PHILADELPHIA, Pa – What a difference a month makes. After a slow start to their season in October, the Philadelphia Flyers have turned back the clock to a time when the Flyers franchise use to make the NHL playoffs on a regular basis. The Flyers pulled off a stunning 10-2-4 record and had an NHL-best 24 points in November and currently have 35 points, the most points a Flyers team has had entering December since the 1995-96 club. That year Eric Lindros was 22 years old and the Flyers finished the season with 107 points, good for second overall in the NHL behind Scotty Bowman’s Detroit Red Wings with 131.
Carter Hart #79 of the Philadelphia Flyers makes a diving pad save/
Currently the Flyers are third in the Metropolitan Division behind the Washington Capitals and the New York Islanders. Overall the Flyers are sixth in points. The Capitals and the Boston Bruins are tied for first overall with 43 each. The St. Louis Blues and the Edmonton Oilers are the only other teams with more points than Philadelphia. The Flyers still have some work to do in order to become a more complete team, but Head Coach Alain Vigneault’s vision of a more defensive minded club is taken shape and considering where the Flyers have been over the past few years, that’s a darn good sign.
Philadelphia have scored 82 goals, which is tied for 15th in the league. That’s the same ranking they were at the end of October. One of their major improvements is in goals allowed. The Flyers are now 6th overall. Last month they were only ranked 16th. The power play has slipped some and is now 13th overall at 19.8%. Last month they ranked 8th overall. The penalty kill has jumped from 12th overall to 3rd overall.
The Flyers have picked up where they were last year as the league’s top face-off team currently humming at 53.9%. The Flyers offensive slippage can be attributed by their lack of shots on goal. The Flyers were second overall in shots per game with 35 but are currently 10th (33.1) and 4th overall with shots against with (29.3).
The Flyers are also trending upward in other areas as well. The Flyers are now ranked 16th with hits, up four spots from last month. They have improved in block shots up from 30th to 25th. Last season the Flyers got off to slow starts but things are improving even since the start of the season. Philadelphia are being outscored in the first period 25-27 but are outscoring their opponents by nine goals over the last two periods.
Oskar Lindblom still leads the Flyers in goals with 11 while Travis Konecny leads the team in assists (16) and points (25). Overall team offense has picked up as well. Only Justin Braun and Robert Hagg haven’t scored a goal, but in fairness to Braun he had a goal taken away from him recently and was later awarded to Lindblom.
One of the biggest reasons for the Flyers surge in the standings has been the goaltending tandem of Carter Hart and Brian Ellliot. After both getting off to slow starts, both goalies now have save percentages over 90 percent and goals against averages under 3.00. Hart is finally feeling more comfortable in net and Elliot is looking more and more like he did back in his St. Louis Blues and Calgary Flames days.
Braun originally looked like a bust with a team worst -10 plus/minus rating but since October he has improved his game even though plus/minus rating hasn’t changed. Phillippe Myers leads the Flyers D-men with a +9 rating. Ivan Provorov continues his solid play as an offensive defenseman and having him paired with Matt Niskanen has allowed Provorov to up his game. Robert Hagg’s physical presence has not gone unnoticed as well ever since he has been inserted back into the lineup.
Washington Capitals John Carlson #74 and Micheal Kempny #6, battle with Travis Konecny #11 and Oskar Lindblom #23 of the Philadelphia Flyers
The jury is still out on the Flyers. Was the November run temporary thing or is it possible the Flyers current run is more of a permanent version, at least for the rest of the season. So far to his credit General Manager Chuck Fletcher did not fall into the trap of pushing the panic button up. That said, a December slide could change things, especially with some of the hockey, um, experts floating rumors and what if scenarios around. For examples, someone like Johnny Gaudreau, who grew up a Flyers fan, could be had for the right price. I call BS for now but that’s just me.
According to capfriendly.com, the Flyers only have $276,944, which is even less then what they had at the end of October ($696,111). Putting Nolan Patrick on Long Term IR has helped but the uncertainty of when he will come back into the lineup is still a bit of a mystery. That said, pump the brakes on those Johnny Gaudreau to the Flyers rumors on ice kiddies. Unless the Flyers can move someone making a buck or two, such as Shayne Gostisbehere and his $4.5 cap hit, don’t expect a trade to come down the pike until at least the NHL trade deadline.
Alain Vigneault has the Philadelphia Flyers heading in the right direction. Somewhere on earth Eric Lindros is smiling. It’s not a bad time for Flyers fans. Go ahead and feel just a little nostalgic if you want to. You’ve earned it.
Philadelphia Flyers Travis Konecny (#11) scores against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Brian Jennings covers the Philadelphia Flyers for prohockeynews.com and can be found on twitter at @Flyersfan22. All photos by Lewis.Bleiman@pohockeynews.com
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