It’s the dead thick of Summer, and most hockey fans/lovers of the sport can’t wait for training camp to begin. Not much is happening right now in Flyer Land, as the Ivan Fedotov saga never dies and Morgan Frost has yet to re-sign. Without further delay, here are the answers to your questions.
A reasonable timeline for the Flyers to reenter contention would be two to three years. That was a big sticking point for Cutter Gauthier to return to Boston College this coming season as opposed to signing an Entry-Level-Contract, and it gives Matvei Michkov time to join the Flyers.
Realistically, do not be surprised if the Flyers are a bubble playoff this coming season, a healthy Sean Couturier and Cam Atkinson can do that for the club. To add, if Cam York takes the next step in his development, and Owen Tippett/Morgan Frost/Tyson Foerster/Elliot Desnoyers improve, as well, anything can happen.
The 2024-25 season is when I expect the orange and black to make a good push into the playoffs.
The “Future Considerations” was never satisfied with the Shayne Gostisbehere deal, no draft pick(s) were awarded, neither were cash considerations. The only thing I can think of is that the Arizona Coyotes will eventually give cash for the trade, rather than a pick(s), especially since Ghost was traded away from Arizona. Usually this is the case, and trust me the Flyers have not forgotten about this.
The St. Louis Blues will only be on the hook for $3.571 million for the next three seasons for the services of Kevin Hayes. He becomes an Unrestricted Free Agent in 2026-27.
Fans support their teams through thick and thin. The Flyers are an up and coming team, but it will take time to get back into contention. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
The positives are the youth will play, and hopefully they take the next step forward. It’s about seeing players that you would not normally see if the team was better, yes I am talking about the youth like Tyson Foerster, Emil Andrae (Possibly), Ronnie Attard (Eventually), Elliot Desnoyers, Egor Zamula, amongst others that will make the trek up the turnpike eventually.
There were two teams that instantly come to mind for a precedence on how to successfully rebuild a club, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks. The Penguins started their rebuild around 2003 when they drafted Marc Andre-Fleury. Of course, the rest is history with two Stanley Cups with the help from Sidney Crosby (Drafted in 2005) and Evgeni Malkin (Drafted in 2004). The Penguins did win the Stanley Cup in 2009-2016-2017.
The Blackhawks rebuild started with the selection of Brent Seabrook in 2003. In addition, Jonathan Toews was drafted in 2006 and Patrick Kane in 2007. They went onto win three Stanley Cups in 2010-2013-2015.
It is always nice to have generational talents, but to answer your question of three…no. Look at the overall makeup of both of those clubs above. Some names that are missing are Kris Letang and Duncan Keith. Both had more stars than I mentioned.
Fortunately, the Flyers have a generational talent in Matvei Michkov in their system. In addition, the Flyers currently have two starts in Carter Hart and Sean Couturier (When healthy). They have a few up and coming risers in Cutter Gauthier and Tyson Foerster. Let’s see how these young players develop, maybe they turn into stars themselves.
- Nick Seeler
Zayde Wisdom really needs to have a strong season in 2023-24, or he could find himself on the outside looking in for a contract following the 2024-25 season.
As it stands right now he is following down the similar trajectory of Matthew Stroke. Strome played for the Reading Royals to get aying time, then would get recalled back to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Unfortunately, that won’t cut it to receive a qualifying offer when his ELC expires at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season.
Wisdom needs to focus on himself, finally healthy and not on where he will be playing. He should just play his game, and regain that confidence back. Wisdom has the talent, now he has to trust himself and let the game come to him. At times he tries to do too much, so let’s hope he finds his game again.
Zayde, unless something drastically changes will not be recalled when the likes of Olle Lycksell and Elliot Desnoyers continue to shine.
Cam Atkinson is currently playing in organized scrimmages, so I think the team is fully confident in his health in particular. He was supposed to be cleared for contact approximately two weeks after exit interviews, so I’m assuming he’s been cleared.
The team is also confident with Sean Couturier. Couturier stayed at Voorhees for weeks following the season to practice and skate, so I believe they know exactly where he stands health wise.
I do believe a few scouts had Cale Makar ranked or pegged ahead of Nolan Patrick, solely due to injury history.
These scouts have one job, give insight or intel on certain players, the best players in their opinion. Those said scouts will defend their findings to the fullest, and that was made available with this past draft by Brent Flahr. Flahr stated that things got “Heated” a bit when discussing the trajectory or outline of the Flyers 2023 draft, even so much so, Flahr said he wanted people to defend their proposed picks, rather than be “Yes men.”
There will be a few surprises actually. I believe Nick Seeler will be on the outside looking in, as Emil Andrae makes the club, coupled with Tyson Foerster winning a spot out of camp, as well.
The Flyers and Morgan Frost are not close at all on a deal. However, I do expect a one or two year deal to be worked out by the end of August. The deal will get done, and Frost will report for training camp as expected.
Frost was in Voorhees at developmental camp, so he might still be there. He was watching that Sunday, which spells good news regarding his next contract.
Tyson Foerster has top six capabilities. He has skated well at the NHL level this far, and to me that would be the only thing holding him back from a full-time top six player in the future. Actually, I think Cutter Gauthier, Matvei Michkov, Tyson Foerster will be a line in 2026-27.
Bobby Brink struggled with consistency, as expected coming back from injury last season. Brink may need more time, but he will be recalled at some point during the season to the big club.
Claude Giroux is one of the most underrated Flyers of all-time. He was one heck of a player for the orange and black, and he finished his Flyers career with the second most points with 900 and the second most assists with 609.
Failure is a good word to use this season. The Flyers should improve dramatically with a healthy Sean Couturier and Cam Atkinson. The Flyers finished last season with 75 points, now that was a trying year under first year Head Coach of the Flyers in John Tortorella.
The bar, in regards to points, should be at least 80, a playoff bubble team. They don’t have to make the playoffs, but this team should improve from last season. If the orange and black do not improve from last season, then yes, that would be a failure. Especially if Couturier and Atkinson are healthy.
If you would like to see your questions submitted in our weekly mailbag. Just submit your question on our Twitter page @flyersknitty using #Flyersmail, or @JameyBaskow. Thanks to all the fans for another great mailbag.
