The Philadelphia Flyers are officially in a tailspin. After a promising start to the season, they're now stuck in a six-game losing streak and staring down a brutal stretch of games against some of the NHL’s top-tier teams.
With 47 games in the books, the Flyers sit at 22-17-8, good for 52 points-just barely clinging to fifth place in the Metropolitan Division. And with the Blue Jackets (51 points), Devils (50), and Rangers (48) breathing down their necks, the margin for error is shrinking fast.
So what’s gone wrong? In short: a little bit of everything.
Injuries, inconsistent goaltending, collapsing special teams, and defensive breakdowns have all played a part in this downward spiral. Let’s unpack it.
Injury Bug Bites Hard
Every team deals with injuries over an 82-game grind, but when key contributors start dropping, it can derail momentum in a hurry. That’s exactly what’s happened in Philly.
In just the first few weeks of January, the Flyers lost defensemen Jamie Drysdale and Rasmus Ristolainen, forwards Bobby Brink and Rodrigo Abols, and goaltender Dan Vladar. Of that group, only Drysdale has returned to action.
Drysdale and Brink were both on the receiving end of heavy-some would say dirty-hits in a January 6th game against Anaheim. The hits from Ross Johnston and Jansen Harkins looked like textbook blindsides, but neither drew a fine or suspension from the league. That’s a tough pill to swallow for a team already struggling to keep its lineup intact.
But the injury with the biggest ripple effect might be Vladar’s. The netminder went down with a lower-body injury against Buffalo on January 14th.
While the team hasn’t disclosed the exact play, it appeared to happen just before Rasmus Dahlin’s goal-possibly during a sequence where Vladar overextended his right leg. Since then, the Flyers’ goaltending situation has gone from shaky to downright unstable.
Then there’s the injury to Rodrigo Abols, which looked brutal. It happened in their most recent game against the Rangers, when his right skate got caught in the ice and twisted awkwardly. The replay is hard to watch, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he’s out long-term.
Goaltending Woes
With Vladar sidelined, the Flyers have turned to Sam Ersson and Aleksei Kolosov-and it hasn’t gone well.
Ersson started the January 15th matchup against Pittsburgh but was pulled in the second period after giving up three goals on just 14 shots. Kolosov came in and fared no better, surrendering three goals on 16 shots. Final score: 6-3 Penguins.
The next game, the roles reversed. Kolosov got the start against the Rangers and allowed three goals on the first three shots he faced.
Yes, you read that right. Ersson came in for relief duty and gave up three more goals on 25 shots.
Another 6-3 loss.
The Flyers are hoping Vladar might be able to rejoin the team for an upcoming three-game road trip, depending on how his therapy progresses. If not, he’ll remain in Philadelphia to continue rehabbing.
In the meantime, the numbers don’t lie. Ersson, through 19 appearances (17 starts), has a 6-8-4 record with a 3.43 goals-against average and a .855 save percentage. Kolosov, in four games (two starts), is still searching for his first NHL win, sitting at 0-2-0 with a 4.00 GAA and .830 save percentage.
Special Teams Breakdown
The Flyers’ special teams have been a glaring issue during this skid-and frankly, it’s not a new problem.
Let’s start with the power play. Over the last six games, Philly has had 17 opportunities with the man advantage and cashed in just twice.
That’s an 11.7% success rate. On the season, they’re dead last in the league at 14.9%.
The Flyers made changes to their coaching staff this past offseason in hopes of sparking improvement, but so far, the results just aren’t there.
The penalty kill, which started the year as one of the NHL’s best, has also taken a nosedive. At one point, they were ranked third in the league.
But during this six-game skid, they’ve allowed eight goals on 21 opponent power plays-a 38% success rate for the opposition. That’s a massive hit to their season-long numbers, dropping them to a 77.6% kill rate, which ranks 22nd in the NHL.
When both units are underperforming this badly, it’s tough to win games-especially close ones.
Defensive Breakdowns
It’s not just the goaltending or special teams. The Flyers’ defensive structure has been leaking oil for a while now. This isn’t a new issue, but it’s become more pronounced during the current slump.
Too often, the Flyers are letting games get away from them early. Opponents are scoring in bunches, often thanks to blown assignments, missed coverages, or sloppy zone exits. It’s the kind of stuff that snowballs quickly-especially when your goaltenders are struggling to make the routine saves.
If the Flyers want to stop the bleeding, it has to start in their own end. That means cleaner passes, smarter positioning, and better communication. Don’t dig yourself into a hole in the first period and expect to climb out of it every night.
Looking Ahead
There’s still time to turn things around, but the Flyers are running out of runway. The next stretch of games won’t be easy, and with the standings tightening up in the Metro, every point counts.
Getting healthy will help. Getting consistent goaltending would help even more. But above all, this team needs to rediscover the identity that kept them in the playoff hunt through the first half of the season-gritty, disciplined, and defensively sound.
Right now, that version of the Flyers feels like a distant memory. But hockey seasons are long, and slumps-no matter how ugly-can end just as quickly as they start. The question now is: can the Flyers stop the slide before it buries them?