The Flyers took to the ice in Detroit Saturday afternoon looking to build up some confidence after an embarrassing loss against the Red Wings in the first game of this home-and-home contest. They came out with more fight and energy than they have seemed to do recently, but no amount of fight would be enough.
THE GOOD
TANKS AWAY: With the season in the trash and playoff hopes all but mathematically impossible, every loss does come with a silver lining. It will be tough for the Flyers to bottom out enough to catch the likes of Montreal, but the closer to the basement the team gets, the more possible it gets for the team to snag a star at the top of the draft.
RATCLIFFE EMERGES: While his road to the NHL has taken longer than many had expected when he was drafted in the second round back in 2017, the young forward has been making a name for himself in his opportunities so far this season. The big bodied forward put his size to good use setting a screen and registering an assist, raising hopes he could be a regular NHLer moving forward.
THE BAD
ANOTHER ONE: There’s not much to dwell on here. Point blank, the Flyers are a team in disarray and two losses to a still rebuilding Red Wings team does nothing but solidify this.
ROSTER QUESTIONS: Cam York and Morgan Frost are sitting in the AHL right now. While neither looked like elite players by any means this season, York looked more than competent in his time, and Frost was playing some of his best hockey right before being sent down. With a roster this riddled with injuries, York especially should be playing with the big club, as Seeler and Connauton have looked down right awful.
THE UGLY
KEEP THEM RESTED: The Flyers have rushed back several players so far this season only for them to immediately be re-injured. Pieces like Rasmus Ristolainen and Derick Brassard are likely to be traded at the deadline for some decent compensation, and if they can’t play, they can’t let the Flyers re-coup some of their draft capital. The team is not in a place where they are competing for a playoff position, so keeping these players off the ice until they’re absolutely ready is critical.