Photo Credit: Philadelphia Flyers PR

With the 2025 NHL Draft now officially in the books the Philadelphia Flyers selected nine prospects with picks at #6, #12, #38, #40, #48, #57, #132, #157, #164.

A key theme of the draft for the Flyers scouting staff appeared to be focusing on players with size and skill that are willing to bring the puck to the net.

Along with that, it’s evident Philadelphia valued prospects who not only had size but are intelligent and think the game at a very high level.

One trait the Danny Briere regime certainly seems to covet is a player’s hockey IQ and this 2025 draft class has only further cemented that.

In relation to overall draft strategy the major trait that stands out is compete level. Every single prospect Philadelphia selected has work ethic as a feature of their play.

When analyzing the combination of wing prospects and center prospects that are now in the organization you can see how their skill sets complement one another.

The wingers have dynamic abilities within their games and the centers are big, with strong sticks who can open up space for those skilled wingers. 

If we look at the overall identity being built moving ahead that to me is what the Flyers have attempted to put into place with the prospects they’ve added to the organization today.

It’s apparent the combination of size, hockey IQ, and, compete level are all traits they were looking for in their draft selections.

Below is a full analysis of each prospect selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2025 Draft and some insight regarding their skill sets and what they could project to be at the NHL level. 

Pick by Pick Analysis

#6 Porter Martone – 6’3, 208Ibs – RW – Brampton Steelheads (OHL)

In terms of hockey IQ Martone has an abundance of it and could be considered one of the most adept playmakers in the draft class.

Impressively enough, he improved his assist totals from 38 in the 2023-24 season to 61 assists in his draft year.

That exemplifies Martone’s willingness to work on areas of his play and hone his skills despite already being an impactful player just a season ago.

As the Steelheads Captain the left winger registered 37 goals and totalled 98 points in just 57 games. 

What propelled Martone to produce 27 more points this season than last were a multitude of factors. The winger showed his compete and tenacity on a nightly basis, while his passing ability was on full display.

His decision making with passes, pass accuracy, and, vision from behind the net while battling defenders allowed him to create lanes for teammates and find them around the net and slot for scoring opportunities.

Martone’s phenomenal stick handling is one other trait that stands out from a majority of other forwards in this draft.

He typically uses his size to protect the puck and draw defenders in towards him. From there he will stick handle around the defenseman to open up plays and lanes to use his plus shot.

When assessing areas to potentially grow in, Martone can certainly work on his defensive support, as well as his skating mechanics.

The big winger gets to the places he needs to be on the ice but he can improve upon his first step and explosiveness to become an even greater offensive threat moving forward.

Ultimately, Martone projects to be a first line talent in the power forward mold at the NHL level, and could be compared to wingers such as Mikko Rantanen or Corey Perry. 

Philadelphia drafted a top 4 talent and arguably the most talented winger in the draft with the Porter Martone selection.

The premium value on center allowed Martone to slip, Briere and the Flyers took advantage. 

#12 Jack Nesbitt – 6’4, 185Ibs – C – Windsor Spitfires (OHL)

A center with size, Nesbitt rose up draft boards throughout this season and Philadelphia executed a trade to ensure they could select a prospect that appeared to have considerable interest around the league.

There were rumors that if Philadelphia did not trade up to select Nesbitt, Nashville likely would have.

In relation to Nesbitt’s overall play he is a high compete and high motor type of player that’s always working hard out on the ice.

He racked up excellent totals in takeaways (4.8 per game), as well as retrievals of pucks this past season. What allows him to be so efficient in those areas are his stick details, reach and defensive positioning. 

Offensively Nesbitt had a close to point per game season. The 18-year-old center registered 25 goals and 39 assists for 64 points in 65 games.

Typically, Nesbitt was most effective offensively around the net, behind the net, in front of the net and in the slot.

In these high danger areas the big forward can use his size to protect the puck and bring pucks towards the net. 

Around the net is where his puck handling ability can come into play as well, to try and open up lanes for teammates. Additionally, Nesbitt has shown prowess with deflections in a net front role.

The concern regarding Nesbitt’s game is primarily his skating. It’s quite clear the forward needs to improve upon his ability to get up to top speed in a quicker manner.

One way this can negatively affect his game is when trying to race to loose pucks. His off puck reads can help him compensate in certain situations however, his skating can still put him in tough positions.

Jack Nesbitt likely projects to be a third line NHL center or even a second line center if all things break right in his development path. One comparable NHL center might be Adam Lowry.

#38 Carter Amico – 6’6, 232Ibs – RHD – USNTDP (NTDP/USHL)

Amico is a talent that could potentially be late first round level quality and a value selection at 38th overall.

The towering 6 ‘6 defender suffered a devastating knee injury (broken knee-cap) early in the season which naturally pushed him out of being a realistic first round option.

Nonetheless, one quality in Amico’s game that makes him so intriguing is his ability to shut down opposing players during one-on-one battles. Coupled with decent mobility and high hockey IQ.

Amico seems like a defender that can be a valuable player for a team looking to add size on the back-end.

Another facet in Amico’s game is his physicality, the defender has a mean streak and seems to put forth some devastating body checks.

The defenseman plays a premium position being on the right side and is committed to Boston University next season. 

#40 Jack Murtagh – 6’1, 200Ibs – LW – USNTDP (NTDP/USHL)

Murtagh could be considered a value type pick at 40th overall due to the fact he was rated in the 20’s as a potential late first rounder by many.

Additionally, he has positional versatility within his game because he’s played some center as well, not just left wing. 

One thing to note is the fact Murtagh is just 17-years-old and one of the youngest players in the 2025 NHL draft. In terms of growing and filling out his frame that may not be quite complete as of yet.

This past season Murtagh registered 22 goals and 31 assists for 53 points in 56 games. He also loves to shoot the puck and led his team with 165 shots on net.

Puck handling might be his biggest strength, but he’s also a pure finisher that uses his puck protection skills in the offensive zone to create space for himself to fire the puck on net.

Along with that, the left winger does not hesitate to bring the puck to the net when the opportunity arises as well.

In terms of comparables one NHL player Murtagh has similarities to would be Colorado Avalanche forward Ross Colton. 

#48 Shane Vansaghi – 6’3, 216Ibs – RW – Michigan State University (NCAA)

Vansaghi is a high motor, high energy type power forward that is best suited in your bottom six of the lineup.

He brings all the typical traits you’re looking for in an energetic player from the hard hitting, to his tenacious forechecking, and never giving up on a play.

To simply put it Vansaghi brings physicality to the table and a lot of it, making him a difficult player to play against.

There’s a variety of aspects within Vansaghi’s play that already make his game pro ready, but the one thing the big winger loves to do is bring the puck out of the corners and towards the net.

Vansaghi realizes that’s where he can make the most difference through getting the puck in and around the net.

The 18-year-old right winger played for Michigan State University this past season in the NCAA and registered 16 points in 37 games.

One player in the NHL that Vansaghi’s game resembles would be Minnesota Wild left winger, Marcus Foligno.

#57 Matthew Gard – 6’5, 195Ibs – C – Red Deer Rebels – (WHL)

The trend of selecting sizable players continued with Philadelphia’s final second round selection.

Gard, a lanky center, registered 19 goals and 17 assists for Red Deer in the WHL throughout 2024-25. Strengths of his game include, hockey IQ, size, and defensive play.

Although his game didn’t jump off the page offensively this season it’s worth noting he did score 19 points in his first 26 games.

However, the center’s production slowed down significantly in the second half, with only 17 points in the final 40 games of the season. 

His hockey IQ might be his strongest trait as he uses his defensive positioning and reach to battle in his own zone and take space away from opposing players.

Gard is a prototypical checking center that played in all situations and was routinely called upon to take important defensive zone faceoffs as well.

A particular facet of Gard’s game that will need work as he continues to develop is his acceleration, specifically due to the fact he can have troubles separating himself from defenders at times.

#132 Max Westergard – 5’11, 168Ibs – LW – Frolunda HC J20 – (J20 Nationell)

Westergard is another value type pick for the Flyers in the fifth round. He was projected to be a second or third round level talent by many but fell all the way to round five.

The 17-year-old is also one of the youngest players eligible for the 2025 draft.

Essentially, Philadelphia takes a swing with this pick on a gritty, tenacious winger, who plays with a lot of pace to his game, and has a very high compete level. 

One trait of Westergard’s that really stands out is his skating speed, which helps him create opportunities off the rush and get to high danger scoring areas.

If all were to go right in Westergard’s development path he could top out as a middle six winger.

When looking at skill sets, one NHL player that Westergard could be compared to is Tampa Bay Lightning forward Yanni Gourde.

#157 Luke Vlooswyk – 6’5, 200 Ibs – RHD – Red Deer Rebels – (WHL)

Vlooswyk is a right shot, shut down defender with size and mobility.

The defenseman typically uses his stick work and long reach to break up plays in his own end and in front of the net. Not to mention his ability to line opponents up for hits when the opportunities present itself.

One key component to Vlooswyk’s game is using his size in board battles to retrieve pucks in the defensive zone. 

There’s certainly room for improvement in the right shot defender’s play, particularly in relation to his skating and puck moving abilities.

Nevertheless, Vlooswyk’s combination of size, mobility, and, physicality make him an intriguing fifth round pick with bottom pair NHL upside.

#164 Nathan Quinn – 5’11, 173 Ibs – C – Quebec Remparts – (QMJHL)

With their final selection in the sixth round the Philadelphia Flyers added another center to the prospect pool in Nathan Quinn. Similar to Max Westergard, Quinn is also one of the youngest draft eligible prospects.

The forward registered 17 goals and 29 assists for 46 points in 54 games for the Quebec Remparts in the QMJHL last season.

A specific facet of the 17-year-old’s game that stands out is his positioning and hockey IQ. To add on, he has also shown flashes of a very sneaky wrist shot release that can beat goaltenders as well.

One final thing to mention, the center uses deception quite well through his puck handling and skating ability to throw defenders off balance.

Nonetheless, Quinn will really need to mature physically to have a shot at the NHL despite the fact his compete level is high. 

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The 2025 NHL Trade Deadline has come and passed and it was an eventful day for the Philadelphia Flyers. General Manager Danny Briere traded away Scott Laughton, Erik Johnson and Andrei Kuzmenko all in separate deals.

Based on the Flyers trajectory as an organization and their position in the standings this season it was a no-brainer the team had to sell certain players when considering some of the assets Philadelphia received in return.

Here is a full picture of all three trades executed yesterday by Philadelphia:

Laughton Trade

The most impactful trade of the day for Philadelphia was long time Flyer of over a decade Scott Laughton (a 2025 fourth-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick) being sent to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a 2027 first-round pick (top 10 protected) and 21 year-old left winger Nikita Grebenkin.

The Flyers also retained fifty percent of Laughton’s $3 million dollar cap hit for the remainder of his contract.

Laughton has been a fixture within Philadelphia’s lineup and locker room for years at this point and losing such an integral part of their team’s culture will be tough for the Flyers to overcome.

However, the team appears poised to allow some younger pieces to step into leadership roles going forward, such as Travis Konecny, Travis Sanheim, Noah Cates, Tyson Foerster, Owen Tippett and Bobby Brink.

When dissecting the return the Flyers received for Scott Laughton they got beyond fair value for a player that has only produced 27 points so far this season.

If Laughton’s play were to have starkly declined next season or if he were to have gotten injured, the Flyers could have opened themselves up to a scenario where they missed out on a very valuable trade package for the center. 

There was no guarantee Laughton would command such a return in a year from now. As a result, Philadelphia decided to maximize their asset in Laughton and take advantage of the opportunity that presented itself in a sellers market. 

The prices to acquire top nine centers were at a premium throughout this particular trade deadline and there’s no telling if the same premium would continue to be paid moving ahead. Philadelphia chose to part with Laughton now due to the fact this may have been the best return they could have ever gotten for the veteran forward.

Although, the first-rounder the Flyers got from the Leafs is a 2027 pick, draft capital is always valuable and there’s a possibility Philadelphia may choose to use the asset in another deal to acquire other players.

Acquiring a talented prospect like Grebenkin that has the potential to top out as a 50 point winger in the NHL if all goes right with his development made this an even more attractive deal for the Flyers. 

Scott Laughton has never had a 50 point season in his career, there’s no guarantee Grebenkin ever does either, but the skill and upside is certainly there. Philadelphia will need to do their part and assist Grebenkin with his development to ensure he reaches his ceiling and finds success as a Flyer.

Grebenkin will start in the AHL for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and the goal should be to provide the forward with extended minutes and looks in various different situations.

It will take several seasons to judge which team came out on top in this trade whether it be Philadelphia or Toronto.

Nonetheless, this is a deal that benefits both teams for different reasons. Toronto is looking to win now and they believe this will help them do so. While from the Flyers point of view this is a move geared towards the future. 

Kuzmenko and Johnson trades

In terms of the other two trades executed by Briere they clearly indicated the Flyers wanted to sell off expiring assets and contracts on trade deadline day.

Philadelphia traded Andrei Kuzmenko and a 2025 seventh-round pick to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a third-round pick in 2027. 

Additionally, the Flyers dealt veteran defenseman Erik Johnson back to the Colorado Avalanche for right winger Givani Smith.

In both cases above the Flyers sold off expiring contracts. Philadelphia being able to flip Kuzmenko for a third round pick is solid value when taking into account the winger was almost a waiver wire candidate for Calgary earlier this season.

The Johnson trade appeared to be a favour to the veteran defenseman. Essentially, Briere gave his former teammate in Johnson one last shot at a Stanley Cup run with the Avalanche, a team Johnson was formerly the captain of for several years.

Givani Smith was a player Philadelphia needed to take back for cap purposes and will likely not be signed once his contract is up at the end of this season.

Overall Outlook

After this Trade Deadline here are the additions and subtractions made by the Philadelphia Flyers during the 2024-25 season.

Subtractions:

-Laughton (50 percent of cap hit retained)

-Kuzmenko (50 percent of cap hit retained)

-Frost

-Farabee

-Johnson

-2025 4th round pick

-2025 7th round pick

-2027 6th round pick

Additions:

-2025 2nd round pick

-2027 1st round pick

-2027 3rd round pick

-Jacob Pelletier (RFA)

-Nikita Grebenkin

-Givani Smith (UFA)

-Created millions of dollars in cap space from trading Laughton, Frost, Farabee

In light of the transactions above it’s evident Philadelphia is currently a rebuilding team. They subtracted several players this season with the intention of likely using the cap space created to eventually make additions to their roster in the upcoming off-seasons.

Since becoming the General Manager of the franchise in 2023 the Danny Briere led Flyers have removed 19 of the 35 players he inherited either through trade, buying players out, or by letting them reach unrestricted free agency.

Ultimately, it seems the Flyers have positioned themselves to start making additions to their roster in the next two off-seasons. When looking at the cap flexibility they’ll begin to have and the draft capital that’s been accrued over the past few years, Briere has put Philadelphia in a spot where they should be able to take big swings for highly skilled players fairly soon.

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250 – Noah Cates Is The Most Underrated Player In The NHL

The Philadelphia Flyers are on a roll once again. Where December proved to be a detrimental month for the Orange and Black, the New year has been far more advantageous for them. And with four wins and one overtime loss in their last five games, the Flyers have crawled back in relevance among the eastern conference’s wild card competitors. Noah Cates has been monumental over the past couple of months for the team, with 14 points in his last 16 games, while also playing against the oppositions top players. He might be a more under the radar talent for the NHL fanbase, but that might not stay if he continues his performance till the end of the season. He was able to do something similar in his rookie season, but has had injuries slow him down since then. However, now that he is fully healthy again the league has a chance to see what he can do. The question is, what is his ceiling? Is he really just a good bottom six player in the league or can he eventually make a similar mark to the great two-way players of the past such as Mike Richards, Michal Handzus, Keith Primeau, and Sean Couturier as he hits near a point per-game pace for the first time in his young NHL career. He also seems like a player who could develop like a fine wine and really hit his stride as he approaches he approaches 30. We think he is the most underrated playing in the NHL.

On this episode of Gettin’ Gritty Wit It, Yariv and Vasili through the Flyers turnaround and winning ways as they approach relevancy of late. With big games from Noah Cates, Rasmus Ristolainen, and Sam Ersson they are now having new guys step up which is allowing stars like Matvei Michkov, Travis Sanheim, and Travis Konecny an opportunity to not overextend themselves on a nightly basis. Check out this week’s episode for a full talent analysis of the Flyers roster in January of 2025.

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248 – Flyers Uneven at Mid-Season

The Philadelphia Flyers have been up and down all season long. Now as we reached the second half of the season, nothing has changed. What works during one month has not worked during another and the inconsistency of the goaltending has exacerbated that problem. The team right now has some bright spots offensively and even on the back-end, but none of it has managed to sustain a consistent effort to get them out of mediocrity. A perfect example of that trend is the recent home-and-home games against the Maple Leafs. It’s arguable that the Flyers were the better of the teams in both games, but inconsistency in net lead them to only walk away with 1 point out of a possible 4. Unfortunately, that has been a sign of the times and where the team currently stands. The most inconsistent part of their game has been goaltending which has been a roller coaster since Carter Hart left the team. If they are to find their way out of this mess it probably needs to start in net.

On this episode of Gettin’ Gritty Wit It, Yariv and Vasili go through all of the trials and tribulations of the 2024-25 NHL season and how the team has responded to the up and down nature of their game. Will they look to the offseason to improve the team or can GM, Danny Briere, improve the team during the season. It’s probably in their plan to be overly patient, but we’ll see if the fanbase can hang along with the.

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246 – Is It Too Early For The Flyers To Sell?

The Philadelphia Flyers are currently spiraling, with just three wins in their last 10 games and Matvei Michkov going five games without a point is not helping. Suddenly, it seems as if all of the excitement seems to have left the room. The once excellent penalty kill has recently hit rock bottom and all of the improvement on the power play has slowly diminished. Now the Flyers currently aren’t doing much well as a team, outside of some individual stand outs, with the defense and goaltending of the team suffering over a three week stretch. The questions of where the team stands going into the new year and what they should do with their roster moving forward are coming to light. Even though the team is still in the wild card race, it’s important to mention that both Briere and Jones have both re-iterated that they still plan on continuing with their trend of selling at the trade dealing, but will we see that come earlier this year with the teams inconsistent play?

On this episode of Gettin’ Gritty Wit It, Yariv and Vasili go through all of the teams recent troubles and what got them to the point of even considering removing players from the roster as they were on their way up just a few weeks ago. Can the Flyers turn things around before it is too late for this group to by themselves time for the looming trade deadline?

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244 – Michkov’s Intensity Is Kobe-Like

Matvei Michkov’s intensity on the ice is palpable. Of late, he has been physically engaged every night and not allowing anyone to take easy shots at the him. He has definitely been the target of his opponents as he does not shy away from showing his attitude on the ice while also displaying confidence in his ability to put up points. Currently, Michkov is right below the point a game mark as he sits with 25 points in 26 regular season games. He has not only been producing of late with 8 points in 4 games, but he has also looked more confident, displaying that superstar swagger in the process. Just the other night Michkov was thrown out of the game at the end of a loss to the Utah Hockey Club for roughing, but did it with style as he stopped on his way out to take the time to give a young Flyers fan a signature on his way out.

While there was criticism of Michkovs personality in his draft year, there are similarities to other great athletes of the generations that made a big impact on their sport, such as Kobe Bryant, who not only played with severe intensity at all times on the basketball court but also carried a cocky attitude that said “I’m the best”. It’s difficult to be an athlete that displays this type of personality. You have to not just have the attitude, but you have to back it up with an elite game to compliment. Michkov has done that in stride in his first season in the league as he continues his rise to stardom. He is currently doing things that only a handful of great hockey players have been able to do in the modern era and speeding up in the process as the season moves along. It’s important to notice what is happening with Michkov as his star shines brighter and brighter as the season goes on. It’s like he was meant to be this way, it’s like he was born to be a star.

On this episode of Gettin’ Gritty Wit It, Yariv and Vasili go through all of the ups and downs of the Flyers’ month of December as they have let their lack of discipline ruin their chances at some crucial points in the standings. If it isn’t the penalties, it has been ill-timed goals that have lead them lose games they had in their sites to win. They need to clean up their game on the ice soon or they will find themselves behind the eightball again, forced to go on another run to keep themselves in a chance at a playoff spot.

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242 – Could The Flyers Be Looking To Make A Trade?

There have been rumors swirling around about the Flyers potential interest in the young defenseman out of Columbus, David Jiricek. The Flyers did have interest in drafting Jiricek in the 2022 NHL Entry draft, but opted to go for, the now traded, Cutter Gauthier…aka Little Willie G. While there are fans online feening for the trade, I would argue that is not only unnecessary, but a mistake to go for a player who has failed to make his way onto the Blue Jackets and has good, but not great productivity at the AHL level. The Flyers already have a plethora of defenseman at the NHL level at a young age. The Blue Jackets would most likely be looking for a comparable prospect or a lesser prospect and a 1st round pick in return for Jiricek. However, this is one of the Flyers biggest leverages the team holds heading into the 2024-25 offseason, trade deadline, and beyond. If they’re going to make an investment, it must be for a player that will for sure fire bet that is also a game-changer on the ice. I think it’s best for the Flyers to save their key assets to make the move that could elevate the franchise. To get that piece that everyone around the league takes notice and says “uh oh, that’s going to make them tougher to play against”. I’m not soldon investing in a player that they hope that can be developed into more than what he currently projects to be. It’s arguable that the Flyers might have enough of those guys and enough projects in the works to make a good team, they need to invest in finding greatness. Ideally in the form of a top line center.

On this episode of Gettin’ Gritty Wit It, Yariv goes through each player in the lineup and where they stand with the organization as well as why trade rumors would pop-up recently. The Flyers have had an up and down season so far, but can they turn things around and make the playoffs for the first time since Tortorella took over as head coach?

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239 – Matvei Michkov Benched

Audio Version: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/239-matvei-michkov-benched–62647268

The Philadelphia Flyers are in a tailspin on their way down to the very bottom of the NHL standings. The Flyers have had a slew of different problems over the past thirteen games of the NHL season and while there are positives to talk about, everything has been overshadowed by the team’s inability to win games and to push the pace offensively. The Flyers have had an inability to generate much offense of late, even when they have scored they have rarely surpassed the 30 shot mark, something they were able to do consistently last season. While they have had a slew of tough competition to start the season, they have not looked as competitive as they did against the tougher opponents in 2023-24.

These struggles has left coach Tortorella trying to push all kinds of levers trying to get the most out of his struggling squad. Even going as far as benching Matvei Michkov during games while also trying to score. It’s important to remember that the Flyers are still one of the youngest teams in the league and still in rebuild mode. While we expected some ups and downs we at least expected a similar efficiency to the previous season. Will the coaching staff be able to get the teams offense going on a consistent basis or are the Flyers doomed to continue to spiral? As of publishing this article Tortorella has announced that he is scratching Michkov and bringing in Anthony Richard from the minors. While there is some evidence to warrant a scratching a 19 year old, something he has done in the past with other players, it’s hard to justify when he is second on the team in points. This should only be temporary, but the coaching staff better hope it works, because it’s not looking optimistic on the surface level when the power play has helped the team stay above water.

On this episode of Gettin’ Gritty Wit It, Yariv and Vasili go through the Flyers recent struggles and the levers that the coaching staff is trying to pull to take the team out of their current spiral and into some kind of winning pattern. If the Flyers are going to rely on their special teams to win games, they will not be able to sustain any kind of momentum to pull themselves out of this whole.

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238 – Magic Michkov & The Flyers Not Playing In Fives

The Flyers have been struggling mightily this season. It’s not that there are no positives to take from the early going of this NHL season, but the disappointment in the Flyers five on five play has been quite prevalent by the numbers and the eye test. The games just haven’t been as interesting from shift to shift as the team has lacked any kind of consistent offensive attack and have been prone to big mistakes that lead to one, two and, sometimes three goals in quick succession that has the team consistently fighting to come back from behind. Tortorella referred to the problem as the team’s inability to play in fives. Referring to moving as a cohesive unite in all even strength situations that have left players trying to do things on an individual effort and that just isn’t a recipe for success at the NHL level.

Some good news of late though is that Matvei Michkov has been lights out looking like the best rookie in the NHL and the best rookie the league has seen since Connor Bedard, living up to his reputation. Not only has Michkov turned into the star we hoped for, but his two linemates Travis Konecny and Sean Couturier have also chipped in their own heroics. Konecny is above a point per game with 5 goals and 5 assists in 9 games and Couturier has 6 points in 9 games after they each pulled off a 5 point game against the red hot Minnesota Wild. While they can’t be relied upon to put up those numbers on a regular basis, it’s obvious that the Flyers found their top line with Konecny, Couturier, and Michkov all leading the way and creating the most opportunities on the roster. On paper they look like they could be the top-line this team has been looking for since Claude Giroux and Jake Voracek departed the team.

On this episode of Gettin’ Gritty Wit It, Yariv and Vasili go through the Flyers current troubles at even strength and how it has held back the team from improving from last season even though they have had solid special teams performances on a nightly basis. How will this affect the Flyers ability to adapt and how will Tortorella get his team back on track to their high volume solid even strength play from last season?

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236 – Michkov’s Star Potential Shines Through Against The Oilers

The Flyers started their season on the road in a series of late games that left the fanbase staying up late for the most exciting time of the early season. Excitement is exactly what the fans got, with three closely matched games the Flyers walked away with a win, an overtime loss, and a loss in regulation all in games that seemed within grasp for the fourth youngest team in the NHL. What was the icing on the cake is watching Matvei Michkov have two goals and one assist in that span. While the team wasn’t able to come out with the ultimate victory there are plenty of positives to take away from a team trying to re-establish themselves as a tough team to play against in 2024-25, similar to the squad that fell one point short of a playoffs spot in 2023-24. Jett Luchanko has also been a topic of conversation as the youngster has split opinions on what his best route into NHL success should be. While coach Tortorella clearly loves the player, there is still some hesitation from others to put so much on a young kid. However, it’s important to remember that everyone is different and Torts has had a great reputation in identifying the character of players early, so he might be onto something. Time will tell if the team will opt to keep Luchanko all season or send him back before his nine game trial limit, but it is clear that he is vastly more impressive at a young age than anyone anticipated during his draft.

On this episode of Gettin’ Gritty Wit It, Yariv and Vasili go through the first three games of the Flyers early season and how they have responded to being on the road to start the season and how they handled their western Canadian opponents. Will Michkov and Jett Luchanko continue to be the new lifeblood of the Flyers? We dig in deep to understand their impact.

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