The Flyers wrapped up their preseason with a busy stretch that gave them a little bit of everything: encouraging flashes, a few roster decisions, and one ugly finale against the Capitals.
Thursday’s penultimate preseason game against the Bruins was the kind of outing the Flyers probably wanted to bottle. There was plenty to like with most of the NHL regulars already having had their first look, and Matvei Michkov and Joseph Woll were the big standouts. By the end of it, the start to the year looked about as good as anyone around the team could have hoped for.
That game also gave Cole Knuble and Jett Luchanko a chance to make their case, and both turned in solid showings. It still wasn’t enough to keep them from the Flyers’ end-of-week cuts, though.
Tocchet flat-out acknowledged that Knuble in particular was pushing some more established players, but that’s the reality of camp sometimes. Charlie has more thoughts in his breakdown of the moves, and Tocchet also explained the reasoning behind the decision.
The move is probably for the best, all things considered, and Jett Luchanko is expected to keep building on that strong camp in a major role with the Phantoms.
There’s also good news on the prospect front elsewhere: Max Westergard has gotten off to a really nice start to his SHL season.
The other headline from Thursday came when Trevor Zegras was penalized for having her jersey tucked, and the next day he was right there posting through it. He also had some support in his dislike of the rule being enforced ahead of Saturday’s game.
Then came the preseason finale against the Capitals, and that one went sideways fast for the Flyers. There were still some positive signs in the team’s process, but the overall result was rough, especially for goaltender Aleksei Kolosov. The outing may have played at least a small part in his being sent down to the Phantoms on Sunday.
David Jiricek also had a rough night, and it may have loosened his hold on a more meaningful role with the team. That makes the whole thing sting a little more, given how big and meaningful this season is supposed to be for him.
It was a disappointing loss, but there may still be something useful the Flyers can take from the humbling they got.
And looking ahead, there’s at least one prospect worth keeping a close eye on: Porter Martone could make some noise in the Calder race, though he’ll have plenty of stiff competition.
In Other News...
Flyers Opening Night Roster Leaves One Early Season Concern
Opening night is here, and the Flyers have settled on their 23-man roster as the NHLs new season gets underway with a five-game slate Tuesday. Philadelphia made its final moves before the league deadline, adding Garrett Wilson to the active roster while also sorting out the last bits of roster business around a league calendar that featured other notable activity, including a six-player deal between Columbus and Toronto and new captains in San Jose and Boston.
For the Flyers, the most immediate concern is the personnel picture they carry into the opener. The club is still working with a roster that has already had to absorb an early injury absences before the first puck drop, which makes the margin for error a little thinner than ideal this time of year. Even with the lineup now officially set, opening night will offer the first real look at how Philadelphia plans to navigate those early-season cracks. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Fans Should Watch This Dylan Larkin Trade Twist
The Flyers went into the summer trying to make a real splash, but the biggest swing came up empty when Anaheim matched the offer sheet for Leo Carlsson. Philadelphia still addressed parts of the roster with Joseph Woll, Noel Acciari and prospect Porter Martone, yet those additions feel more like steady maintenance than the kind of move that changes the conversation around the team. In that kind of market, it makes sense that the Flyers have kept looking for ways to land a bigger-name center to reshape the lineup.
One of the names that has surfaced in that search is Dylan Larkin, and the fit is easy enough to understand from Philadelphias side. The club has explored trade possibilities involving players of that caliber, including discussions around packages built to get something done, but nothing has progressed to the finish line. For now, the Flyers are still waiting for the sort of deal that would bring more impact than depth, and Larkin remains one of the more interesting possibilities hanging out there. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Opening Night Puts Tocchets Biggest Trust Test Front And Center
The Flyers have settled on their opening night roster, and the bigger story is how the lineup is being organized around development as much as immediate results. Philadelphia has spent the buildup sorting out roles and responsibilities based on where each player is in his career arc, with young pieces being eased into bigger jobs while the veterans are expected to keep the group steady. It is the kind of reset that says as much about the coaches priorities as it does about the roster itself.
Matvei Michkov and David Jiricek sit near the center of that plan, even if their assignments are being handled with care. Michkov is part of the young core the Flyers want to keep moving forward, while Jiricek enters the season with the usual questions that come with a player still trying to earn full confidence at the NHL level. Around them, Travis Konecny and Sean Couturier are being leaned on for leadership and stability, and how well that balance holds could go a long way toward telling the Flyers how much trust they can build this fall. [Read more 🡒]