The Flyers head into Ottawa tonight still searching for their first win of the season, and the lineup card looks different again. After another round of shuffling, they’ll try a new mix against a Senators team featuring a few familiar names, with the hope that this version finally gives them something to build on.
The biggest addition is Michael Bunting, who is set to make his Flyers debut after the recent signing. He’ll start on the fourth line, but the pregame skate suggested he may also see some extra power-play time. It’s a limited first look, but one the Flyers clearly believe could bring some energy to a group that has been missing it.
There’s also a notable change for Trevor Zegras, who is back on the wing alongside Christian Dvorak. That move opens the door for Denver Barkey to get another shot at center in just his second game back from injury. He’ll be flanked by Tyson Foerster and Matvei Michkov, a setup that puts a lot on Barkey’s shoulders while giving him two dangerous wingers to work with.
The Flyers’ projected forwards for the night are Travis Konecny, Sean Couturier and Porter Martone; Zegras, Dvorak and Owen Tippett; Foerster, Barkey and Michkov; and Bunting, Noah Cates and Noel Acciari. On defense, the pairs are Travis Sanheim with Jamie Drysdale, Cam York with David Jiříček, and Nick Seeler with Simon Benoît. Joseph Woll is expected to start, with Dan Vladar listed behind him.
Ottawa’s lineup includes William Eklund, Tim Stützle and Drake Batherson on the top line, followed by Ridly Greig, Dylan Cozens and Fabian Zetterlund; Michael Amadio, Shane Pinto and Claude Giroux; and Warren Foegele, Stephen Halliday and Nick Cousins. The Senators’ defense pairs are Thomas Chabot with Jordan Spence, Tyler Kleven with Carter Yakemchuk, and Cam Crotty with Nikolas Matinpalo. Linus Ullmark is expected in goal, with Sam Ersson backing up.
For the Flyers, this is another chance to stop the slide and start moving in the right direction, even if the first step is just a small one. They’ve done plenty of line juggling already, and now they’re hoping this latest combination can at least bring a little more traction.
In Other News...
Flyers Winless Start Just Made One Lineup Question Impossible To Ignore
The Flyers winless start has only sharpened the scrutiny around a roster that is still taking shape in the early days of the season. Rookie Porter Martone stood out for his effort in the recent loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, another reminder that the team is leaning on young players to provide energy while it searches for more consistent answers at forward.
Michael Buntings arrival has added another layer to the conversation, especially after Philadelphia moved Alex Bump to the Phantoms to make room on the roster. The bigger question now is how Bunting fits into a group that is still sorting out its lineup choices from training camp, and whether the Flyers can find the right balance before the losses start to weigh even more heavily. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Line Chaos Is Making An Already Frustrating Start Worse
The Flyers early-season search for the right forward combinations has already become part of the problem in a frustrating start. Through training camp and the first four games, the club has cycled through line looks without much continuity, leaving most of the group to build chemistry on the fly instead of settling into any kind of rhythm. For a team trying to establish itself quickly, that kind of turnover can make every shift feel like a fresh experiment.
Only one line has really held together long enough to matter, and even that speaks to how scattered the rest of the rotation has been. Compared with the rest of the NHL, Philadelphia has been near the bottom in line consistency this early in the season, which only adds another layer to a start that already feels harder than it should. The hope was that camp would clarify things, but instead the Flyers are still sorting through what their forward groups ought to look like. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Let Another Winnable Game Slip Away For One Frustrating Reason
The Flyers had another one within reach in Ottawa before it slipped away at the Canadian Tire Centre, a familiar kind of loss for a team that has spent too much time looking for cleaner finishes. Philadelphia did get on the board through Matvei Michkov, but the rest of the night felt like a grind through special teams chances and missed opportunities, with the Senators finding answers from Nick Cousins and Carter Yakemchuk.
Philadelphias frustration comes from how close this one stayed, especially with both teams trading power-play looks along the way. The Flyers were still in position late, but a costly penalty opened the door for Ottawa to take control at the end, leaving another game that felt winnable but never quite got away from the Senators for good. [Read more 🡒]