The Philadelphia Flyers's next six games will define their 2023-24 season

The Philadelphia Flyers have been a surprisingly good team throughout this NHL season. John Tortorella has been one of the best coaches in the league and will be a top Jack Adams Award Trophy vote-getter.

They currently sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division with a record of 34-25-8 for 76 points. They don't have any elite superstars on the roster but there are a few top prospects on their way which makes the future of this team even more exciting.

They are currently four points clear of the New York Islanders in the race for that third spot in the division. They are also four points clear of the Detroit Red Wings who are the first team out of the playoffs.

While the Red Wings have been slumping, the Washington Capitals, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, and Pittsburgh Penguins are the four teams below them that also believe they are still alive.

The Philadelphia Flyers need to finish strong if they want to make the playoffs

There is no doubt that the Flyers need to have an incredible finish if they are going to hang onto that playoff spot. There is also no doubt that it is going to be incredibly difficult with the schedule that they have in front of them. It is very hard.

Their next game is on Saturday against the Boston Bruins who have the second best most points in the NHL. They will follow that up on Tuesday with another game against the Toronto Maple Leafs who just shelled them 6-2 in Philadelphia. This one will be on the road.

Then they play the Carolina Hurricanes next Thursday who are one of the teams ahead of them in the Metropolitan Division. Those games are never easy. They will then play the Boston Bruins again for the second straight Saturday.

One day later, two Sundays from now, their second half of a back to back will be hosting the Florida Panthers who have the top record in the NHL right now. As it stands right now, they are the only team in the league with a points percentage above .700.

That is followed by a game against the New York Rangers who lead the Metropolitan Division in points and have the fourth most in the league. It ends a stretch of six straight games against teams that are considered Stanley Cup contenders.

Then, it lightens up a little bit when they end March playing against the Montreal Canadiens and Chicago Blackhawks. By that time, we will know a lot more about their actual playoff chances.

This team has overcome adversity before. With six straight games against super-elite teams, winning them would be a big boost. It also makes that four point margin seem even smaller. This is a stretch that will define their entire season. It is better than being out of it completely.