After missing the playoffs for a third consecutive year, the Philadelphia Flyers are striving to end the drought with off-season moves and heady drafting. The Flyers made an unpredictable move down the stretch at the end of the season last year that not many saw coming– not to tank.
Philadelphia Flyers Off-Season moves: Will they compete enough to make the playoffs in 2023-2024?
The Flyers went a dreadful 31-38, finishing seventh in the Metropolitan Division. This has been a common theme with the Flyers going home early and watching the playoffs from their own couches. Many fans expected or even wanted the team to tank to better their chances for the following year. That was not the case; the team did give it their all and compete every night. Did we expect anything else for a team in Philadelphia?
Off-Season Moving Parts
John Tortorella, who is the Flyers’ head coach, is a wild card at best. Tortorella benched both Kevin Hayes and Travis Konecny in October last year. Although Tortorella did a marvellous job abstaining from letting the media know too much, it was very seen in the news and the discrepancies that were going on. Hayes was traded to the St. Louis Blues for a sixth-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. This showed us all that the relationship between him and his former head coach could not be mended. Konecny is still with the team where there are high hopes going forward.
Ivan Provorov was traded, which happened to be one of the best moves this summer for the Flyers. Provorov was traded to Columbus in a three-team trade which left the Flyers the 22nd overall pick in 2023, a pair of second-round picks, defence prospect Helge Grans as well as Cal Petersen and Sean Walker. This was a valuable trade that can leave a positive impact on the Flyers this season.
Noah Cates has recently signed an extension with the Flyers. Cates, who had an exceptional rookie year, signed a two-year contract extension worth $5.25 million. He played in 82 games this season, where he scored 13 goals and delivered 25 assists. He also played an integral part in the Philadelphia defence last year and will continue to have a massive role moving forward.
Free Agency Pick-Ups
Philadelphia front office has been active with free agents, although none of which will have a major impact on the team. Ryan Poehling, Rhett Gardner, Garnet Hathaway, and Marc Staal are all new pick-ups for the Flyers. However, there is a small chance any of them will have a major impact. We may not even see some of these players in the NHL, and the others we do see will be there primarily to gain more depth on the team.
Fighting Injuries
The Philadelphia Flyers off-season moves mean nothing if the players can’t stay healthy throughout the year. Injury has also been a major problem for the Flyers. Cam Atkinson, Sean Couturier, and Ryan Ellis all were hurt last season, which hurt the Flyers playoff hopes. Atkinson has a neck injury which prompted him to get surgery and missed the entire season. Couturier did not play a single game as well. With eight games remaining, he was a full go, but the organization decided the risk wasn’t worth the reward and he did not suit up. Ellis is likely to retire from professional hockey. What does this mean for the Flyers? Staying healthy will have a pivotal role in how much success the team has down the road.
Even sometimes with less talent than other teams, Tortorella has his ways to get his team to play at the highest level every night. If the lineup can stay healthy, and the newly drafted players can live up to their potential, the Flyers have potential to exceed last year’s standings by a longshot. If the team plans to finish higher in the Metropolitan Division they will need to rely more on their defence and stick together as one unit. After all, defence does win championships.
Main Photo: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
