The Hockey News’ NHL summer splash rankings inch closer to the top with the Philadelphia Flyers in sixth place.
In these rankings, we’re looking at each team’s additions, departures, hirings and firings this summer. We’ve already looked at teams that got worse or stayed about the same, and we’re well in the group of squads that improved.
Remember, these summer splash rankings are strictly focused on the off-season development (or lack thereof) of teams. The Flyers are still in the early days of a full rebuild, but GM Daniel Briere is going about things the right way, and he’s made some changes that should make the Flyers a tougher team to play against, even if it’s unlikely they’ll make the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Additions
Trevor Zegras (C), Christian Dvorak (C), Dan Vladar (G), Noah Juulsen (D), Dennis Gilbert (D), Rick Tocchet (coach)
The Breakdown: The Flyers are still committed to their young stars, but Briere went out and spent to just about the salary cap ceiling to make his team better down the middle.
First, Briere traded to acquire center Trevor Zegras from the Anaheim Ducks for center Ryan Poehling and two draft picks.
Then, he came out of nowhere on the free-agent market to give former Montreal Canadiens center Christian Dvorak a one-year, $5.4-million contract. Dvorak put up only 33 points last season and has a career high of 38, but at 29 years old and a strong 55.8 faceoff win percentage, he’s a nice stopgap. That cap hit on a Cup contender would potentially be an eyesore, but bringing him onto a rebuilding squad could be worth paying a little more.
The Flyers also tried to address their suspect goaltending with the signing of veteran Dan Vladar. But Vladar has bounced to his third NHL team because he hasn’t had a save percentage as high or higher than .899 in the past three seasons. He may work out well in Philadelphia, but that’s not guaranteed.
But suddenly, a Philadelphia team that had many glaring holes can now consistently be challenging to play. They’re like the San Jose Sharks, whose moves don’t turn them into a playoff team but do add up to be roster improvements that support the developing core.
Otherwise, Philly’s biggest acquisition is longtime coach Rick Tocchet as their new bench boss. Tocchet’s departure from the Vancouver Canucks was beneficial to him, as he had his pick of the many coaching job openings this summer.
Tocchet ultimately went to where he starred as a player decades ago, and his motivational skills will help just about every Flyers player. Briere got his man behind the bench, and we don’t expect losing will ever sit well with Tocchet, whose job now is to shepherd Philadelphia’s youngsters past the finish line and make them into true difference-makers.
Departures
Ryan Poehling (C), Jakob Pelletier (LW), Givani Smith (RW), Olle Lycksell (RW), Calvin Petersen (G), Brad Shaw (interim coach)
The Breakdown: The Flyers’ departures didn’t move the needle much, with center Poehling and winger Pelletier being the most notable players to head elsewhere.
There’s a home for Poehling now in Anaheim, and Pelletier left via free agency to sign with the Tampa Bay Lightning. But let’s be honest – Poehling and Pelletier are fringe players right now. Poehling’s 31 points last season were OK, but Zegras and Dvorak should easily exceed that production. Pelletier recorded 19 points in 49 games between the Calgary Flames and Flyers last season, and he has a chance to get his development back on track in Tampa Bay, but he’s just a depth piece for now. Philadelphia shouldn’t rue the day it let these two players go.
Meanwhile, interim coach Brad Shaw was thanked for his service and sent on his way once it was clear Tocchet was the Flyers’ target. Shaw coached nine games for Philadelphia at the end of last season after John Tortorella imploded near the end of the year. Shaw is the type of hockey lifer who latched on as the New Jersey Devils’ assistant coach. He may eventually get a longer run as a head coach, but Tocchet’s availability made it a fait accompli that Shaw would be let go.
How John Tortorella Protected Matvei Michkov in Flyers Debut, Rookie SeasonJohn Tortorella may not be the head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers anymore, but in his short time coaching rookies Matvei Michkov and Jett Luchanko, the polarizing bench boss left his mark.
The Bottom Line
Briere spoke earlier this summer about how hard it was to acquire a center of value. But then he went out and plugged that hole with Zegras – a young player with something to prove – and Dvorak, who can try to prove his value before he becomes a UFA again. That’s a lot of motivation for both centers to improve next year. If they do, Briere and the rest of Flyers management will be ecstatic.
But even in a Metropolitan Division that is relatively open in terms of a battle for fourth and fifth place, the Flyers are in for a difficult battle to rise through the standings. The Metro has more parity than other divisions, but the wild-card battle with the Atlantic Division clubs will be very challenging.
If they don’t take that next competitive step and advance into the playoffs, patience will still be a virtue in Philadelphia.
This Flyers team isn’t built to win now. Management assembled the squad with an eye on a year or two from now.
While we’re giving Philly its flowers by ranking the Flyers this high in our NHL summer splash rankings, we don’t want to encourage Flyers fans to expect big things this year. There’s still a road ahead – and potentially, a rocky road – to being a consistent playoff team, let alone a true Cup front-runner.
But the Flyers’ summertime moves have put them on the rise more than expected by adding Tocchet and Zegras. That’s why they’re this high.
Summer Splash Rankings
6. Philadelphia Flyers
9. Utah Mammoth
10. New York Rangers
13. St. Louis Blues
16. Ottawa Senators
17. Boston Bruins
18. Edmonton Oilers
19. Minnesota Wild
20. Seattle Kraken
27. Dallas Stars
28. Calgary Flames
30. Winnipeg Jets
32. Buffalo Sabres
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