linemate, Denver Barkey, with a beautiful pass across the middle of the ice to assist on Barkey’s game-tying goal midway through the second period.

Michkov looked like a confident player with the puck, and that carried over into Monday night’s game against the New York Rangers. The Flyers got embarrassed, getting blown out 6-2; however, Matvei Michkov was one of the few bright spots in what was otherwise a dim game.

He scored on one of the Flyers’ three power play opportunities from down low on the right side after scooping up a rebound from a Jamie Drysdale point shot.

MATVEI MICHKOV STAYS WITH IT AND BANGS IT HOME!! INSANE HANDS. 3-1…#LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/k2NfurFPEF

— Flyers Clips (@Flyers_Clips) March 10, 2026

In the absence of Bobby Brink due to the trade, Michkov has now been upgraded to first-line power play opportunities, and he’s making the most of it. Creating offense and looking like his dangerous 2024-25 self.

The need to keep Michkov on the right side for the rest of the season is only highlighted by the fact that he has seen his power-play production increase when in that more comfortable position.

.@nhlflyers Michkov's goal today was 12th PP goal of @NHL career

8/12 PP goals have came from right side. From 39 SOG.
20.5% sh%

3/12 PP goals have came from left side. From 30 SOG.
10% sh%

1/12 PP goals from slot, started on RHB. From 7 SOG.
14% sh%#Flyers #NHL

— Alexander Appleyard (@avappleyard) March 10, 2026

Eight of Michkov’s 12 power play goals have come from the right side, while only three have come from the left. His shooting percentage is also double while on the right side at 20 percent versus 10 on the left.

After seeing stats like these, it really makes you scratch your head as to why Michkov hasn’t been playing on the right side all season. In his brief two-game showcase there, Michkov is a point-per-game player, with a goal and an assist, so it begs the question – how different could his season have looked if he was on the right the whole time?

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/why-matvei-michkov-fits-best-at-right-wing-for-the-flyers/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Flyers sign prospect Noah Powell to entry-level contract

While the NHL trade deadline has come and gone, that doesn’t mean the transactions are done. As junior leagues and NCAA seasons start to end around the continent, a whole lot of teams are signing their prospects to their first professional contracts and bringing them in to get a much closer look and how they’re developing. The Philadelphia Flyers are one of those teams as they have signed one of their prospects to an entry-level contract after his college season wrapped up.

Announced by the team on Wednesday morning, the Flyers have signed winger Noah Powell to a three-year, entry-level contract that will start next season.

OFFICIAL: We have signed forward Noah Powell to a three-year entry-level contract beginning with the 2026-27 season.

Powell will report to the @LVPhantoms (AHL) for the remainder of the 2025-26 season.

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 11, 2026​

Flyers sign prospect Noah Powell to entry-level contract​

Powell, 21, was a fifth-round pick from the Flyers back in 2024 at 148th overall and has had an interesting path since then. Originally drafted as an overager anyways, Powell earned the selection by leading the USHL in scoring with 43 goals in 61 games for the Dubuque Fighting Saints.

In an attempt to work his way up the developmental ladder, the 6-foot-2 winger committed to Ohio State University and started his 2024-25 season there, but had some trouble adapting to the increased pace of play compared to his junior days the year before. He still managed to score two goals and five points in 17 games during that freshman year, but he was playing a depth role and largely was just trying to stay afloat overall.

That caused him to switch paths mid-season. In January 2025, Powell made the jump to go play north of the border for the OHL’s Oshawa Generals. He played a middle-six role, largely, and scored nine goals and 22 points in 28 games while being older than almost everyone in that league, at 20 years old.

Powell then took his second chance at college hockey, committing to Arizona State University — in a much easier conference compared to Ohio State — for this season. He scored seven goals and 12 points in 34 games while averaging just 13:00 time-on-ice. He did manage to increase his shot volume though, as he averaged just 1.23 shots on goal with Ohio State and with ASU this past season got up to 1.59 shots on goal per game.

And, compared to how he looked even in the OHL, it seems like he’s really added more jump to his game.

This was beautiful

Noah Powell pic.twitter.com/Cnryq4ObwE

— EVERYTHING COLLEGE HOCKEY (@TeamECH) March 1, 2026​

Part of the announcement by the Flyers was the fact that Powell will be reporting to the AHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for the rest of the season. Even with him not officially under contract until next season, the 21-year-old winger will be reporting on an amateur try-out and then start to actually get paid next season — it’s the exact same scenario we saw with Alex Bump and his Phantoms tenure to finish out last season, but it was later due to him actually winning a national championship and not even making the NCHC tournament, like Powell and his ASU teammates did.

The Phantoms have 16 games left before the playoffs so it should be a really good showcase for Powell, and for the Flyers staff to see how far he has come since picking him two years ago. And with Bump’s recall up to Philadelphia, the Phantoms might just be in need of a young winger who likes to shoot the puck.

If anything, Powell’s arrival and the inclusion of David Jiricek has only made the Phantoms more exciting for Flyers fans to check out — and maybe instead of the NHL team as they continue to look miserable.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/flyers-sign-prospect-noah-powell-to-entry-level-contract/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Takeaways: Flyers bounce back over Washington with four goals

Coming off an embarrassing 6-2 defeat to the New York Rangers on Monday night, the Flyers responded well. It was going to be difficult to play any worse, but nonetheless, Philadelphia trailed yet again ten minutes in. Despite allowing the first goal, as per tradition, the Flyers carried a lead into the third period for the second time in the last 15 games. The Flyers had not held a lead at any point in a game since March 2 in Toronto, where they conceded that lead after just 2:48. They’ve stopped the bleeding with a nice win at home, salting away the clock quite easily.

The Basics​

First Period: 9:51 – Ryan Leonard (PPG) (Alexander Ovechkin, Pierre-Luc Dubois)

Second Period: 4:23 – Travis Konecny (Travis Sanheim, Alex Bump), 12:13 – Trevor Zegras (Owen Tippett)

Third Period: 7:17 – Jamie Drysdale (Noah Cates, Cam York), 18:57 – Owen Tippett (ENG) (Christian Dvorak, Noah Cates)

SOG: 21 (PHI) – 22 (WSH)

Takeaways​

Special teams continues letting them down​

The Flyers, specifically Owen Tippett and Trevor Zegras, were noticeably quicker tonight. Each drew penalties in the first period, but the 30th ranked power play in hockey failed to convert. This recurring theme has haunted Philadelphia for half a decade at this point. It didn’t burn them tonight, but if they want to compete, they’ll need to solve this problem; we’ve all thought about this at great lengths already.

Not only that, the penalty kill, fresh off surrendering three goals to the Rangers, failed to keep Alex Ovechkin’s unit off the scoresheet. It’s hard to beat them up about that– nobody’s stopped them for 20 years– but the Flyers have lost the benefit of the doubt by now. They ended up finishing strong when it mattered most, while also defending the 6-on-5 well at the end of the game.

Trevor Zegras and Owen Tippett dominate​

It was clear from the beginning which players had the juice in this one. Zegras and Tippett were a cut above the rest, with Carl Grundstrom providing support on the wing. Particularly encouraging is Zegras’s offensive output while playing center, something he has to prove he can do more regularly if he wants to stay at the position long-term. The duo had eight shots on goal and two goals.

The ol’ give-and-go-and-give-and-go!#WSHvsPHI | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/dDPDXarY7C

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 12, 2026

This is one of the most visually pleasing goals scored all year– and there could have been more like it. Tippett’s speed was giving Washington fits, and they had a few nice defensive plays to prevent two or three more breakaway opportunities for the speedy winger. Games like this one are a stark reminder of what Owen Tippett is capable of at his peak. He was flying tonight, and with a little luck, could have had three or four goals; the empty-netter was a well-deserved bit of luck after nearly being blocked.

Jamie Drysdale bounced back​

It’s hard to single anyone out when you lose 6-2 to the worst team in the Eastern Conference, but Drysdale and Cam York had a rough night on Monday. Tonight was a different story, at least for Drysdale, as he was buzzing in the offensive zone early and often. It wouldn’t be a big surprise to see this pairing broken up after tonight, given the defensive struggles, but Drysdale was a consistent threat to activate.

Jamie the sharpshooter. #WSHvsPHI | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/tscsI4s4u8

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 12, 2026

Drysdale was finally rewarded during 4-on-4 for a big goal in the third period. His patience to create a shooting lane in the high slot has improved leaps and bounds, and his offensive production is starting to climb a little in recent weeks. He’s now tied for the lead among Flyer blue-liners with 27 points. Speaking of York, he had a nice breakup on a scoring chance by Tom Wilson after Wilson got in behind him and Drysdale. York is clearly playing safer to allow Drysdale to operate, and while it’s not the most ideal use of his talents, he deserves credit for a good game, playing over 23 minutes.

Denver Barkey, Noah Cates, and Matvei Michkov may not work​

We’re probably seeing the end of the Barkey, Noah Cates, and Matvei Michkov line. Even by the eye test, they weren’t at all noticeable, and the advanced numbers backed that up. Rick Tocchet certainly noticed, limiting Barkey’s ice pretty early on. Despite the fewest time on ice as a collective, this trio allowed the most Expected Goals of any line at 5-on-5.

While Noah Cates salvaged his night with two assists, he and Barkey played the least of Flyer forwards in this one. This is two games in a row that this line has been hammered by the advanced statistics, and Michkov wasn’t able to score to make it more palatable. We know Tocchet is looking for any reason to pull Michkov out of the right wing position, but they’re not doing themselves any favors playing like this.

Sam Ersson quietly solid​

This wasn’t a very high-event game, but Ersson did what he needed to do. Ryan Leonard was feeling it tonight for Washington; he beat Ersson on the power play to open the scoring before ringing one off the post in the third. The other Capitals didn’t generate much until their late push to tie the game, down two goals. Ersson stopped a Tom Wilson breakaway before closing the door on Washington.

Ersson needs to play well — he’s auditioning for not just a job here, but in the NHL next season — and this is a good way to start. 21 saves on 22 shots, good for a .954 save percentage, and a 1.94 Goals Saved Above Expected. This was one of his best games of the year.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/takeaways-flyers-bounce-back-over-washington-with-four-goals/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Owen Tippett dominates in every way possible as Flyers beat Capitals

Owen Tippett had one of those games. The Philadelphia Flyers winger might not have been on the score sheet a whole lot against the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night, but he was all over the ice and showed just how he can take over a game using all the tools he has.

At the end of the night, Tippett scored one goal, an empty netter at that. He added an assist on an extremely pretty goal by Trevor Zegras. And Tippett was third among Flyers forwards with 16:40 ice time, behind Christian Dvorak (19:44) and Travis Konecny (19:01). But there was no Philadelphia player who dominated each of the 23 shifts he was a part of. Simply put, Tippett took the Flyers on his shoulders and beat Washington 4-1. He took just over 27 per cent of the team’s 22 shots (six) and he skated 2.85 miles according to NHL Edge, the most he’s skated in the last 10 games.

To see a forward who has both the physicality and the speed, not to mention what can be a lethal shot, should be something the Flyers are looking forward to keeping with the club given their glut of wingers. Tippett would probably be a key piece in landing a top-end center. But after a game like last night against Washington, would you really be comfortable giving up that potential? Particularly at the rather low, low price of $6.2 million for another six seasons. And also having recently turned 27!

Have a night, OT! #WSHvsPHI | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/QH6yngmJyf

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 12, 2026

While the rather low-key Tippett somewhat downplayed his contribution to Philadelphia’s 4-1 win over Washington, he might have been the only one who wasn’t singing his praises. This included Konecny who was quick to point out what everyone else could see: Tippett was going to get the job done on this night, come hell or high water.

“Oh yeah it’s scary,” Konecny, celebrating another birthday last night, said regarding Tippett’s game. “I mean if I were them I’d just skate to the bench to not eat the minus. I mean it’s crazy, I’ve never seen anything like it — the speed, the shot, that combination. It’s unbelievable.”

Flyers’ Owen Tippett used his speed and size to create magic​

Tippett’s speed has rarely been in doubt. Yet he sometimes has to get himself into that extra gear later in the game, not right from the opening faceoff. He also brought a lot of physical presence on this night, battling the notorious tough (and sporadically cheap) Washington winger Tom Wilson and company and not afraid to stand up for himself. Wilson’s hit on Travis Konecny served as a catalyst for Philadelphia’s response.

Nobody led the response more than Tippett, using his body in a way that Konecny noticed a little bit more on this night than usual.

“I mean I think that’s the next step for him, if he brings that every night, I mean he starts giving himself more space, he just has to use his legs because when he plays physical, guys are kind of playing off him a little bit and then his skill takes over. He’s just got so much potential and I love when you see him realize it during a game. It’s like, ‘I guess this is my game and I’m taking over.’ It’s fun to watch and again he’s just an awesome player, an awesome guy.”

Konecny, who looked no worse for wear after Wilson’s hit but might be feeling it today in Minneapolis, said it’s great when Tippett has that swagger or confidence that often means the Flyers are in for a good night.

“I just love it when you see him do it early in a game and he says, ‘This is my game tonight. I’m going to be this way the whole night,” Konecny says. “He’s a pretty quiet guy, super, super nice and it’s hard to piss him off. But when you do you just get out of the way.”

Speaking for himself, Tippett said he sometimes doesn’t want to deliver a huge hit just to end up getting caught up-ice while the opposition has an odd-man rush. There’s a time and place for everything, but the forward appears to be finding that time and place a whole lot more this season than he did in his first few seasons with Philadelphia.

“You know it’s one of those things where obviously it’s situational at times too,” Tippett said. “But when I think you kind of get a jump you can get loose a little early it gives you the confidence to keep going throughout the game. My legs were good. In years past I would look to hit too much but now I’m trying to pick my spots and not get out of position.”

Breakaway bonanza​

Tippett also was crucial and a pretty give-and-go string of passes in the second period on a two-man breakaway. Zegras echoed a lot of what Konecny said, praising #74 for using his skill set to the max.

“He’s the best,” Zegras said. “He’s literally the best. When that guy is skating I’ve never seen anything like it. And to play with him is such a treat, he had like six breakaways today, it’s crazy. He fell down on the two-on-zero and he was still skating faster than me.”

OT TZ#WSHvsPHI | @Xfinity pic.twitter.com/EOjWpefVEv

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 12, 2026

“The guy’s a stud, he’s an absolute horse for us,” defenseman Jamie Drysdale (who also scored a pretty goal in the third) said of Tippett. “The way he’s been playing this year as a whole. Tonight as well, I think he went end to end 50 times this game. Every time he touches the puck he’s a threat. I wouldn’t want to be a defenseman on an opposing team going with that guy with a head of steam. He led the way tonight and had a great game.”

Perhaps the craziest aspect of seeing Tippett’s speed throughout most of last night was that none of those rushes were in the top 10 in terms of his fastest this season. On Feb. 3 against Washington, Tippett was clocked at 23.40 miles per hour. He’s hit 23 miles per hour or more four times this season. Whether he hits those speeds tonight against Minnesota remains to be seen, particularly on the road and in a back-to-back situation. If he’s capable of a game like he had last night more often than not the rest of the way, then Philadelphia still might have a bit of a pulse yet.

Oh, and needless to say, he wore the mask last night in the locker room. As if there was anyone else in the running!

A Tipp-top game from No. 74. #WSHvsPHI | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/lGlQB7lkwa

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 12, 2026

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/p...n-every-way-possible-as-flyers-beat-capitals/