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Full credit to the team- we’ll see if they can beat Metro teams down the stretch to stay in the hunt. So is Zegras a center now? A lot of attention to Tippett during this winning streak, but the move to Zegras at center also happened at the same time. If he can fill 1 of the 2 top 6 center positions going forward, that would help alleviate some pressure. Long-term still think Cates and Dvorak are redundant, but that is an offseason discussion.
Well now that CLB has stuck the dagger in on a second time on the Flyers slim playoff aspirations, the hope is no major injuries the rest of the way. If DiMarco is correct and the untouchable assets are Michkov, Martone, and Foerster then what is the excuse not to see significant roster turnover over the summer. Now the second season in the last 3 where the following core: Ersson, Sanheim, York, Drysdale, Seeler, TK, Couts, Tippett, Cates, and Hathaway (might be missing 1 or 2 other players) who have not got the job done during a slim playoff run to stay in the race and finish the job. Are all of these players building blocks for the culture of winning?
As much as I have disagreed with the path of the rebuild, Briere has done well on the trade front. The players on the roster that Briere has traded during his tenure (probably going to miss a few)- Provy, Hayes, Walker, Poehling, Frost, Farabee, Laughton, Johnson, Brink, and Deslauriers. Arguably the most significant asset Briere traded away was Provy. IIRC, Provy was as much ready to leave as the regime was willing to let him leave. We’ll see if Briere has the courage to trade a player that the regime might make them uncomfortable.
I listed 10 players above as the current core who have been around for both fake playoff runs. Is there a rational reason that at most 4 players need to be retained? If intangibles and room fit do not lead to winning, I am struggling to see the point. This post is no referendum on the current HC. Now 8 seasons out of his 10 seasons as HC, he did not lead his team to a playoff birth. In total transparency, his one playoff birth was in the bubble where pretty much every team made the “playoffs”. Hard to watch an extremely boring style of hockey that does not win.
Time is ticking gentlemen, the summer of ’26 was circled by this regime as “go time”, cannot call a mulligan now because the UFA market did not materialize like you thought.
The real mid-term need is not just a 1C but a 1C that can win draws and improve the power play. I think they’ve got two years to get that guy in here.
I just do not understand why they do not employ a power play coach- ala Joe Mullen. It makes no sense with the financial resources not to go that route. I agree faceoffs are one thing, but even inside the zone setup it is awful. I cannot remember when they got a shot off in the slot on a PP. From a player deployment standpoint, I’m not sure having Tippett touching the puck in the offensive zone is a great idea. I think he has 3 PP goals in his time as a Flyer. The skating ability and velocity of his shot gets outweighed by his decision making with puck. Kind of makes sense considering at 5 on 5, Tippett with the puck on his stick trying to make a decision is not a strength of his. Since the room recognizes TK as the best player on the roster, there is a deference to allow him to get a lot of touches along the half boards. He is way behind G what he can do on the half boards.
In general, I agree an improved PP will help the team, no doubt. I’m not so sure the regime can bring a player in over the next 2 years that will just take over the PP, unless the current roster is completely reshaped. We’ll see if that happens. Not hiring a PP coach makes no sense to me. At best, Tocchet’s teams in the past had middle of the road PPs. Thinking they could not use help from a schematic standpoint I believe is short sighted.
This winning streak has the same level of importance as the January losing streak that supposedly is going to cost them a playoff spot. All of these streaks are part of a season that suggests this team is clearly not a true cup contender. I know, shocker. So since the current regime refuses to trade off assets to give itself the best opportunity for a top 5 pick, the only way forward is to trade roster players who have been with this mediocre team for years. There should be no sacred cows in the organization, but especially roster players over the age of 25. These players at best have shown to be complimentary pieces. Its up to Briere to make these changes with the hindrance of potentially having a player with a NMC not willing to waive. BUF certainly has shown to be further ahead of the Flyers this year and Parayko was like “I’m good”. I find it hard to believe there is a general consensus this summer the Flyers are at the same level as the Sabres for players who could be available with a NMC (ie Tkachuk or Matthews come to mind).
This is the course the current regime has chosen to navigate. They can certainly point to look we have improved with our points total from last year. That is true. However, if at the end of the regular season next season the team is looking outside the playoffs again, there should be no safety net. Stevie Y has gotten a lot of rope in DET for two reasons. First, he is truly a franchise legend who won Cups with DET. Second, he also has a track record of success with his tenure in TB. This current regime has no such track record. Time is ticking gentlemen, the summer of ’26 was circled by this regime as “go time”, cannot call a mulligan now because the UFA market did not materialize like you thought.
The Tocchet fit was odd from the start because throughout his entire HC career his teams were never offensive juggernauts. Now, the argument is Tocchet really never had a chance to coach a really good team. Well, with the shelf life of HCs in the NHL lasting 2 years, one would think a playoff team would have looked at Tocchet as a must have coach to put them over the top if he was viewed that way.
For a team that relies on undersized wings to drive offensive play to use a system which is not dependent on generating speed into the offensive zone seems like a bad fit. I had no issue not making Shaw the HC over the summer. My personal choice was Ferschweiler because Carle was a pipe dream. Just because Hakstol did not not work does not mean close the door on college HCs. There were some good options at the AHL level which were intriguing. Alas, the Flyers hire a retread with 1 true playoff appearance in 9 years. Torts made 12 playoff appearances in his career. I am no fan of Torts, but firing a HC who was probably on his last HC job to replace him with a HC on probably his last HC job in a rebuild seemed like an odd choice.
That’s because it’s not a rebuild. The Flyers have been trying to make the playoffs all along. Viewed through that lens it all makes sense. Remember it wasn’t until towards the end of his final season as coach that Torts accepted that this wasn’t a playoff caliber roster. Michkov and Martone were a product of organizational failure, not planning on the Flyers part.
I tend to agree. After Torts was fired, I really was skeptical with all the Tocchet bluster to the Flyers, even after he left VAN. If they were going retread route, I thought they would have pursued Sullivan a lot harder. It does seem like an old boy Flyers hire, which is sad. Rick Bowness came back to coach Columbus this year. 4 out of his last 5 years as HC his team made the playoffs. The ultimate win now coach with a better track record. A month after Tocchet was hired, Peter Deboer was fired by DAL.
For a front office that likes to show a public perception of being quiet and not say a lot, they sure seem to like to have HCs who do not know when to just shut up. Its a weird mixture. The Flyers will finish better in the standings then last season, but I find this team to be a hard watch most games. Just my opinion. The offensive output still stinks, so the concerns about the Tocchet hire do seem to be justified. Vladar has stolen them points this year and the goalie is part of the team. What track record is there to suggest Tocchet can turn the offense around? 1 year in now 10 years as HC his offense was not even middle of the road. The argument can be made well he never got to be a HC of a good team. Well, this is a league where HCs last about two years, so why did no good teams at the time hire Rick Tocchet. Seems like the relationship between Arizona and himself was mutually beneficial, both sides going nowhere. VAN ownership is known as not really stable. I would have thought that would have been more of a red flag for the regime.
I do agree this no longer a destination franchise. Having players waive NMC to come here is going to be unlikely. The few times an elite talent becomes available without a NMC (ie Quinn Hughes), the organization cannot just say “oh well, we got outbid”. Since free agency is not an option and the current regime has no interest in team stripping to get close to top 5 for the next couple of drafts, the only way forward is more Zegras and Jiricek trades. Players who have not lived up to their pre draft hype. That’s why the team has to be willing to move Tippett and/or Foerster this summer. See if they can get Berniers out of SEA. Another organization going no where with a high draft pick who has not lived up to his hype on a long-term contract. Notice he does not have a NMC clause. The regime will need some luck and a HC to maximize the skill of Michkov and Martone. I’m not sure which is more likely- getting the luck needed to win big in Zegras type trades or the current HC who can maximize his players’ performance.
how can any person have any faith in tocchet is baffling. returning players have regressed.
agree with pretty much the rest.
zegras has a nice bounce back season no doubt. that being said he has cooled off a lot since the new year. will be interesting to see what type of contract he wants/ends up signing. Is he a guy you commit 8 years to? I am sure the flyers think so.
with the way the flyers draft their best bet is a trade. though danny refuses to move off is “guys”. severely overrates them and places way too high a value.
The Tocchet fit was odd from the start because throughout his entire HC career his teams were never offensive juggernauts. Now, the argument is Tocchet really never had a chance to coach a really good team. Well, with the shelf life of HCs in the NHL lasting 2 years, one would think a playoff team would have looked at Tocchet as a must have coach to put them over the top if he was viewed that way.
For a team that relies on undersized wings to drive offensive play to use a system which is not dependent on generating speed into the offensive zone seems like a bad fit. I had no issue not making Shaw the HC over the summer. My personal choice was Ferschweiler because Carle was a pipe dream. Just because Hakstol did not not work does not mean close the door on college HCs. There were some good options at the AHL level which were intriguing. Alas, the Flyers hire a retread with 1 true playoff appearance in 9 years. Torts made 12 playoff appearances in his career. I am no fan of Torts, but firing a HC who was probably on his last HC job to replace him with a HC on probably his last HC job in a rebuild seemed like an odd choice.
I do agree this no longer a destination franchise. Having players waive NMC to come here is going to be unlikely. The few times an elite talent becomes available without a NMC (ie Quinn Hughes), the organization cannot just say “oh well, we got outbid”. Since free agency is not an option and the current regime has no interest in team stripping to get close to top 5 for the next couple of drafts, the only way forward is more Zegras and Jiricek trades. Players who have not lived up to their pre draft hype. That’s why the team has to be willing to move Tippett and/or Foerster this summer. See if they can get Berniers out of SEA. Another organization going no where with a high draft pick who has not lived up to his hype on a long-term contract. Notice he does not have a NMC clause. The regime will need some luck and a HC to maximize the skill of Michkov and Martone. I’m not sure which is more likely- getting the luck needed to win big in Zegras type trades or the current HC who can maximize his players’ performance.
Every franchise goes through the process of being a “non destination franchise”, very few franchises stay competitive for more than a decade or so before they start to decline. As a general rule of thumb. Look at the Coyotes/Mammoth, we sucked in Arizona for how long? 20 years? Until we hired a GM, Bill Armstrong in Sept 2020, who was committed to properly rebuild, with the blessing of ownership, Arizona was a no-go destination. Now we have some good young players and a new owner who’s committed to winning. Right now you’re in the John Chayka phase, eventually you’ll get to the point where Briere is gone and ownership submits to a proper rebuild, although, you’re already set up pretty good with picks for 2026 and 2027 where you have two 1st’s and two 3rd’s.
First, fair play to Utah no longer being an irrelevant franchise. Certainly, Weeger did waive his NTC to come to Utah. I think we can agree Weeger is a really good Dman, not elite (not many elite Dman in the league-not meant to be a dig). However, I do think there are destination franchises that truly elite players will only waive to go to in a trade in this current environment. The no state tax franchises do have an advantage. Bettman can downplay that factor all he wants, but it is a factor with today’s player simply because of the salary cap. Some players like Panarin enjoy playing in large media markets. Pre cap the Flyers had a tremendous advantage with Snider at the helm. The Flyers and other big market teams just would outspend other franchises because they had such an advantage accumulating revenue.
Hypothetically, let’s assume B. Tkachuk and A. Matthews decide they will not extend with their current franchises in a few years. As a Flyers fan, I would be shocked to see them waive to come here. Does the Utah franchise have a better chance then Philly to land them? Probably. On the same level as Vegas, TB, FLA, DAL, CHI, LA, or NYR? Probably not. So I disagree with you it is only cyclical based upon if a franchise is playing competitive hockey. In 5 years, may be my opinion will change.
I do agree this no longer a destination franchise. Having players waive NMC to come here is going to be unlikely. The few times an elite talent becomes available without a NMC (ie Quinn Hughes), the organization cannot just say “oh well, we got outbid”. Since free agency is not an option and the current regime has no interest in team stripping to get close to top 5 for the next couple of drafts, the only way forward is more Zegras and Jiricek trades. Players who have not lived up to their pre draft hype. That’s why the team has to be willing to move Tippett and/or Foerster this summer. See if they can get Berniers out of SEA. Another organization going no where with a high draft pick who has not lived up to his hype on a long-term contract. Notice he does not have a NMC clause. The regime will need some luck and a HC to maximize the skill of Michkov and Martone. I’m not sure which is more likely- getting the luck needed to win big in Zegras type trades or the current HC who can maximize his players’ performance.
I guess Briere just refuses to acknowledge the likelihood of a player falling off a cliff from a production standpoint begins around 33 years old. Oh but look, they can always trade him Dvorak because by year 3 he will have a limited no trade clause. Here’s the issue just because there is an avenue to trade a player at that age, does not mean there will be a market. My current example is Garnet Hathaway.
Full credit to Dvorak maximizing his value this half season. I guess there was no need to find out whether he could replicate production with other forwards besides just being stapled next to Zegras all season. Three years from now, the odds are extremely high Couts and Dvorak will still be on the roster anchoring the 4th line. Sure the cap is increasing, over $12 million dedicated to the 4th line seems like a bad strategy even if the cap is above $130 million. I do not recall the Panthers spending potentially 8-10% of their cap on their 4th lines.
Full credit to Ersson playing well. Whew that was such a soft call on Couts late in the third. Felt the HaWks would punch thru to tie the game, but the defense held. That #9 on the blueline keeps playing well. Really, really solid in all areas of the ice.
Does the team go full Torts mode tonight in the defensive zone with Ersson in net? Ersson has played in a 123 games in his career, he is what he is at least for this organization. I do believe a change of scenery will be best for his career. I wonder how much longer the leash will be for Ersson to try and improve. I would assume latest Olympic break, if he is still below .890 save %, they will have to give Kolosov some games to lessen the burden on Vladar.
Blue line competence and goaltending can take a team pretty far. The Drysdale/Andrae pair has been a revelation. They were supposed to get caved in because of size, but that has not happened. I hope Tocchet has learned if he wants to roll 4 lines, he is going to have to put some talent on the 4th line as opposed to “culture guys”.
Probable playoff contender is an improvement. However, to avoid purgatory Briere will have to trade assets to improve the roster. Prospects in the pipeline will not be enough to push the team to a true Cup contender. I do believe the Hughes trade was an insight into the future when the few times an elite talent becomes available. With all teams having cap space now with the cap rapidly rising, it will be a highly leveraged seller’s market. Now, there will be more Zegras type trades out there in the future also. He has to be involved in those and hit big like Zegras.
On a side note, that TOR 1st just keeps elevating in value. Grebenkin has more points then Laughton so far this season (granted Grebenkin has played 7 more games).
I believe it is safe to assume Ersson is a below average backup goaltender playing in the NHL. The third goal at the end of the second period was a shot that needs to be stopped. Ersson is now sitting at a .869 save %, there is no way a team can make the playoffs playing a goal 30 or more games with such poor results. Even if he can get back to his career .886 save % will not be good enough, especially considering this HC is certainly more concerned about defensive responsibility over offensive attack.
The 4th line can easily be reshuffled with players already on the roster and the HC just will not do it. He only allows the team to go to attack mode right after a PK. For Briere to be shopping for a 4th line center when that position can be easily filled internally is foolish. Of course, I expect that path to be chosen.
Nd- Abols – GH is not a an nhl viable 4th line.
IMO they need to replace all 3. after all these years they still can’t even produce a solid 4th line internally. I do not think they have anyone on the phantoms to fill the 4th line role the coach envisions. he seems to have a 1 track mind of the role of a 4th line.
refuses to have grebenkin play every game in that role. Said a while back can’t wait to see who they acquire to be the next Grant/Thompson.
Sam has never been that good no matter where he has played professionally. If they re-sign him with a raise that will be very funny.
For me, the center depth chart should be fairly simple this season-
Zegras-Dvorak-Cates-Couts
I have no illusions this is a Cup contending team making these changes. However, I do not understand the willingness to use assets to upgrade 4C outside the organization considering the team is not a true contender. Couts on the 4th line will still allow him to get over 12 minutes. He will still play PK and PP. In theory, maximizing the offensive attack for the team will allow more opportunities for the team to be protecting a lead in the 3rd period. Couts would be taking defensive draws outside of his line rotating with the other lines. The HC likes to rotate 4 lines. Well, in my hypothetical I would form Grebenkin-Couts-Grundstrom even with Foerster out.
All that being written, the chances of these changes happening is slim to none. Just waiting for Teddy Blueger to come off IR and Briere to trade a draft pick for him.
I believe it is safe to assume Ersson is a below average backup goaltender playing in the NHL. The third goal at the end of the second period was a shot that needs to be stopped. Ersson is now sitting at a .869 save %, there is no way a team can make the playoffs playing a goal 30 or more games with such poor results. Even if he can get back to his career .886 save % will not be good enough, especially considering this HC is certainly more concerned about defensive responsibility over offensive attack.
The 4th line can easily be reshuffled with players already on the roster and the HC just will not do it. He only allows the team to go to attack mode right after a PK. For Briere to be shopping for a 4th line center when that position can be easily filled internally is foolish. Of course, I expect that path to be chosen.
With Risto back, I do wonder if Tocchet will split up Drysdale and Andrae. The time on ice was much more evenly spread out among the 6 Dmen then previously when Risto and York were on the shelf. This team really relies a lot on the Dmen generating offense, so I anticipate splitting up 2 puck moving Dmen eventually.
As far as Hathaway, I just do not understand the thought process at this point. Back in the day, Kent Manderville could at least take faceoffs while giving no offense.
