Welcome to the 12/23 edition of the PhHN Daily! The Philadelphia Flyers have one more game before the holiday break begins.

Monday was a big day for Flyers news, including a prospect getting a big honor, a vet teaching a rookie a lesson, and Rick Tocchet’s frustrations. We also talk about the Flyers’ latest win and a look ahead at their next matchup.

Around the league, we have trade rumors, possible draft changes, and something I never expected to be writing about, yet here we are.

Get it all and more on the 12/23 edition of the PhHN Daily.

Philadelphia Flyers

Philly Hockey Now: Buckle up, we have plenty of Flyers news to go over on the 12/23 edition of the PhHN Daily.

To start, the Flyers put on a clinic in their Monday night matchup vs. the Vancouver Canucks. It was a 5-2 win, which, despite the low-event first 40 minutes, was dominated by the Flyers from the jump. A third-period surge led to the final score of 5-2. Philadelphia’s fourth line had its best all-around game of the season, pushing the Flyers forward.

So, that’s what happened during the game, but what happened before? Well, after four questions about Matvei Michkov in his pre-game availability, head coach Rick Tocchet said “enough is enough,” showing his frustration with Michkov-related questions.

But that’s not all of the pregame news from Monday. After his fight with Nicolas Deslauriers on Saturday, New York Rangers’ rookie Brennan Othmann was a good sport about it all, sharing the valuable lesson he learned from the bout.

Anddddddd finally, the last bit of news from pregame on Monday. Flyers’ prospect Jack Berglund was named captain of the Swedish World Juniors team. So, Philly Hockey Now spoke to a current Flyer who was once in Berglund’s shoes.

Now, on to Tuesday. The Flyers are in Chicago for a showdown with the Connor Bedard-less Blackhawks. It is just one last game before the three-day holiday break. Here is everything you need to know before Tuesday’s showdown.

Lastly, don’t forget to submit your questions for the PhHN Holiday Mailbag!

NHL rumors & news

Let’s start with, well, something I was not quite expecting to write about.

New Jersey Devils’ superstar Jack Hughes has been seen out with pop megastar Tate McRae. The two are reportedly dating, after she was at the Devils’ latest game, Jack Hughes’ return vs. the Sabres, at the Prudential Center.

Now, there is a reason I bring this up. I want to pose a question. Do you think this is beneficial to the game’s growth to have one of the league’s most marketable players in a relationship with one of the world’s most popular musicians? Like a Travis Kelce-Taylor Swift type impact. The NHL very clearly has a ways to go to hit the marks of the NBA, MLB, and NFL. To me, something like this can only help.

Alrighty, now that that is over, back to the hockey.

New Jersey Hockey Now: Sticking wth the Devils theme, the Hughes theme, does Quinn Hughes’ trade to the Minnesota Wild make the possibility of Hughes to New Jersey in 2027 less likely? James Nichols breaks down the impact the trade has on New Jersey’s ability to sign the star in free agency.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Trade rumors, trade rumors, trade rumors! The Pittsburgh Penguins are front and center in some NHL trade rumors. So, Dan Kingerski over at Pittsburgh Hockey Now breaks down and analyzes the latest Penguins rumors.

Toronto Hockey Now: Things are not going well in Toronto. Now, the first shoe has dropped. The Maple Leafs have fired assistant coach Marc Savard, who was in charge of the Leafs’ power play. Dave Litman writes the latest in Toronto.

Sportsnet: Changes are coming to the NHL Draft! Well, sort of, anyway. The 2025 NHL Draft, as a production, did not go as well as initially hoped. While it still seems decentralized in 2026, Elliotte Friedman reports that changes are on the way to help make it a more enjoyable event for viewers.

Read More: PhHN Daily: Flyers Rookie Recalled; Late-Night Trades