The Flyers just wrapped up a four-game road trip that started with a thud but ended with a bang - and suddenly, things are getting interesting in the Metropolitan Division.
Let’s rewind for a second. The trip opened with a 3-0 shutout loss to Tampa Bay, a game where the Flyers looked flat from puck drop to final horn.
It was the kind of performance that raises red flags, especially when you’re about to face three more tough opponents in Florida, the Islanders, and New Jersey. A winless road swing felt like a real possibility.
Instead, the Flyers flipped the script.
They rattled off three straight wins to close out November, collecting six points and climbing to 31 on the season. That puts them third in the Metro and tied for seventh in the NHL in total points.
Even more impressive? They're tied for sixth in points percentage - a telling stat that reflects how efficient they’ve been with the games they’ve played.
Now, let’s talk context. American Thanksgiving is often seen as a measuring stick in the NHL - a point in the season where playoff contenders begin to separate themselves from the pack.
But this year? The standings are tighter than ever.
As of Sunday morning, only five teams had more than 32 points. Meanwhile, 19 teams were bunched up between 26 and 32 points.
That’s a razor-thin margin separating top-tier clubs from the middle of the pack.
In that kind of environment, a three-game win streak isn’t just a hot run - it’s a standings-changer. And for the Flyers, it’s the kind of stretch that keeps them right in the thick of the playoff conversation.
Shootout Turnaround
Let’s be honest: for years, the shootout was the Flyers’ kryptonite. Since the NHL introduced it in 2005-06, no team had a worse record in the skills competition. Coming into this season, the Flyers had gone 60-100 in shootouts - a .375 win percentage that ranked dead last in the league.
But something’s changed. Dramatically.
Over the last two seasons, no team has gone to the shootout more than the Flyers - 14 times in total. And they’ve flipped the narrative, going 11-3 in those games.
This season alone, they’re a perfect 5-0. That .786 win percentage is the best in the NHL.
So what’s behind the sudden success?
Start with Trevor Zegras. The guy has been nothing short of electric in shootouts.
He’s four-for-four this season, and it’s not just luck - it’s a clinic in creativity and confidence. With the Olympics on the horizon, there’s already chatter about whether he should get a look for Team USA based solely on his shootout prowess, a la T.J.
Oshie in 2014.
And the numbers back it up. Zegras has scored on 17 of his 25 career shootout attempts - a staggering 68% success rate.
For perspective, Patrick Kane - the NHL’s all-time leader in shootout attempts - has a 39.8% success rate. Alex Ovechkin?
29.1%. Even the legendary Pavel Datsyuk, known for his hands, sits at 40.8%.
Zegras is operating on a different level.
Then there’s the goaltending. Sam Ersson has been the man in net for four of the Flyers’ five shootout wins this season.
Over the past three seasons, he leads the league in shootout victories with 12. His .792 save percentage in shootouts ranks sixth among goalies with at least five appearances during that span - and that’s not a small sample anymore.
Dan Vladar, who’s quietly been solid all season, also added a shootout win to his résumé. Between the pipes, the Flyers are getting clutch performances when it matters most - and those extra points are adding up.
In fact, five of the Flyers’ 31 points have come via shootout wins. Not long ago, that would’ve seemed unthinkable.
Balanced Scoring Attack
Outside of the Tampa Bay shutout, the Flyers have started to find their offensive rhythm. Over their last eight games, they’ve scored 27 goals - a sign that this team isn’t relying on just one or two guys to carry the load.
Tyson Foerster and Zegras are tied for the team lead with nine goals apiece. Right behind them are Matvei Michkov and Owen Tippett, each with eight. And while Travis Konecny has only five goals so far, his 19 points in 24 games show he’s still a key playmaker.
This kind of scoring depth is what separates competitive teams from playoff teams. The Flyers aren’t just leaning on their top line - they’re getting contributions throughout the lineup. That’s especially important when you’re grinding through a long season and trying to avoid the peaks and valleys that can derail momentum.
Consistency is still the next step. The Flyers have shown they can win ugly, win tight, and win in shootouts. Now it’s about stringing those performances together and building a foundation that lasts deep into the season.
The Bottom Line
This Flyers team isn’t perfect, but they’re showing something that’s been missing in recent years - resilience. They took a gut-punch loss in Tampa and answered with three straight wins.
They’ve turned a long-standing shootout weakness into a legitimate strength. And they’re getting goals from all over the lineup.
There’s a long road ahead in the 2025-26 season, but right now, the Flyers are in the mix - and they’re earning their spot.