It is been a lengthy 2022 for the Flyers and their followers. The group has experienced by means of a good deal of losses, been stricken by injuries to crucial gamers, dealt with a coaching improve, and mentioned goodbye to a person of the franchise’s best-ever players in Claude Giroux.
How terrible has it been? The Flyers have gathered a putrid 24-51-12 report and earned just 60 of a probable 174 factors in the course of the calendar 12 months (.344 details share). Over that extend, they have also labored via three individual losing streaks of at the very least 10 game titles, such as a franchise-history 13-sport skid to get started the calendar year. Not to be outdone, the Flyers have misplaced 19 of 24 to shut out the 12 months.
In other phrases, Flyers followers can’t wait around to say goodbye to 2022. As the crew embarks on the 2nd fifty percent of a third straight tough time, in no certain buy, in this article are 10 wishes for the Flyers in 2023:
The Flyers’ major shortcoming is a deficiency of significant-end offensive talent. The best way to purchase that is via the NHL draft. After landing the No. 5 decide on previous 12 months and selecting Cutter Gauthier, the Flyers would really like to land one more major pick in 2023. The Flyers at this time have the fifth-very best odds at landing the No. 1 all round decide on, with generational prospect Connor Bedard the prize for the eventual lottery winner. When No. 1 is the aspiration and the quickest route to turning close to the franchise’s fortunes, other gifted players will be readily available at the leading of the initial round. Many scouts job College of Michigan phenom Adam Fantilli to be a potential All-Star, whilst Russian star Matvei Michkov also has star possible, even though acquiring him over to North The usa could prove a headache.
» Read through Much more: Flyers prospect Cutter Gauthier ‘focused on winning gold’ with Staff United states of america at the Environment Juniors
Soon after a disastrous 2021 period and a very poor next 50 percent to final year, Carter Hart has been stellar this season, singlehandedly preserving the Flyers in game titles most nights. His .911 help save proportion and 2.89 targets-against typical are reliable but he’s been even better than that when you think about the team’s inexperience and inadequate defensive perform in entrance of him. Hart has confronted the next most pictures in the league, ranks third in will save, and is fifth in objectives saved previously mentioned expected with 12.8. The Flyers have lengthy hoped Hart would get the reins of getting a bona fide No. 1 NHL netminder and he’s carried out just that so much this year. Now we’ll see no matter whether he can sustain this concentrate and common around a complete 82 game titles.
Whether or not by choice or mainly because of accidents, the Flyers have played the young ones this yr. Whilst that has come with its truthful share of increasing pains, it has not been all lousy from the Flyers’ young corps. Former 1st-rounders Owen Tippett (11 objectives), Cam York (5 points in nine games), and lately Morgan Frost (eight factors in his final eight video games) have proven indicators they could be turning the corner, though 20-12 months-outdated sniper Tyson Foerster has impressed in the AHL, and Gauthier, 18, is lighting up the NCAA ranks as a freshman. At this time past year, there weren’t lots of positives in conditions of the organization’s younger players a 12 months on and that looks to be little by little transforming. The second 50 percent of the season is a prospect for John Tortorella to keep on to consider these kids and provide them with on-the-position experience at the NHL amount. Frost last but not least coming excellent on his potential would be a large strengthen for an group that has swung and missed considerably too usually around the very last ten years.
» Go through Extra: As assured as at any time, Flyers’ Morgan Frost working to confirm he can be a steady NHL menace
Listed here are the facts. Kevin Hayes is the Flyers’ next-maximum-paid out participant at $7.142 million per calendar year by the 2026 year. John Tortorella has not been pleased with Hayes’ defensive participate in this year, as evidenced by various in-recreation benchings and Hayes being a wholesome scratch on Dec. 17. Matters are coming to a head, proper? Effectively, offered Hayes’ albatross of a deal, it would seem that he and Tortorella will be caught alongside one another at minimum for the immediate potential. With that explained, the two want to come across a way to coexist, as persistently benching a player averaging .86 factors for each activity is not the resolution for a Flyers workforce that ranks fourth from the bottom in objectives per match (2.61). Of course, Hayes could be greater in his own conclude but he’s also a single of the only Flyers who is continuously manufacturing points. The two need to sit down and meet each other midway. If they really do not nip this disconnect in the bud now, it has the likely to transform into a really cancerous dynamic.
Previous calendar year, the Flyers did a great job of turning a 34-12 months-aged Claude Giroux into a superior young participant in Owen Tippett and long run first- and third-round picks. Giroux was a franchise icon but finding a 23-calendar year-aged, previous to start with-rounder, and two worthwhile draft picks represents a superior haul. The Flyers also flipped expendable veterans Justin Braun and Derick Brassard for third- and fourth-spherical picks, respectively. This 12 months, they have additional belongings to shift prior to the March 20 deadline, with James van Riemsdyk the likeliest to go supplied his expiring contract. The staff could also decide to pull the cause on a even larger move and look to deliver back again a package deal of belongings. Defenseman Ivan Provorov, who has two many years remaining at $6.75 million for every 12 months, still has substantial trade value, as does Scott Laughton as a depth participant/penalty-killing ace. Supplied the team’s very long-expression outlook and current cap scenario, all moves should be viewed as.
The Flyers’ top four defensemen are all locked in as a result of subsequent period, with a few of them — Ivan Provorov, Travis Sanheim, and Rasmus Ristolainen — signed by way of 2025. Increase in Tony DeAngelo, and all four are earning at minimum $5 million for each 12 months, with the Flyers established to commit $23.1 million and just about 30{194d821e0dc8d10be69d2d4a52551aeafc2dee4011c6c9faa8f16ae7103581f6} of their projected cap to that quartet following year. With Provorov nonetheless seeking for a lover considering the fact that Matt Niskanen’s retirement, the Flyers have lately experimented with York together with the Russian defenseman. This is an appealing experiment, as pairing Provorov with a different puck-mover could reignite his offensive video game. In the meantime, Tortorella hasn’t provided the Sanheim-Ristolainen pairing that GM Chuck Fletcher raved about very last yr considerably of a opportunity, and Ristolainen has been specially negative. The Flyers have produced their bed by giving their defenseman these contracts. Now it is time for them to locate a way to make the greatest of it.
For the reason that of two again surgeries, Sean Couturier has not suited up for a video game with the Flyers considering the fact that Dec. 18, 2021. The team’s finest forward and a single of the prime two-way facilities in the total NHL, Couturier has missed the Flyers’ very last 95 game titles, a severe blow for a participant even now in the primary of his vocation and who experienced just signed an 8-calendar year, $62 million deal extension. Couturier, who underwent his second back surgical procedure in October with a recovery timeline of 3 to 4 months, began skating on his possess this 7 days. The 2020 Selke Trophy winner has averaged .88 factors for every match more than his very last five seasons, which includes two times crossing the 75-position plateau. The prepare is for Couturier to return this period, so fingers crossed, there are no additional setbacks for the franchise cornerstone.
Preserving in line with the Couturier product, the Flyers would seem to be thanks for some fantastic health and fitness in 2023. Just after struggling about 500 gentleman-video games misplaced previous time, factors have not gotten any better this yr with Couturier suffering a setback and Ryan Ellis (pelvic injuries) and Cam Atkinson (neck) acquiring previously been dominated out for the time. Incorporate in offseason surgeries for Joel Farabee (disk alternative), Bobby Brink (hip), and Patrick Brown (back again), and far more small accidents earlier this period to Travis Konecny (hand), James van Riemsdyk (finger), Scott Laughton (higher overall body), and Wade Allison (oblique and hip), and it would be tricky to argue that the Flyers aren’t cursed. Let us all would like the Flyers improved health in 2023 — they need to have it!
The Flyers have not received a Stanley Cup in 47 many years and it could be an additional 47 if they really don’t get a lengthy-overdue glimpse in the mirror. The team’s management team has constantly opted for brief fixes to test to keep applicable, specially not long ago, and these decisions have subsequently blown up in its face. In the midst of a 3rd straight playoff-considerably less season, it is time for the Flyers to at last give up the charade and dedicate to rebuilding. The staff is not “two or three” parts away, as CEO Dave Scott reported in January, and as an alternative demands to absolutely crack the household down ahead of rebuilding it back again up. Drafting Gauthier was a begin, but extra large-end expertise is essential in an organization that ranks in the base third of the league in phrases of prospect pools. The Flyers have performed the center for significantly also very long — see the shortsighted moves for Tortorella, DeAngelo, and Nicolas Deslauriers this earlier summertime — with no a distinct route. Acknowledging the group is rebuilding and finally getting a very long-expression method in 2023 would be a step in the correct way.
» Read Additional: Blame Chuck Fletcher all you want, but the Flyers’ issues predate his arrival
For the Flyers to definitely get started a new period, there desires to be a improve at the major. When Comcast is not likely to market the staff tomorrow, the clock looks to be ticking on standard manager Chuck Fletcher. Fletcher, who was hired in December 2018, has built several extreme miscalculations that have not only prevented the team from winning on the ice in the current but far more importantly, have established the franchise back lengthy-phrase. The overpaying for Hayes is a transfer that carries on to damage far more and a lot more by the working day, although the staff has recklessly traded away substantial draft picks for Ristolainen (a to start with and 2nd), DeAngelo (a second, 3rd, and fourth), and to unload Shayne Gostisbehere ( a 2nd and seventh) over the past two summers. Subsequently signing Ristolainen to a 5-yr, $25.5 million extension immediately after a spotty (I’m becoming kind) 66-match sample measurement was one more degree of incompetency entirely. When the organization’s largest draft misses did not happen on Fletcher’s observe, the jury is nonetheless quite considerably out on most of Fletcher’s choices. Certainly, Fletcher has had some negative luck, specifically, with the Ellis trade. That explained, his shortsightedness the last number of yrs as he tried out to help you save his work, very poor asset management, and the lousy contracts he has handed out have really put the organization in a bind. It is time for change and a blank slate, and for that to take place, Fletcher has to go.