Five games and two points. That's not the way we thought this season would go. Maybe we thought the Flyers are better than what they are. Maybe the Flyers got a little cocky after their first playoff excurison in years. Head coach Rick Tocchet even said the team might not have been really ready to start the new season.
It's not time to panic, yet, but you also don't want to go 0-for-October either. That would be too big of a hole to climb out, considering that some in the division are doing really well. Although the Rangers may have a serious goalie issue now. However, a string of wins coming up could have Philly passing some of the other dregs in the division (Devils, Isles, Jackets). And if the team doesn't make changes soon, this season could be over before it ever began.
So what can the Flyers so to come back? Well, there are a few ways to handle that.
Play Smart Hockey, No Excuses
Shake off the "rust" . Yes, many of the players on the team are young, however most have played quite a while in the NHL. The youth excuse isn't going to last. It's not as if Porter Martone just learned to skate yesterday. These guys know how to play. So, start playing smart.
That means stop taking stupid penalties. Hard to put shots on goal when you are always defending the power play. They've been on the penalty kill 17 times so far, including four times in the first period against Ottawa. There is a solid chance that could have cost Philly the game. In those 17 times they were down a man, Pittsburgh scored two power play goals in the home opener and Carolina scored two as well. Good teams will make you pay.
Penalties happen. Sometimes it is accidental and sometimes you need to take one. However, be smart about it and not reckless. Don't put the team down and put them in a rough spot.
Put Pressure on the Other Team
The offense needs to unleash itself. Start coming in and taking shots. Make the defense uneasy. That means dump the puck, chase it into the corner, use aggressive forecheck, and then pepper the goalie with shots. Or it means creating opportunities to get some odd man rushes going with the speed this team does possess. Sometimes, you may have to get creative.
Since we are 3rd in the NHL in penalty min (37), we got to get creative. In 2023-24, then coach John Tortorella unleashed Travis Konecny as a short handed goal threat. He wound up leading the league with six goals. He's scored two shorthanders since then. Bring that back. Have someone feed him the puck on the penalty kill to strike at the opposition. Make the penalty kill dangerous for the other team to defend. Make them antsy.
Shake It Up
This team may need a shake up to wake up. The Eagles did this this past week by trading former pro-bowl center Cam Jurgens to the Ravens (and now the backup center is hurt!). That put others on the team on notice. Maybe this team needs a shakeup too.
Even before this season, everyone saw that this team had talent and "was almost there", but still needed one more piece. Whether that piece was a top-tier front line center or another defender was up for debate. So, who's out there?
I have been a major advocate of kicking the tires on Carolina about Alexander Nikishin. He's holding out for a big contract or a trade. Carolina has no room for him. I'd see what it would cost to acquire him. He has played with Matvei Michkov in the past. Supposedly they are friends. That might be a great idea to acquire someone that he has chemistry with.
Speaking of chemistry, a lot of people feel that the Flyers could purge some players from Tocchet's former team, the Vancouver Canucks. Most people bring up Elias Petersson, but Paul Cotter could be a solid acquisition as well.
The Flyers have some pieces that could make for good trade pieces. Rasmus Ristolainen (as usual) is on the final year of his contract and could be moved. Simon Benoit has been playing better than anyone expected thus far. Perhaps he could be flipped. David Jiricek has been average so far. If he could be traded for some more established, like Nikishin, it could be worth it. As far as the offense goes, if there is someone who is just not cutting it anymore, forgo any sentimentality and cut ties now. One big move could shake the team up and get everyone moving again.
What it comes down to is this: either this team is super talented and just not playing well yet OR they are not as talented as we thought. Either way, the Flyers need to shake things up a bit to get their mojo back. If they can, they're gonna rock the NHL world. If not, we're in for a long season.
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