The Flyers Power Play has been a persistent weakness (often near the bottom of the NHL), and as of mid-2026, the organization appears focused on internal adjustments rather than major external hires or trades for a quick fix.

Current Context

• The Flyers have ranked near the bottom of the league in power-play efficiency for multiple seasons, sitting around 25th–30th with conversion rates in the 15% range (or worse) at various points in 2025–26.
• Head coach Rick Tocchet and the staff have emphasized improving reads, consistency, chemistry, and shot selection from high-danger areas. They’ve tried keeping units together longer to build familiarity.
• Offseason and Training Camp talk has centered on “in-house” options for the point/quarterback role and overall structure, rather than chasing big-name additions.

Key In-House Candidates

• David Jiricek — Frequently highlighted for his power-play skills from the Phantoms (AHL). He’s seen as a potential option to run or contribute heavily on the PP.
• Trevor Zegras — Has been a major PP contributor (involved in a large share of their goals), with ideas like using him more creatively at the point.
• Other defenders/prospects like Cam York and Jamie Drysdale, even Forwards like Matvei Michkov and Denver Barkey.
• Structural tweaks: More shots from high-danger zones, better zone entries, avoiding over-passing, and experimenting with personnel combinations.

Outlook

This approach makes sense for a team in their window — avoiding cap strain or giving up assets — but success will depend on execution, player development (especially on the blue line), and whether young talent steps up consistently. If internal fixes fall short again, pressure will mount for bigger changes.It’s a classic Flyers storyline: high hopes for incremental improvement on a unit that has frustrated fans for years. How do you see their PP shaking out this season?

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Matvei Michkov scored a hat trick, including a highlight-reel Michigan (lacrosse-style) goal, in a charity exhibition game in Russia.

This happened at the annual “Match of the Year” charity hockey game in Russia (Saint Petersburg/SKA Arena), a fun NHL-KHL all-star style event hosted by Artemi Panarin and Mikhail Sergachev. It featured stars like Alex Ovechkin and raised money for those with cerebral palsy. Michkov played for Team Sergachev in a high-scoring 10-9 shootout win.

Key Highlights:

• Hat Trick: He lit it up with three goals in the charity matchup.
• Michigan Goal: Michkov pulled off a slick lacrosse-style tuck (scooping the puck behind the net onto his stick blade and finishing it) to cap the show.

This is exciting for Flyers fans, especially after his strong NHL rookie/early seasons and recovery from last year’s car accident. It’s not an official game, but it shows his skill and flair—many are hoping for a regular-season Michigan soon.

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LeBron James just signed a 2-year, $8M deal (with a player option) with the Philadelphia 76ers on July 24, 2026, joining a strong roster with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Jaylen Brown. This creates a high-profile “superteam” push for an NBA title in Philly.

Why it would increase pressure on Briere:

• Market competition for attention/fans: Philadelphia is a passionate sports city with overlapping seasons. A star like LeBron (even at 41) generates massive buzz, media coverage, and ticket/merch demand. The Flyers, in a rebuild/growth phase after recent playoff appearances, risk being overshadowed if they don’t show clear progress.
• Cross-sport dynamics: There’s already talk in local media and podcasts about how the Flyers can “compete” with the 76ers for the city’s sports focus. Some even joked about the 76ers involving Briere in outreach to LeBron, highlighting the shared Comcast Spectacor ownership and Philly ecosystem.
• Timing for the Flyers: Briere has been building the team with cap flexibility, prospects, and aggressive moves (like a big offer sheet). LeBron’s arrival raises the bar for what “success” looks like locally — fans and ownership may expect the Flyers to accelerate contention or make splash moves to stay relevant.

That said, the sports are different (NBA vs. NHL), so direct roster pressure isn’t the same. The Flyers aren’t suddenly expected to sign an NHL equivalent of LeBron overnight. Briere has emphasized patience in the rebuild while staying opportunistic.

Bottom Line

LeBron amps up the excitement (and expectations) in Philly sports overall. It indirectly does not impact Briere, but he has keep the Flyers trending upward and visible, or risk the team feeling secondary in their own city during a big NBA season.

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The Flyers haven’t made a big splash this offseason, and that should say a lot about this upcoming season.

Maybe the Flyers are waiting until the tradeadline to make a big move, but they aren’t just making a move to make a move. These said players have to fit within the timeline of the team moving forward, and the team have tons of cap space to make a splash when need be.

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Matvei Michkov is grinding hard this offseason, with the hopes of a bounce back 2026-27 season.

After an inconsistent sophomore season (down to 20G/51P amid fitness/conditioning questions and inconsistent play under Head Coach Rick Tocchet), the 21-year-old is putting in serious work ahead of his final ELC year. Recent reports and social media show him training intensely back in Russia.

Key Details:

• Star-studded sessions: Spotted working out with NHLer’s like Artemi Panarin, Mikhail Sergachev, Andrei Kuzmenko, Vasili Podkolzin, and others under trainer Dmitry Yashankin.
• Recent videos: Flyers’ fans have been sharing his IG workout clips (e.g., skating, shooting, dry-land work in Flyers gear). He’s posting evidence of putting the work in.
• Timeline: He’s in Russia for now and will play in the Match of the Year in St. Petersburg on July 25. Flyers expect him back in Voorhees, NJ, in early August for more training with the organization ahead of camp. A trusted trainer reportedly spent time with him overseas in June too.

This is a big contrast to last summer, when he admitted taking too much time off the ice (leading to a slow start, body comp issues, and needing to catch up on cardio/strength). He learned from it—during the Olympic break he was already doing two-a-days (gym + endurance) instead of resting.

Flyers fans (and the organization) are hyped for a bounce-back. Head Coach Rick Tocchet and others have noted his drive, and this offseason focus on conditioning, separation speed, and overall prep could be exactly what he needs.

Michkov’s still super young and talented—expect him to come in better prepared for 2026-27. The kid’s got that dog in him.

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Trevor Zegras’s presser yesterday focused on the new deal, his fit in Philly, positional flexibility, team outlook, and his mental health/Shoulder.

On the contract and negotiations:

• “I think we went back and forth on uh like a couple different ideas for term and I think four years just kind of seemed like a good sweet spot for what both sides wanted to get out of it, and I’m very excited that that’s what we could do.”
• On avoiding arbitration: “I don’t think anybody wants to go to arbitration, so it was really nice that we were able to get something done before then.”
• On the process vs. his prior (Anaheim) negotiations: “I think the biggest difference was that there was a set time and date that it had to be done by… whereas last time there was it was just whenever it gets done, which was hard. It’s harder mentally when you don’t really see the finish line… Danny and Jonesy and everybody… were just like very classy… they’re just good people. So, it definitely helps.”

Why Philly has been a great fit:

• “I think I just had a lot of fun being at the rink and being around the guys. It’s not often or I find it lucky to be surrounded by so many amazing people… from like the guys to the coaching staff, to Danny and Jonesy, Dan Hilferty, the owner. I found that it was just a very good situation for me mentally, and it was a lot of fun on the ice, too.”

On position (Center vs. Wing):

• “I feel pretty comfortable in both spots, whether it’s in the middle or on the Wing, so wherever they need me to play, I’m more than comfortable in both spots. I thought playing Center in the playoffs was definitely something that gave me a lot of confidence, so I think wherever they need me, I’m good to go.”
• On improving faceoffs: “I think some of it starts in the gym and just getting bigger and stronger. But I think a lot of it was reps and repetition… taking a ton of face offs… just picking up on little things… So, we’ll try and definitely be better than I was last year.”

On the team and expectations:

• “I think we’re in a great spot. I think that was kind of just the beginning last year, and I think we got a lot of confidence as a group… how we all kind of came together… to win a round. I think it was great for what we’re trying to build, and hopefully we pick up where we left off.”

On his Shoulder Check Showcase:

• “It’s awesome. This is our fourth year doing it and I feel like uh each year it’s just getting bigger and bigger… something that means a lot to me… the message is good because it’s something as hockey players and athletes we can all kind of relate to… checking in on each other and you never know what somebody’s going through on a day-to-day basis.”

Zegras came across as relaxed, appreciative of the organization, and optimistic. Hopefully, this leads to a big 2026-27 season for Zegras and the Flyers.

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Jamie Drysdale will make more money on his new deal, than Travis Sanheim. One main reason for such is he was better in his contract year than Sanheim was in his contract season.

Current Contracts

• Travis Sanheim: Signed an 8-year, $50M extension in 2022 with a $6.25M AAV. This runs through 2030-31, and it’s a team friendly deal.
• Jamie Drysdale: Just signed a 4-year extension at $6.5M AAV (announced around July 17, 2026). It starts in 2026-27 and runs through 2029-30. His previous deal was a 3-year, $2.3M AAV bridge contract that ended after 2025-26.

Drysdale’s new cap hit is slightly higher than Sanheim’s. it’s on a “similar scale” to Sanheim’s deal and represents good value for a young top 4 Defenseman.

Contract Year Performance:

Drysdale did have a strong contract year, showing clear improvement:

• Career-high 8 goals and matched a previous high of 32 points.
• Handled 20+ minutes per night as a more well-rounded middle-pairing D.
• Took a “substantial leap” this past season.

Sanheim Contract Year

He performed well enough to earn an 8-year, $50M extension (AAV $6.25M) signed in October 2022.

2021-22 Regular Season Stats (Contract Year)

• Games Played (GP): 80
• Goals (G): 7
• Assists (A): 24
• Points (PTS): 31
• Plus/Minus (+/-): +9
• TOI/GP: ~22:58
• Shots: 123
• PIM: 34

Sanheim remained a steady top-pairing defenseman at times, but was a bit more inconsistent, as well. In the end, Both he and Drysdale are key parts of the Flyers’ blueline alongside players like Cam York.

Drysdale’s raise reflects his age (24, with more upside) and that strong 2025-26 showing, while Sanheim’s longer-term deal (signed earlier at age 26) is locked in at a very team-friendly number under today’s higher salary cap. Both deals are viewed as solid value for Philadelphia.

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The 2026-27 NHL season features an expanded 84-game regular season (the first since the early 1990’s).

Key Dates

• Training Camp: Opens Thursday, September 17, 2026.
• Pre-season (shortened to 4 games due to the longer regular season): Announced June 22, 2026. nhl.com
  • Mon, Sept 21: at Washington Capitals (Giant Center)
  • Tue, Sept 22: at Boston Bruins, 7:00 PM ET.
  • Thu, Sept 24: vs. Boston Bruins, 7:00 PM ET.
  • Sat, Sept 26: vs. Washington Capitals, 5:00 PM ET.
• Regular Season Opener: Wednesday September 30, 2026 — vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (home) at 7:30 PM ET. This is the earliest regular-season start in franchise history and kicks off the Battle of Pennsylvania.

Structure Notes

• 84 games total (more divisional play overall).
• 12 Back to Backs
• One 5 game road trip
• 5 game home-stand
• Play the Vancouver Canucks on Black Friday at home
• All-Star Break February 4th-12th
• Play each team in the Metropolitan Division four times
• First four of six games to start the season are on the road
• The Flyers play the Anaheim Ducks at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 24, 2026 at 1:00 p.m.

The season is right around the corner—training camp starts in about two months from now. Let’s go Flyers.

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Flyers’ General Manager Danny Briere made a pitch to Leo Carlsson, and it became null and void after The Anaheim Ducks matched the Flyers offer.

However, the Orange and black are still big game hunting for a player that instantly moves the needle. Who might that be? Our guys from Gettin Gritty Wit It break it all down on this episode.

Flyers’ General Manager Danny Briere has spoken positively about Jamie Drysdale multiple times since acquiring him in the January 2024 trade for Cutter Gauthier, praising his talent, character, work ethic, and potential.

This extension (along with one for Trevor Zegras) locks in young talent at a combined $15.525M AAV, which Briere and observers view as strong value after Drysdale’s career-best play.

“We’re excited to have Jamie remain a key part of our organization for years to come,” Flyers’ General Manager Danny Briere said. “Since we acquired him, Jamie has worked extremely hard and taken big steps in his development, and has established himself as a reliable piece on our back end with the ability to impact the game in all situations.

Brière continues, “We believe his best hockey is still ahead of him, and he’s going to play an important role in strengthening our blue line as we continue to build.”

Overall, Briere has consistently viewed Drysdale as a high-upside, character player whose best years are ahead, especially once healthy and fully integrated into the Flyers’ system. Drysdale has developed into a solid contributor on the blue line since the trade.

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