With another crucial game Thursday against Detroit, the Philadelphia Flyers find themselves on the outside looking in, but nearing the doorstep. A victory against the Red Wings and that pushes them to 88 points. Should they have any semblance of good fortune they had Tuesday night concerning the other four teams in the hunt (Islanders, Columbus, Ottawa, and Detroit) losing, it could put them into a playoff spot.
That’s the smaller picture. Others might see this upcoming three-in-four as the determining factor in whether or not the Flyers are still in playoff contention or in the murky middle regarding the 2026 NHL Draft. But whatever the outcome might be on Thursday night and in the ensuing seven games remaining in the 2025-26 season, the bigger picture might reveal that this stretch of games is a win for the team and the organization.
Of course, the pessimist would look at no playoffs for a sixth consecutive year and scoff at the notion the Flyers had a good season. The injury in January to goaltender Dan Vladar began a roughly six-week funk that had them plummet from a playoff spot to being near the bottom of the Eastern Conference. And despite this rather impressive sprint Philadelphia has manifested since late February, they put themselves in a terrible position. It possibly will negate a great first half to the season, and a torrid homestretch. Only a hot streak like they’re on has put them back in the chase. With relatively few lengthy injuries (outside of Tyson Foerster and Rasmus Ristolainen), this team has been healthy and haven’t been able to get the job done.
On the other hand, there is a lot to smile about, even if things go rather pear-shaped the rest of the way. So, whether Philadelphia finally makes the playoffs for the first time in a while, or rue the fact they didn’t have as many regulation wins as their opponents, this stretch run should be considered a win for a few good reasons. Here they are.
Important players getting the experience
Almost two years ago to the day, Flyers coach John Tortorella was proud of the steps Philadelphia took in 2023-24, especially given the situation with their goaltending and how the team’s power play was abysmal. But he was far from satisfied. “I’m so proud of the team getting here,” Tortorella said on April 3, 2024. “And I guess now the narrative out there is — because I’ve heard from other people — is that, ‘They’re young, they’re not supposed to be here.’ Bullshit! We’re here! We’re here! Face it! And let’s be better. And I don’t think we’re ready to be better, and that’s my problem with us right now. And it is my job, I’ve not done a good enough job to get them over the hump right now….”
Aside from the goaltender Tortorella is now going to be coaching in Vegas, Philadelphia have a somewhat different roster from that 2023-24 lineup. Morgan Frost, Joel Farabee, Scott Laughton, Cam Atkinson, Ryan Poehling, Bobby Brink, Sean Walker, Egor Zamula, Olle Lycksell, Marc Staal, Louis Belpedio, Nic Deslauriers, Erik Johnson, and Ronnie Attard are some (not all) of the players no longer on the roster. But, like Tortorella stated two years ago, today the Flyers find themselves “here” yet again. Tied with Ottawa and Detroit with 86 points, and just two behind Columbus (with a game in hand) and three behind the Islanders (with two games in hand), Philadelphia has a chance Thursday and this weekend to prove they’re capable of winning when it counts.
And not just winning, but winning with a lot more youth on their roster than two years ago. Although Philadelphia still have veterans, they have a lot more established players in the 24-to-26 age demographic. Trevor Zegras, Noah Cates, Owen Tippett, Cam York, and Sam Ersson all fit into that group. The big bonus might be just how youthful this team is up front (and on the blueline). Jamie Drysdale, Matvei Michkov, Denver Barkey, Nikita Grebenkin (although injured), Tyson Foerster, Emil Andrae, and Alex Bump have all been crucial to the Flyers righting this ship down the stretch. That doesn’t include this Porter Martone fellow who also recently hitched himself to the wagon.
So while some of these players haven’t been this close to punching their ticket to the proverbial dance, they’re gaining valuable experience in what it takes to play (and succeed) against clubs who are in the same boat. You can’t knock a club out of the playoff chase in October and November, but you can in March and April. The stakes are higher. The intensity is higher. And watching some of these youngsters rise to the occasion, or at least not looking like deer in the headlights, is a huge step forward for the organization.
Flyers holding their own in crucial games
The Flyers have only been blown out (lose by three or more goals) once since the trade deadline. That was a 6-2 dud to the Rangers that might come back to bite them. For the most part, Philadelphia have been in every game, almost enjoying the low-scoring, tight-checking chess tilts. They’re adhering to a system that has been almost airtight defensively while trying to make the most of their chances on the other end. It’s tense, it’s nail-biting at times, but in the last few weeks it’s resulted in two points on most nights. It’s arguable they haven’t looked this comfy in close games since the stretch in 2019-20 prior to the pandemic shutting things down.
If the Flyers aren’t blown out three or four times down the stretch, and instead end up having a laugher or two for victories, it’s a sign they might have taken a small step towards playoff contention not necessarily this year but also next year. More importantly, if any of those aforementioned youngsters have a role in any victories moving forward (whether or not on the scoresheet), they can take that experience with them. Ideally, the Flyers can earn victories and develop these younger players at the same time. A playoff spot, or a chance to either stay alive or clinch in the last few games, is something the likes of Martone, Michkov, Barkey and several others should relish.
Seeing this version of the Flyers getting in would be great. But having them play important games now, and not simply playing out the string and thinking about vacation destinations, is a win.
The agony of defeat
Finally, unless the Flyers pull off the surprise of the year and register 16 post-season victories (or even more than four), the season will end in disappointment. Whether it’s in these next eight games, or possibly in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, Philadelphia will feel the sting of their season ending. Some might deem it a wasted season. Others would recognize how far some of these players have come this year. Tippett looks like a piece moving forward. Drysdale has turned a corner on the backend. Barkey and Bump have been young contributors. And Martone and Michkov are hoping to be difference makers.
Seeing their playoff dreams crushed in the next two weeks, or seeing them clinch a spot, is something that these young players will use as fuel for next season. Winning would be nice. Losing would be irksome. But seeing this relatively very young team making strides in the right direction should make this stretch drive tense. And enjoyable!