Thursday morning it was Danny Briere’s turn to meet with the press at the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees. All week we’ve been hearing from the players, head coach Rick Tocchet, and now on the third consecutive day of “Break Up Day” it was time to wrap things up with a conversation featuring the General Manage Danny Briere. 

Danny Briere

This has been Briere’s third full season in the position and he was very upbeat when sharing his thoughts on the team Thursday morning. He had a couple things he wanted to say before taking questions. “First of all is how impressed and proud I was of our players and coaching staff for the way they never quit”.

“This team has been known the last, even go back the last few years as a team that’s relentless about not quitting and they showed that again this year”. “The other part that I wanted to talk about is our fans”. He continued “What they did last game was truly, truly amazing and I wanted them to know our players took notice of that”.

It was a great tribute to the team and their valiant effort. I want to point out, the fans that showed up to that game were exactly the die-hard Flyers Fans that you want in a situation like that. Not everyone is up for going to watch their favorite hockey team possibly get swept out of a Stanley Cup Playoff round.

Ticket prices were dropping at the third party sellers after Game 3. The people that bought those tickets knew exactly what they may be walking into and they just wanted a chance to see and support their Flyers. Die-Hards are loud and loyal. They’re the cream of the crop. It truly was an amazing tribute that made every hockey fan in the city feel comforted and proud. Excellent sportsmanship from a true hockey town. Good work my friends.

The circumstances had to be just right for that awesome display of support to organically take place. Hopefully after seeing how much it hit home for people it will become a Philly hockey tradition.

Michkov

Of course Matvei Michkov was going to be part of the conversation, he’s a big part of the Flyers rebuild and to put it bluntly things did end on a bit of a sour note this season. However at the interviews everyone including Michkov has been positive about the situation.

He’s a 21 year old hockey player dealing with a new country and a language barrier trying to adapt to the most elite hockey league on the planet in a very passionate market with a ton of expectations. There may be a little pressure involved, to say the very least. Everyone is well aware of his ability to play the sport. The big question is can the organization get him to his potential ceiling without breaking him?

Everyone across the board wants things to work out. “Matvei is a great talent. We see him being part of the picture for years to come, that hasn’t changed”. It will be a relief for everyone involved to get this dreaded sophomore season out of the way.

Briere touched on a number of different subjects during the presser. To boil it down, He’s impressed with new head coach Rick Tocchet’s first season. He spoke of how goaltender Samuel Ersson battled back down the stretch after a rough start. He said they need to evaluate that situation. “He’s a great teammate, the guys love him. He’s been here a while we’ve invested a lot of years into him”

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The GM spoke very highly of Dan Vladar. “He could be the answer here hopefully for a few more years”. He also had a ton of positive things to say about the youth on this squad. Martone, Bump, Barkey, he said those guys got a shot and their play dictated them staying around. “It’s not like it was planned that way”.

Additions

Briere also addressed the fact that the organization is currently in a much better place with cap space and picks but they need to be prudent with their assets. They are being cautious not to make a deal just because they can. And to their credit that would in fact be a total waste of years worth of patience and sacrifice. It would be a travesty.

“Free agent guys are taking shorter deals for security. We though there’d be more guys, there’s actually less available for free-agency”. After all the time and austerity it took to get into a buyers position they can’t just settle for what’s available. It’s better to wait. They are in the right head space on this one.

With that Danny Brier stood up and said “Thanks for the year everybody, we’ll see you soon”. And that officially wraps up the Philadelphia Flyers 2025-26 season. A season that will hopefully be remembered as the first glimmer of the light at the end of a long dark tunnel.

Gratitude

I’d like to take a moment to thank everyone who comes to the Flyers Nitty Gritty all season long, in good times and in bad, to hash out the comings and goings of the Philadelphia Flyers ice hockey team. I always enjoy bumping into you folks out at the arena or the training center and hearing your take on what’s going on with the team. Always say hello.

Thanks to the Flyers organization for their hospitality and access to the team, it’s always greatly appreciated. And of course to Jamey Baskow who is a real beauty to work with, as is the entire Nitty Gritty Team. See you at Dev Camp!

Extra Credit: The list of injuries the Flyers played through in the post-season is over the top. The physical game the Flyers put up against Pittsburgh was impressive but it did take its toll. Watching it play out you tend to focus on the nail but the hammer is also taking the impact. Jamey has a break-down of the injuries in the link below.

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Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet took questions from the press as part of the end of the season rituals. Flyers GM Danny Briere is scheduled to do the same on Thursday.

One of the topics was of course Matvei Michkov. The situation still seems a bit amplified by Tocchet’s decision to healthy scratch Michkov for game four in the Carolina series but things don’t seem as severe as some predicted they might be.

Among other things, Tocchet said “it’s not just him, every young guy, I could carbon copy the exact same thing. You know you have to be able to improve on all different areas”. The coach also said, “We just got to let this kid breath because I think he’s made a lot of strides”.

Michkov has been skating at the Flyers Training Center the past two days. He jumped on the ice right after his post season interview on Tuesday. Tocchet said “It’s pretty cool, I mean, I’d rather him not skate, I want him to take a break”. “It’s almost like a vengeance tour and I love that”.

Michkov said “that’s the coach’s decision. I’m a player that should go on the ice and do my job. If the coach decide I have to miss the game I have to take it”. During the Summer break the young Russian star said he plans to “go back on the ice and training and work for the best”. Apparently he meant immediately.

The Flyers head coach touched on big picture things like the focus on culture, character, and the standard. When asked about scoring more goals he responded, “We don’t have Connor McDavid. We don’t have Nathan MacKinnon so you have to think of other ways, or Makar, you have to think of other ways to score as a team”.

Up against the wall

“We got to be a better wall team, I think that’s something. Corner work and wall work is a very underrated thing when it comes to hockey”. “Do we want to carry the puck in more? yes. Be more calculated? of course”. He said the changes in his second year coaching in Philly will not be dramatic, “more tweaks”. He reiterated “we don’t have the type of team to run and gun. To give confidence you have to stay in games”. In other words he’d rather see his team to have a chance to win a low scoring defensive game instead of just losing scoring competitions.

Tocchet had good things to say about Porter Martone and praised Michigan State for doing a great job with him. He spoke of the confidence and composure that Travis Sanheim seemed to gain representing Canada in the Olympics. And he hailed Flyers netminder Dan Vladar as someone who leads the way.

Flyers Power Play

The coach said the Flyers power-play is “a five, six year problem. It’s a talking point every year here”. He spoke of guys being too tense. Not being happy with retrievals. He was encouraged by young guys coming in. But to be honest that didn’t change much in the playoffs. The Flyers had literally the worst power-play in the league this season. A power-play goal here and there could have been the difference on so many nights for this team.

Tocchet said of the man advantage, “I’ve already talked about it with the coaches, we might just have a dedicated half hour power-play practice on one rink before the practice even starts”. I’m just going to leave that right there.

Denver Barkey

Barkey was one of the few players that the head coach talked about specifically. The topic was weather Denver should train as a left-wing or a center during the off-season. “Do I really want to screw around with a kid, Bounce him around left-wing center every other night? No, I don’t think that’s healthy for him”.

“He’s the guy because his hockey IQ is outstanding, His work ethic is outstanding and he’s a guy that can really develop into a really frontline player, I really believe it”. Talk about wall work Barkey has been a spark plug in this line-up. Up against the boards, in the corners, Barkey is relentless in his hunt for the puck.

Based on these end of season interviews all of the players and the head coach seem to be on the same page. Everyone want to make improvements over the off season and they’re all really looking forward to next season already. This is a positive upbeat group.

Up Next: Flyers General Manager Danny Briere.

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The Flyers 2025-26 season ended just days ago when the team was eliminated in Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Exit interviews took place on “break down day” at the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees on Tuesday.

There were a few running themes that were consistent throughout the interviews. This is a very tight knit group that loves playing together and truly appreciates the fanbase here. Players hope to stay here, and are already looking forward to putting what they’ve learned this year to good use next season.

The team explained some of their injuries but that will be addressed further when Danny Briere meets with the press on Thursday. Head Coach Rick Tocchet is scheduled to answer questions on Wednesday.

But first…

Matvei Michkov

Much has been made of the dwindling minutes then eventual Game 4 scratching of the Flyers young Russian star. He had a rough start this season, then a great run down the stretch, only to hit the wall again in the post-season.

Trevor Zegras had this to say about head coach Rick Tocchet just last week. “He’ll get in your face and tell you stuff, but then he won’t ever sit you down for shifts at a time. He’ll put you right back on the ice.

The difference here is Michkov watched the final Flyers playoff game from the press box. He won’t get that chance to jump over the boards and prove himself until next Fall.

Needless to say Michkov’s exit interview was much anticipated. His attitude did wonders to quell the potential controversy. It doesn’t look as if we are in for a clash of egos here, Michkov was humble and contrite.

When asked about being scratched for Game 4 he said, “That’s the coach’s decision. I’m a player that should go on the ice and do my job. If the coach decide I have to miss the game I have to take it”. Michkov said he “wasn’t happy with his game in the playoffs”. He spoke of the need to “go back on the ice and training and work for the best”.

Flyers captain Sean Couturier had this to say concerning Michkov, “I wouldn’t say he feels comfortable yet. But he’s speaking better English, I think he’s communicating a little better. But he’s still young and he still has huge potential, huge upside in his game”.

Adjusting to the NHL can prove difficult for most young players. The language barrier has to make it that much more harder. Hopefully things continue to get easier for Matvei now that the dreaded sophomore year is behind him. Obviously there’s work to be done on this relationship but it does not seem to be as critical as some feared it may be.

Two Big Deals in the Waiting for the Flyers

Trevor Zegras

Trevor Zegras has been a great addition to the Flyers line-up this season. He’s got great hands, a fantastic attitude, and he’s ownes the best all time NHL success rate in the shootout. He also doesn’t have a contract going into next season. It sure sounds like he’d be ok with signing one.

“Personally I would love that. I would love to be here for a long time. I love playing here. I love the fans. I love the group that we have”. Safe to say he could be talked into staying here in Philly.

He had this to say about the team and their experience this season. “Excited for what’s ahead with this team. Such a good learning experience for myself and a lot of the other young guys that have never played in a playoff game”. He continued “Kind of what it’s like to play as series, win a series, have a series against a team that maybe you shouldn’t beat. But know what to expect now and I think it will be good moving forward”.

Zegras has worked hard since the moment he came to town. He does not attempt to get by on his natural ability. Even at training camp this Fall he was almost always one of the last players to leave the ice.

You have prospects at camp who are looking to make a good impression leaving the ice before a sure bet like Zegras. That speaks volumes about his level of dedication. Hopefully the parties will come to terms sooner rather than later.

Dan Vladar

The Flyers MVP, the man who turned this team around and led the way back to the post-season. Vladar’s contract is good till the end of this coming season. Samuel Ersson does not have a contract going into next season. The Flyers will need to make a big decision on the direction of their goaltending tandem over the Summer.

When asked if he wanted to stay with the team Vladar said, “Yea, and um, if you can ask the same question to Danny Briere I may gonna be watching so we’ll see what he says”.

Vladar said that unfortunately he will not be able to represent his country in the World Championships because of an injury he suffered when he got rolled in the Pittsburgh series. He also said he doesn’t expect the injury to effect his training this Summer.

“I’m not satisfied with this season, I want more”. He spoke of already knowing what he wants to focus on in the off-season but would not get into specifics. He added, “You can always get better”.

Vladar has become a team leader and a calming factor for his team both on and off the ice. “It’s great to see my teammates in front of me that they were able to really buy into the system and doing the right things and doing everything for the logo out front”.

You can see the difference, when the Flyers are confident and trust their game plan they can be a very hard team to play against. When they get rattled out of playing their system things unravel quickly. “You just can’t be playing loose hockey up and down”.

Vladar is always looking for ways to improve, never looking to rest on his laurels and always giving credit to his teammates. That has been a running theme in these exit interviews. This team is tight and the players as individuals mean a lot to each other. Everyone is looking forward to working on themselves over the off-season so that they can regroup as a team in the Fall and start the whole process all over again.

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At some point this Spring everyone who was paying attention to the Flyers had that moment of clarity. Something that opened their eyes to the possibility that the members of this team may actually be talking about something that goes beyond blind optimism.

The players on this team were always open about the fact that they believed they had a shot at making the playoffs and it didn’t seem to matter to them what anyone else had to say about it. After a disastrous free-fall in the new year that saw them losing 13 of 16 games and dropping from 2 points out of 1st to 8 points out of the last wild card slot that was not an easy sell.

To be very honest I admired their ambition but I wasn’t buying it. Although it didn’t seem probable it was mathematically possible so I never counted them out despite my personal doubts. Their climb back into contention was something to see. They never gave up, they never stopped believing in each other, and they absolutely refused to be swayed by the nonbelievers.

The Stretch

Remember the weekend before the final two games of the season when you needed to use a calculator in order to figure out how your hockey team was doing? The standings were changing every day, and the factors that were beyond the Flyers control kept falling into place for them. This was uncharted territory as far as any Philly Fan was concerned. Everything the Flyers had achieved came to them the hard way but suddenly the hockey gods were looking upon them with favor.

In hindsight it’s quite poetic that the team the Flyers beat in game 81 to clinch their coveted post-season spot also became the authors of their eventual downfall in the 2nd Round of the the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Clinched

Dan Vladar made the final save in the shootout against the Carolina Hurricanes on April 13th to earn his team the point that put them over the top. Even if you hadn’t been convinced before that moment it was suddenly undeniable and everything changed in an instant. When the Flyers won that game the sound inside that building was overwhelming. The celebration was an explosion of pure joy on both sides of the glass.

The arena was instantly transformed, literally. Most of the decor in that place is electronic so it only took the flip of a switch to complete a major renovation. Suddenly you were completely surrounded by the message and it read loud and clear, the Philadelphia Flyers were headed to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It didn’t matter anymore if anyone believed in them or not it was a done deal. The players on this team made this moment happen and now it was impossible to deny it. They had been right all along.

I took the stairway down from the press box that night so that I could linger on the empty upper levels and take it all in. Flyers Fans had experienced something special that night. Not just in the arena, but in the bars or in their living rooms or even just sneaking peeks on their phones at work. They were watching their rebuilding hockey club come back to life.

Future Flyers

Game 82 had a very important message to convey as well. This season will not be the pinnacle for this team, this is only the beginning and the future is bright.

The Final game of the 2025-26 regular season was played at home the very next night against Montreal. For the Flyers this game carried no major implications. They had clinched their playoff spot the night before and their place in the standings had already been set. The Habs on the other hand could use the two points for final positioning in their division.

Both teams chose their roster accordingly. The Flyers chose to rest their key players and suit up an inexperienced squad made up heavily of prospects. This would be a telling matchup. Philadelphia soundly defeated the Canadiens 4-2 and they looked good doing it. The Flyers played their same system with young players plugged into key roles. The group put forth a solid effort and defeated a much more experienced team that still had something to play for.

It brought back memories of development camp this past summer. The final session was an inter-squad scrimmage game between the prospects. The building was packed with spectators which also says a whole lot about what a dedicated hockey town this truly is.

The exhibition scrimmage was intense. It was played so passionately by the end of the contest Flyers Fans were on their feet banging on the glass to show their appreciation. I thought to myself, if this is the kind of energy the Flyers organization has in the pipeline this fanbase could be in for some really exciting times.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs

Before Round 1 of the playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins got underway it was anybody’s guess which version of the Flyers would show up. The team had been one of the NHL’s hottest and most successful down the stretch but they would still have nights where they would just fall apart.

They had that trip out west in March where they defeated the Ducks, Kings, and Sharks like it was a piece of cake. Then later, at a time where every point was precious, a team like Detroit would get them off their pins and dismantle them.

The Flyers didn’t crack under the pressure of their first playoff series since 2020, in fact they excelled. There where moments when they were so dominant I felt like I didn’t even recognize them. A lot of what this team accomplished this season came from their own grit and determination, that also was not an accident. This organization is building a team. Not just a group of talented individuals but a team that is willing to buy into a system and stand by each other.

The Flyers truly gave it their all in Round 2 against the best team in the East. By this point they had reached their ceiling. Carolina had the advantage going in. Injuries were piling up yet the Flyers still went at it with all they had. They were swept but the games were not easy for the Hurricanes. Two of the four games were settled in sudden death overtime. All four matchups between these two teams during the regular season were settled either in overtime or by the shootout.

Gratitude

It was fantastic to see at the conclusion of Game 4 that Flyers Fans truly get it, and of course they do. It’s one of the most knowledgeable and loyal fanbases in the NHL. To see that arena still filled with fans chanting “let’s go Flyers” as their team lined up for the traditional handshake after being swept by the Hurricanes was one of the most sincere and understanding moments in Philly sports history. It’s easy to be up when your team wins, this was a much deeper level of appreciation. It was beautiful.

Up Next

Things are bound to change a bit during this coming off-season .What we saw this year is not yet the finished product. You have to give credit to the players who as a team defied all odds and made their return to the playoffs a reality. You also have to give credit to the management that brought this combination of competitors together in the first place.

Based on what the team achieved this season you have to admit that the rebuild looks to be headed in the right direction. It would seem for the upstart Philadelphia Flyers and their faithful fans the best is yet to come.

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The thing that stands out most about this 2025-26 Philadelphia Flyers team was their absolute refusal to listen to anyone outside of themselves. They were on a mission, they believed in themselves, and they believed in each other. They banded together to show their loyal fanbase that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. They were right and they should be very proud of what they accomplished this season.

Rebuilding the Flyers

Flyers Fans have been asked to be patient during this rebuilding process. The wait would counted in years. Fan favorites were traded away for future prospects. There would be no instant gratification. It was not just the fanbase that needed to be patient. There was also the core of veteran players who were chosen to be along for the ride. They are spending their prime years with a team that’s not yet built to compete.

A rebuilding process doesn’t happen overnight, and the team doesn’t sit dormant in the meantime. The organization still had to dress a squad and fulfill its obligations. The former management had depleted the organization’s resources.

To make matters worse they were making bad decisions while spending away the future. They traded away draft picks and used up the cap space and all they had to show for it was a mediocre product. They kept digging the hole even though there was no plan in place for how to climb out.

The new era

The “new era of orange” had no choice other than to become an era of austerity. Danny Briere and Keith Jones first had to stop the bleeding, pay the bills, cut the overhead and ask for patience. Better days would lie ahead. They rebuilt the stockpile of draft picks while clearing cap space. It desperately needed to be done, but it wasn’t going to be a whole lot of fun.

This year was different

This season started with everyone prepared to spend at least another season, maybe even two existing in the dark ages of patience and austerity. This proud fanbase had become accustomed to accepting the fact that this is not the finished product and to not expect too much.

All the pieces are not in place yet. There were a couple additions over the off-season. A reclamation project forward and a free agent back-up goalie. Everyone had already pretty much braced themselves for “more of the same” when this season started.

The team itself had other ideas. Under new head coach Rick Tocchet the Flyers had a very good start. The schedule was busier than usual because of the almost month long Olympic break in February. The Flyers who for the past couple years melted down in March were almost two months ahead of schedule when they went into a total free-fall this past January.

They were just two points behind the 1st place Carolina Hurricanes at the end of December and 17 points behind them by the end of February. They had just lost 13 of 16 games and fallen from 2nd place to 8 points out of the last wild card spot. They were done, over, cooked, kaput.

Teamwork

Everyone gave up hope on the Philadelphia Flyers, except for themselves. And this is why you should remember this team and what they accomplished. It’s a great life lesson. Also it should be said, no one should be looked down upon for thinking this team was down and out as far as this season was concerned. It was bleak, bleaker, bleakest for an extended period of time.

After the bleeding had stopped it seemed like the season was already way beyond saving. The Flyers as a team refused to believe that was the case. When the players kept referring to making a run at the playoffs it was met with an equal amount of disbelief. They held fast, they focused on one game at a time.

They started stringing together wins and almost none of them came easy. Winning by one goal, or in overtime, or by the shootout. Every point mattered all the way up to game 81 when they beat Carolina to clinch the playoff spot that only they saw coming. People started to believe that this team had taken a huge step forward.

Post-season

When the Flyers were headed into the 1st Round against the Pittsburgh Penguins you started to hear the phrase “they are not even supposed to be here”. The team didn’t believe that one either. Watching the way they played and defeated the Penguins in six games was very impressive. This team had actually taken a gigantic step forward.

The Carolina Hurricanes are a buzzsaw that nobody wanted to run into. The Flyers remained competitive but had finally reached the maximum of their potential. Injuries were piling up and the competition was very steep. Carolina goaltender Frederik Andersen proved to be the biggest stumbling block. He played a fantastic series and kept the Flyers at bay.

The team set the timeline

The Flyers blossomed ahead of schedule this season because the members of this team made it happen. They are still playing without all the pieces in place, certain positions still need to be filled. Their lack of an effective power-play was eventually going to take its toll. And it did. But all things considered they sure did make the most of what they had to work with and they deserve all the credit in the world for doing so. It didn’t happen on its own, they made it happen.

Goaltender Dan Vladar who was picked up on free agency was key in the Flyers success this year. He was awarded the Team MVP for his play in the regular season. Last season the Flyers had the worst goals against average in the entire league. Vladar was exceptional in his new role with the team which was also his most successful season in the NHL so far. When asked after Game 4 what “personally” he was most proud of he replied “my teammates”.

Feel the love

The Flyers, against all odds, were ready to be here. They went as far as they could and it was way beyond the expectations of many. They earned everything they got out of this season. It was through their hard work and determination that they brought Stanley Cup Playoff hockey back to the City of Brotherly Love. And there was plenty of love and appreciation in that building for them tonight. The crowd stayed on their feet chanting “Let’s go Flyers” as the team prepared for the traditional handshake and bid farewell for the Summer.

Vladar was asked about the Flyers Fans show of appreciation. “Goosebumps. It’s awesome. It’s another big reason I wanted to come here, to be a Flyer. I know how tight this city can be and I’m glad I got to experience it”. He added “they’ve been having our backs since the beginning of the year sorry we couldn’t deliver more hockey for them”.

There will be changes to this team over the off-season that is almost for certain. All the pieces are in place to allow the Flyers to make moves to get the team more ready for next season. This line-up taught us a lot this season. Much is made about the youth on this team and what a great learning experience this has been for them.

Travis Konecny brough up a great point before the game about everyone, young and old, learning new things in the post-season. “I’ve never been in the position I’m in on the team in the playoffs. I was here quite a while ago in a different role”. Konecny is 29 years old, and alternate captain, and a veteran leader on this team.

The Flyers although getting swept by the mighty Carolina Hurricanes have proven that they absolutely did deserved to be here. That they “should have been here”, and that they were “ready to be here”. They went as far as they could and that is much, much further than many other teams in the league made it this season. Only one team wins it all, that doesn’t mean the others don’t deserve a shot at it.

Dan Vladar gets the final word for tonight. “There wasn’t a lot of people outside of the locker room that believed in us. And I thought we really stuck together as a team and we really played hard for each other. As I said, we gave it all”.

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One game at a time, this is how the Philadelphia Flyers have approached the 2025-26 season since the end of February. After a strong start in early October the Flyers were just two points behind the Carolina Hurricanes over the holidays. The new year was not kind to the Philadelphia hockey club. During a skid that turned into a full on free-fall the Flyers lost 13 of 16 games. By February 25th the Flyers were 17 points behind the 1st place Hurricanes.

By March 18th, that now infamous day, the Flyers were given a 3.8% chance of making it to the post-season. The Flyers were 8 points out of a wildcard spot and still 16 points behind the Hurricanes just to put things in perspective.

Focus

The Flyers as a group and to a man never had a doubt that they were going to contend for a spot in the post season. They were met with tons of disbelief, trash-talk, and negativity. Some will always be under the impression that being a perpetual pessimist offers some sort of credibility, it doesn’t. It offers just as much credibility as being eternally optimistic beyond reason. In actuality the only way to stay realistic is to deal with what is possible and what is not. Let the games play out and see where it takes you.

As much as I had my own personal doubts about the Flyers making it to the playoffs I never said it was impossible. As long as it was still a mathematical possibility they did in fact have a chance. I was amazed by this young rebuilding team’s resilience and fortitude as they battled night after night stringing together points that seemed to never come easy. There were so many games that were won by a single goal. So many games that went to overtime or the shootout. They never stopped believing in each other, kept their heads down, and kept plugging away.

They kept their focus on one game at a time. One period at a time. One shift at a time. Not worrying about the factors that were out of their control they concentrated on themselves as a team and the next game at hand. And it worked, they made it happen.

When the Flyers faced the much more experienced Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1st Round it was uncertain how this group would hold up under the magnified pressure and exposure that comes along with competing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The rebuilding Flyers didn’t crack, in fact they excelled, sending the Penguins packing in six games.

So here they are in the 2nd round down 3 games to 0 against the mighty Carolina Hurricanes. They are facing the possibility of being swept tonight on home ice. They’ve put up a valiant effort against a very formidable opponent and now their backs are up against the wall. Elimination From the 2026 playoffs and the end of their inspiring season is just one loss away.

Game 3

After losing the first two games in Carolina the Flyers brought the series back to Philly for a pivotal Game 3. The implications of this game were as serious as things can get in the sporting world. They Flyers would end the night either right back in this series or one game away from elimination.

For Carolina fans it was a great game, for the Flyers faithful it was tragic. For hockey fans it was a beautiful example of everything the sport can be. It had everything. Flashes of speed and skill on both sides. Fantastic goaltending, physicality, and a constant tension between controlled execution and reckless passion. There were ups and downs, thrills and clashes, it was exciting NHL playoff hockey. Both teams were intense, tenacious, and determined.

Flyers vs Hurricanes Game 4

The Flyers are now in a situation where every game could be their last. You can only imagine they are going into this the same way they went into the entire second half of the season, one game at a time. Tonight they look to avoid being swept and live to fight another day. They’ve won four games in a row before, it can be done. But this is not your standard run of the mill four games. They are up against a very solid Carolina team that finished number one in the East and is considered by most to be a contender for the Cup.

Is it probable that the Flyers will win four games in a row to reverse the sweep? Only four teams in NHL history have pulled that off in the past. One of them was actually the 2010 Philadelphia Flyers. To be totally honest in this scenario it would be a real long shot.

But is it possible? In keeping with the standard of being honest and accurate, and as a hat tip with all due respect to this upstart Philadelphia Flyers squad who have already proven so many wrong there is only one accurate answer. Yes, it’s still possible.

Flyers vs Hurricanes Saturday May 9th 2026, 6PM in Philly.

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Flyers Hurricanes Game 3 in Philadelphia. This pivotal game had such huge implications for the young upstart Flyers. As the puck dropped in Philly everything about this 2nd round series was about to change.

Philly vs Carolina

The Flyers came surging out of the gate creating dangerous chances and putting Carolina goaltender Frederik Andersen right to work.

Konecny, Martone, Grundstrom, York, and Foerster all coming within inches of opening the score sheet. Once the Hurricanes finally got a turn with the puck Dan Vladar confidentially turned their chances aside.

The Flyers got their 1st power-play of the game and it immediately turned the faucet off. They did not register a shot on goal, or an attempted shot for that matter.

With 2:33 left in the 1st period and Shayne Gostisbehere quarterbacking the Canes power-play Jordan Staal picked up a fortunate rebound off the backboards and quickly put the puck through Vladar and into the net.

The Flyers bounced back and resumed their attack. Andersen made another huge stop on Martone. Slavin pulled a Rasmus Ristolainen shot off of the goal line.

Just 2:31 into the Second period on a delayed penalty call Trevor Zegras sniped a sharp angle rebound up and over the glove of the Carolina netminder. Martone fired the initial shot that made it all come together. The home town crowd raised the roof.

Porter Martone has returned to the offensive confidence that marked his debut. This needs to be his regular setting. He was consistently dangerous in this game and should never find a reason to hold back.

Bump accidentally rolled the Carolina netminder then seconds later Martone set him up with the puck right on the doorstep. Bump stayed cool and made a crafty attempt. Anderson answered with his most dynamic save of the game.

Falling Apart

What had started out as a beautiful and exciting period of hockey started to unravel in the final five minutes of play.

Taylor Hall crunched a falling Travis Sanheim’s head into the boards, popping his helmet off, and taking him down to the ice. The Flyers showed great restraint.

A five minute major was called and then sent for review. The call was downgraded to a two minute minor. Things continued to degrade.

Eleven seconds into the Flyers power-play Carolina scored shorthanded. Drysdale got poked on a pinch at the blue line leading to a 2-on-1 break in the other direction. A fantastic opportunity for the Flyers turned into a 2-1 Hurricanes lead.

Moments later Seth Jarvis took an intentional swing at Travis Konecny with his stick making full contact. The blade caught Konecny directly in the face. A two minute minor was assessed. Not that the Flyers were producing on the power-plays but the game was getting out of hand and part of that was the leniency being shown by the on ice officials.

A collection of creative calls led to variations of non 5-on-5 hockey throughout the rest of the 2nd period and into the 3rd. The Flyers went 0-for-5 with the man advantage. Luckily the Hurricanes only went 2-for-9.

There was a haunting sequence in this game where the Flyers were having much difficulty entering the Carolina zone with a two man advantage. The Flyers worst in the NHL power-play was eventually going to take it’s toll on the team’s ability to compete at the higher levels.

Carolina scored on the power-play 3:52 into the 3rd period. Then again three minutes later. This game had quickly slipped away from the Flyers. Down 4-1 with just minutes to go in this contest the Flyers who had been restrained in their retaliations all night long eventually began to allow their anger and frustration to vent.

More penalties kept the pace choppy and the game out of reach for the Flyers. They had put forth a valiant effort but now things were pulling apart rapidly. With 25.2 remaining on the clock a stream of orange jerseys were being sent up the tunnel as scrums erupted all over the ice. At one point Shayne Gostisbehere was attempting to fight Rasmus Ristolainen. Again with one eye on the ref the entire time.

The Flyers were losing their discipline to passion and frustration. The Hurricanes continued their bazar soccer-style performative communications with the officials throughout.

Everyone knew this game would have huge implications going in. Either the Flyers would fully enter this series by cutting the Canes lead in half. Or they would go down three games to none digging themselves a hole that not many before them have successfully dug their way out of.

The Flyers stand just one loss away from elimination. With the type of team that they have proved themselves to be this season it should be interesting to see how they handle this challenge.

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Game 3 of the Flyers Stanley Cup Playoff series against the Hurricanes comes home to Philly Thursday night. This game has major implications and could easily be considered the Flyers first “must win” of the post-season. The Flyers currently trail 2-0 after losing the first two games of this 2nd Round series in Carolina.

In Game 1 the Philadelphia hockey club looked as if they had been thrown to the wolves. Carolina is the #1 seed in the East. This is their 8th consecutive post-season appearance under head coach Rod Brind’Amour. The Canes swept their 1st Round series against the Ottawa Senators. They were laying in wait for the Flyers who took six games to eliminate the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Flyers looked unsettled in the 3-0 Game 1 loss in Carolina.

Game 2 was a different story. The Flyers took an early 2-0 lead on goals by Jamie Drysdale and Sean Couturier less than five minutes into the 1st period. The Hurricanes scored one in the 1st and another in the 3rd to push this game to overtime.

The Flyers looked like a totally different team in this game as compared to Game 1. They often had Carolina on the ropes especially in the overtime period where they outshot the Canes 15-8. The Hurricanes were back on their heels resorting to dumping and icing pucks to relive the relentless pressure.

The Flyers did everything but close it out. Carolina scored the game winning goal 18:54 into sudden death. The Flyers were just that close to earning a split and stealing the home ice advantage. Instead they bring the series back to Philadelphia where their 1st game on home ice is a must win situation.

Of course it takes 4 wins to close out a 7 game series but only 4 teams in NHL history have come back from a 3-0 deficit. The Flyers were one of those teams. They pulled off the historic comeback against the Boston Bruins in 2010.

Injuries

Philadelphia is dealing with a growing list of injuries. Their hard hitting style which was so successful in Round 1 seems to be catching up with them a bit. Wednesday it was announced that they will be without center Noah Cates for at least the remainder of this series.

Owen Tippett who has yet to appear in the 2nd Round is listed as a game time decision for Game 3. Christian Dvorak, who is still sporting a major league shiner he acquired in the 1st round, is also now listed as a game time decision for Thursday night.

Those are just the injuries that we are aware of. It’s not at all uncommon during the post-season for athletes to play through injuries without disclosing them to the public or, more importantly, the opposition.

The organization has recalled center Jett Luchanko as the OHL Brantford Bulldogs season has come to an end. Luchanko was with the team at practice on Wednesday. It seems unlikely that the 19 year old center would draw into Thursday night’s line-up but that remains to be seen. Jacob Gaucher is also practicing with the squad.

A Pivotal Game 3 in Philly

This series just started on Saturday night and it seems just as the Flyer are getting settled in their backs are already against the wall. Game 3 in Philadelphia will have major implications.

Thursday night’s game is just shy of a do-or-die proposition. The young upstart Philadelphia Flyers have not been in the situation before, it will be interesting to see how they rise to the occasion.

Flyers MVP goaltender Dan Vladar stopped 39 of 42 shots in Monday night’s overtime thriller. On most nights if the Flyers can score three or more goals Vladar will take care of the rest.

The Flyers need to continue to run a tight ship in front of their own net, clear the porch, and cut off passing lanes. Carolina is crafty and crisp, they are sure to sting you if you allow them to move the puck laterally through the slot.

Coots

Flyers captain Sean Couturier has been a powerhouse again in this 2nd Round. He’s playing a great 200″ game. Always a strong defensive center he’s been great in the faceoff circle and has been creating tons of offensive chances.

Goal scoring is going to be key in this all important game 3. Some valuable Flyers sticks have gone a bit quiet and turning that around could make a huge difference in this pivotal challenge. Trevor Zegras, Matvei Michkov, Travis Konecny to name a few. These guys gotta light the lamp to give the Flyers a fighting chance.

The atmosphere on Broad Street tonight is sure to be electric. Everywhere you look Flyers fever is spreading like wild fire throughout the Delaware Valley. Look for that arena to be rockin’ tonight as Flyers Fans show the national audience once again that Philly is not just a great hockey town but it’s also Flyers Country through and through.

No matter which way this game goes tonight one thing is for certain, it’s going to change everything.

Flyers vs Hurricanes in Philadelphia Thursday May 7th 8:00 PM. If you’re lucky enough to be headed out to the game give yourself plenty of time to get there and get settled as the Phillies are at home tonight as well.

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It’s the month of May and your Philadelphia Flyers are still playing hockey games. It feels like that hasn’t happened in forever. The Flyers have been telling us this was going to happen ever since the Olympic break.

People were laughing and smirking when they would say it. The Flyers would say stuff like we believe in this team, or we believe in each other. People would shake their heads like the players were being delusional or didn’t understand just how deep of a hole they had dug for themselves.

By mid March most still had them dead to rights, down and out, no way, never, not a chance. 3.8 all that good stuff. I remember seeing Captain Coots talking about the playoffs in a post game interview and thinking to myself, I guess that’s the way to go into it but does he really believe what he’s saying?

They didn’t have to win just a handful of games. They needed to sustain a spectacular record from February 25th through April 14th. Amazingly, they did exactly that.

The Flyers became one of the hottest teams in the NHL. Between the Olympic break and the final game of the regular season the Flyers strung together an impressive 18-7-1 record thus securing 3rd place in the Metropolitan Division and their first trip to the post-season since 2020.

Every day the standings changed as teams battled for the final spots. The division and wild card races could not be any tighter.

The Flyers had been two points out of 1st place behind Carolina at Christmas. If it weren’t for a free-fall in the new year that saw them losing 13 of 16 games they wouldn’t need to worry about all of the last minute jostling.

The Flyers clinched their playoff berth winning game 81 in a shootout vs the Hurricanes on April 13th. There was a euphoric celebration on both sides of the glass as Dan Vladar made the game winning save.

“Even if they get swept”

After the Flyers historic run to the post season they were scheduled to face the cross-state rival Pittsburgh Penguins in Round 1. The teams had finished tied in the Metro with 98 points each. The Penguins were awarded home ice advantage for having more regulation wins.

During this Flyers “season to remember” they were battling it out to the bitter end night after night. They were 16-0-12 in games decided after regulation. Nothing came easy for these guys. They had to work for every point.

Before the 1st round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs began it was not uncommon to hear folks say “even if they get swept it will be a great experience for the young players”. Which was true, just not very encouraging.

This young, rebuilding, upstart Philadelphia Flyers team just pulled off a months long come-back that will be talked about for years yet this was a common reaction. People are cautious, it’s understandable. This had been a long time coming.

You gotta play the games

If this team has taught us anything over the course of this season it’s this, you gotta play the games and see where it takes you. Focus on one game at a time, anything can happen on any given night.

The Flyers beat the Pens in game one and some called it a fluke. They shocked the hockey world by shutting out the veteran Pittsburgh team in game two. The Flyers brought the series home and whooped the Penguins 5-2 in Game 3 pushing them to the brink of elimination.

If the Flyers had swept the series it would have been their 7th win in a row. It would have been their 10th win in the last 11 games. It would have been Pittsburgh’s 7th loss in a row. That’s a lot to ask. The Penguins won games 3 and 4 before being eliminated by the Flyers in 6 games. The Flyers once again proved the “experts” wrong and they were off to the 2nd round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

“We’re also happy for the city for the fans. They have supported us through the ups and the downs”. Flyers Captain Sean Couturier

House Money

After battling relentlessly to get to the post season then soundly defeating the eternally annoying Pittsburgh Penguins what we are hearing now is. They’re “playing with house money nobody expected them to get this far”. House money? Really?

It’s baffling to hear folks still using that term when it no longer applies to the situation at hand. The Flyers had nothin’ to loose back when they were up 3-0 in the 1st round. That was house money time.

Right now their entire season is on the line. All their chips are on the table. All of their blood, sweat, and determination was leading up to this moment in time. It doesn’t give them the credit or the recognition they deserve to talk about the 2nd round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs as if it is some sort of bonus round.

They ran into a buzz saw in Game 1 in Carolina. The Hurricanes swept the Ottawa Senators and had a week at home to rest up and study the Flyers Penguins series. The last minute scheduling for Round 2 left the Flyers with little time to prepare for Game 1. The Flyers were still on a reconnaissance mission while the Hurricanes were already set on search and destroy.

The chips are down

Carolina easily outmatched the Flyers in the opening game on Saturday night. In Game 2 on Monday it was a totally different story. The Flyers came out to take an early 2-0 lead. The Hurricanes eventually tied the game and it went to overtime.

The Flyers dominated the overtime period. They had the mighty Carolina Hurricanes back on their heels. The Canes were lucky to score the sudden death game winning goal after being outplayed for much of the game. That is where things currently stand. The Flyers are now facing yet another uphill battle after losing the 1st two games of the series.

The Philly home barn will be rockin’ when the team takes the ice for Game 3 on Thursday night. There’s nothing like playoff hockey in Philadelphia. The fans know it, the players know it, this is what it’s all been about from the very start.

We all know this roster isn’t the finished product. All the pieces are not yet in place as the rebuild continues. That should make us respect this group of players even more. This is the squad that finally brought playoff hockey back to the City of Brotherly Love. They’re only two games into this 2nd round series and Thursday night will be their first “‘must win” of the post season.

They never stopped believing in their team as they battled against all odds to get here. They didn’t do that for a participation trophy and a pat on the head. That’s not what this is all about. Not to mention, it ain’t over yet and folks are already dealing out cope. It’s not time yet to be happy with how far they’ve come.

The Flyers battled through months of adversity for this chance to compete against the best of the best. A shot at winning the greatest trophy in all of sports. They deserve to be here, they’ve earned it.

Things will change over the off-season, some of these players may never be this far along again. It’s fine to look ahead at what promises to be a bright future for the Orange and Black, but in the meantime don’t miss out on the here and now. It’s go time. Throw caution to the wind. Get loud, get proud, get behind your team. Don’t tell them “they shouldn’t be here”. Tell them to go all in and you’ll go there with them. Fly or die boys …go for it.

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The Flyers looked like an entirely different team compared to their Game 1 loss on Saturday. They are now down two games to none, but what they proved tonight is that they can hang with the mighty Carolina Hurricanes. Carolina was more than lucky to skate away with the win after getting dominated in the overtime period. The difference between the Flyers performance in games 1 and 2 was night and day.

Philly vs Carolina

The Flyers got on the board early in the opening period. Former Flyer Sean Walker picked up a delay of game penalty for dumping the puck over the glass. Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale picked up a loose puck in the slot. He took a couple strides towards the net and fired a wrist shot over the blocker of Frederik Andersen 4:02 into the first period.

It was the first time Carolina had been behind in any game since April 7th.

Just 39 seconds later Flyers captain Sean Couturier made it 2-0. Carl Grundstrom crossed behind the back of the Carolina net with the puck. He passed from behind the goal line to Couturier who was stationed right in front of the net. Coots did not hesitate to put the puck between Andersen’s legs giving his team the early two goal lead.

Flipping the Script

This was a very similar start to Saturday’s Game 1 except the roles were reversed. The Flyers started this game still dumping too often but showing much better control in their own end. Owen Tippett did not play in this game and is still listed as day to day. The Flyers were running Alex Bump and Porter Martone centered by Denver Barkey against Game 1 hero Logan Stankoven’s line.

Carolina scored their first goal on the power-play as well 9:38 into the opening period. After a series of crisp side to side passes Nikolaj Ehlers beat Dan Vladar with a one-timer from just above the right dot.

Carolina’s playoff power-play productivity has been similar to the Flyers. This goal put them at 2-for-19. They went 1-for-6 in this game, the Flyers went 1-for-7. If either team were more adept at utilizing the man advantage it could have drastically changed the entire dynamic of this hockey game.

2nd Period

The second period was more than a bit of a tilt towards the Flyers end of the ice. Goalie Dan Vladar was called on time and time again to make clutch saves to protect his team’s one goal lead. Travis Sanheim made one of the biggest saves of the night scooping a puck away from the goal line after it made it’s way through the goaltender’s legs.

By the middle of the 2nd period Carolina was outshooting the Flyers 21-8. They led in shot attempts 42-14, but on the scoreboard Dan Vladar and his team managed to get to the 2nd intermission still leading by a goal.

3rd Period

Carolina tied the game up 11:21 into the 3rd period. Ehlers skated the puck into the Flyers zone and left a drop pass for Seth Jarvis who fired a wrist shot through the glove of Dan Vladar. The Flyers started to scramble a bit after the tying goal. It didn’t take more than a few shifts to fall back into their system and restabilize.

Dan Vladar made a huge point blank save on Logan Stankoven. Shortly there after Rasmus Ristolainen hit Stankoven into Vladar and they both went down to the ice. Vladar started whacking away at Stankoven with his stick and they both ended up getting penalized.

As time was running out Travis Konecny sprung Sean Couturier on a breakaway from the neutral zone. Andersen made another fine save on the attempt. Couturier led both teams with 5 shots on goal. Again in this game the captain was the most effective player on the ice. As the horn sounded ending regulation there was a scrum in the corner and you could hear an on ice official yelling “no headlocks, no headlocks”. This game was going to overtime.

Sudden Death

The Flyers were absolutely swarming during the extra period. The Hurricanes had their share of chances as well. At one point Christian Dvorak lost his stick leaving him defenseless as Sean Walker carried the puck to the front of the Flyers net. Vladar made and excellent point blank save on the attempt. The Flyers goalkeeper stopped a total of 40 shots over the course of the night.

The Flyers outshot the Canes 15-8 during the overtime period. Michkov was denied point blank, Konecny was stopped on a breakaway. Andersen made many challenging saves. The roles were a total reversal of Game 1 and it was now Carolina who was dumping and icing the puck to relieve the pressure.

With just 1:06 remaining in the 1st overtime period Carolina found a way to solve Vladar and end the game. Martone and Barkley created a scoring chance that turned into a rush in the other direction. Blake passed to Taylor Hall who forced his way through the crowd and put the puck in the far side of the net.

Epilog

After the Flyers weak Game 1 performance a popular consensus was that Carolina is the far superior team and the Flyers don’t stand a chance. The Flyers proved tonight that they absolutely can hang with the mighty Carolina Hurricanes. In fact they totally dominated the Canes in the overtime period.

The rebuilding upstart Philadelphia Flyers showed that they will not be a push over in this Stanley Cup Playoff series. Thursday night the Hurricanes will be in Philadelphia for Game 3. This will be another huge test and a match-up with huge ramifications. If the Flyers can win Game 3 they will be right back in this series. If Carolina goes up three games to none it will be an entirely different situation.

I guess that makes Game 3 in Philly this Thursday night the Flyers first “must win” of the 2026 playoffs.

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