The Philadelphia Flyers have gotten into a habit of teasing their fans every season. They start the year strong, looking like a playoff contender. Then, they fade away, gradually receding into the background of the Metro Division.
This season appears to be no different. With the Olympics in full swing, the Flyers sit eight points out of a wild-card spot. Sure, the club could make up the difference. The Columbus Blue Jackets are an example of that. But there’s one specific reason why the Flyers might not find that path to a prolonged winning streak.
According to Kevin Kurz in The Athletic, the loss of Tyson Foerster has been catastrophic to the Flyers’ success this season. And it’s hard to argue against that. It’s not that Foerster’s injury derailed Philly’s season, per se; it’s the ripple effect throughout the team that’s led to the club’s lackluster totals.
As Kurz pointed out, Philly is 10-12-7 without him this season. That’s hardly the record of a solid playoff contender. It highlights just how much the Flyers’ lineup came off kilter without Foerster.
Specifically, Foerster’s absence forced Rick Tocchet to break up his most reliable line this season. Tocchet deployed Foerster with Bobby Brink and Noah Cates, giving him a reliable matchup line in pretty much every game. But without him, Tocchet has had to get creative with his line combinations. That situation has been a detriment to the team.
“Short term, we got away with it a little bit, but long term, it’s hard. Tyson kind of reminds me of (Vegas Golden Knights forward) Mark Stone, to be honest.”
Tocchet’s comments, as quoted in The Athletic, underscore just how important Foerster is to the Flyers. He’s a high-end defensive forward who can contribute offensively. That’s why he’s not the kind of player teams can replace. And the Flyers have paid the price for his absence.
Flyers deadline strategy could mitigate Foerster’s absence
Unfortunately, Foerster is not coming back this season. That situation means the Flyers will need to tailor the deadline strategy to find a piece to mitigate his absence. That could mean a middle-six forward who can become a defensively responsible player.
That’s a fine needle to thread, considering the lack of available pieces on the trade market. Just about every team believes they have a shot at the playoffs. So, the usual number of sellers at the deadline could shrink considerably leading to Mar. 6.
That’s where the Flyers must assess their current situation. Does management believe the team still has a shot this season? Or is it more about punting and hoping for the best next year?
If the Flyers believe they’re out, well, this entire conversation is pretty much moot. Daniel Briere will know that one of his offseason targets will be to boost defensive depth in his forward group.
But if the club believes they still have a chance, well, that’s another story entirely. The Flyers will have to turn over stones to find the type of player they need. It’s doable, but the price tag may not be quite so palatable.
But then again, things can change in a heartbeat in the NHL.