The Flyers celebrated clinching the playoffs in style on Monday. What a game it was, and our very own Michael Reaves captured some great shots:

Trevor Zegras has been hyped about the playoff atmosphere in Philly lately. After the Flyers clinched a postseason spot (their first since 2020), he’s talked about how electric the crowd has been during these must-win games down the stretch.

In recent comments, he called out the fans as “unbelievable” and noted that the building has had a real playoff vibe for weeks now.

“Definitely the coolest home atmosphere I’ve played in front of. Philly’s Postseason is like that, Eagles games too,” Zegras said of Philly fans after practice this past Thursday.

Zegras, who’s in his first NHL playoffs after the Anaheim Ducks never made it during his tenure there, seems to be feeding off it. He’s been centering a hot line and playing a big part in the push.

Philly crowds are notoriously intense once the playoffs hit, so if he’s already calling the regular-season run-up “great,” it’s only going to crank up from here. Should be fun to watch how he handles his first real taste of it. You a Flyers fan catching these games?

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Saturday night in Pittsburgh the Flyers will face the Penguins in the Stanly Cup Playoffs for the eighth time in their shared history. For the seasoned Flyers Fan the very mention of the other Pennsylvania ice hockey team draws groans or in most cases far worse. The long standing rivalry is tattooed on our collective hearts.

So when you get a talented group of young players assembled to represent the city you hope they feel it too. But they didn’t grow up here. They weren’t even born when half the events you want revenge for took place. You hope they are getting a crash course in what a Flyers Penguins playoff series means to this fanbase.

Stick with me here, these dates weren’t picked at random. This is all headed somewhere.

Notable Dates

There is in fact a long history between these two teams which may or may not still hold relevance so lets condense it. Both teams joined the NHL as part of the great expansion of 1967.

The Flyers were the stronger of the two teams leading into the 1970’s. In 1974 the Flyers were the 1st team from the 1967 expansion to win the Stanley Cup. They repeated that achievement the following year. “It was a beautiful thing”.

Pens Losing Streak

The Penguins endured a losing streak in Philadelphia that lasted from Feb. 7th 1974 until Feb 2nd 1989. Pittsburgh went 42 games in Philly over the span of 15 years without a single win. 0-39-3. This may help explain why Pittsburgh historically doesn’t like us very much either.

Mario Lemieux changed the direction of the franchise from 1984 until 2006. The addition of Jaromir Jagr from 1990 to 2001 kept the Penguins moving onward and upward. They traded dominance with the Flyers during this era. The Pens won back to back cups in 1991 and 1992. Just for the record they also went on to win three more in 2009, 2016 and 2017.

2000 Playoff Series

The Flyers won this conference semi-final against the Penguins 4 games to 2. The most memorable match of the series was game 4 in Pittsburgh. This became the longest NHL game of the modern era. It started at 7:40 PM on May 4th and ended at 2:35 AM on May 5th 2000. Keith Primeau’s goal 12:01 into the 5th overtime gave the Flyers the 2-1 victory.

2012 Playoff Series

This was one of the most memorable series between the Flyers and Penguins. It was the conference quarter finals. The Flyers beat the Penguins in 6 games. This was a high scoring, hard hitting, and very eventful series. This was probaby the hot point of the cross-state rivalry.

This series was boiling over before it even started. Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette was fined $10,000 for an incident that took place during their final match-up of the regular season.

It was the final minutes of the game and the Flyers were up 6-3. Laviolette accused the Penguins coaching staff of putting certain players on the ice just to go after key Flyers players in a game that was pretty much decided.

Joe Vitale took a run at a Flyer in the neutral zone and a multi player brawl ensued. Laviolette was standing up on the boards yelling over the glass at the Pittsburgh bench. The Flyers coach said it was a “guttless move”.

In that series Claude Giroux fought Sidney Crosby in game 3. Claude Giroux’s infamous “shift” took place in game 4. The entire thing was contentious, high-scoring, and hard hitting. The Flyers won the series in 6 games.

Penguins

You may be thinking this is all ancient history as far as this current Flyers line-up is concerned. The 2025-26 Philadelphia Flyers are one of the youngest teams in the NHL. The last time the Flyers faced the Penguins in a playoff round was in 2018. To put that in perspective Porter Martone was 12 years old at the time.

The Flyers have just one player who was on the team in 2012. Captain Sean Coururier was a rookie that year. Conversely the Penguins have 4 key players that were already on the roster at the time. and they are big names. Sidney Crosby joined the team in 2005. Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang joined in 2006. Bryan Rust has been a Penguin since 2014.

These guys have their own personal memories of the red hot rivalry days. Sidney Crosby’s introduction to Philadelphia is something a person probably never really forgives and forgets. He was an 18 year old rookie when he made his first trip to the City of Brotherly Love as a Penguin. Flyer Darian Hatcher took “Sid the Kid” into the boards with a questionable hit that knocked two of his teeth out.

Flyer Fans jeered as Crosby was eventually given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for complaining to the officials about a lack of calls for Hatcher’s stick work. Crosby has been a thorn in the Flyers side ever since. He scored the game winning overtime goal in that contest. He has gone on to become the player in the NHL who as scored the most goals against the Flyers in franchise history.

Flyers Here and Now

The Penguins are one of the older teams by average age in the NHL this season. Don’t jump to conclusions. The Colorado Avalanche are the 4th oldest this season and they just won the Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL team with the best regular season record with 121 points. The Winnipeg Jets came in second with 116 points, they are the oldest team by average in the NHL this season.

It should be said, the Flyers have been one of the hottest teams in the NHL since the Olympic break this season. They’re not in this series by any stroke of luck. It took a lot of hard work, determination, and focus over the course of months. They never gave up on each other. They beat the overwhelming odds and they absolutely deserve to be where they are. They’ve earned it.

The Flyers and Penguins both finished with 98 points this season. They split their season series at two games apiece. The Pens had the 7th ranked power-play in the league this season. We are all too familiar with the fact that the power-play is the Flyers biggest weakness going in. They need to stay calm, stay out of the box, and stick to the fundamental hockey style that got them here.

Here’s the point

The Flyers young squad is about to start writing their own playoff history against their cross-state rivals. The Penguins key players already have that fire in their hearts when it comes to Philadelphia and all the history involved. That type of inspiration isn’t just passed down magically. So where might it come from for the Flyers young roster? They are literally surrounded by the characters in these stories every single day.

In the 2000 Game 4 five overtime victory current Flyers President Keith Jones logged 37:50 of ice time for the Orange and Black. Flyers Head Coach Rick Tocchet logged 46:58. Flyers Special Advisor of Hockey Operations John LeClair scored the tying goal with 4:47 remaining in regulation to force the overtime. Flyers Broadcaster Brian Boucher was in the Flyers net for all 151.48 of clock time and stopped 57 of 58 shots.

In 2012 Flyers coach Peter Laviolette blew his stack and was fined ten thousand dollars over a hit put on one of his players. That player was Flyers General Manager Danny Briere. Briere was key to the Flyers playoff successes. He was known for it.

Briere recorded 72 points (37 g – 35 a) over 68 post-season games as a Flyer. The player who jumped in to stand up to the hit put on Briere was current Flyers Hockey Operations Consultant Wayne Simmonds.

Who could forget Simmonds final game as a Flyer? The come from behind overtime Stadium Series victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins at Lincoln Financial Field in 2019.

Current Flyers Studio Analyst Scott Hartnell was responsible for some of the most memorable visuals in the 2012 Pittsburgh series. Mocking the “Hulk Hogan” guy in the stands. Signing the #19 jersey with “Fartsmell” on the name-plate. Aside from all the extra curricular activity Scott was a huge presence in front of the Pittsburgh net notching 3 goals and 2 assists in that series.

In Game 2 current Flyers captain Sean Couturier and former captain Claude Giroux both recorded hattricks in the 8-5 Philly win.

These are not stories from some dusty old history book. These are the stories that are etched into the hearts and minds of the people who are currently running this organization. Nobody needs to tell them how much this series against the Penguins means to the fanbase. If the Flyers stay calm, stick to their guns, and play smart this series should be a blast.

Flyers vs Penguins Game 1 in Pittsburgh Saturday April 18th 8PM. Let’s go!

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Dan Vladar dropped the ultimate goalie mic drop: “I cannot train harder to stop the puck because I’m already doing that.”

Vladar’s 6’5 with long limbs and solid positioning, and this season with the Flyers he’s been absolutely phenomenal, coupling a 29-14-7 record, 2.42 GAA (Third best in the League), and .906 Save Percentage across 52 games. That’s a career year, top-10ish in wins, and he’s been a massive reason Philly’s been competitive.

The quote sounds cocky on the surface, but it’s actually pretty confident and honest. He’s not phoning it in — he’s saying his current process and prep are already dialed in at a high level, and the results back it up. Goalies at this level are all training like maniacs anyway; the difference is often in reads, mental game, and trusting your size/athleticism instead of over-pushing.

Some fans roast him for occasional aggressive positioning or scramble issues (he’s human), but right now he’s playing like a legit No. 1 and even getting Vezina/Hart buzz chatter. If he’s “already stopping the puck,” the numbers don’t lie.

What do you think — is this just peak goalie swagger, or is there something to the “he doesn’t need to grind extra” vibe because of his natural tools? Flyers fans eating good this year with him in net.

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The Flyers locker room is buzzing with excitement heading into the playoffs! After ending a six-year postseason drought with that dramatic shootout clincher against Carolina, the players have been vocal about how fired up they are for this Battle of Pennsylvania rematch against the Penguins.

Here are some standout quotes showing just how pumped the team is:

• Owen Tippett: “Couldn’t have drawn it up any better. Battle of Pennsylvania, and it’s going to be a good one. We’re excited.”
• Travis Konecny: He has emphasized that the team has been playing playoff-style hockey for the past month and is ready to embrace the intensity. He’s described as an emotional leader who’s especially motivated to finally experience true playoff hockey in Philly again.
• Trevor Zegras Talked about how close the group is, saying “We’re obviously so close, and love each other so much.” The vibe in the room after clinching was emotional and tight-knit.
• Sean Couturier: “We’ve been up to all these challenges all year and responded pretty well. So, we’ll be ready.”
• Head Coach Rick Tocchet: Acknowledged the rivalry and the Penguins’ veteran warriors (Crosby, Malkin, Letang), but stressed the team is prepared for a tough battle. He got emotional himself post-clincher, noting how long it’s been for this hockey city.

Matvei Michkov and the younger guys are treating this as a “great experience,” with plenty of energy and celebration in recent games showing they’re embracing the moment. Veterans like Nick Seeler and others have talked about how special it feels to deliver playoff hockey to the fans after years away.

The energy is high—guys are motivated by the rivalry, the long wait, and the belief that this group has the grit to make noise. Many are calling it the perfect first-round matchup to reignite that old hate and bring playoff intensity back to Broad Street.

Game 1 is tomorrow night (Saturday, April 18) at 8 p.m. ET in Pittsburgh on ESPN.

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The mood at the Flyers Training Center was upbeat, energetic, and more of a spectacle than usual. There were plenty of local news cameras and members of the press interspersed with Flyers Fans buzzing around the rink to get a look at Philly’s hottest team.

The Flyers brass was also in attendance overseeing the action on the ice. This was not a business as usual practice. The Flyers are ramping up for round one of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. This is the team’s first trip to the post-season since 2020.

Aside from all the added attention and extra energy the mood on the ice was a bit more serious. On ice breaks seemed to be filled with more strategic discussions than small talk and jokes. Nobody is taking this next challenge lightly. This team worked so hard to get here and now it’s time to make the most of it.

Getting to the playoffs was a huge step for the rebuilding Philadelphia Flyers. In the big picture it almost feels like mission accomplished. They just pulled off the unthinkable, an amazing months long comeback against all odds. On March 18th one of the predictive sights gave the Flyers a 3.8% chance of making the playoffs this season. Yet here they are. They did it.

The reality for this group of players is that this is just the beginning. This is the golden opportunity that they have fought so hard to attain. A chance to compete against the best of the best in the quest for The Stanley Cup.

Don’t write this bunch off

To write 2025-26 off before the post-season even starts would be doing a great disservice to this hardworking group of players. It was such an accomplishment for this group to successfully dig themselves out of the hole they dug for them selves in January.

You already see folks around the sport setting low expectations for the Flyers in the post season because “they weren’t even supposed to be here”. Maybe these folks weren’t paying close enough attention. The Flyers were one of the hottest teams in the NHL down the stretch. “The stretch” ended two days ago. They absolute deserve to be where they are right now. They earned it.

The official time and date of game one against the Pittsburgh Penguins was announced Thursday afternoon. Saturday April 18th at 8:00 PM in Pittsburgh. Things are getting very real, very quick. The Flyers already get it, you could clearly see that on the ice today. For the Fans still stoked about the clinch this week the reality is about to set in.

The narrative is about to shift. This come-from-behind season was just a battle in a much bigger war. The Flyers are again, in fact now more than ever, in control of their own destiny.

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The Philadelphia Flyers have made the playoffs for the first time since the 2019-2020 season. They’ll take on cross-state rival, the Pittsburgh Penguins, in Round One. Game one is set for Saturday night.

There are so many players on this Flyers roster who will get to experience playoff hockey for the very first time. We can only hope that they make the best of it and find a way to win the series. If the game against the Carolina Hurricanes, in which the Flyers clinched their spot, is any indication of how loud the crowd will be and how packed the arena will be, oh boy, will we be in for a treat.

There are a few ways the Flyers can beat the Penguins and move on to the next round. In this piece, I’ll be diving into those ways and helping set the way for what, hopefully, should be a great series. Let’s get right into it, shall we?

Stay out of the box

The first way the Flyers can beat out the Penguins is by staying out of the box. The Flyers have definitely taken their fair share of penalties this season and simply can’t afford to do so against this Penguins team.

In the regular season series, the two teams split two-two. Within these four games, the Flyers would get penalized 18 times and allow seven goals. With Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin on the units, you simply have to stay disciplined.

Special teams is going to play a huge role in this series. The Flyers power play has been a disaster all season, but should they get a man advantage, they have to capitalize. They started to cash in more towards the end of the season, but you have to take advantage of every opportunity you get.

Better Goaltending

This is an aspect of the game where I think the Flyers have the advantage. I, personally, think a tandem of Dan Vladar and Sam Ersson is better than the Penguins tandem of Stuart Skinner and Arturs Silovs. I hope I don’t eat my words here, but simply looking at the second half numbers for all of these goaltenders, the orange and black have the better numbers.

The addition of Vladar in the offseason has to be one of general manager Daniel Briere’s best moves. They brought Vladar in on a two-year, $6.7M contract on July 1, 2025. He is one, if not the biggest, reason why the Flyers have made the playoffs in the first place.

Vladar has been a solid rock for the Flyers all season long. Through 52 games played (51 started), he recorded a 29-14-7 record, a 2.42 goals-against average (GAA), and a .906 save percentag

The Flyers announced their team awards back on the 14th, and Vladar would walk away with the Bobby Clarke Trophy (Most Valuable Player) and the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award (most illustrates respect, dignity, and character on and off ice). This goes to show how big of a pick-up this was for the Flyers.

Ersson had himself a solid second half of the year after struggling heavily in the first. On the season, he recorded a 14-11-5 record, a 3.12 goals-against average, and a .870 save percentage. Post Olympic break, Ersson went 5-1-0 with a 1.99 GAA and a .908 save percentage.

Both Skinner and Silovs struggled a bit after the Olympic break. Skinner went 4-5-4 with a 3.24 GAA and .884 save percentage. Silovs went 8-5-0 with a 3.37 GAA and .871 save percentage.

If the Flyers get the better goaltending performances, they have a chance to move on to the next round.

Momentum

This may not be a big deal to some, but momentum can carry you throughout a series. Both of these clubs went in opposite directions to end the regular season.

The Flyers ended the regular season on a three-game winning streak. They’d take down tough opponents such as the Winnipeg Jets, Carolina Hurricanes, and Montreal Canadiens. They rested a good chunk of the regulars in the last one, and the youth pulled through. Ersson had himself a game to end the season as well.

The Penguins, on the other hand, ended the regular season losing three straight games, with two being against the Washington Capitals. They might have rested a lot of their starters as well, but going into the playoffs losing three straight probably isn’t ideal.

All in all, the Flyers should be going into the postseason feeling rested and ready to go. Will momentum play a role? We’ll find out soon enough.

Your Thoughts

What do you think will play the biggest role in this series? Will the Flyers pull through and advance?

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The Flyers are back in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2020! They clinched a spot as the No. 3 seed in the Metropolitan Division and will face their cross-state rival, the Pittsburgh Penguins, in the Eastern Conference First Round (best-of-7 series).

Game 1 Details

• Matchup: Penguins vs. Flyers (Game 1 at Pittsburgh – Penguins have home-ice advantage).
• Date: Saturday, April 18, 2026 (NHL playoffs are scheduled to begin this weekend, with the regular season wrapping up today, April 16).
• Time: 8pm
• Location: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, PA.
• Format reminder: The series follows a 2-2-1-1-1 structure:
  • Games 1 & 2: Pittsburgh
  • Games 3 & 4: Philadelphia (Xfinity Mobile Arena)
  • Game 5: Pittsburgh (if needed)
  • Game 6: Philadelphia (if needed)
  • Game 7: Pittsburgh (if needed)

The NHL typically announces the full first-round schedule (including times) shortly after the regular season ends.

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The 2026 Flyers have reached the NHL postseason for the first time in six years. Isaiah, Chef, and Dan are joined by Bill Meltzer (flyers.nhl.com, hockeyhotstove.com) to break down how the Flyers went from a 3.8% playoff probability one month ago to finishing with 98 points and securing third place in the Metropolitan Division, setting up a first-round matchup with their archrival, the Pittsburgh Penguins.

To add, the panel examines how the Flyers turned a season that once looked headed for the draft lottery into a remarkable comeback, highlighting key turning points, coaching decisions, and the factors that reshaped expectations for the franchise. Central to the surge were the unexpected return of Tyson Foerster, the emergence of young contributors such as Porter Martone, Matvei Michkov, Denver Barkey, Alex Bump, and Jamie Drysdale, and the steady presence of team MVP Dan Vladar in goal.

In the show’s final segment, Anthony DiMarco of DailyFaceoff.com joins to provide his insider perspective on how the Flyers pulled it off, the league-wide reaction to their surge, and what to expect in the playoff series against Pittsburgh. He also breaks down the matchups and offers his predictions alongside the panel.

Matvei Michkov was the hottest player on the Flyers since moving back to his preferred Right Wing (RW) position in early March 2026.

The Shift and Its Impact

The Flyers moved him back to RW around March 7, 2026 (following the Bobby Brink trade), after he spent most of the 2025-26 season on the Left Wing under Rick Tocchet. Michkov, a left-handed shooter, has repeatedly said he feels more comfortable and creative on the right side—where he played his entire pre-NHL career and most of his strong rookie season (2024-25, when he led the Flyers with 26 goals and 63 points).

On Right Wing, he gets better shooting angles (one-timers from the right circle/slot), more room to create, and stronger power-play opportunities. Since being moved back to his favorable position, he has registered 20 points since March 7, 2026 (5g,15a).

Recent Performance on RW

Michkov led the team in points production during that specific window of being placed back at the Right Wing position on March 7, 2026. He’s accumulated multi-point games and has seen an noticeable uptick in confidence and output as the year wound down. Michkov finished the 2025-26 season with 19G-29A-48P in 80 games overall (down from his rookie year but still solid for a 21-year-old), with clear improvement and “heating up” in the final stretch.

The 21-uear-old in Michkov doesn’t shrink from pressure—he seems to thrive when given the chance to play his natural game.

Why RW Suits Him Better

Playing Left Wing was an adjustment for line combos and a more “straight-line” system, but it limited some of his off-wing instincts. Back on RW, he’s looked more assertive, dangerous in transition, and effective on the PP (where a good chunk of his Power Play production has historically come from the right side).

Flyers fans have been vocal that keeping him at the Right Wing position maximizes his skill set, and the late-season results backed that up for many. Michkov’s still young and developing under a new coaching staff, so there’s upside

If the organization commits to his best position long-term. The “hottest” label in that RW stretch feels spot-on based on the eye test and point totals relative to the team in that window.What specific stretch or games stood out most to you?

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