Bill Meltzer’s Flyers blog on Hockey Hot Stove is brought to you by Phans of Philly, by Lights On Electric, by New Balance of Mount Laurel, by Cover All Exteriors, and our newest sponsors, The Mens and Boys Store and Carl’s Cards and Collectibles.
Rick Tocchet’s Philadelphia Flyers (14-7-3) are home on Monday to take on Dane Muse’s Pittsburgh Penguins (12-7-5). The Flyers have posted an 8-3-2 record at home to date. The team has earned points in nine of its last 11 games (7-2-2). They sported 8-4-2 overall record in November. However, it’s time now to turn the page to December and build off the positives from the recent 3-1-0 road trip.
Tocchet’s club notched a 5-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on Saturday. Two goals apiece from Owen Tippett (7th and 8th of the season) and Matvei Michkov (7th and 8th) paced the Flyers offensively. Trevor Zegras (9th) also scored for Philadelphia. Dan Vladar (28 saves) backstopped the win in goal.
The Flyers have posted an 8-3-2 record at home to date. Philly went 8-4-2 in November with points in nine of its last 11 games (7-2-2). The Penguins are 6-3-3 on the road so far this season. Philadelphia’s western Pennsylvania rival went 4-5-3 in November and 4-3-3 over its last 10 games.
Pittsburgh assigned winger Danton Heinen to the AHL’s Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins on Sunday. That might mean that either Justin Brazeau (12 games, 12 points) or Rickard Rakell (nine games, eight points) is poised to exit IR and rejoin the lineup.
Leading scorers: Flyers (through 24 games)
Trevor Zegras — 24 points (9g, 15a)
Travis Konecny — 19 points (5g, 14a)
Owen Tippett — 17 points (8g, 9a)
Christian Dvorak — 16 points (6g, 10a)
Sean Couturier — 15 points (4g, 11a)
Matvei Michkov — 14 points (8g, 6a)
Top goal scorer — Tyson Foerster (9g, 12 points)
Leading scorers: Penguins (through 24 games)
Sidney Crosby — 27 points (16g, 11a)
Evgeni Malkin — 24 points (6g, 18a)
Bryan Rust — 18 points (7g, 11a)
Erik Karlsson – 15 points (1g, 14a)
Anthony Mantha — 14 points (8g, 6a)
Justin Brazeau — 12 points (12 games, 6g. 6a) — IR
Kris Letang — 10 points (2g, 8a)
Projected Flyers lineup
The Flyers had a complete off-day on Sunday after completing their road trip (four games in six nights) the previous evening. Likewise, the Penguins had an off-day.be
The Flyers will hold a 10:30 a.m. ET morning skate on Monday at Xfinity Mobile Arena, following by the Penguins. At that time, the probable starting lineups and goaltenders will become clearer. The lineup below is a placeholder. It will be updated after the morning skate.
As per usual when there’s a full lineup available, Tocchet has two decisions to make: 1) Nikita Grebenkin or Nicolas Deslauriers at fourth line left wing, 2) Egor Zamula or Noah Juulsen on third-pair right defense.
My hunch is that Juulsen draws back into the lineup over Zamula. A contingent of the fan base will surely grumble if Deslauriers replaces Grebenkin. However, Deslauriers got the nod over Grebenkin the last time Philly met Pittsburgh. That game turned out to quite feisty. Consequently, the guess here is that Deslauriers plays on Monday. Grebenkin played in Sunrise, Elmont and Newark. The Flyers’ entire fourth line had a rough game in Friday’s win over the Islanders. Meanwhile, they fared better on Saturday against the Devils.
Tocchet has found an end-around to lineup questions on game day. He announced the starting goaltender. However, when asked if there are other changes, he always says there are some banged-up players who are game-time decisions. Therefore, the locked-in lineup is not 100 percent certain until after line rushes in pregame warmups.
Trevor Zegras- Christian Dvorak – Owen Tippett
Tyson Foerster – Noah Cates – Travis Konecny
Matvei Michkov – Sean Couturier – Bobby Brink
Nikita Grebenkin or Nicolas Deslauriers – Rodrigo Abols – Garnet Hathaway
Cam York – Travis Sanheim
Emil Andrae – Jamie Drysdale
Nick Seeler – Egor Zamula or Noah Juulsen
Dan Vladar
Samuel Ersson
Projected Scratches: Nicolas Deslauriers or Nikita Grebenkin (healthy), Egor Zamula or Noah Juulsen (healthy).
Flyers Daily: Mondays with Meltzer
In this fast-paced 32-minute edition of the Flyers’ flagship podcast, Jason Myrtetus and I delve into an array of topics. The discussions include:
- Kevin Dineen
- Finding various ways to win
- Different lines stand out on different nights
- Individual discussions on Trevor Zegras, Sean Couturier, Matvei Michkov, Cam York, and Dan Vladar
- The need to avoid a post-trip letdown after four games on the road
- Assessment of systems-building with the new coaching staff
- Preseason bold predictions revisited
- Preview of the week ahead
Ginning on waivers
As expected, the Flyers placed defenseman Adam Ginning on waivers on Sunday. The team will learn on Monday afternoon if he clears. If so, he will be assigned to the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Ginning completed a two-week conditioning loan with the Phantoms, compelling the Flyers either to waive the player or reinstate him to the NHL active roster.
Ginning has appeared in five NHL games this season for the Flyers. He spent five games with the Phantoms during the voluntary conditioning assignment. The 2018 second-round draftee has 16 NHL games played for his career to date. He turns 26 in January.
Godspeed, Kevin Dineen
Flyers Alumni forward Kevin Dineen went public on social media on Sunday. He is battling pancreatic cancer. Dineen has always fought the good fight, both on and off the ice. He’s turned his affliction with Crohn’s Disease into a means to raise education and awareness about the condition. He will do the same with his battle with cancer. “Dino” is a born fighter.
Kevin Dineen served as the Flyers’ captain during the 1993-94 season. His father, the late Bill Dineen, coached the team from midway through the 1991-92 campaign through the 1992-93 season.
Autograph and holiday collection event (Dec. 10, 2025)
South Jersey Flyers fans: Come out to the New Balance Mt. Laurel store on Dec. 10 to meet various Flyers Alumni as well as 1990s Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Tommy Greene. The 2025 USA Hockey Warrior Classic top division champion Philadelphia Flyers Warriors will be on hand.
price of admission: one nonperishable food item (to be donated to Philabundance) and one unwrapped new toy or game (to be donated to Toys for Tots).
In return for the food and toy donation, attendees may have one or two items autographed for free. Additional signed items cost $10 per signature. Ten percent of all net proceeds will be donated to Snider Hockey. Additionally, Flyers Hall of Famer Dave Schultz will have copies of his new book, Hammered, for sale and autograph.
Expected Alumni attendees (subject to change): Mark Howe, Bill Barber, Joe Watson. Bob Kelly, Brad Marsh, and Frank “The Animal” Bialowas.
Cyber Monday: For the Flyers fan on your list
- Over the weekend, the Flyers announced their Cyber Monday deals, including 25 percent off Santa Sacks and no-fee deals on select game tickets.
- Phans of Philly has upcoming Flyers road game travel packages to Detroit and California (Anaheim,Los Angeles, San Jose).
- Our friends at Carl’s Cards and Collectibles in Havertown have Cyber Monday deal with free shipping on every purchase. Additionally, the offer includes a free pack of cards. The offer is good for Dec. 1 only. On December 13, longtime Flyers writer Sam Carchidi and Broad St. Bullies era alum Bob “the Hound” Kelly will do an in-store appearance. From 1 to 3 p.m., they will sign copies of Sam’s new book, Bullies.
- Carchidi and Dave “the Hammer” Schultz will have a signing event at Rexy’s in West Collingswood, NJ. Schultz, who will also have copies of his own new book, contributed the foreword to Carchidi’s book. The event is on Friday, December 5, from 4 to 8 p.m. EST.
- No matter the season or event, the Mens and Boys Store in Warminster, PA has been the local men’s clothing store of choice for generations. When you stop in, tell Bonnie that Hockey Hot Stove sent you!
