Date Published: 10-16-2022
Photo Courtesy of Laurence Kesterson, Associated Press
In surprising fashion the Philadelphia Flyers have started off their season in a positive manner. The franchise has begun the 2022-2023 regular season with a 2-0 record defeating both the New Jersey Devils and the Vancouver Canucks.
Based on the off-season transactions the organization made or lack thereof, many would not have predicted such a start for the team. Truthfully, the majority of media pundits have provided commentary painting the franchise in a strictly negative light throughout the off-season. It’s been projected by most that a bottom 10 finish in the NHL is likely on the horizon when assessing the Flyers.
Despite the unfavourable predictions associated with their win/loss record. The Flyers do look much improved through the first two games as compared to the past two seasons. Obviously, two games is a small sample size and in no way does this represent the team’s overall ceiling or what tier of team they are in the NHL. However, it cannot simply be ignored or dismissed. Especially considering they did legitimately play two good hockey games and deserved both wins when fairly evaluating said games.
A winning start doesn’t cement this team as better than a bottom ten NHL team. Nor does it indicate they will even be remotely close to making the playoffs. What it demonstrates is the 2022-2023 Philadelphia Flyers aren’t going to be an easy team to play against. The Flyers aren’t going to win every game or have the best results in relation to statistics and standings. Yet the work ethic and structure they have exhibited as a 5 man unit on the ice so far is a positive sign. It furthers the notion that their games this season should be more competitive.
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An easy thing to point towards in these first two games that appears to be different than years past is the resiliency that has been on display. The overall reaction to certain negative plays unfolding on the ice from the Flyers perspective has been much calmer and composed. Typically, these plays would have impacted the team negatively the past few seasons. However, mistakes made on the ice have not had the same effect on the Flyers during the first two games.
That’s not to say they won’t have lapses or stretches where they may look like the Flyers team of the past few seasons. Nonetheless, the difference in their resilience and ability to respond to certain plays is encouraging and refreshing.
One example in the season opener showing a difference in the Flyers compete level, ability to respond to adversity and overall resilience, was the team tying up the game 1-1 just thirty seconds after New Jersey took the lead in the first period. In seasons past surrendering an early goal would not draw much of a response from the Flyers. In most cases the team would allow one mistake to compile and spiral out of control resulting in a discouraging performance.
Seeing the Flyers immediately respond on the next shift with a goal to tie the game up points to a shift in the mentality and mental toughness of this team. John Tortorella seems to have instilled an early mentality that mistakes will occur and that’s something the team can live with on a whole. What’s important is how the team responds to those mistakes and learns from those experiences. Overall, it’s clear this thought process is fostering a confidence in certain players’ games we have not seen for quite some time.
During the same game, the Flyers surrendered a second goal to the Devils with approximately twelve minutes left in the third period. This cut the Flyers lead to two goals making the score 4-2.
Particularly, when the Flyers gave up goals in similar circumstances the past two seasons the team would begin to panic and stray from their structure and gameplay. Allowing the opposition to battle back and usually secure the comeback victory.
In this situation even though the Devils pushed to tie the game the Flyers stuck to their structure and continued to be aggressive, which included forechecking and blocking shots. While maintaining their commitment to supporting one another in all three zones as a 5 man unit.
Being consistent with their play late in the 3rd period and not showing panic paid dividends and secured the win for the Flyers. Most importantly, it identifies the team is slowly working towards establishing a mental toughness and resilience. This starts with not letting mistakes or errors on the ice change the way they play the game and approach the next shift.
Another scenario where the Flyers showed their resiliency was in the second and third periods in yesterday’s game versus the Canucks. Although, this was a completely different type of bouncebackability than they showed in the season opener.
In this game the Flyers were trailing 2-0 entering the second period but were controlling the play and had the edge in shots by a large margin. When that’s happening it’s easy for a team to become frustrated and unravel due to a lack of structure creeping in. The Flyers did the opposite. They continued to be aggressive and push the pace on the forecheck. Which allowed them to tie and eventually win the game. There was no panic being down 2-0 from the Flyers, where in years past the outcome likely would have differed substantially.
Generally speaking, the team showing their resilience in a few ways within the first two games of the season is a promising sign the Flyers are building and establishing a new identity. That doesn’t point towards the Flyers being playoff bound or a top Metropolitan division team. It supports the idea that this Flyers team is different from seasons past. Specifically when taking into consideration their overall mental toughness, and ability to not allow one mistake to negatively impact an entire game. Removing those negative traits going forward while also implementing consistent work ethic, structure and support as a five man unit is the foundation in creating a new on ice identity for the Philadelphia Flyers.
Some interesting comments to note are head coach John Tortorella and Travis Konecny’s thoughts coinciding with the concepts I’ve discussed above in yesterday’s post game press conferences. Here are statements listed below that give a look into what the team thinks of being resilient and sticking to their game plan for three periods:
John Tortorella:
Question: The guys in the locker room said after the first period you came in and said, “the score may not show it, but we are playing well.” What did you like about the team’s response after the first intermission?
Response: “You don’t want to write it up that way, being down 2-0. I am glad the team went through it so early in the year and found their way. Sometimes you get locked in that scoreboard, and you think that is what’s happening. Part of my job is to determine how they are playing. We could be up two nothing and I may go in there and say we suck. And that is a big part of a coach’s responsibilities. I usually don’t go in right after, I usually wait until the eight-minute mark. But I felt like I needed to let them know right away. To watch them just stay patient. We lost ourselves, they gained a little momentum along the way, and we didn’t panic. I think being the second game of the year and going through that, hopefully they can lean on that if we get in that type of situation again, and we will.”
Travis Konecny:
Question: Travis, you guys pretty much dominated the first period. Come off trailing two-nothing, but I’d imagine there’s still a pretty good feeling that the game was still manageable at that point?
Response: “Torts came in and just said listen, ‘Look at the shots. Look at how we’re playing. We deserve better in the game. We should be in it.’ When you hear that, you just go out and you keep doing the same things. I know I keep saying it, but we just put our heads down and just keep working. You’re going to wear a team down and get your chances.”
Question: How important is it for you guys to keep that mentality? Obviously, a lot of times last season you guys went down and you guys kind of deflated. How important was it to stick in there and know that you guys were going to wear them down eventually?
Response: “That’s the thing. That’s what they’ve been preaching all camp is it’s hard. To keep that tempo and play that way, everyone’s got to buy in to do it. It’s a hard way to play, but it’s playing the right way. You’re going to get rewarded whether it’s every game. You’re not going to win every single game, but it’s going to keep you in games. That’s what you need.”
When analyzing the above quotes it’s evident that the roster is buying into Tortorella’s system, on ice tactics, and the aggressive style he is looking for the team to play with. Additionally, the team realizes that when mistakes occur and things aren’t going their way, panicking isn’t something that is going to help. Instead, trying to stabilize things on the ice and reverting to their structure as a baseline will only benefit the Flyers in keeping games competitive as the season progresses.
From there attacking the other team through quick neutral zone transition plays and aggressiveness on the forecheck is what the Flyers are relying on. Wearing team’s down by creating scoring chances off the forecheck is effectively executing their game plan. Moreover, the above has been an integral facet of the team’s resiliency shown through the first two games.
Two games is far too small of a sample size to evaluate what this Flyers team is, and could be as the season moves ahead. Ultimately, it should still be recognized that the Flyers have been working towards creating this resilient mentality all through training camp. In the early going it seems to be paying off for them. As the Flyers continue adjusting to a new system and style of play along with this new found mentality, it will be interesting to see if the team continues to improve or stagnates along the way.
