The Philadelphia Flyers entered this season hoping to take the next step and return to the postseason. While the club is still reasonably close, it looks like a playoff appearance isn’t very realistic at this point.
That said, there’s no reason to call this season a failure. Sure, missing the playoffs stings. But there are various positive points moving forward.
For starters, the goaltending situation has been better than anticipated. One of the most questionable offseason moves was bringing in Dan Vladar on a two-year, $6.7 million contract. The deal seemed like an overpay for a guy who was going to be a backup goalie.
In the end, Vladar has taken over the main job. He’s played in 42 games this season, racking up a 2.44 GAA and a .907 SV%. Those are great numbers, considering that he wasn’t technically going to play that many games this season.
Most importantly, Vladar has brought in enough stability to support Samuel Ersson. While Ersson’s numbers have been far from encouraging, at least the club has more stability now than it did at the beginning of the season.
There have been other bright spots for the club. Christian Dvorak has fit in much better than expected. Trevor Zegras, while not becoming an all-world top-six forward this year, has ended up producing very well. His 22 goals and 54 points in 68 games are pretty much what the organization expected from him. His next contract will be challenging, but there’s no reason to think the Flyers wouldn’t want to keep him around.
Veteran Travis Konecny is on pace for another Konecny-like year. His 25 goals give him an outside chance to beat his career high of 31 set in 2023-24.
But it’s the continued growth of others like Owen Tippett, Noah Cates, and Cam York that should encourage Flyers fans moving forward. Yes, the Flyers are far from perfect. But there’s enough there to look forward to next season and beyond, especially with several prospects likely coming into their own next season.
What about the Tocchet effect on the Flyers?
Earlier in the season, it looked like the Tocchet effect had worked instantly on the team. The Flyers were playing well and looked like they were on a path to the playoffs. Unfortunately, that path was abruptly interrupted by crucial injuries.
The loss of Tyson Foerster was a major blow. Also, losing 4C Rodrigo Abols stung. The blue line dealt with a prolonged absence by Rasmus Ristolainen.
And then, there were early goaltending woes. It wasn’t until Vladar stepped in to give the team stability that it seemed that this year was another lost season.
But when looking at the overall scope of things, the Tocchet effect has been tangible for the Flyers. The team looks much better than it did a year ago. Most importantly, fans can get a sense that there’s a direction for this team. It isn’t about mashing together a lineup and seeing what sticks.
There will be areas the club will have to address in the offseason. Namely, looking for another goaltender and potentially addressing the Ristolainen trade rumors. Overall, however, the Flyers could be ready to seriously contend for a playoff spot next season.
Tocchet has laid much of the groundwork this season. So, it will be a question of seeing that foundation pay off down the line.