Noah Pedrazzoli provides his outlook on the where the Philadelphia Flyers stand heading into the 2024-25 NHL season
The Philadelphia Flyers had a relatively quiet offseason. After a disappointing end to the season, falling short in game 82 where they needed a regulation win against the Washington Capitals, the Flyers have made some subtle but essential adjustments after dominating the Metropolitan Division for 2/3rds of the regular season before their inevitable collapse.
Upgrades
The Flyers, in a relatively shocking move, decided to sell at the 2024 trade deadline. Trading Sean Walker to the Avalanche for a first-round pick and forward Ryan Johansen. Ryan Johansen is currently undergoing a peculiar contract dispute with the Flyers after they terminated his contract for injury purposes in which he is appealing. Nevertheless, the Flyers will be rolling out a brand-new goalie tandem after the criminal investigations against Carter Hart forced him to depart from the team.
That tandem will be Samuel Ersson and Ivan Fedotov. Ersson had some promising development at the end of the season after he took over the net following Carter Hart’s departure. Ersson posted a .890 save percentage and a 2.82 goals-against average after the team’s rollercoaster of a season finale. He is expected to share the crease with the towering 6’8” net-minder Ivan Fedotov.
A lot of eyes will be on Ivan Fedotov in 2024-25
Flyers fans have been envious of the Russian stars that their rivals in New York have been boasting in Ilya Sorokin and Igor Shesterkin. Now, they might have one of their own. However, the towering Fedotov had a very shaky start to his career in which he looked very uncomfortable in the NHL style of play.
In Fedotov’s three games played, he posted a .811 save percentage with a 4.95 goals against average. Star goalie for the New York Islanders Ilya Sorokin also had some issues adjusting to the NHL, but Fedotov has shown promise that he could rebound next year. It’s uncertain if he will be on the same trajectory as Sorokin or Shesterkin, who are able to put their team on their back when the rest of the roster is struggling, but only time will tell.
Now for the main course: the young star that every Philadelphia Flyers fan wants to talk about, Matvei Michkov. The up-and-coming star winger was drafted by the Flyers 7th overall in the 2023 NHL draft and is projected to be compared to Alex Ovechkin by bringing over his silky mitts and cannon of a shot. The young star could be playing on Sean Couturier’s wing with Morgan Frost now taking over first-line center duties which could help him develop further.
The re-signing of Travis Konecny is easily a sigh of relief for the Flyers and their management as he was rumored to possibly be exchanged in a trade with the Ottawa Senators. Now that those rumors are put to bed, John Torterella will require more assistance from his star winger to inject some offense alongside Morgan Frost and Owen Tippett.
The addition of Jamie Drysdale on defense (in the dramatic trade that had Cutter Gauthier depart for the Anaheim Ducks in January of 2024), should provide some more firepower and relief to Travis Sanheim from having to carry the blueline’s offense.
“The Philadelphia Flyers are a franchise currently debating whether they are still rebuilding or not.”
Needs and Losses
The Flyers are a very interesting team. No pun intended, but they’re a wildcard of a team. Either they compete or they will be a lottery team this year, it really all depends on a number of variables that will factor in if they are prepared to take the next step.
The elephant in the room is that they are a very young team. They have some veterans like Sean Couturier, but this is a team that will need the guidance and firm hand of John Tortorella to metaphorically whip them into shape.
Speaking of Tortorella, the waiving of Cam Atkinson’s contract fundamentally demonstrates that Tortorella does not care if a player is a seasoned vet or not. If he doesn’t believe a player fits the vision of the team’s future, Tortorella will not hesitate to cast them aside.
Now this ruthless methodology hasn’t exactly always paid off. Last year’s season collapse is a clear demonstration that this team needs more than just youth and depth. The Philadelphia Flyers need their stars to step up and a balanced structure that doesn’t restrict their fluidity on the ice. A hard coach like Tortorella can provide discipline, but will he give his younger stars in Morgan Frost and Matvei Michkov enough breathing room to establish themselves in the league?
Once again, only time will tell.
Flyers Division Outlook: 4th-6th Place
The Philadelphia Flyers are a franchise currently debating whether they are still rebuilding or not. Are they secure enough to take that next step towards competing? With a stacked Metro division and a very competitive Atlantic, Philadelphia will be entering a jungle of competition as they potentially rest their hopes on a young Fedotov without a reliable defense in front of him.
Earlier in the year, Tortorella’s defensive system was able to sustain the Flyers and their playoff aspirations, however, it fell apart like a house of cards at the end of the season. The bottom six was no match for the waves of skilled players that most teams in the Metro and Atlantic are wielding.
There is no doubt the Flyers have stars of their own, but they are still incubating compared to the other established stars in the division that outclass their structure. The bottom line is that Fedotov will have his hands full and will need to come out big if the Flyers would like to compete.
The Flyers are currently at a crossroads of either competing for a playoff spot or a top-ten draft pick. Will everything go their way? We’ll find out soon enough.
Catch the latest episode of HNiNY as the boys spoke to former Islanders general manager Neil Smith
Hockey Night in New York will be back to cover the New York Islanders all season long with hosts Sean Cuthbert and Stefen Rosner live from Floored Media in Rockville Centre Sundays at 8PM ET! Training camp coverage incoming Sunday 9/15!