en-us SportSpyder - Philadelphia Flyers (NBC Sports Philadelphia) https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/sources/13158/news For the first time in a while, . That, of course, makes life a little different for the club’s amateur scouting staff leading up to the 2026 NHL draft. Barring a trade, the Flyers will pick at 21st overall. It’s their lowest first-round spot since 2020. But that was when the Flyers drafted a foundation piece, . So the Flyers know the draft is still critical to what they want to do, even when they’re lower in the order. “, we wanted to build a team that was going to be here for a long time; not just to go for it for a year or two,” general manager Danny Briere said last month. “That’s still the same approach on my end.” The Flyers have only five picks in this draft, which will be held June 26-27. The first round is Friday at 7 p.m. ET, while Rounds 2-7 are Saturday starting at 11 a.m. ET. “I’ll tell you how I feel about drafts and I’ll be totally blunt with you,” TSN director of scouting Craig Button said last Tuesday in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I think it’s f—ing bulls–t when I hear about, ‘Oh, this draft isn’t as good.’ Here are the numbers. Approximately 45 players from any draft will play 350 games or more in the NHL. It might be 47 one year, 42 another year. That’s the number — you get 45 players that’ll play 350 games or more with varying degrees of success. “And I know this about the draft. The teams that get good players from the draft say it was a good draft. The teams that don’t get good players from the draft say it wasn’t a good draft. So when people start telling me about a draft ahead of time, I call bulls–t.” Last summer, , with six coming over the first two rounds. Porter Martone was . Now the Flyers will try to hit on a pick in the 20s. “What you’re trying to do is find a player that you feel has the potential to be an NHL player,” Button said. “That might be a third-line center, that might be a second-line scoring winger. Hey, listen, maybe you get David Pastrnak, who’s a superstar (drafted 25th overall in 2014). “But the focus has to be on, ‘OK, what type of player do we like, what type of player do we think the guy can be?’ And then get after it and understand what the development path is, and then try to help that player be the best he can be. Put a stake in the ground and celebrate who you’re drafting.” Before the draft arrives, we’re breaking down first-round targets for the Flyers. Next up: Ryan Lin Position: Defenseman Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 180 Shoots: Right Team: Vancouver Scouting report While his frame doesn’t come across as imposing, Lin is a plus defender with strong offensive skills. The Denver-bound prospect consistently has the puck, often making the right play up the ice or in the offensive zone. And when he doesn’t have the puck, he can hold his own in coverage. “He has got the brain, he understands the way that defensemen play the game, transition and everything,” Button, a former NHL GM and scout, said. “I was a little bit harder on Ryan. When I say harder, in terms of watching him. What I realized, I think he’s a much better defender than he gets credit for. … That’s why you watch players over a period of time in different scenarios.” Lin put up over a point per game this season in the WHL, recording 14 goals and 43 assists through 53 games. He had a minus-19 rating, but that came on a Vancouver team that sported a minus-86 goal differential. At the 2026 IIHF U-18 World Junior Championship that ended last month, Lin had six points (one goal, five assists) and a plus-7 rating in five games for Team Canada. Lin is No. 17 overall on and the seventh-best defenseman. “In Vancouver in the Western Hockey League, he was asked to drive offense,” Button said. “When you’re asked to do that, you better do that. And he did it well, he did it really well. So the team isn’t as good and certainly he has got to do his part offensively; well, now you’re not asked to play defense as much. But I’ve seen him in other scenarios where he has been a really good, solid two-way defenseman.” Button believes Lin has “a little bit of the Brandon Montour profile.” Montour owns a 73-point season and a Stanley Cup ring. The 32-year-old has played in 665 career NHL games. has Lin ranked at No. 12, while has him at No. 15. has Lin at No. 16 among North American skaters. (Kai Brown/Portland Winterhawks) Fit with Flyers If Lin is still there at No. 21, he would be a fine pick for the Flyers. The club will draft the best player available, but it couldn’t hurt to replenish on the back end. The Flyers have taken just four defensemen over the last two drafts. They haven’t taken one in the first round since 2023, when they . Lin has the ingredients to be a top-four defenseman. His upside as a power play quarterback should also appeal to the Flyers. They’ve had an NHL-worst power play over the last five seasons combined at 14.1 percent. Lin would give them a good option to run the point in the future. More targets • • • • Tue, 09 Jun 2026 20:51:03 GMT Jordan Hall https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56897573 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56897573 false false For the first time in a while, . That, of course, makes life a little different for the club’s amateur scouting staff leading up to the 2026 NHL draft. Barring a trade, the Flyers will pick at 21st overall. It’s their lowest first-round spot since 2020. But that was when the Flyers drafted a foundation piece, . So the Flyers know the draft is still critical to what they want to do, even when they’re lower in the order. “, we wanted to build a team that was going to be here for a long time; not just to go for it for a year or two,” general manager Danny Briere said last month. “That’s still the same approach on my end.” The Flyers have only five picks in this draft, which will be held June 26-27. The first round is Friday at 7 p.m. ET, while Rounds 2-7 are Saturday starting at 11 a.m. ET. “I’ll tell you how I feel about drafts and I’ll be totally blunt with you,” TSN director of scouting Craig Button said last Tuesday in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I think it’s f—ing bulls–t when I hear about, ‘Oh, this draft isn’t as good.’ Here are the numbers. Approximately 45 players from any draft will play 350 games or more in the NHL. It might be 47 one year, 42 another year. That’s the number — you get 45 players that’ll play 350 games or more with varying degrees of success. “And I know this about the draft. The teams that get good players from the draft say it was a good draft. The teams that don’t get good players from the draft say it wasn’t a good draft. So when people start telling me about a draft ahead of time, I call bulls–t.” Last summer, , with six coming over the first two rounds. Porter Martone was . Now the Flyers will try to hit on a pick in the 20s. “What you’re trying to do is find a player that you feel has the potential to be an NHL player,” Button said. “That might be a third-line center, that might be a second-line scoring winger. Hey, listen, maybe you get David Pastrnak, who’s a superstar (drafted 25th overall in 2014). “But the focus has to be on, ‘OK, what type of player do we like, what type of player do we think the guy can be?’ And then get after it and understand what the development path is, and then try to help that player be the best he can be. Put a stake in the ground and celebrate who you’re drafting.” Before the draft arrives, we’re breaking down first-round targets for the Flyers. Next up: Ilia Morozov Position: Center Height: 6-foot-3 Weight: 200 Shoots: Left Team: Miami (Ohio) Scouting report The Russian prospect provides a noticeable presence and strong work ethic down the middle. At just 17 years old, Morozov was rock solid in his transition to the college level. He put up eight goals and 12 assists in 36 games for Miami (Ohio). Three of his goals came on the power play and one at shorthanded. He had a two-goal performance on the road against Western Michigan, the defending national champs at the time. “Good player,” Button, a former NHL GM and scout, said. “I see him as a third-line center. Nothing wrong with third-line centers, third-line centers are really valuable.” His ceiling offensively might not be super high, but Morozov sees the ice well and his shot has potential. Button has him at . “Anton Lundell and Adam Lowry, to me, are the prototypical third-line centers,” Button said. “I think Anton has a little bit easier of a time scaling up to what I would call a 2b. He can be a second-line center, he can do that, but he’s not a prolific point producer you might want from a second-line center. But an excellent third-line center and I think Adam Lowry is an excellent third-line center. “I see the same thing with Morozov. I don’t see this guy that’s going to be a big offensive force, but I see a guy that with his size, his spurt, his competitiveness, you want out there on the ice. That’s kind of the profile that I look at with these types of players.” Morozov is the 10th-ranked North American skater on . has him as the 21st-best player, while has him at No. 23. (Liv Kakabeeke/Miami athletics) Fit with Flyers The Flyers have needed more centers in their system, so Morozov checks a box there. But the concern may be his upside. Can the Flyers grab a player with more of a top-six makeup? The club is hoping , or can eventually develop into a second-line center, but there’s no guarantee there. Morozov would at least give the Flyers another option down the middle. His size and strength are intriguing, especially when you consider Berglund and Nesbitt are both 6-foot-4 or taller. Down the road, the Flyers would possibly have an imposing look at a premium position. Morozov’s ability to relate to Matvei Michkov would be a nice bonus, too. More targets • • • Mon, 08 Jun 2026 19:59:10 GMT Jordan Hall https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56885488 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56885488 false false For the first time in a while, . That, of course, makes life a little different for the club’s amateur scouting staff leading up to the 2026 NHL draft. Barring a trade, the Flyers will pick at 21st overall. It’s their lowest first-round spot since 2020. But that was when the Flyers drafted a foundation piece, . So the Flyers know the draft is still critical to what they want to do, even when they’re lower in the order. “, we wanted to build a team that was going to be here for a long time; not just to go for it for a year or two,” general manager Danny Briere said last month. “That’s still the same approach on my end.” The Flyers have only five picks in this draft, which will be held June 26-27. The first round is Friday at 7 p.m. ET, while Rounds 2-7 are Saturday starting at 11 a.m. ET. “I’ll tell you how I feel about drafts and I’ll be totally blunt with you,” TSN director of scouting Craig Button said Tuesday in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I think it’s f—ing bulls–t when I hear about, ‘Oh, this draft isn’t as good.’ Here are the numbers. Approximately 45 players from any draft will play 350 games or more in the NHL. It might be 47 one year, 42 another year. That’s the number — you get 45 players that’ll play 350 games or more with varying degrees of success. “And I know this about the draft. The teams that get good players from the draft say it was a good draft. The teams that don’t get good players from the draft say it wasn’t a good draft. So when people start telling me about a draft ahead of time, I call bulls–t.” Last summer, , with six coming over the first two rounds. Porter Martone was . Now the Flyers will try to hit on a pick in the 20s. “What you’re trying to do is find a player that you feel has the potential to be an NHL player,” Button said. “That might be a third-line center, that might be a second-line scoring winger. Hey, listen, maybe you get David Pastrnak, who’s a superstar (drafted 25th overall in 2014). “But the focus has to be on, ‘OK, what type of player do we like, what type of player do we think the guy can be?’ And then get after it and understand what the development path is, and then try to help that player be the best he can be. Put a stake in the ground and celebrate who you’re drafting.” Before the draft arrives, we’re breaking down first-round targets for the Flyers. Next up: J.P. Hurlbert Position: Winger Height: 6-foot Weight: 183 Shoots: Right Team: Kamloops Scouting report The Michigan-bound forward can put the puck in the net. He has a goal-scoring prowess predicated on guile and confidence. He doesn’t own elite speed or size, but he can beat a goalie without help. He finds the right areas and finishes. “He knows how to score in and around the net,” Button, a former NHL GM and scout, said. “He’s not going to carry the puck end to end, he’s not going to flash and dash you, but he’s real good at understanding how to get open in the offensive zone, how to take advantage in the offensive zone and he’s going to pay a price in the offensive zone.” Hurlbert had a prolific one-and-done WHL season with Kamloops. Over 68 games, he led all rookies in goals with 42 and points with 97. He delivered a hat trick in his debut and finished with three on the year. And he didn’t turn 18 years old until after the season. Button has Hurlbert slotted at . He sees a Kyle Palmieri “type of player” in Hurlbert. The 35-year-old Palmieri has played in 925 career NHL games, putting up 30 goals twice and 50 or more points four times. Hurlbert is No. 12 among North American skaters on and the 21st-ranked player by . has him at No. 30. “A player of his physical stature, he’s not a guy that goes and gets engaged physically and tries to overpower guys,” Button said. “You do it with your brain, your smarts, you anticipate, you get to the right spots — he does all of those things. And he pays the price. That’s why I say Kyle Palmieri.” (Brian Johnson/Kamloops Blazers) Fit with Flyers Sure, the Flyers have a ton of young wingers, but Hurlbert would be a really nice addition to their prospect pool. The Flyers could use more shoot-first, goal-scoring potential in their system. Maybe the high-end upside isn’t quite there because Hurlbert doesn’t overwhelm you with speed or power. Still, though, there’s a lot to like. His type of point production at No. 21 seems like pretty good value. He’d further add to the Flyers’ promising outlook on the wing along with Martone, Foerster, Matvei Michkov, Alex Bump, Denver Barkey and Nikita Grebenkin. More targets • • Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:33:01 GMT Jordan Hall https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56877840 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56877840 false false The Flyers agreed to terms Friday on a one-year, two-way contract with depth forward Jacob Gaucher. The deal is worth $850,000, according to . Gaucher was a restricted free agent; he’ll remain an RFA when his new contract expires next offseason. The 25-year-old center has given the Flyers eight games over the last two seasons. In 8:05 minutes per game, he has gone scoreless with seven shots and a 54.1 faceoff win percentage. Gaucher has made an impressive climb in the Flyers’ organization. He started his professional career with the team’s ECHL affiliate Reading in 2022-23. With AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley, he has put up back-to-back 20-goal seasons. Gaucher has some good bottom-six qualities with his 6-foot-4 frame and ability to win faceoffs. He can also play on the wing. He’ll once again be a call-up option for the Flyers next season if he doesn’t crack the opening roster. Among the Flyers’ other restricted free agents this offseason, Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale are the most notable that need to be re-signed. The club also needs to decide as its backup goaltender. Fri, 05 Jun 2026 18:17:46 GMT Jordan Hall https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56858998 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56858998 false false For the first time in a while, . That, of course, makes life a little different for the club’s amateur scouting staff leading up to the 2026 NHL draft. Barring a trade, the Flyers will pick at 21st overall. It’s their lowest first-round spot since 2020. But that was when the Flyers drafted a foundation piece, . So the Flyers know the draft is still critical to what they want to do, even when they’re lower in the order. “, we wanted to build a team that was going to be here for a long time; not just to go for it for a year or two,” general manager Danny Briere said last month. “That’s still the same approach on my end.” The Flyers have only five picks in this draft, which will be held June 26-27. The first round is Friday at 7 p.m. ET, while Rounds 2-7 are Saturday starting at 11 a.m. ET. “I’ll tell you how I feel about drafts and I’ll be totally blunt with you,” TSN director of scouting Craig Button said Tuesday in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I think it’s f—ing bulls–t when I hear about, ‘Oh, this draft isn’t as good.’ Here are the numbers. Approximately 45 players from any draft will play 350 games or more in the NHL. It might be 47 one year, 42 another year. That’s the number — you get 45 players that’ll play 350 games or more with varying degrees of success. “And I know this about the draft. The teams that get good players from the draft say it was a good draft. The teams that don’t get good players from the draft say it wasn’t a good draft. So when people start telling me about a draft ahead of time, I call bulls–t.” Last summer, , with six coming over the first two rounds. Porter Martone was . Now the Flyers will try to hit on a pick in the 20s. “What you’re trying to do is find a player that you feel has the potential to be an NHL player,” Button said. “That might be a third-line center, that might be a second-line scoring winger. Hey, listen, maybe you get David Pastrnak, who’s a superstar (drafted 25th overall in 2014). “But the focus has to be on, ‘OK, what type of player do we like, what type of player do we think the guy can be?’ And then get after it and understand what the development path is, and then try to help that player be the best he can be. Put a stake in the ground and celebrate who you’re drafting.” Before the draft arrives, we’re breaking down first-round targets for the Flyers. Next up: Maddox Dagenais Position: Center Height: 6-foot-4 Weight: 196 Shoots: Left Team: Quebec Scouting report Dagenais can really rip the puck. He possesses an advanced shot to go along with an NHL frame. His release is high end and the accuracy is there. He had two hat tricks and 30 goals over 62 games this season for Quebec in the QMJHL. “He has got really good shooting hands,” Button, a former NHL GM and scout, said. “He understands how to put goaltenders back on their heels with that shot.” The 18-year-old was a point-per-game player. He was second on the Remparts with 62 points, behind only , who had 73 in 58 games. In the second round of the playoffs, Dagenais was shut down by eventual champion Chicoutimi. He went scoreless in four games with a minus-7 rating. He had three goals and three assists in Quebec’s first-round series, which went seven games. Dagenais is slotted at . He could project more as a winger in the NHL. “I think he’s a better winger,” Button said. “I see him as a winger, I see him as a shooter, I see him as somebody that can really shoot the puck. I see him as more of a goal-scoring type of winger; I don’t see him as a center. He has got size, he drives inside, he gets the puck and he has got really good hands.” Dagenais, the son of former NHLer Pierre Dagenais, is ranked No. 17 on and No. 28 by . He’s No. 15 among North Americans on . “He’s not a great skater,” Button said. “His skating has improved, but skating isn’t the hallmark of his game. He’s smart, he’s competitive, he has got really good hands, goal-scoring hands. But that’s a lot of skating you’ve got to do as a center. I don’t see that in his profile. I see him as a shooting, goal-scoring winger.” (Dale Preston/Getty Images) Fit with Flyers If the Flyers like Dagenais, they probably would love if he could play down the middle at the next level. Center is a premium position and one of need for the organization. Meanwhile, the Flyers already have a large crop of young wingers, led by Martone and Matvei Michkov. Part of the reason was because of all the youth on the wing. The Flyers will draft the best player available at No. 21, but a true center would be ideal if they take a forward. Dagenais’ size and shooting ability should intrigue the Flyers. They’ve wanted to get bigger and add more goal scoring. Dagenais could help in both aspects. More targets • Thu, 04 Jun 2026 20:37:13 GMT Jordan Hall https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56849415 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56849415 false false For the first time in a while, . That, of course, makes life a little different for the club’s amateur scouting staff leading up to the 2026 NHL draft. Barring a trade, the Flyers will pick at 21st overall. It’s their lowest first-round spot since 2020. But that was when the Flyers drafted a foundation piece, . So the Flyers know the draft is still critical to what they want to do, even when they’re lower in the order. “, we wanted to build a team that was going to be here for a long time; not just to go for it for a year or two,” general manager Danny Briere said last month. “That’s still the same approach on my end.” The Flyers have only five picks in this draft, which will be held June 26-27. The first round is Friday at 7 p.m. ET, while Rounds 2-7 are Saturday starting at 11 a.m. ET. “I’ll tell you how I feel about drafts and I’ll be totally blunt with you,” TSN director of scouting Craig Button said Tuesday in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I think it’s f—ing bulls–t when I hear about, ‘Oh, this draft isn’t as good.’ Here are the numbers. Approximately 45 players from any draft will play 350 games or more in the NHL. It might be 47 one year, 42 another year. That’s the number — you get 45 players that’ll play 350 games or more with varying degrees of success. “And I know this about the draft. The teams that get good players from the draft say it was a good draft. The teams that don’t get good players from the draft say it wasn’t a good draft. So when people start telling me about a draft ahead of time, I call bulls–t.” Last summer, , with six coming over the first two rounds. Porter Martone was . Now the Flyers will try to hit on a pick in the 20s. “What you’re trying to do is find a player that you feel has the potential to be an NHL player,” Button said. “That might be a third-line center, that might be a second-line scoring winger. Hey, listen, maybe you get David Pastrnak, who’s a superstar (drafted 25th overall in 2014). “But the focus has to be on, ‘OK, what type of player do we like, what type of player do we think the guy can be?’ And then get after it and understand what the development path is, and then try to help that player be the best he can be. Put a stake in the ground and celebrate who you’re drafting.” Before the draft arrives, we’ll be breaking down first-round targets for the Flyers. To kick things off: Tynan Lawrence Position: Center Height: 6-foot Weight: 185 Shoots: Left Team: Boston University Scouting report The 17-year-old is one of the better pivots in the draft, utilizing a blend of smarts and scoring ability. He plays with pace and can impact the game over the full length of the rink. He doesn’t hurt you in many areas. “I’ve watched Tynan for a number of years, he’s a good player,” Button, a former NHL GM and scout, said. “He’s a good two-way player. He projects, in my view, as a second-line center.” Button has Lawrence pegged at . Playing at the USHL level for parts of two seasons, Lawrence put up 71 points (35 goals, 36 assists) in 69 games. Last season, he won a championship with Muskegon and was named the MVP of the playoffs. This season, after missing some time with an injury, Lawrence didn’t slow down. With 10 goals and seven assists through 13 games, he decided to make the jump to college hockey in January. Boston University had a down season and Lawrence never really found his stride. He had two goals and five assists in 18 games. “I don’t think he fared very well,” Button said. “I don’t think he was ready for the demands of NCAA hockey. That’s not a knock against him, I’m talking about the immediacy. I think Tynan has some real good ability, a really good, solid two-way game. I mean, that’s a pretty big jump from the USHL to the NCAA for a 17-year-old. And you’re doing it halfway through the season.” An abbreviated college season at that young of an age shouldn’t deter teams too much. Lawrence doesn’t turn 18 years old until August. He’s the 11th-ranked player in the draft by and No. 16 on . (Eliza Nuestro/Boston University athletics) Fit with Flyers The Flyers haven’t shied away from acknowledging their need for more talent down the middle. They’re hoping , and turn into answers, but there’s no guarantee there. So drafting Lawrence would give the Flyers another option to address that position. He doesn’t have a low floor because he’s reliable in so many aspects of the game. There’s also goal-scoring upside, which should appeal to the Flyers. They could absolutely use more shoot-first threats at center. If Lawrence is there for the Flyers at No. 21, he’d be a fine pick. But he might not slide that far. Wed, 03 Jun 2026 23:02:27 GMT Jordan Hall https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56838826 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56838826 false false The Flyers gave up the rights to 2022 seventh-round pick Santeri Sulku. The club opted to not sign the Finnish forward before Monday’s deadline, according to multiple sources. As a result, the 21-year-old became a draft-related unrestricted free agent. The Flyers’ decision is not super surprising. Seventh-rounders are far from a sure thing. Meanwhile, the Flyers are pretty well-stocked with young wingers. Matvei Michkov, Porter Martone, Tyson Foerster, Alex Bump, Denver Barkey and Nikita Grebenkin are all under the age of 25 and contributed to the big club this season. Santeri Sulku sends it to overtime. Good screen by Jack Berglund, who also has a goal. — Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) Also, since March, the Flyers have signed winger prospects , , and . Along with , the Flyers also selected wingers , and last summer. The Flyers drafted . In Liiga, Finland’s top pro league, he had seven goals and nine assists over 24 games this season for KooKoo. He added an assist in six playoff games. The 6-foot-2 prospect was the 54th-ranked European skater by NHL Central Scouting when he was drafted. (JustSports Photography) Mon, 01 Jun 2026 18:30:43 GMT Jordan Hall https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56811518 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56811518 false false The Flyers signed Ilya Pautov, their 2024 sixth-rounder, to his three-year entry-level contract Monday. At the Russian junior level, the winger recorded 10 goals and 13 assists in 30 games this season for the MHL’s Krasnaya Armiya Moskva. He had 82 shots and played 17:01 minutes per game. The 5-foot-11, 167-pounder added four goals and six assists in nine playoff games. Pautov, who turned 20 years old last month, also played 25 games in the VHL, a pro league that’s a tier below the KHL. He had one goal and four assists for Zvezda Moskva. , Pautov put up 45 points (15 goals, 30 assists) in 46 MHL games. He was the 73rd-ranked European skater by NHL Central Scouting. He finished his MHL career with 119 points (46 goals, 73 assists) in 140 games. Mon, 01 Jun 2026 15:43:22 GMT Jordan Hall https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56809195 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56809195 false false Travis Konecny knows that a moment of failure can sometimes stick with you the longest. It’s that nagging reminder of what could have been. It can pop up, even when you’re away from the game. The 29-year-old experienced that after his costly missed opportunity in overtime of Game 2 against the Hurricanes. With just 4:45 minutes to go, Konecny . If he had scored, the Flyers would have went home with a 1-1 tie in their best-of-seven second-round playoff matchup. Instead, Carolina capitalized with 1:06 minutes left to . “It was like two days after, I was just randomly driving and I was just like, ‘F—!'” Konecny said at his end-of-the-season press conference a little over two weeks ago. “I just randomly thought about it and I was just thinking like, ‘It could be 1-1 right now.’ But you’ve got to let it go. You get the next chance, you get the next whatever, hopefully you get that done, or it’s a backcheck or whatever it is for you to help the team. You’ve got to let it go.” The Flyers ended up . If Konecny buries his Game 2 breakaway, who knows where the series might go. But Carolina sure looked like the top seed in the Eastern Conference. “It definitely bothered me quite a bit, thinking I had waited so long to get to the playoffs, I wanted to have my moment where I could help the team and I felt like that was it,” Konecny said. “And I let them down, so it’s frustrating. But you just keep trying in other ways.” Konecny played through a . He finished the playoffs with one goal, four assists and 13 shots in 10 games. You can bet he wanted to produce more, but so did the Flyers’ entire lineup. The club scored only 10 goals over its last seven games after putting up 11 through the first three games. “It’s a great learning experience for our guys — on the offensive side of the game, too,” Danny Briere said. “How it’s played, how tight it is, how the checking goes. I think that was really good for our players, especially our young guys, to realize how hard it is to play in the playoffs.” The Flyers’ leadership group of Konecny, Sean Couturier and Travis Sanheim was back in the playoffs for the first time since 2020. “I think being an older guy and a guy that has kind of been through it all, there are days where you’re not sure how long it’s going to take, when you’re going to get to that point,” Sanheim said. “It’s tough. You want to win, you want to play meaningful hockey. “I think to have the success that we did this year and be able to push toward a playoff spot and win a round means a lot for especially the older guys. I’m really looking forward to what the future has for this group and bringing along the young guys. The way that they played down the stretch really excites me.” "I mean, if you don't know him, you probably don't like him. That's kind of how it goes, that's his game. Once I met him, he became a good friend of mine." A story on Christian Dvorak's fit with the Flyers and friendship with Travis Konecny. — Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) The Flyers have a highly interesting offseason ahead. They’re young, they have some cap space and they could be again after ending a five-year playoff drought. That doesn’t mean they’re unequivocally ready to make a splash, but the Flyers will have opportunities to supplement the big step they took this season. “I think guys are going to start to realize this is a great spot to play and hopefully we can get that back where people want to sign here and be here,” Konecny said. “I know I do my part, whenever teams practice here and I have a buddy, I’ll swoop him into the gym and be like, ‘Hey, look at how sweet this is, come hang out here.'” The Game 2 overtime loss to the Hurricanes will stick with Konecny. But he also won’t forget the Game 4 overtime loss that ended the Flyers’ season. That’s because of at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Konecny believes that type of fan support could help attract others to Philadelphia. “You see how passionate the fans are, after we lose and they’re chanting in our building,” Konecny said. “I think it was really cool for another team to see, even though they just swept us out of the playoffs, our fans are chanting us off the ice like that. It was just a really cool moment.” Wed, 27 May 2026 22:20:32 GMT Jordan Hall https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56762775 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56762775 false false Before the season, did anyone have John Tortorella and Carter Hart teaming up in Vegas and leading the Golden Knights to a Western Conference Final sweep? You wouldn’t have found any odds on that. Tortorella didn’t have a coaching job in October and Hart wasn’t eligible to play yet. But the former Flyers head coach and former Flyers goaltender are headed to the Stanley Cup Final after Vegas finished off the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Avalanche on Tuesday night. The Golden Knights completed a stunning sweep with a 2-1 win at T-Mobile Arena. Hart had 20 saves and nearly delivered his first playoff shutout since 2020, . Vegas and Colorado shake hands after a thrilling Game 4 🤝 — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) Hart has won 12 of his 16 starts in these playoffs while posting a 2.22 goals-against average and .924 save percentage. The 27-year-old because of sanctions following the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial. Hart and four others almost a year and a half after being charged with sexual assault, stemming from . The Flyers and a . Hart departed the club in January 2024 after being . Tortorella not even two months ago for the fired Bruce Cassidy. He has recorded 19 wins in 24 games with Vegas. He’s looking for his first Stanley Cup title since 2004, . The veteran coach was with nine games left. After hiring Rick Tocchet last May, the Flyers this season and over the Penguins. Dan Vladar became . The Golden Knights will face the winner of the Eastern Conference Final matchup between the Hurricanes and Canadiens. After , Carolina has a 2-1 series lead on Montreal. Wed, 27 May 2026 05:06:16 GMT Jordan Hall https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56752954 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56752954 false false Sitting at his end-of-the-season press conference last week, with a huge smile, Porter Martone announced that he was headed to the 2026 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship to play for Team Canada. You’d think the kid would maybe want a break after the season he just had. He played 35 games . He spent the winter holidays at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. He joined the Flyers and played 19 games, a run that featured two rounds of the NHL playoffs. Quite the load for a teenager. “That’s tough,” Martone admitted, “but for me, I love playing this game. It’s tough to take me off the ice. It’s tough to turn down a chance to represent your country, it’s always a huge honor whenever you get asked.” Can’t argue that. The Flyers had to smile when they heard Martone’s decision to keep playing through May. He really opened eyes in his jump to the Flyers, creating excitement for what’s ahead in the future, starting as early as next season. “At first, Martone, we weren’t even sure; if we’re in a playoff hunt, is it fair to play him?” Flyers general manager Danny Briere said. “Is it fair to put him in that position with our guys that are fighting for a spot? Next thing you know, he had such a big impact.” Martone bolstered the Flyers’ lineup. The 19-year-old winger put up 10 points (four goals, six assists) and 32 shots in nine regular-season games, helping the team clinch a playoff berth . His first career goal came in overtime of a . During the playoffs, he found the back of the net in his first two games. He finished with five points (two goals, three assists) in 10 games as the Flyers made it to the second round and . Martone lived up to the hype from last summer, . “Coming out of college, he could have said, ‘Hey, I’m just happy to be here,'” Garnet Hathaway said. “But, no, he wanted to learn, he wanted to figure out what it’s like to be a pro. Every day he came in wanting to get better, listening to guys and taking it all in.” Rick Tocchet working with Porter Martone before the 19-year-old’s first home game tonight. — Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) Martone had a at the start of the season, but he , which took him out of the conversation. That call paid off. “At the time, it’s tough because you think you could maybe come in and crack an NHL lineup,” Martone said. “But looking back and talking to management after, it was the best decision I could have made. It got me pro-ready.” It didn’t take long for Martone to show he could play up in the lineup with some of the Flyers’ top players. “Coming here, playing my first NHL game, was really special,” Martone said. … “I wanted to be a part of this, but I also wanted to make an impact and help this team any way I could. I think that wouldn’t be possible without everyone in that room, how well they made me feel included, how well they helped me out. It’s something special that’s down there.” Porter Martone is not going to take a break. He’s going to worlds to play for Team Canada. — Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) Rick Tocchet was able to play Martone for 17:02 minutes per game in the regular season and 16:48 in the playoffs. “Bringing a 19-year-old kid like that, sticking him in your room. High-character guy,” the Flyers’ head coach said. … “That’s what impresses me about him.” His maturity is just one aspect of why the Flyers believe he’s a foundation piece. This feels like just the start. “Something that I always have is I want to keep an open mind,” Martone said. “I think something for me is I can always get better, I can always improve. I was coming into a room filled of younger guys, but also veteran guys who have been around for a long time. I felt like I could learn every single day. “I’m never at my best. I can come in every day and get a little bit better at something. I got the taste of the playoffs, I got a taste of how hard it is, how much you really have to dig in, how much you have to give if you want to win. That’s something I’m eager to get back to.” Fri, 22 May 2026 20:55:33 GMT Jordan Hall https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56712974 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56712974 false false When Jamie Drysdale came to the Flyers, he had been learning the hardest league on the fly. He was just 21 years old, but in his fourth season. He made his NHL debut at 18. The Flyers knew it would take time. The great thing was Drysdale knew it, too. “It’s no secret that my game needs work,” . So Drysdale put in the work. to developing under different coaching staffs, the young defenseman has been willing to work. And that all seemed to pay off this season. “I think the biggest step was just confidence level,” Drysdale said last week at his end-of-the-season press conference. … “I think just coming to the rink and believing I was a good player and could make an impact, that was probably the biggest shift for me. I guess that kind of carries all over the ice.” Drysdale, a skilled and shifty puck-mover, set career highs with eight goals and 21:33 minutes per game. He matched his career high in points with 32. But he also put together his best defensive season as an NHLer. At 5-on-5 last season, he had a minus-15 mark. This season, he improved to a plus-1. In his first NHL playoffs, Drysdale recorded two goals, two assists, 16 shots and 16 blocked shots over 10 games. As a restricted free agent, he’s now set for a new contract. “I just wanted to focus on the hockey, that’s where my head has been at the whole time,” Drysdale said. “Hopefully something will get done sooner than later. But, yeah, I love it here, I’ve made that very clear kind of the second that I got here, everyone has treated me amazingly since I have gotten here.” At 24 years old, Drysdale could be just starting to scratch the surface of his potential. “I think there are a lot of things that I want to work on,” he said, “and I think I can bring a lot more to the table, as well, in certain areas.” Drysdale is coming off a three-year, $6.9 million deal ($2.3 million cap hit) that he signed with the Ducks, the team that sent him to the Flyers in . Last offseason, Cam York was a restricted free agent and signed a ($5.15 million cap hit). One would think Drysdale could receive a deal in a similar range of four to five years and around $5 million per season. Jamie Drysdale addresses the media last week at his end-of-the-season press conference. Drysdale and York formed an effective second pair down the stretch of the Flyers’ playoff push. “Playing with one of your best buddies, it’s pretty cool,” York said last week. “I think going into the year, we didn’t expect to play with each other maybe necessarily. But just the way it worked out, we did. We were kind of just having the mindset of like, ‘All right, let’s do this and make the most of it.’ “I feel like we both kind of had to adapt our games a little bit to play with each other, but we figured it out and played some big minutes against some top guys and played in some really big games. Proud of him and it was fun playing with him.” Drysdale said the Flyers don’t believe they’re far off from taking the next step after suffering a second-round sweep to the Hurricanes. Their rebuild met the postseason and produced a first-round series win, too. But the abrupt ending made it bittersweet. “It’s kind of a weird feeling, to be honest,” Drysdale said. “I think we took a few steps this year. In saying that, kind of going out like that and just going out in general, I think everyone is looking forward to next year already. I think once we kind of have a taste of that feeling, it’s amazing, it’s electric, but I think everyone just wants more.” Thu, 21 May 2026 19:47:04 GMT Jordan Hall https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56701056 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56701056 false false Dan Vladar will remember that feeling all summer. The feeling of the puck clipping his glove and shoulder, ricocheting into the air and then dropping into the net. Just like that, was done, with a in the second round of the playoffs. On a shot from Jackson Blake that Vladar can probably replay perfectly in his head. “That goal, I watched it a lot of times, to be honest with you,” the Flyers’ netminder said a week ago at his end-of-the-season press conference. “I probably watched it 150 times and I was getting more and more mad. And it’s still in me, so it’s going to be another fire driving me forward.” Hurricanes win in OT, sweep Flyers. Teammates went to Dan Vladar to support him. He was excellent in the playoffs. — Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) It was an unfortunate and sour end to a standout season for Vladar, the Flyers’ most valuable player by far. He wasn’t to blame for the Flyers’ season-ending loss or the series sweep to the Eastern Conference’s top seed. But Vladar was still wearing it. Despite and over the Penguins, Vladar felt responsible for the quick second-round exit. “I think, me personally, I could have stolen a game or two,” Vladar said. “Because in every playoff series, you need a goalie to step up and steal that extra game, and I wasn’t able to do that. So that’s something that’s going to be pushing me and it’s going to be in the back of my head over the summer and heading into the season. “But at the same time, we know how hard it is to make the playoffs. Obviously there’s going to be probably more pressure heading toward next season, but we all know it’s going to start with Game 1 and winning Game 1 of the regular season.” After joining the Flyers on a , the 28-year-old posted career highs in the regular season with 52 games, 29 wins and a 2.42 goals-against average. He shattered his previous career highs in games (30) and wins (14). “He blew the expectations out that we had on him,” Danny Briere said last Thursday. “Going into the season, I know you guys all wrote about that or spoke about it, how he had never played more than 30 games in a season in the NHL. Obviously that was a worry for us and that’s why we thought it was going to be a good tandem with [Samuel Ersson]. But he really took over and earned more starts.” Vladar posted a 2.18 goals-against average and .922 save percentage in 10 playoff starts. He took Carolina to overtime twice. He was superb against Pittsburgh, surrendering just 10 goals over six games and delivering a pair of shutouts. Take a bow, Dan Vladar. — Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) “He didn’t slow down,” Briere said. “He was just as good or even better in the playoffs, so that was really exciting to see. It makes us believe that he could be the answer here for hopefully a few more years.” Vladar will be eligible to sign an extension starting July 1. The Flyers are very likely interested in locking him up for some more years instead of letting him enter next season in a contract year. Why wouldn’t they be interested in an extension? Goaltending is the most important position in the game and it was plaguing the Flyers. Not only did Vladar provide a solution this season, but . “He wins you games in two ways,” Travis Konecny said last Tuesday. “[There are times when] we’re not playing good, he comes and talks to us, pumps us up. We believe in him, so you kind of keep going, you keep pushing and you find a way to win. Or he wins you a game by just being Vladdy and he just takes the game.” Coming off the heaviest workload of his career, Vladar knows another effective offseason will be essential. “It’s going to be probably the biggest thing for me heading into the summer,” he said. “I’m not satisfied with that season; I want more. But at the same time, I know that we have a great team staff around here in Philly and also I trust my guys back home over in the summer. I think everybody’s on the same page and it’s going to be a conversation that we are going to have to get me as ready as possible and even better.” Tue, 19 May 2026 21:07:50 GMT Jordan Hall https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56677163 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56677163 false false As Trevor Zegras screamed to the boisterous crowd at Xfinity Mobile Arena, you could see the enjoyment on his face. He had just , tying Game 3 of the Flyers’ first-round series against the Penguins. The 25-year-old was experiencing something he had not yet experienced in his NHL career. Playoff hockey. And that feeling was the punctuation on his career resurgence in Year 1 with the Flyers. “To find that passion for winning and success as a team was big,” Zegras said last Tuesday at his end-of-the-season press conference. “I think I had lost a little bit of that, the drive and the passion to win and be a really good team. We definitely had, in my opinion, a great, successful season.” Zegras never made the playoffs in parts of five seasons with the Ducks. last June after two . The change of scenery did wonders. In a contract year, Zegras answered with a career season of 26 goals and 67 points. He had five multi-goal games after having none the season prior with Anaheim. “The one thing with Trevor I love is you can give it to him,” Tocchet said earlier this month. “It has been like that all year. Doesn’t pout, takes it. … He’s the last guy I’m worried about. He’s a very coachable kid.” When Christian Dvorak signed a in January, Zegras mentioned how he’d like to stay. He has a chance to sign long term with the Flyers this offseason. “Personally, I would love that, I would love to be here for a long time,” Zegras said. “I hope that that would happen over the next couple of months or whatever the timeframe would be. I love playing here, I love the fans, I love the group that we have. That would be something I’d be excited for.” Zegras is a restricted free agent coming off a three-year, $17.25 million deal ($5.75 million cap hit). Jamie Drysdale is also due a new contract as a restricted free agent. Dan Vladar has one more year left on his deal, but he’ll be eligible to sign an extension starting July 1. “Negotiating contracts is a process, it takes time,” Danny Briere said last Thursday at his end-of-the-season press conference. “I don’t negotiate in public. But there’s not an order. When it can get done, it gets done. It all depends on sometimes the synergy. Sometimes you make ground faster with one than the other, things change along the way. It depends on the traction. “I have nothing really that worries me at this point to say we’re not going to see those guys come back. I have no worries at this point in that regard. Hopefully it keeps going in that direction and we get them done later this summer.” Trevor Zegras said what he appreciates about Rick Tocchet is that he’ll get in your face, but then he gets you back out there on the ice and gives you a chance to make up for stuff. — Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) Zegras led the Flyers with six points in the playoffs. He had two goals and four assists in 10 games. He was one of 13 players on the Flyers to appear in their first postseason. The Flyers before . “Excited for what’s ahead with this team,” Zegras said. “Such a good learning experience for myself and a lot of the other young guys that had never played a playoff game, kind of what it’s like to play a series, win a series, have a series against a team that maybe you shouldn’t beat. Know what to expect now. I think it’ll be good moving forward.” The big question facing Zegras will be his position next season. Can he be a full-time center? Tocchet had Zegras on the wing earlier in the season to build his confidence, but the head coach moved him back to center as the Flyers made their playoff push. “I’m fine with playing both,” Zegras said. “I liked playing in the middle down the stretch just because there’s a little bit more space and you can kind of pick and choose where you want to go a little bit more. I think playing center in the playoffs was a good experience for me just in terms of how different it was, how hard the battles are and all that type of stuff. But I thought it was good.” Mon, 18 May 2026 20:21:11 GMT Jordan Hall https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56663634 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/articles/56663634 false false