Are the Philadelphia Flyers a good hockey team?

Photo Credit: John Woods, The Canadian Press via Associated Press

It’s finally time we start acknowledging that the Philadelphia Flyers are a good hockey team. 

After their defeat of the Winnipeg Jets, the first team in the NHL in points percentage currently, it only adds to the thought process that the Flyers can beat any team in the NHL on any given night.

What’s even more impressive about the Flyers win over the Jets yesterday evening is the fact they were able to outplay a rested Jets team when Philadelphia was in action taking on the Minnesota Wild the night before.

The Flyers were also missing their first line center Sean Couturier and one of their top defenseman in Jamie Drysdale, leaving them shorthanded. Despite that, the Flyers have done what they have all season, which is proceed with a next man up mentality. 

Although the Jets had a push in the third period of last night’s game and outshot the Flyers, thirteen to five, that was to be expected from a Philadelphia team with tired legs, in the midst of playing three games in four days.

Most importantly, the Flyers secured a lead early they could attempt to hold on to as the game progressed. Entering the final period with a lead was crucial to securing the win over the Jets, especially when considering that a back to back matchup could contribute to a tired Flyers team in the third period.

The Flyers were able to outplay the Jets with their quick transition plays up ice, high shooting volume, and the willingness to get to the net and create havoc in front of Hellebuyck.

There was even a point in the second period where the shot disparity was twenty-nine to seventeen in favour of the Flyers. This cements that they were controlling play and the scoring chance creation battle during the majority of their matchup against the Jets.

With 43 games played the Flyers are essentially at the mid-way point of the NHL season and their record is, 23-14-6. This places them third in the Metropolitan Division with 52 points. Along with that, the Flyers are sitting at fifth in the Eastern Conference and tenth in overall NHL standings. 

Philadelphia is a top ten team in the NHL, halfway through the 82 game NHL season, which is something most would not have expected. It’s evident the Flyers are playing consistent hockey. They’ve forged an identity of being a stingy defensive team that competes hard on a nightly basis.

One statistic that adds to the thought process above is the positive results the Flyers have had against other top teams in the NHL this season. Thus far, the Flyers have six wins over top ten teams in the NHL. They’ve defeated the Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights, Winnipeg Jets, Carolina Hurricanes and the Vancouver Canucks twice. 

As a result, the Flyers have shown their ability to compete with some of the upper echelon teams in the NHL on several different occasions. In many of these games, they’ve outplayed said teams that on paper should likely get the better of the Flyers roster. Nonetheless, Philadelphia’s strong play against the better clubs in the league proves they are not just winning while taking on lower tier teams.

The Philadelphia Flyers can compete with the best teams in the National Hockey League and even cause them fits. Largely, that can be attributed to their up-tempo offensive style of play, the team’s hard working mentality, the commitment to playing defense as a five man unit, and strong goaltending from Samuel Ersson as well as, Carter Hart.

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For the Flyers to maintain this level of performance and their push towards securing a playoff spot, there will be some key elements that will need to continue.

Firstly, Sean Couturier getting back into the lineup will be crucial to the team’s outlook for the remainder of the season. Additionally, Travis Konecny and Joel Farabee’s strong play in relation to scoring chance creation and point production will be an important factor to the team’s offense. Lastly, limiting the high danger scoring chance creation of opposing teams and defensive play as a whole will be critical to their success. 

Philadelphia is sixth in the league in goals against per game played, they’re allowing on average 2.70 goals against per game. If the Flyers can sustain that defensive prowess they’ll certainly remain competitive in a large amount of their upcoming matchups.

With the way the Flyers have played throughout the first 43 games this season and their success taking on top teams in the NHL, it’s time to admit they are a dangerous hockey team that can beat any team in the league when they are executing effectively.