Pluses and Minuses From the Flyers Preseason

The Flyers wrapped the preseason schedule last Friday, dropping a 5-3 decision to division rivals Washington. They shook up the roster dramatically in the off season, transforming the team by shedding raw, young , but NHL ready talent, into a veteran laden team focused exclusively on the next 82 games and hopefully the playoffs.

This transformation removed many consolations found in a young team, like player growth, hope and future promise, replacing them with the single goal of winning the Stanley cup. But results in the preseason were uneven, far from cementing the Flyers as a playoff contender and leaving just as many questions as answers.

While not as disorganized as the evacuation from Afghanistan, the Flyers did not look like a cup contender in the preseason. It should be noted that each position group saw major changes, and players were likely still sorting through the upheaval. It is reasonable to expect that the team will be playing much better hockey in December than they are today, as the new pieces acclimate to their team mates and coaches.

There were several roster battles and injuries that made for an interesting camp, and could factor heavily on how the team performs this season. In reality, the Flyers’ success will be resting heavily on the new acquisitions and Carter Hart.

As for the new players, it will be a question if they perform up to or beyond the team’s and fan’s expectations. It can be argued that the Flyers are marginally less talented then they were last season, but that won’t matter if this new group is more effective than last years edition. Show the fans more wins, and no one will care.

In Hart’s case, he will look to put a difficult season behind him and try to regain the form he had before covid. If he can resemble the player he was in 2019-20, then the Flyers may have found the recipe to win a Stanley Cup.