Photo Courtesy of, Eric Hartline, USA TODAY Sports
Before the 2021-2022 season began it seemed as though the Philadelphia Flyers were poised to return to the post season. At the very least the team was expected to be in the playoff mix with the wealth of additions to the roster made last off-season. Unfortunately for the Flyers such a projection has been as far from reality as one could have imagined.
The team has actually made NHL history this season as they’re the first organization to have 2, 10 game losing streaks in a 26 game span. They’re also the first team since the 2010-2011, Colorado Avalanche to have 2, 10 game losing streaks in the same season. To add on, with their loss to the Sabres this afternoon the Flyers are now only one loss away from the franchise record of 12 losses in a row.
What this cements is the 2021-2022 campaign has been a nightmare for the Flyers. From their overall process on the ice, to the never ending list of injuries that is quickly expanding as the season goes on, things have not gone according to plan for the franchise in any facet. As a result, it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact steps the franchise needs to take moving forward.
First off Chuck Fletcher and his staff need to have a clear direction in terms of their vision for building this roster beyond this season. That includes settling on what type of hockey they want the Flyers to play. Whether they want to be a speedy, finesse driven team that creates it’s opportunities off the rush and through transitional play, or a grinding team that focuses on its forecheck. The franchise needs to select a direction to go in and stick with it. Ensuring they can shape the roster to a particular identity and style of play while bringing in the right players to fit said mold without changing course in the roster building process is the most important aspect of reinvigorating the team going forward.
This is going to need to be a very detailed process that requires thorough player evaluation from top to bottom within the organization. Involving both the NHL roster, as well as, the AHL roster. Such an evaluation is critical in determining what players who are still under contract beyond this season the team should retain and build around moving forward. It’s also crucial in figuring out who needs to be traded and may not fit the new identity Fletcher attempts to build with next season’s roster and in the future.
The other step in this evaluation process is trading the team’s unrestricted free agents at the upcoming NHL Trade Deadline. These would include Claude Giroux, Rasmus Ristolainen, Justin Braun, Martin Jones, Derrick Brassard, Keith Yandle, Nick Seeler and Kevin Connauton.
Moving out these veteran players for returns consisting mostly of draft picks and prospects will go a long way in the Flyers restocking their prospect pool. It also plays directly into the player evaluations that need to be made in regards to the individuals left on this roster after all of these UFA’s are moved. What this allows for is these players and some of the Flyers younger prospects to receive an abundance of playing time. In turn, this presents Fletcher and his staff an extended opportunity to accurately assess where these players are in this stage of their careers, and if their play fits the identity the team is looking to shape for next season’s roster.
Ultimately, the remainder of this season is very important in establishing how the Flyers plan to operate going forward. Identifying what players will be traded in the off-season to either free up cap space to sign players that fit the playing style the team decides to adopt will be pivotal. Not to mention, trading for players that also mirror the type of game the team wants to execute on the ice.
With the way the Flyers have been playing lately there’s not much to look forward to at the moment. Despite that, a look at the younger players on the roster and the returns the Flyers get back for their pending free agents will be something to keep an eye on.
Additionally, the UFA and RFA class coming up looks very interesting with the level of talent available. Coupling this and the promising drafts ahead affords the Flyers a great opportunity to reshape their roster significantly for the better in a short period of time, depending on their roster moves. However, the underlying questions happen to be if the correct moves will be made to get this team back to competitiveness. As well as, if the general manager currently at the helm in Chuck Fletcher is the right executive for the job.
One thing that is evident is the fact that the Philadelphia Flyers organization needs major change to their on ice identity and overall culture. Implementing the way the team needs to play moving forward and putting players in place to execute such a style of play effectively will be the key element in the organization’s ability to quickly turn this team back into a threat in the Eastern Conference.
Essentially, the front office has to set a plan and stick to it. That will be the toughest part of this roster overhaul as every single draft pick, trade, and signing made can cumulatively affect the overall dynamic of the team. Having the future players brought in contribute to the identity the Flyers want to have going forward needs to be the focus. As one can see a team that is unsure of the style of play they need to execute is typically not successful, which is indicative of the current iteration of this Philadelphia Flyers roster.
