3 Philadelphia Flyers players who must seriously step up their games in November

The Philadelphia Flyers continue to struggle as we near the end of the first week of November 2024. It’s a team that looks rather night and day from where they were last November, and barring some kind of unforeseen miracle, it’s tough to see them embarking on any sort of comeback unless a few youngsters step up their game.

Three of those young players have made the infamous list of those who seriously need to put forth a better game this month if the Flyers want any hope of remaining at least slightly relevant. So, who made the cut, and what has made two of them among the most disappointing acts so far in Philadelphia?

But before we talk about them, let’s discuss one goaltender who should see an opportunity knocking.

Aleksei Kolosov

We don’t know when Samuel Ersson will be ready to roll again, and with Ivan Fedotov so ineffective, it’s Aleksei Kolosov’s time to shine. Through three games and two starts, that hasn’t happened, as Kolosov is 0-3, with an 0.863 save percentage, and a 3.92 GAA, all cringe-worthy numbers. 

Yet, here he is, likely the main act in the foreseeable future, and it’s up to him to prove he’s better than he’s played. Yeah, I’ll be fair and admit that the Flyers have issues all over the ice, but in my mind, that gives Kolosov an opportunity to be the hero. 

Morgan Frost

Morgan Frost has clearly had some issues this season, and he looks like he’s on pace for an all-time low should his poor play keep up. He’s got just one goal, a 3.6 shooting percentage, and a minus-12 rating to top it all off. 

Yeah, he’s been playing well in some realms, such as sustaining a 50-plus faceoff win percentage, landing body checks, and blocking shots. But his overall game has suffered this year, and with the Flyers desperately in need of playmakers, someone who’s young but with sound experience that Frost has, the situation is ideal for a player of his caliber to step up.

Jamie Drysdale

Jamie Drysdale will never contribute much to scoring, but that’s not necessary from a defenseman who can help in other ways. That said, it’s tough to say exactly how Drysdale has been helping the Flyers so far in 2024-25 other than landing 24 blocks through 13 games. 

Yeah, he’s still a raw player, but a minus-10 rating, 16 giveaways, an on-ice shooting percentage at even strength of 7.0, and an on-ice save percentage of 83.8 in the same situation isn’t cutting it, even with so-so goaltending, at best. 

Further, nearly 62 percent of his starts have come in the offensive zone at even strength, yet he remains well under 50 percent in Corsi For at 44.0. Right now, Drysdale’s play has been uninspiring, and few young blueliners in the league need a better month.