With ten games left in the season, the Philadelphia Flyers could be one of the most dangerous teams in the NHL right now. You heard ESPN's Steve Levy last night when he said that, when compared to Detroit, the Flyers looked "hungry". And with two more contests ahead against the Red Wings, that's ground the Flyers can use to make up.
Detroit has been slipping since the Olympic break, going 6-9-2. So too have the Penguins. The Pens have gone 7-7-2 and have faced critical injuries to players like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. In comparison, the Flyers have gone 11-3 since the winter festivities ended in Milan. Only Buffalo, Colorado, and Dallas have better records.
Besides the two looming matchups with Detroit and today's with Dallas, Philly will have to play: Washington, NY Islanders, Boston, NJ Devils, Winnipeg, Carolina, and Montreal. All of those teams, save Winnipeg, are either playoff-bound or fighting for a spot. In fact, the Flyers need to leapfrog over Detroit and Ottawa and hope to catch a team like Pittsburgh or the Isles slumping to scratch for that last spot.
If, and that is a monstrously huge if, the Flyers do make the playoffs, they could be dangerous. Very dangerous. Few people remember this, but two years ago, when Philly crapped out on the last weekend of the year and missed the playoffs by one game, the team that replaced them was the Panthers. Florida went on to win the Stanley Cup that year.
Now, I ain't saying that the Flyers are Stanley Cup bound. Not yet. However, they could make a deep run. There are a few factors that work in their favor.
1: Gonna Fly Now....Getting Hot Now
Noah Cates has scored five goals in the last six games. Owen Tippett has scored five goals in the last six as well, including three last night. Two of Tippett's goals came on the power play.
It isn't just the offense. In Dan Vladar's last six games, he's posted a GAA of 2.50 and a save percentage of .897. Take out that blowout loss to the Rangers, and his save percentage rises to .925. Likewise, Sam Errson has found his mojo again. Since the Olympics ended, he's gone 4-0 with a 1.52 GAA and a .931 save percentage. That takes a lot of pressure off of Vladar to be perfect.
And as the season wears on, the Flyers could increase their offensive capabilities with some late-season call-ups. Porter Martone or Jett Luchanko could make an appearance in the coming weeks for the final push.
2: Staying Healthy
Ok, Nikita Grebenkin has been banged up, and Philly is still without Tyson Foerster. But those losses have given players like Alex Bump (3G, 3A in 10 games) and Denver Barkey (4G and 8A in 34 games) more opportunities to play. Both of them have seen an uptick in scoring lately as they get more playing time.
For the most part, this team has stayed healthy while other teams, like the aforementioned Pittsburgh, have lost key players at a critical moment in the season. It is possible the Flyers could supplant the Pens as a playoff team and even get a higher seed. Staying hungry is good, but staying healthy is better.
3. They Need the Experience
The one thing this team lacks is playoff experience. Sean Couturier, Travis Sanheim, and Travis Konency are the only players who have made the playoffs with the Flyers. They are also the last players to have played a playoff game in Philly in 2018.
While it might be good to miss the playoffs and enter the draft lottery and get a higher pick, this team needs to get into the postseason. They need to experience the intensity of it all. This is a mostly young team that needs that sort of confidence builder.
Not only that, most likely, they'd have to face off against a team that has played well all year and coasted in. The Flyers have had to fight for everything this year. That's what makes them dangerous. Right now, every game feels like a one-game playoff series. That intensity has the power to fuel a deep playoff run. A team that takes the Flyers for granted as an "easy first-round opponent" could find themselves in deep trouble quickly.
First things first. The Stars have been hot, but it will be a great test of Philly's resolve. A win today puts them closer to a spot. None of these remaining games is easy. However, none are out of reach. Let's win the games we can win now. Then the Flyers need to secure a playoff spot. We can worry about everything else later.