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The Flyers are off to a 1-3-1 start, and they have been up and down to start the season. There have been some highs, coupled with lows. They just didn’t play well in the home opener, as the orange and black couldn’t finish. At times they had chance after chance, but they couldn’t find the back of the net. Without further delay, here are some things that the Flyers could use to get back on track.
Bodies in front
If a goalie can track the puck the entire way, then more often than not that said goaltender will make that save. The Flyers just are not getting enough traffic in front of the net, asides from Matvei Michkov, to make things uncomfortable for netminders.
They need a new front presence, and they aren’t getting that at the moment. More traffic in front of the net would help for tip in goals and deflections.
Better Defense
Do the Flyers miss Nick Seeler? You betcha, however, they have enough talent to win without him. Cam York and Travis Sanheim, contrary to what people believe, played well. Asides from them, not so much.
The orange and black have to play better defensively as a unit. They have to make it tougher for opponents to enter their zone, unfortunately, this isn’t happening. Moreover, they should stand players up at the blue line, and stop giving their opponents space to create. Asides from the season opener, this hasn’t happened much.
Stop the turnovers
It’s hard to get into a rhythm, when players commit turnover after turnover. Ivan Fedotov, most notably, cannot face extra shots, or give teams extra opportunities to score. Samuel Ersson was plagued in this area in the home opener, and that’s how the Canucks scored their third goal of the night. Ersson makes the save, the Flyers fail to clear and turn the puck over.
Ersson has played well to start the season, and his numbers so far aren’t indicative of that. However, one way for his numbers to improve would be limiting opponents with second chances to score.
Finish
They actually cycle the puck well with the man advantage, but get too cute when they are at even strength. It’s very ironic that this team plays better with the man advantage, then at 5-on-5.
Everytime this team makes a push. Plays are being broken up with a lazy pass or hitting the post. This team just lacks finish, and it’s not just Owen Tippett. The Flyers played well for a period and a half against Vancouver in their home opener this past Saturday night, unfortunately, they kept hitting the post and missed the net on occasion.
Keep it simple, put the puck in the back of the net.
Trust the lines
Constantly switching the lines solves nothing. Sean Couturier dropped from a second and third line Center to a fourth line winger, with Scott Laughton moving up to a second line Center. Flyers young 18-year-old Center Jett Luchanko was a third line center once again, while centering in two new linemates in Tyson Foerster and Bobby Brink.
Flyers’ Head Coach John Tortorella is trying to find chemistry within the lines, but nothing is clicking right now. In the same token, it’s hard finding instant chemistry, sometimes it takes time. Tortorella should trust the lines more, give it a few games before making such drastic changes.
All in all, it’s still early and all these aforementioned problems can be corrected. I’m not a coach, nor do I preach to be one. However, if some can see these problems, then I would think John Tortorella does too. It’s about execution, and the Flyers are certainly not doing any of that these days.
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This is a really interesting approach, I’m going to try it!
I appreciate how practical this advice is.