PHILADELPHIA, Pa – The Philadelphia Flyers are technically still in the playoff hunt but for how much longer is the real question. The Flyers have 80 points and sit five points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the second Wild Card spot in the NHL’s Eastern Conference and seven points behind the Carolina Hurricanes for the first Wild Card spot. Between them stand the Columbus Blue Jackets who are four points ahead. The Flyers have no games in hand on Montreal or Columbus but they do have one on Carolina.
Philadelphia Flyers Goalie Carter Hart (#79) looks toward the corner as Philadelphia Flyers Defenseman Radko Gudas (#3) battles with Left Wing Alex Ovechkin (#8) of the Washington Capitals
With only eight games left in their season, the end seems near for the orange and black. Former General Manager Ron Hextall was fired as well as former Head Coach Dave Hakstol. All hope seemed lost until goaltender Carter Hart was called up from the AHL due to injuries to virtually every goaltender in the Flyers system. Those that were called up or traded for to help fill the void in net was a miserable exercise in futility.
The eight time seems to be the charm for the Flyers as Hart not only gave the Flyers a snowballs chance in heck this year but hope finally springs eternal. The Flyers see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel and for once it doesn’t look like a train. Now the burden falls on GM Chuck Fletcher to get not only get the type of personnel that will get the Flyers back into the playoffs next season.
The Flyers currently have almost $8 million in salary cap space and the cap is expected to go up another $3-5 million. The Flyers should be able to dump another $16 million of the books heading into next season. The only fly in the ointment is that the Flyers have quite a few of their own Restricted Free Agents to resign to some hefty raises such as Travis Konecny, Ivan Provorov, and Travis Sanheim.
Center Claude Giroux (#28) of the Philadelphia Flyers and Goalie Braden Holtby (#70) of the Washington Capitals
Still, for the first time in a long time the Flyers should be set up to get into the free agency frenzy come July 1. Before then the Flyers need to decide on a Head Coach for next season and Joel Quennville is still at the top of the Flyers hit list despite the quality job that current interim Head Coach Scott Gordon has done. Make no mistake about it, Gordon has been a blessing, but guys like Quennville don’t become available very often.
If Quennville becomes the guy keep Artemi Panarin’s name in the back of your mind. Quennville was rumored to think very highly of Panarin and was not a happy camper with Chicago Blackhawks management when they traded him away. You can bet Quennville will have Fletcher’s ear regarding Panarin.
Right Wing Justin Baily (#27) of the Philadelphia Flyers leans on Defenseman Marcus Pettersson (#28) and Goalie Matt Murray (#30) of the Pittsburgh Penguins
Jeff Skinner should also be someone on the Flyers hit list if they can’t land Panarin. Brock Nelson and Andres Lee are also names Fletcher can’t ignore. The Flyers also need help on the penalty kill and Carl Hagelin would be a great fit for the PK. On the blueline, Fletcher needs to consider adding a veteran to help all that youth. They need a solid stay-at-home defenseman. Tyler Myers and Jake Gardner could fit that fill.
We keep hearing about all those wonderful prospects Philadelphia already has in their system. Center Morgan Frost as at the top of that list and could base on his speed alone should make the Flyers roster. German Rubtsov is a center who can play on left wing despite his recent injury history could make the roster out of training camp as well. Isaac Ratcliffe scored 50 goals in 65 games this year for Guelph (OHL) and could squeeze his way onto the roster but will most likely need to start next season in the AHL.
As we’ve talked about in recent articles, this year’s draft seems to be very top heavy for forwards, especially at center. The Flyers biggest need is on defense and the Flyers have drafted well at left wing lately but with the departure of Wayne Simmonds and their overall depth in the system right wing should become a higher priority than at any other position. If the Flyers can somehow get into one of the top three picks thanks to the draft lottery, it will no doubt change things. Center Jack Hughes and Kappo Kakko (RW) should go first and second overall. If the Flyers don’t land in the first two spots Dylan Cozens, who can play center or wing, and Vasily Podkolzin, who is also an RW, and would bring a ton of speed and skill with him and would complement Morgan Frost in a big way.
Given their current spot in the league standings the Flyers will most likely land somewhere between spots 10-15 at the draft. If the Flyers decide to go with a forward keep your eye on the following names: Raphael Lavoie, Trevor Zegras, Mathew Boldy, Brett Leason, Cole Caufield, and Arthur Kaliyev.
If the Flyers decide to go defense, Bowen Byram looks like a given to be a top 10 pick. Philip Broberg is slated to go high in the draft but it looks like he will go somewhere in the same range as where the Flyers pick but given this drafts quality at wing and center it will be very hard for the Flyers to pass on one of them especially if it’s a right winger. Still, if the Flyers decide to draft Broberg or countryman Victor Soderstrom, it might not be a bad thing. Keep in mind the Flyers already drafted Swedish defenseman Adam Ginning last season in the second round and that could factor in how the Flyers decide to draft in the first round.
Philadelphia Flyers and Edmonton Oilers players mix it up in the second period.
There is still a heartbeat left in the Flyers season. Still, next season looks like it just might be the year the Flyers finally return to playoff glory. Either way, there is hope on Broad Street.
Brian Jennings covers the Philadelphia Flyers for prohockeynews.com and can be found on twitter at @Flyersfan22. Photos by Lewis Bleiman
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