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The Philadelphia Flyers are tired of living on the outside of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Other than the Covid year of 2020, they have not competed in the postseason since 2018.
Team president Keith Jones and general manager Daniel Briere have been patient and so have the team's fans, but the time for waiting is over. They came fairly close in 2023-24 to making the playoffs with 87 points, but they were unable to build on that last year. The Flyers finished with 76 points and they finished last in the Metropolitan Division.
The Flyers have made multiple moves in the offseason to put a more competitive team on the ice next season.
The biggest move came in a trade for center Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks for center Ryan Poehling, a second-round pick in the 2025 draft and a fourth-round pick in 2026.
Zegras, 24, has already played five seasons in the NHL. He scored 23 goals in both 2021-22 and the following year, but he has not come close to that level in his next two seasons. The Flyers are hoping that a change of scenery will allow the flashy Zegras to become a big-time scorer.
While he has been a center throughout his career, the Flyers are going to try him at left wing next to free agent signee Christian Dvorak.
Christian Dvorak looks like a good fit on third line
Neither Zegras nor Dvorak will be playing on Philadelphia's top two lines. Sean Cotourier will center the top line while Noah Cates will serve as the pivot on the No. 2 line.
However, the presence of Dvorak and Zegras on the third line could give the Flyers matchup advantages with opponents that they have not had in the past. Head coach Rick Tocchet should be able to look at this roster and see where he can gain an edge over several Flyers' opponents.
Dvorak signed a one-year, $5.4 million deal with the Flyers. The former Montreal Canadien has strength in the face-off circle and killing penalties, but he can also make a contribution on the offensive end. He had 33 points last year and his career high is 38 points.
Dvorak sees the Flyers as a young team that is climbing the ladder, just like the Canadiens.
“I think the similarities are how young both teams are,” Dvorak said. “Sometimes it takes a little bit of time when you're that young, but yeah, in Montreal, we started a bit slow but got hot the second half of the year and made a nice run there.
“That was a lot of fun, and I think we could do something similar in Philly this year, too.”
Grade: B-plus
Goaltender Dan Vladar fits rotation
Dan Vladar signed a 2-year, $6.7 million deal with the Flyers. He is very likely the No. 2 goalie behind Sam Ersson, but Briere says he will have a chance to compete for the starting job. The Flyers also have goalies Ivan Fedotov and Aleksei Kolosov in their system, but Vladar figures to play a prominent role. He has not played more than 30 games in any season, but he could play in 40-45 if he wins the No. 1 job.
Grade: B
Defenseman Noah Juulsen can serve as a fill-in
Juulsen played for Tocchet in Vancouver, so he is familiar with his coach's standards. Juulsen is coming off an injury-plagued season a year ago, and he is hoping that he can stay healthy. He signed a one-year, $900,000 contract with the Flyers.
The Flyers signed him because defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen will be out at the start of the season while he rehabs from a ruptured triceps.
If Juulsen does a solid job in that role, he will likely maintain a spot in the Flyers' defense rotation. If not, he may only be used occasionally after Ristolainen returns.
Grade: C
Defenseman Dennis Gilbert is a third-pair defenseman
Gilbert signed a one-year, $875,000 contract with the Flyers. Gilbert has played parts of six seasons in the NHL with five teams. He has never played more than 34 games in any season.
He is a left-handed shot with size at 6-2 and 218 pounds. He will have to prove himself thoroughly to Tocchet if he is to remain in the lineup
Grade: C-minus
