Philadelphia Flyers Should Pursue Offensive Expertise within the 2025 Offseason – The Hockey Writers – Philadelphia Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers have a modest 12-12-4 document this season with a prospect pool that doesn’t have projectable franchise expertise. Nonetheless, their future could be very vivid and so they could make it a complete lot brighter within the 2025 offseason. The time for them to take the subsequent step has come.

The Flyers may say they’re rebuilding, however this group is at some extent the place increase is way extra useful than doing nothing. They’re more likely to end proper across the playoff line in back-to-back seasons, however their enhancing upside is the important thing. On the newest, the 2025 offseason is the time to take a swing for the sake of the current and the long run.

Michkov Might Attain Celebrity Heights Sooner Than We Thought

As one in every of Matvei Michkov’s supreme optimists coming into this season, I had expectations far past most of the people. He has surpassed these expectations.

Among the many 418 forwards with at the least 10 video games performed this season, he’s forty seventh in factors per recreation (0.96) and thirty fifth in factors per 60 minutes (3.37). The latter mark is the fourth finest recorded by a teenage rookie with 200 minutes of ice time since 2007-08, behind Connor McDavid (twice) and Steven Stamkos. The one different participant above 3.25 is Auston Matthews.

Matvei Michkov has performed his ultimate recreation as a 19-year-old.

His factors per 60 (examine graphic for {qualifications}) amongst youngsters since 2007-08:#LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/G4BJSUNRaT

— Justin Giampietro (@justingiam) December 9, 2024

We don’t need to cease there. Whereas the Flyers are getting higher as a possession group, they nonetheless aren’t at league-average. It’s simple to miss, however you want the puck within the offensive zone to attain targets (nicely, most of them, anyway). So, Michkov’s numbers are considerably understated due to the group he’s taking part in for.

By way of his first 26 video games, Michkov scored 7.77 factors per 60 minutes spent within the offensive zone. To place that in perspective, that’s higher than what six of final season’s high 10 scorers are at in 2024-25:

What Michkov is doing as a younger rookie could be very particular; it’s one thing the NHL hasn’t seen in fairly some time. Contemplating he has solely gotten higher with time, it wouldn’t be a wild take to have him at a higher-scoring clip by season’s finish. Even along with his typically unsustainable ending price, his continuously rising talents may make up for a likely-to-decline 22.45 taking pictures share. Or, he might simply find yourself being an unimaginable finisher his complete profession—that could be very potential.

What we could be assured in, nonetheless, is that he’ll be a greater participant from season to season. A sophomore droop, whereas in play, will not be the belief right here. The expectation is to your younger star participant to change into a famous person quickly. The latter was at all times the logical final result for Michkov, so his rookie marketing campaign has been nothing however affirmation—a famous person future is way much less shocking than not.

Associated: Philadelphia Flyers’ Matvei Michkov Deserves Extra Ice Time in Key Moments

What this implies for the Flyers is that they’ve to supply him with expertise. Regardless of their early-season struggles, each Owen Tippett and Morgan Frost have confirmed to be pretty good linemates for the 20-year-old (58.90 anticipated targets share at 5-on-5). However that doesn’t imply the group can’t go a step additional.

these high teenage scorers from the start of this part, McDavid had Leon Draisaitl, Stamkos had Martin St. Louis, and Matthews had William Nylander. A majority of the time, these {couples} had been stapled to at least one one other at 5-on-5. Solely St. Louis was a longtime top-of-the-line expertise again then, however the massive takeaway right here is that everybody wants a sidekick. Are we satisfied that Tippett and Frost are this?

With a purpose to maximize what Michkov can do within the early levels of his profession, the Flyers ought to prioritize getting him a linemate they assume can increase his upside. It may very well be Travis Konecny, however he has commanded his personal line—a long-term connection may not be what the Flyers take into account. Some new blood is in retailer.

Flyers Are Nearer to Competition Than They Appear

They’ve missed the playoffs 4 seasons in a row and are on tempo to tie a franchise document at 5. However the Flyers are nearer to rivalry than meets the attention—a few additions could also be all they want.

The Flyers have the core items to be a very good hockey group. A top-four defensive group of Cam York, Travis Sanheim, Emil Andrae, and Rasmus Ristolainen is a really succesful one. If Jamie Drysdale continues to play like he did on Sunday (Dec. 8) in his first recreation again from harm, his potential is thru the roof. He, York, and Andrae, plus prospects Oliver Bonk and Spencer Gill are all 23 years outdated or youthful—there’s a budding blue line in Philadelphia.

Associated: Philadelphia Flyers Participant Grades By way of 25 Video games

As talked about extensively, Michkov has famous person potential. Possibly even best-player-in-the-world potential. Quickly sufficient, he gained’t simply be a point-per-game scorer. That development is coming, and it’ll make the Flyers a greater group. Working with him is Konecny, a high-level first-liner, and captain Sean Couturier, a legit top-six middle when wholesome. Tippett has his flaws however his expertise and streaks of excellence are simple. Tyson Foerster and Bobby Brink have additionally proven glimpses of priceless play.

Goaltending might be the obvious weak spot, however paradoxically the Flyers’ most distinctive energy of their prospect pool. Egor Zavragin and Carson Bjarnason are just a few years away however every has NHL starter upside—the previous is perhaps the finest teenage netminder on the earth. Joined by 25-year-old Samuel Ersson and 22-year-old Aleksei Kolosov, there could quickly be a time when one in every of them needs to be shipped out as a result of magnitude of expertise. The goalies presently in Philadelphia (Ersson, Kolosov, and Ivan Fedotov) aren’t contender-level at this stage, however they’ve proven stints of strong play that high groups could make do with.

The rationale to be excited in regards to the Flyers is their imperfections. Their holes are fixable with star forwards, who can assist tilt the ice within the different route. Gamers like Frost and Tippett are above common at driving play however removed from elite. This roster wants another person who can hold the Flyers on the assault extra usually and create harmful appears throughout these possessions. That is the primary path to rivalry for a group that has principally all the pieces else discovered.

How Can the Flyers Enhance Their Ahead Group?

Fortunately for the Flyers, that they had the foresight to build up a plethora of belongings for the upcoming 2025 draft class. With three first- and second-round choices apiece, they’ll take loads of swings on youth in the summertime. Simply because they’re in a rebuild doesn’t imply they shouldn’t discover their choices, although.

Probably the most obtrusive concern in Philadelphia continues to be its middle depth. Couturier and 18-year-old Jett Luchanko are a begin, however that gained’t be sufficient. There are two seemingly choices for what occurs within the offseason (or the approaching months):

Possibility One: Flyers Go All-Out on Youth

Will the Flyers actually hoard all six of those picks to themselves? It’s at all times potential. They insist their rebuild is a long-term course of, so no one would blame them for splurging on youth. The priority right here is that there wouldn’t be any instant outcomes and turning these draft picks into stars is way from a assure—did we already neglect the Brayden Schenn commerce?

The Orange and Black have addressed a number of areas of their roster in latest drafts, however the number of Luchanko in 2024 may trace at their philosophy in 2025. He was objectively not the participant with the highest upside on the board, but a “rebuilding” group picked him anyway. Why was that? Most likely as a result of they legitimately preferred the participant, however their positional weak spot down the center definitely performed an element. That is greater than defensible.

The middle who clicks with Michkov is mechanically an elite one. If the Flyers discover somebody who makes Michkov a greater participant, their downside down the center will just about be solved. They’ll want to deal with the remainder of the offense, positive, however by far the largest want is discovering their famous person his sidekick. It’s real looking to do that within the draft if sufficient centermen are chosen—you’ll land his companion in crime ultimately.

Drafting each middle on the board is probably not environment friendly but it surely may very well be extremely efficient. As an alternative of buying and selling a bunch of picks for a longtime participant, they’ll get one in every of their very own.

Possibility Two: Flyers Have Their Cake and Eat It, Too

Philadelphia may be gearing up for a giant commerce. They’ve sufficient draft capital and different belongings (on the roster and within the system) to have their cake and eat it, too.

This feature means gunning for a high participant—seemingly a middle—and likewise utilizing the draft to enhance the group. Should you revisit a few of the larger trades in latest reminiscence, you’ll discover how your complete farm isn’t required to make a splash. It’ll be expensive, however no one will need all six draft picks and younger roster gamers in addition.

If this performs out, the Flyers might immediately change into a playoff contender whereas additionally bolstering their youth. Gamers like Foerster, Frost, Ristolainen, Joel Farabee, and Scott Laughton would all be truthful recreation to make this occur. Followers’ hearts sink once they hear a few of these names in offers however change is the one option to get higher. In sports activities, fearless groups are usually essentially the most profitable.

Philadelphia might significantly enhance in 2025-26 contemplating the in-season development of Michkov and the items round him. A younger group needing extra offensive expertise to take the subsequent step, the Flyers could possibly begin contending with a giant addition or two.

Stats courtesy of Pure Stat Trick (except specified in any other case)