Chuck Fletcher’s ex team will be coming into Philadelphia tonight to take on the Flyers in their first matchup since December 14th, 2019. This is not the same Wild team we last saw nor the one from earlier in this season. The Wild are 3-7-0 in their last 10 games. They have been having issues scoring the puck and defending in their own end.
On the other side, defending home ice on this long homestand, the Flyers will be looking to find a win still. With both teams playing some bad hockey, this will make for an interesting game. Both teams are going to be looking for a win and to find themselves back on the right track. It will most likely be a physical game with both teams not only playing frustrated hockey but really looking to do anything they can to earn a victory.
While this game means nothing but pride for the Flyers at this point, the Wild are still fighting to keep their position in the playoffs intact.
Philadelphia Flyers
Record: 16-27-10 (42 points, 8th in Metro)
The Flyers come into tonight 3-5-2 in their last 10 games. While every time it looks like they are going to get something going and begin to play some good sound hockey, things seem to take a full 360 and spiral out of control. With the trade deadline approaching, no one is safe and the team absolutely knows it.
Outside of Carter Hart, there is not much to be excited about for this team. Goal scoring is an issue. Injuries have ravaged the lineup. Players have regressed and not played to their full potential. Coaching has been below subpar. It is just everything that could have gone wrong has.
While we look forward to greener pastures, there are some players who have been playing well. Rasmus Ristolainen has been one for me. A lot of fans have been blaming him for issues on the ice, but he has been the team’s best defensemen all season.
Ivan Provorov has proven to be a guy who needs a good partner next to him to be elite. Ristolainen has everything you could want in a defenseman and plays the game hard. Him and Sanheim need more minutes and should be your pairing getting those minutes currently.
Oskar Lindblom is another player having a good season but he is doing so quietly. He is slowly returning to form from what he was before the diagnosis. You can see every game he is getting stronger and that his body is responding the way he wants it to. While this season has been a disappointment, Lindblom has not. With this coming offseason, I think we will see him fully back to form, but he is still a player to watch night in and night out.
I usually like to post stats for who is leading what, but with the poor play and the team looking like a pick up hockey team, stats do not matter. At this point, stats need to be put aside and they need to remember how to play a team game. The trust is not there and you can see that there is a ton of chemistry issues and most of it is thanks to the bad system and style of play by AV and the carry over by Yeo. They just need to play a simple game and things should open up.
Projected Lineup
Farabee – Giroux – Atkinson
Lindblom – Laughton – Konecny
van Riemsdyk – Brassard – MayhewÂ
Willman – Brown – MacEwen
Provorov – Braun
Sanheim – Ristolainen
Yandle – Seeler
Hart
Minnesota Wild
Record: 31-17-3 (65 points, 3rd in Central)
Talk about a team filled with young talent and a good veteran core. The Wild came into this season continuing to impress and play at an extremely high level but have really dipped off as of late. They are 3-7-0 in their last 10 games and just haven’t had the fire power nor the goaltending to keep themselves in games.
The Wild are sitting in the third spot in the Central Division out of luck. They have been hot and have had players emerge to be big factors for them. A guy in particular is Ryan Hartman, a career third or fourth line checking forward turned top line center. Hartman has finally had the break out season.
When he left Philly after the Wayne Simmonds trade back in 2018, he bounced from the Stars, who didn’t re-sign him after the trade for Tyler Pitlick. He ended up going to Minnesota after and was a low line player. He currently has 19 goals and 18 assists this season in 51 games.
Kirill Kaprizov has been nothing short of amazing again this season. Although he isn’t putting up the highlight reel plays like he did last season, he currently sits at 24 goals and 40 assists. Absolutely amazing numbers for the 24 year old. Chuck Fletcher drafted this kid before he was let go by Minnesota and what an absolute find this was for them. Since day one, he has been a big staple piece to this team and their core.
Overall this team will be looking for a win and to try to gain some ground over the Nashville Prredators and Dallas Stars, both of which are looking to take that three seed from the Wild. Getting a win would be a big confidence booster and a step in the right direction for this team to get back on track.
Projected Lineup
Kaprizov – Hartman – Zuccarello
Duhaime – Eriksson Ek – Foligno
Boldy – Gaudreau – Fiala
Sturm – Dewar – Bjugstad
Goligoski – Spurgeon
Brodin – Kulikov
Merrill – Benn
Talbot
When, Where & How to Watch
Time:Â 7:00pm EST
Where:Â Wells Fargo Center
TV Broadcast:Â NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio Broadcast:Â 97.5 FM
Live Stream:Â Fubo TV
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