Photo by Chase Agnello-Dean/NHLI via Getty Images
The Philadelphia Flyers are in the midst of a seven game losing streak. Amongst the last seven games, there haven’t been many positives to take away regarding the Flyers overall play as the team has been very underwhelming to watch. They’ve lacked an ability to create offensive scoring opportunities since the beginning of the losing streak. Unfortunately, while it’s gone along the team has found new ways to lose aside from their lack of scoring.
Throughout such a streak, the Flyers have slowly begun to mirror their play similarly to the Flyers of 2020-2021, despite the improved goaltending and penalty killing. The team’s defensive breakdowns at 5-on-5 have been comparable to that of last season. Missing defensive zone coverages and forwards not backchecking to help their defenseman while the other team transitions the puck up the ice are just a few things that seem to be creeping back into the Flyers game.
For the Flyers sake, they’ll hope a three day break before Sunday’s tilt can act as a reset in order to regain some of the structure in their play. It is fair to be skeptical of that happening though because over this seven game losing streak the team has unraveled and separated themselves from their structure. This has occurred because the structure being put into place is not one these players with their specific skills and talents can execute effectively. A coach in Alain Vigneault who is failing to adjust said strategies and schemes accordingly is also doing the Flyers players no favors.
With the Flyers slowly falling out of the playoff race as they are now five points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, the next two games are crucial ones. Schedule wise things are not getting any easier as the team will be facing off against two of the toughest opponents in the NHL.
These teams are the back-to-back Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning and the perennial Stanley Cup contender Colorado Avalanche. Playing against such offensive powerhouses will certainly be a test for a Flyers team that is floundering and lacking confidence in all facets of their defensive and offensive play.
With their current positioning in the standings, the next two games are must-wins for the Flyers. Two more losses and the losing streak being extended to nine games could potentially have the team out of the final wild-card spot by nine points come this Tuesday morning. Even though there would still be a considerable amount of the schedule left to play, overcoming a nine point deficit to seize a playoff spot will be difficult. One could even categorize it as insurmountable unless the team somehow went on a lengthy winning streak or a team above them went on a losing streak matching or surpassing their own. Considering this, one could classify the next two games as the most important of the season for several reasons.
Those other reasons include the opposite perspective to the outcomes of these next two games. If the Flyers lose against the Lightning and Avalanche their losing streak will be extended to nine games. At that point, it’s hard to envision the coaching staff continuing to be employed. A change would be on the horizon and with said coaching switch the most pivotal point of the season will have arrived.
What a coaching change could signify for this Flyers team is a fresh start and an opportunity to turn their season around. Playing for a new coach under a new system could be exactly what the team needs to start winning again and re-enter the playoff conversation. Another integral aspect of a coaching change is new offensive and defensive systems being put into place that would more than likely suit this Flyers roster better than the current schemes being implemented by Alain Vigneault. With the Flyers players having the chance to move on from the dump and chase it could act as a reinvigoration of the team’s offensive identity.
As a result, it’s evident the next two games are important to the future of the Philadelphia Flyers in more than one way. If the team can win they’ll inch themselves back into playoff contention. On the other hand, losing could mean coaching changes are imminent. Acting as the trigger turning the team’s season around. Keeping these potential outcomes in mind no matter what unfolds in the next two games it should have a major impact on the Philadelphia Flyers 2021-2022 season.
