Photo Credit: Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images
The Philadelphia Flyers have had a successful start to the 2021-22 NHL season. While, it hasn’t been picture perfect, there are plenty of positives to take out of the start of the season. The team is just coming off a loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, who was without several key players, and yet the Flyers lost in overtime on wrap-around goal by Chris Letang. While it was a disappointing loss, it is not indicative of what the team is capable of for the entirety of the year. Improving is always a process and not just the names on the ice. It has to do with playing a more consistent brand of hockey, where all members of the team are playing their best. Without Kevin Hayes and Ryan Ellis, other players have had to step up and have done so, but it can’t be a long term solution to losing the team’s second best center and arguably their best defender.
There is a lot to look forward to when the two of them return in the short term, but the Flyers still have take a win from the powerful Washington Capitals. The Flyers will have to focus on playing a better possession game and capitalize on the special teams opportunities. The Flyers second unit will have to get back on the scoring sheet as they are big reason the team succeeded early in the season. It’s unlikely the coach make any lineup changes leading up to the Capitals’ game, but they need to show that the current lines are effective. If Kevin Hayes is going to be ready next week, he is going to force the lines to juggle, it’s just up to the active players to secure spots. While the Phantoms are improving, there does not seem to be any help coming from the AHL at this point as no one looks ready to make the jump up to the NHL. The Flyers have to rely on the players available and need to produce more consistently in the second period if they want to tackle the tough November schedule.
On this week’s episode of Gettin Gritty Wit It, Yariv Wolok (@ywolok) welcomes, Philadelphia Flyers and NHL.com writer, Bill Meltzer. Bill has been is arguable the most knowledgeable hockey man in the local media and has always been a consistent and reliable voice for the team, as well as, the sport of hockey. Bill comes in with inside knowledge and decades of experience around the team that is unmatched by most local media pundits. A great way to analyze the Flyers current early season run.
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