The Flyers closed last week with plenty of noise around them, and not the good kind. The losses sparked some heavy comments and left real questions hanging over the team’s culture, with the mood around the group turning more fragile as moves were made that felt a little like finger pointing.
A lot of the heat is landing on the coach, and that makes sense. But the idea that simply moving on from him would solve everything doesn’t really hold up.
The bigger issue is what comes next, and that’s the part still waiting to be answered. There was even some loose talk about a dream swing for Nikita Kucherov, a long shot by any measure, but the kind of idea that would look awfully fun alongside Michkov.
What the Flyers clearly need is a return to the core of what made them successful last season, even if that’s easier to say than to actually pull off. Getting healthier should help, and practice offered some signs that Travis Konecny and Owen Tippett were on the way back. That turned out to be true for Sunday’s game against the Mammoth.
To make the roster work, Hunter McDonald was sent back down to the Phantoms. It makes sense, but it still stings a little.
There’s still more room for young players to keep pushing their games forward, too, including Alex Bump, who remains in something of a strange spot with his own play. And then, after all the concern and all the buildup, the Flyers finally gave themselves a cleaner ending to the day: they won. They actually did it.
One other name that kept popping up was Shane Wright, but in the end he was traded to the Predators.
In Other News...
Flyers Finally Get A Needed Boost As Pressure Builds Up Front
The Flyers are getting some much-needed help back up front as the season keeps grinding on, with Travis Konecny and Owen Tippett both activated off injured reserve. Their return comes at a time when Philadelphia has been looking for a spark and a little more stability in the lineup, especially with the demands that keep piling up on the forward group.
Konecny and Tippett have each been sidelined for a stretch, and their absence has been felt as the Flyers try to keep pace. Getting both back into the mix gives the team a better chance to spread out the workload and add some punch to the attack, even if the bigger question is how quickly they can settle back in and help right away. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Need A Response In A Reset Game Against Dangerous Utah
The Flyers are back home looking for a reset after a rough stretch, and the timing could hardly be more important. Utah comes in with momentum after an overtime win and enough offense to punish a team that has been struggling to find its footing, so this is not the kind of opponent that lets a club ease back into rhythm.
Philadelphia did get some encouraging roster movement Saturday, and the group could look a little closer to full as it tries to steady itself. The bigger question is whether the Flyers can clean up their game quickly enough to match a dangerous Utah team, especially with the goaltending assignment still looming as part of the nights setup. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Finally Looked Whole Again In A Win They Needed
For one night at Xfinity Mobile Arena, the Flyers looked a lot closer to whole. They snapped a three-game losing streak with a 6-3 win over the Mammoth, and the scoring came from all over the lineup as Matvei Michkov, Noah Cates, Christian Dvorak, Oliver Bonk and Cole Knuble all found the net in a game that had the feel of a needed reset.
The bigger lift was the return of some familiar pieces, with Travis Konecny and Owen Tippett back in the mix after missing time. Dan Vladar backed it up with 19 saves, and while the Flyers still have more work ahead, the next test comes quickly with the Wild on deck. [Read more 🡒]