Well, Flyers fans, the 2024-25 season is almost over, and it has definitely been an up-and-down rollercoaster. The Philadelphia Flyers were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention with their loss to the Montreal Canadiens on April 5.
What is there to still play for? Well, there isn’t much, but there are still a few things “up for grabs”, if you will. The Flyers still have five games left, including tonight’s against the New York Rangers. To catch everyone up quickly, the Flyers are 31-37-9 with 71 points through 77 games played. They sit in the basement of the Metropolitan Division and fourth worst in the league.
Now fourth worst in the league may make people think that it’s nothing special and it’s expected with the way this team is built. I would agree. I, personally, expected this kind of season from the team. Did I think they’d get better with top rookie Matvei Michkov coming over from Russia? Yes. However, hockey is a team sport and not played with only one player.
Let’s discuss the things that are up for grabs.
Michkov and the Calder Trophy race
Don’t get me wrong. Michkov has proven that he has the talent and IQ of an NHLer. In fact, he’s tallied 58 points this season and is only a rookie. Scoring 24 goals and picking up 34 assists should be telling enough. While he may only be 20 years old and has a lot of growing to do, he definitely has shown Flyers fans that he’s the real deal. Imagine what he could do if you surround him with top talent.
Michkov is also in the running for the Calder Trophy. He’s up against some tough competition this year, as other rookies in the race are making great cases as well. Lane Hutson (MTL), Dustin Wolf (CGY), and Macklin Celebrini (SJS) are the players he’s up against. It’s going to be an uphill battle for Michkov to win this year. Hutson seems to be the favorite to win and is being picked by multiple sports outlets. Michkov will have to battle hard these last five games to keep his name in the race.
The Draft
You might be thinking, “What’s so special about being fourth from the bottom?” Well, this year’s draft class is loaded with talent. Players such as Michael Misa, James Hagens, Viktor Eklund, Matt Schaefer, Anton Frondell, and Porter Marton are all going to be up for grabs this summer. Finishing low in the league may not be all that bad.
I’ve never been in favor of the tank and never will be. However, if the Flyers finish where they are now, they’ll be guaranteed at least one of the names listed earlier. After tonight’s game, the Flyers will face off against the New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Buffalo Sabres. The results of these games will determine what spot in the draft they’ll hold.
Bill Masterton Trophy
News broke earlier today that Flyers goaltender Ivan Fedotov has been named the Bill Masterton nominee for the team. This trophy is awarded to the NHL player who best shows the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to the game of hockey.
In my opinion, Fedotov is the perfect nominee for such an award. Thinking about his journey in Russia and making his way to the NHL, it makes perfect sense as to why he was nominated.
The 6’7″ 214 lb netminder was drafted by the Flyers in the 2015 Draft, 188th overall in the seventh round. He officially made it to the majors late last season and appeared in three games for the orange and black. In those three games, he held a 0-1-1 record, 4.95 goals against average (GAA), and an 8.11 save percentage.
The 2024-25 season has been all over the place for him. He, at one point, was going back and forth with Aleksei Kolosov for backup goaltender, was officially named it, struggled, and then was sat for a while. With the Flyers eliminated from playoff contention, we may be seeing more Kolosov in these last five games. Only time will tell.
This season, Fedotov holds a 6-13-3 record, 3.12 goals against average, and a .881 save percentage. While struggling may hurt your confidence, Fedotov is a player who works his backend off and battles through the struggles every way he can.
General Manager Daniel Briere talked about Fedotov being nominated. He feels as though Fedotov is the ideal choice to represent the Flyers.
“Ivan is an ideal choice to represent the Flyers as the Masterton nominee. He never gave up on his dream of playing the NHL after being drafted nearly 10 years earlier in the seventh round. However, it is the level of resiliency he displays on a daily basis throughout the season, whether at practice or when called upon to start, that continues to impress me, the coaches and his teammates.”
What was Fedotov’s reaction to being nominated? Well, it was a bit of a surprise. He shares his thoughts on the nomination and how it’s been a long road for him to the majors.
“This is a surprise to me. I don’t concentrate about it too much so it’s just a good, good feeling,” said Fedotov. “It’s been my dream all time to play in the NHL. Every kid when he’s growing up probably have a dream to play in the best league in the world. So of course it’s a long way, long road for me. Finally, I’m here where I want to be.”
Flyers Next Game
Flyers next game is tonight in New York against the Rangers.
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