The Flyers begin training camp this Sunday on January 3rd, a day in which physicals begin. This young Flyers team appears to be primed and ready to make the next jump this season, and here are five reasons why the Flyers can and will make a run for the Stanley Cup in 2021.
Carter Hart
The Flyers have their franchise goaltender for the next decade. Hart was one of the best goalies in the Metropolitan Division last season and is arguably the best in the East Division for this season. Shortening the season to 56 should allow Hart to play between 35 and 40 games. If the Flyers are able to win 25 games with Hart, and about half of Brian Elliot’s games, that gives them around 33 wins for the season. That is 66 points before Overtime and Shootout losses. The Flyers could go 33-19-4, end up with 70 points, and have home ice (unless there is a bubble) for the first round of the playoffs. With a shortened season, Hart will also have to remain healthy. Behind Brian Elliott, the Flyers have Alex Lyon who has NHL experience, but relying on those two for an extended period of time could really hurt the team’s playoff chances.
Improved Offense
The Flyers did not sign a forward in free agency, nor did they trade for one. Instead, they banked on their own two young stars, Nolan Patrick and Oskar Lindblom, returning to the ice. Patrick has been making consistent strides on his way back from a migraine disorder and hopes to be ready for opening night on January 13th at home against the Pittsburgh Penguins. If Patrick is cleared for contact on January 3rd, the chances of him suiting up for the first time in over a year go up significantly. Oskar Lindblom, although he returned to play in two playoff games in Toronto, is now back and ready to go, according to Flyers’ head coach Alain Vigneault. Lindblom was tied for the team leader in goals at the time of his cancer diagnosis in December of 2019. Getting him back on the second line next to Kevin Hayes and Travis Konecny would be the best offseason acquisition the Flyers could have made.
Depth
The Flyers went into the Trade Deadline last season with one goal: adding depth. They traded for Nate Thompson and Derek Grant, both of whom are now on free-agent deals with other teams. Thompson was supposed to be a physical presence on the fourth line while also killing penalties. He was physical, and did kill penalties, but did not do much of anything else. Derek Grant got off to a great start in his only regular season games with the Flyers, but was a big disappointment in the playoffs. Losing Grant and Thompson will not hurt the Flyers as much as some think it will. Nicolas Aubé-Kubel proved that he can stick with the Flyers many times throughout the playoffs. He is a relentless forechecker, very physical, and has a very underrated shot. NAK is a perfect fit on the fourth line with Michael Raffl and Scott Laughton. He could even see time on the second unit’s power play.
Experience
Losing in game seven in any round hurts. Making it one game from the Eastern Conference Finals is something to be proud of for a team as young as the Flyers were. They faced adversity so often throughout the season and constantly powered their way through it. Oskar Lindblom is the ultimate and most perfect example of how the Flyers fought last season. He made it all the way back and played in the playoffs. This team has the same core coming back, has the same goalie that they know is one of the best in the league, and now they know they can get the job done. Carter Hart playing in the playoffs was huge for his development. The Flyers are a battle-tested, hungry team with the perfect mix of young talent and veteran leadership that we now can expect them to come out of the East and play for the Stanley Cup.
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Alain Vigneault
Finally, the glue that held the team together last year. AV was a finalist for the Jack Adams award which is given to the best head coach in the NHL. Vigneault shows confidence in his players, and there is no better example than when everyone thought he was going to pull Carter Hart in the playoffs, but called him over to talk to him, regain his composure, and stuck with him for the rest of the game. While the Flyers did lose the game, they closed out the series in game 6 two nights later, with Hart dominating the Canadiens. On top of being the perfect coach for this group of players, AV has been to the Stanley Cup Finals twice in his career and has won the President’s Trophy once, which is given to the team with the most points in the regular season. AV’s resumé speaks for itself, and the only thing it is missing is a Stanley Cup. That will come in Philadelphia.
