The Flyers head into Saturday night in Columbus trying to bottle up the one thing that’s felt elusive for much of this stretch: a complete game. Their last outing against the Blue Jackets may have ended in defeat, but it was still their best loss of the season, a comeback effort that saw Philadelphia erase a 3-0 deficit and force overtime. Now they get the rematch at Nationwide Arena, with puck drop set for 7:00 PM ET.
Philadelphia has won just once in its last five games, that victory coming against the Vancouver Canucks. Over their last 10, the Flyers are 3-4-3.
Columbus hasn’t exactly been rolling either, dropping three straight and going 2-3 over its last five. The Blue Jackets have picked up points in nine of their last 10 games, though three of those wins came in overtime, and their recent skid has come against the Sabres, Panthers, and Lightning.
The Flyers’ projected blue line for this one has Travis Sanheim paired with Jamie Drysdale, Cam York alongside Oliver Bonk, and Nick Seeler with Rasmus Ristolainen. In goal, Dan Vladar is listed, with Joseph Woll also noted.
On the special teams front, the first power-play unit is Drysdale, Zegras, Barkey, Martone, and Michkov, while the second unit features Bonk, Dvorak, Foerster, Tippett, and Konecny. The penalty kill groups are Couturier, Dvorak, York, and Sanheim on the first unit, with Cates, Foerster, Ristolainen, and Seeler on the second.
There’s a decent chance Vladar gets the nod again after what Rick Tocchet has said about wanting to get a goalie rolling in that No. 1 role. Vladar has had only one chance at back-to-back starts since Tocchet made that point, but he was strong against Edmonton. With this being the first half of a weekend back-to-back, it would make sense to lean on him here before the Flyers return home Sunday to face the Oilers.
That schedule setup matters, too. Philadelphia had two days between games for travel and practice, so the energy should be there from the opening faceoff.
The Flyers have been chasing better starts, and Wednesday’s effort was encouraging on the defensive side. Columbus, though, presents a different kind of challenge than Edmonton.
The question now is whether Philadelphia can carry that same edge into another game and finally stack two solid performances together.
In Other News...
Flyers Just Turned Up The Pressure On Rick Tocchet
The Flyers are suddenly dealing with more than just the usual early-season scrutiny, because Danny Briere has now publicly weighed in on the noise surrounding Matvei Michkov and his reported desire to leave the team. Brieres comments also put a spotlight on the relationship between Michkov and Rick Tocchet, a pairing that has become part of the larger conversation around where this season is headed and how quickly the organization expects progress.
For Tocchet, the message from the front office sounds a lot like a challenge and a deadline rolled into one. Briere made clear he expects the coach to find answers and get the team moving in the right direction, which is the kind of public pressure that tends to follow a team when results are lagging. Even without anything being spelled out, the tone of those remarks suggests the Flyers are watching closely, and Tocchets margin for patience may not be as wide as it once seemed. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Could Hand Mat Barzal The Finisher Hes Been Missing
Matvei Michkovs name has quickly become part of the bigger conversation around the Flyers uneven start, and not just because of what he can do on the ice. Philadelphia has already dealt with a rough opening to the season and growing scrutiny around Rick Tocchet, and now the 2023 seventh overall pick is being discussed in a far more uneasy context, with reports suggesting uncertainty about whether he wants to keep his career going in Philadelphia. For a team that drafted him as a cornerstone talent, that kind of noise only adds to the pressure around everything else going on.
The Islanders, meanwhile, have been floated as a possible landing spot in the kind of speculative scenario that gets attention because of fit as much as talent. Michkovs skill set would naturally invite questions about how he would mesh with New Yorks roster and coaching structure, especially if the Flyers decide his situation has become too complicated to manage. For now, it remains a possibility rather than a move, but it is the sort of storyline that can linger when a young player, a frustrated team and a division rival all enter the same conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Have Two Personnel Developments Fans Will Want To Watch
Noel Acciari was back in full practice participation after an upper-body injury, a welcome development for a Flyers group that has been managing its share of bumps and bruises. For a team trying to keep its forward depth intact, getting a veteran role player back on the ice is the kind of update that matters even before the lineup card is finalized.
There was also a notable off-ice development for the organization, with prospect Brek Liske committing to the University of Wisconsin for next season. For the Flyers, it adds another name to keep track of in the pipeline, while the broader injury picture around the league continues to shift with several players nearing returns and others still working back from longer-term issues. [Read more 🡒]