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Author: Jackie Spiegel

  • Tyson Foerster and Sean Couturier score in the final minute in Flyers’ 4-2 road win over Panthers

    Tyson Foerster and Sean Couturier score in the final minute in Flyers’ 4-2 road win over Panthers

    SUNRISE, Fla. — Standing outside the locker room on Wednesday night in the bowels of Amerant Bank Arena, Flyers coach Rick Tocchet asked if his team was done playing the Florida Panthers.

    When told the season series was complete, he said, “Thank God.” But hold on there. The Flyers took two of three games against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers with a last-minute 4-2 victory on Thanksgiving Eve.

    Tyson Foerster scored the game-winning goal with 45.2 seconds left in regulation, and Sean Couturier added a deflection up and over goalie Sergei Bobrovsky with 25 seconds left to give the Flyers the win.

    Foerster’s goal came after his initial shot was blocked by Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad, and the puck went right back to him. He patiently waited and picked his spot to give the Flyers a 3-2 lead.

    Couturier’s goal came off a heads-up play by Christian Dvorak to put the puck on net. Up by a goal, Tocchet also had Noah Cates on the ice, and the center was ready to pounce just in case.

    The Flyers have won three of their past four games and four of their past six. They also lead the NHL with 10 comeback wins.

    Nikita Grebenkin hopes to make his return to the Flyers lineup a permanent one

    The usual suspect

    The Flyers came out ready to play. Before the Panthers got their first shot on goal 4 minutes, 33 seconds into the game, the Flyers had four shots on goal and six more that were either blocked or missed the net.

    But, like usual, the Flyers fell into a 1-0 hole in the first period.

    “Yeah, I liked our start, and then obviously they flipped the table on us. [Dan Vladař] was unreal, and of course, he saved our bacon,” Tocchet said. “Getting out of [the first period down] 1-0, kind of regrouped, and made a couple of adjustments, and stuff like that. But I thought the resilience of the guys, give them a lot of credit.”

    The ice started tilting when Emil Andrae skated out from behind the net, and the puck slid off his stick. It led to a barrage of shots by the home team.

    Within 19 seconds, the Panthers put six shots on Dan Vladař, with another hitting the crossbar. The Flyers got the puck out, and at the other end, Nick Seeler had his stick break on a point shot, creating a turnover.

    The Panthers skated out with Sam Bennett eventually getting the puck back in the Flyers’ end. Bennett skated around Matvei Michkov, who got back but pulled down the forward as he cut across the crease with the puck sliding under Seeler. Michkov would have been called for a penalty if Brad Marchand hadn’t buried the puck.

    It is the 16th time this season the Flyers have trailed 1-0. They have played only 22 games. They are 9-5-2 when trailing first.

    “Yeah, we always get scored on first, it seems like,” Foerster said. “But it’s not a good thing, but it’s great that we always come back and we give a good effort every night.”

    Flyers right wing Matvei Michkov scored his fifth goal over his last nine games on Wednesday night against the Panthers.

    Andrae the Giant

    The Hockey Gods certainly love to dole it out. Andrae had a rough start and was also on the ice for the Panthers’ second goal in the second period, with Carter Verhaeghe finishing off a pretty passing play.

    But he bounced back with authority.

    “What I really like about that is, yeah, he had a tough first, right? But the game’s not over. There’s 40 minutes left, and he was a factor,” Tocchet said.

    Andrae cut the Panthers’ lead in half with his first goal of the season. After some sustained pressure by the Flyers, Andrae got the puck at the left point and threw it on net. With a ton of traffic in front, which included Trevor Zegras, Dvorak, and two Panthers, the puck threaded the needle and got past the former Flyers goalie Bobrovsky, who did not have his stick.

    “Obviously, you have your ups and downs in your season and in the game. So it was a little slow start in the first there, and just trying to get back to simple and hard, and let the game come to me,” Andrae said. “So think that worked pretty well tonight.”

    Less than a minute later, Andrae was in the penalty box for high-sticking, but the Flyers entered the night with the fourth-best penalty kill (85.5%) — it finished a perfect 3-for-3 — and held the Panthers to one shot on goal and one blocked shot.

    Flyers mailbag: Is Rick Tocchet compromising the future for short-term success? What’s going on with Nikita Grebenkin?

    On his next shift after serving his time, Andrae helped tie the game up. Controlling the puck, Andrae and Jamie Drysdale used their best commodity — their footwork — to cross atop the circles. Andrae then got the puck back and sent a shot on goal that Michkov deflected in. The goal is Michkov’s sixth of the year and his fifth in the last nine games.

    “I think that’s something we’re trying to emphasize in our offensive game as a team. So yeah, I mean, we’re both good at moving our legs and trying to create shooting lines that way,” Andrae said. “So, yeah, it was a great play, and glad it went in.”

    Andrae’s miscue tilted the ice away from the Flyers, but his offensive game tilted it right back as the visitors started to take over control of the game.

    Vladař comes up big again

    People questioned the signing of goaltender Vladař on July 1, but he has been nothing short of the Flyers’ best player this season.

    “Just from the beginning of the year, just the buy-in, the excitement he brings to our team as a goalie, coming by the bench [during the] timeouts and obviously standing tall for us when it wasn’t good for the last 10 minutes of the first,” Tocchet said. “We had a little rope-a-dope, and he kind of held it together for us.”

    The Panthers put 15 shots on goal in the first period, with several coming from high-danger areas, and he allowed just one goal. He stopped a Gustav Forsling point shot with his pad before robbing Verhaeghe from seven feet out. Vladař also stopped Noah Gregor as he weaved through the Flyers’ defense.

    Despite trailing 1-0 after the first period, Vladař stayed positive.

    “At the end of the day, it’s just hockey,” he said. “We are here for each other. And I’m pretty sure if we’re going to keep sticking up for each other, then good things are going to happen to a good team. So I think we are a good team.”

    In the second period, things settled down, and he faced just five shots on goal. But it’s about quality and not quantity, and Vladař robbed A.J. Greer as he sneaked behind the defense and tried to score on the backhand.

    And with the game tied 2-2, he reached back to make a sliding glove save on Uvis Balinskis. Vladař finished with 25 saves to earn his ninth win of the season in 13 games.

    While there is the “Great 8,” in Alexander Ovechkin, according to Foerster, his teammates call Vladař, “The Great 8-0.”

    “Don’t want to get it too high and at the same time too low,” the goalie said. “As I’ve said a lot of times, [it’s] a long year. So got to keep grinding, keep getting better every day. And, hopefully, we are going to accomplish something till Game 82.”

    Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar earned his ninth victory Wednesday night in 13 games this season.

    Breakaways

    Defenseman Egor Zamula and forward Nic Deslauriers were the healthy scratches. … Forward Owen Tippett had the secondary assist on Andrae’s goal for the 100th of his NHL career. … Couturier snapped a 17-game goal drought with his third of the year.

    Up next

    The Flyers practice in Florida before heading north for Thanksgiving and have a Black Friday matchup at the New York Islanders (4 p.m., NBCSP).

  • Nikita Grebenkin hopes to make his return to the Flyers lineup a permanent one

    Nikita Grebenkin hopes to make his return to the Flyers lineup a permanent one

    SUNRISE, Fla. — There are a few X accounts that ask the question, “Is [blank player] playing today?”

    It’s starting to feel like one of those accounts should be made for Nikita Grebenkin. If it were to be up and running on Wednesday, it would simply say, “Yes.”

    After sitting for the last three games, the Russian left winger will slot back in on the fourth line alongside Garnet Hathaway and center Rodrigo Ābols when the Flyers take on the Florida Panthers tonight at 7 (NBCSP). Nic Deslauriers will come out of the lineup.

    So what does Rick Tocchet want to see from Grebenkin?

    “I’ve got to see some good forechecking. He’s got to know where he goes sometimes in the D zone,” Tocchet said after morning skate. “Obviously, I want him to play mind-free. And just really, kind of don’t think too much.

    Flyers mailbag: Is Rick Tocchet compromising the future for short-term success? What’s going on with Nikita Grebenkin?

    “I think when he’s out there, sometimes he thinks too much, and he plays a slower game. So I think if he just kind of reacts off a puck and just goes, that’s when he’ll be at his best.”

    This is a game in which Grebenkin can show what he can do. The Panthers like to play man-on-man in the defensive zone, and the key to beating that, according to Tocchet, is to keep the feet moving, beat your check to the net, and bring energy.

    Enter Grebenkin, who is not only an energy guy but excels below the hash marks.

    “Plain as day, is very good,” Hathaway said of Grebenkin’s play in the bottom half of the offensive zone. “It’s a big part of his game, and it can allow us to create offense. We’ve played together against a few man-on-man teams, I think, and it’s our job now to say, hey, how can we get the puck down there? How can we puck possess? And then how can we get a guy like Grebby the puck who can puck protect and then create offense out of that?”

    According to Natural Stat Trick, the line of Grebenkin, Hathaway, and Ābols has played 26 minutes, 16 seconds together this season. They have allowed one goal and have been out-chanced, 12-6. But they do have 22 shot attempts to the opposition’s 20.

    Flyers coach Rick Tocchet wants Nikita Grebenkin (left) to be more predictable and responsible.

    Grebenkin has played in 12 of the Flyers’ first 21 games and has just 19 total NHL games under his belt. He notched his first NHL point in his season debut on Oct. 11 against the Carolina Hurricanes and his first NHL goal on Nov. 4 in Montreal.

    Tocchet recently said the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Grebenkin needs to be more predictable, which is something he has wanted to see more of from his group as a whole. The Ābols line will meet before puck drop to discuss how to hit Tocchet’s request.

    “We’ll talk about the keys that as a line we need to focus on that will make us more predictable,” Hathaway said. “I think that’ll allow us to keep our speed, stay in lanes to support each other. We’ve talked a little bit about having our toes facing the same way when we’re forechecking. We’re in there together and a closeness that allows us to keep puck possession and hold on to pucks.”

    Skating with the veteran Hathaway and Ābols, who doesn’t have many more NHL games than Grebenkin under his belt but played a long time in Europe before joining the Flyers last season, will help Grebenkin. He is under a bit of a microscope and assuredly wants to stay in the lineup. Hathaway said they will pull out the iPad if needed, and when the timing is right, Ābols also speaks Russian and can chat with the young winger.

    “Yeah, those situations you can see when they talk to their coaches, and you kind of see their lost face, then I kind of slide in,” Ābols said. “I’m going to try any way I can, whether it’s translating or helping any way I can.”

    Flyers prospect Jett Luchanko traded to Ontario Hockey League favorite Brantford

    Breakaways

    Dan Vladař (8-4-1, .912 save percentage) will start against the Panthers. He is 1-1-0 this season against them with a 2.02 goals-against average and .933 save percentage. The Flyers lost the season opener, 2-1, and beat Florida, 5-2, in the home opener at Xfinity Mobile Arena. … Defenseman Noah Juulsen will return to the lineup after being a healthy scratch for the last two games. Egor Zamula will sit.

  • Flyers mailbag: Is Rick Tocchet compromising the future for short-term success? What’s going on with Nikita Grebenkin?

    Flyers mailbag: Is Rick Tocchet compromising the future for short-term success? What’s going on with Nikita Grebenkin?

    TAMPA — The Flyers have hit the quarter mark of the 2025-26 season.

    Sporting an 11-7-3 record, they sit one point back of a wild-card spot in a tight Eastern Conference where the worst team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, are just four points back of the Flyers.

    Here’s what is on the mind of the Flyers faithful as The Inquirer opens up the mailbag for the first time this season:

    Flyers takeaways: Sam Ersson a rare bright spot in a listless offensive showing vs. the Lightning
    Q: Could you see [Christian] Kyrou as a call-up at some point this year? — Danny Matos (@danmatos_danny) on X

    Never say never. Is it a little too early to determine what the season brings? Sure. But across the past two seasons, I don’t get the sense that the Flyers call up players based on merit alone. Like most teams, it always seems to be based on need. But that’s not to say he doesn’t deserve a look.

    Since being acquired in the trade that sent Samu Tuomaala to Dallas, Kyrou has 12 points (three goals, nine assists) with a plus-minus of plus-12 in 10 games. Not too shabby. Now, one issue is that Kyrou is 5-foot-10 and the Flyers already have two sub-6-foot defensemen on the blue line in Jamie Drysdale and Emil Andrae. The 22-year-old, who is the younger brother of St. Louis Blues forward Jordan Kyrou, is a right-handed shot and could find a role down the road given his offensive skills.

    Defenseman Christian Kyrou has been a revelation with 12 points in 10 games since being acquired from Dallas last month.
    Q: Do you feel Tocchet has prioritized player development over immediate journeyman success? — Hockeygobler (@hockeygobler) on X

    This question sounds like it is more asking whether Flyers coach Rick Tocchet is focused on the rebuild. And it’s a tough one to gauge where Tocchet’s thinking lies. The whole point of a game is to win, and the whole point of a season is, ideally, to make the playoffs and compete for a Stanley Cup. After all, as former coach John Tortorella always said, winning is important to building culture.

    Player development needs to be a multifaceted approach. It’s not necessarily X but X, Y, and Z. Players need to develop not just their individual skills but team concepts and systems that help the team win. Someone like Matvei Michkov needs to continue to develop his individual skills, like his offense, but he also needs to learn things like how to read plays better, like when to — and when not to — leave the zone early. He took a big step in the right direction on Saturday when he played it perfectly, and Sean Couturier fed him for a breakaway goal. It’s baby steps in that regard, but do I personally think some of the younger kids, like Michkov and Nikita Grebenkin, should play more? Yes. Would they maybe benefit from more ice time to correct mistakes? I believe so. Now, if they don’t make corrections and sit, well that’s another part of player development.

    Flyers make more tweaks to the power play; Jon Cooper discusses Travis Sanheim’s Olympic chances
    Q: Why do you think Tocchet is tougher on the younger kids for making the same mistakes the vets make? — Hassan Goodman (@phillygator1986) on X

    Veterans will always get a longer leash. This isn’t a Tocchet thing. It’s a tale as old as time. And there’s a reason they are veterans: They’ve played in the world’s best league for a long time, and although they’ve assuredly made mistakes along the way, they have obviously corrected them to keep playing in the NHL.

    Youngsters need to learn and grow, and have mistakes corrected, too. Should they be benched for entire games, a la Joel Farabee was famously under Tortorella? No. But there do need to be consequences for not learning and making corrections, and there’s no book on the younger kids yet to say they will fix things.

    Q: Why does Tocchet consistently scratch 29?? It makes absolutely no sense to me. He clearly has skill and would benefit the struggling offense, yet we continue to play 44 over him. — Rich #83 (@dangler83) on X

    To start, No. 29 is Grebenkin and No. 44 is Nic Deslauriers. I don’t think it’s fair to say it’s one or the other. Or that Deslauriers should only sit to get Grebenkin in. Deslauriers is a veteran who plays a specific role. There’s a reason he was on the ice on Monday in Tampa Bay — to contain and, if needed, which did happen, fight 6-9 Lightning forward Curtis Douglas. Grebenkin wasn’t going to fight him; it wouldn’t have been fair. And it wouldn’t have been fair to ask Garnet Hathaway or Nick Seeler, who can also drop the gloves, to take on that role.

    Flyers winger Nikita Grebenkin has found playing time scarce of late.

    Asking why Grebenkin, 22, has only skated in 12 of the Flyers’ first 21 games is a valid question. He’s talented, can play a physical game, and can score. Tocchet wants guys to go to the net and the dirty areas, and he thrives there — a scout told The Inquirer during the preseason they were impressed by his game.

    But Tocchet recently said Grebenkin needs to be more predictable — this is something he has preached about his lines, especially the fourth line, which is the only one to presumably have a spot open for the winger. It’s also valid to say that you cannot be predictable if you don’t know how to predict the game, and the only way you can predict the game is by playing in games. Something has to give soon.

    Nikita Grebenkin’s playing time has been too sporadic. The Flyers need to find him ice time.
  • Flyers takeaways: Sam Ersson a rare bright spot in a listless offensive showing vs. the Lightning

    Flyers takeaways: Sam Ersson a rare bright spot in a listless offensive showing vs. the Lightning

    TAMPA, Fla. — After a six-goal outburst on Saturday night against a division opponent, the Flyers put up a goose egg Monday for the first time this season.

    Here are three things to know from the 3-0 shutout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning:

    Flyers shut out for the first time this season in 3-0 loss at the Tampa Bay Lightning

    Sam Ersson played well

    Tending goal for the first time in 10 days, and after goalie Dan Vladař had started three straight, Sam Ersson got back between the pipes on Monday. If you look at the stats, you’ll see he allowed two goals on 17 shots, and produced another sub-.900 save percentage outing.

    But peer beyond the box score and you’ll see a goalie who played his game.

    The Swedish netminder has always been strong at tracking pucks and playing angles. Just 93 seconds into the game, and on the first shot he faced, Ersson made a save on a tricky tipped shot by Dominic James. He kicked out the left pad to rob him on a rebound shot from the slot later in the period. Ersson later tracked the puck well after Jake Guentzel threw it on net from the right wing.

    In the third period, he stopped Brandon Hagel — who easily was the Lightning’s best player in the game — as he danced through the defense and fired a shot off Ersson’s shoulder. And late in the game, as the Flyers started to press, he stopped James again on a two-on-one.

    Ersson likes to see a high volume of shots. This game did not have that, and, to be fair, neither have most of his games this season. Ersson has the lowest shots against per 60 minutes in the NHL (20.9) while not getting much run support. He ranks second in the league, behind Nashville’s Juuse Saros, with the fewest goals for (2.18) among goalies who have played at least seven games.

    “I can’t make them manufacture shots,” Ersson said. “They get chances. I know the puck is going to come my way. I think I’ve got to do some stuff different on those goals, from my perspective, and do a better job [and] come up with some saves in those situations.”

    The goals he allowed came on a tipped shot by Hagel in the first period, when it looked like there was a double screen, and another in the second by Anthony Cirelli, who was left alone in front for an easy redirect off the rush.

    Flyers coach Rick Tocchet prefers his team to keep opponents’ shots to the outside, but the Lightning clearly had a game plan to drive to the middle of the ice in the offensive zone. Ersson saved all nine mid-danger chances but allowed two goals on five high-danger chances.

    Diving in

    Coach Rick Tocchet thought Ersson played well and didn’t lay any of the blame on his shoulders. He didn’t lay any of the blame on his defensemen, either.

    “It was too many odd-man rushes. That’s not on the D. The second period, we had eight odd-man rushes, that’s on the forwards. So that’s not on the D,” Tocchet said. “We have to have some guys commit to being above [the puck]. You have those types of talented players on the ice, you have to be above. You stand up when you have numbers; we didn’t have numbers because a couple of guys were diving in.”

    The speedy Lightning, despite a rash of injuries, have players like Hagel, Nikita Kucherov, Guentzel, and Cirelli, who can make you pay.

    Flyers defenseman Emil Andrae, who has been playing well, had a tough game Monday in Tampa, Fla.

    “They came with speed right from the gate and definitely pushed us back a little bit, for sure,” said defenseman Jamie Drysdale, who was on the ice for all three Lightning goals and was out there with defensive partner Emil Andrae for the first two. “A few odd-man rushes here and there, and, yeah, they played faster than us, and they were the better team tonight.”

    Tocchet mentioned two terms: “stay above” and “diving in.” In layman’s terms, his forwards were not playing smart defensively and were attacking at the wrong moments.

    On the first goal, the forwards just got stuck not skating. Hagel easily went around Bobby Brink in the neutral zone as he tried to attack after being at a complete stop. Cirelli’s goal came after the three forwards got trapped deep in the offensive zone, with Sean Couturier “diving in” on Hagel, who made a cross-ice pass to Kucherov at center ice before getting it back as he drove down the right side.

    “I’ll take the blame for this one; our line wasn’t good without the puck,” Couturier said. “They had some odd-man rushes on us. But other than that, I thought the other lines were going.

    “It was a tight check game, not much going on both sides. Those are the games that you’ve got to find a way to win, and sometimes they go your way and sometimes they don’t.”

    Sean Couturier (bottom left in white) tried to create a turnover by “diving in,” but it was too much with Bobby Brink and Matvei Michkov already deep in the offensive zone.

    Chances were there

    Truth be told, according to Natural Stat Trick, the line of Couturier, Brink, and Matvei Michkov was the Flyers’ best when it came to trying to get them on the board. The trio generated 13 shot attempts to eight for the Lightning and created eight scoring chances compared to five against. The only problem was that the Lightning scored on two of them.

    Couturier led the line in scoring chances created with five, while Tyson Foerster, who skated with Travis Konecny and Noah Cates, had six individual chances. One of his chances was on a two-on-one with Konecny, but unlike his quick strike on Saturday against the New Jersey Devils, he waited a second, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made the save.

    In the second period, the Flyers and Lightning traded chances, with the Flyers winning the chance battle, 14-9, in the third. Drysdale had several good looks Monday, and in the second period, he skated down the middle of the ice to fire a shot that Vasilevskiy saved. And although he was credited with one shot on goal and two missed shots, Michkov set up chances and had a shot on goal straight down the gullet.

    Flyers prospect Jett Luchanko traded to Ontario Hockey League favorite Brantford

    The problem? “The Big Cat” saw everything all the way and didn’t have to move much. To beat the Russian netminder, you need bodies in front and to make him move.

    “There were plays to be made, we just didn’t make them,” Tocchet said.

    “We’ll learn; we’ll build,” Drysdale said. “We’ll be better and come back against Florida and play a good game.” The Flyers take on the Panthers on Wednesday in Sunrise, Fla. (7 p.m., NBCSP).

    Nesbitt suspended

    Flyers prospect Jack Nesbitt has been suspended three games by the Ontario Hockey League after receiving a match penalty on Nov. 22 against Saginaw. The match penalty came after he was called for roughing, after throwing a punch in a scrum. Nesbitt has 19 points in 18 games, including eight on the power play, for Windsor. The Spitfires are the top team in the OHL’s Western Conference (17-5-2-1).

    The Flyers created too few chances in Monday’s 3-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
  • Flyers shut out for the first time this season in 3-0 loss at the Tampa Bay Lightning

    Flyers shut out for the first time this season in 3-0 loss at the Tampa Bay Lightning

    TAMPA BAY — The Flyers headed to the Sunshine State to begin a four-game road trip, but the nice weather dried out their offense.

    After scoring a combined 15 goals in the past four games, the Flyers were shut out for the first time this season, losing 3-0 to the Tampa Bay Lightning. It snapped the Flyers’ two-game winning streak and is their fourth loss in the last seven games.

    It wasn’t a barn burner as the teams combined for 38 shots on goal. The Flyers had their chances, like when Matvei Michkov was robbed in the slot and Travis Sanheim was stoned in the high slot in the third period by Andrei Vasilevskiy. But they were few and far between, and the Lightning had better chances and buried them.

    Flyers make more tweaks to the power play; Jon Cooper discusses Travis Sanheim’s Olympic chances

    Flyers coach Rick Tocchet has spoken out about not wanting his players to back in and wanting them to stand up more at the blue line. Lightning coach Jon Cooper, who was Canada’s bench boss at the 4 Nations Face-Off alongside his assistant Tocchet, must have watched his pressers. The Lightning took a 1-0 lead with 4 minutes, 26 seconds left in the first period, thanks to Brandon Hagel using his speed to push the Flyers back.

    Hagel got the puck at the Lightning’s blue line and carried it through the neutral zone. Despite three Flyers at the blue line waiting for him, he carried the puck in and dished a pass to Nikita Kucherov on the wall. As Hagel curled to the front of the net, Kucherov fed Emil Lilleberg at the point for a slap shot that Hagel ended up deflecting past goalie Sam Ersson.

    Flyers right wing Owen Tippett (right) attempts a shot at Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy on Monday.

    On their 12th shot of the game, the Lightning made it 2-0. And it was the same line: Brink, Michkov, and Sean Couturier, and the same defensive pairing, Jamie Drysdale and Andrae, on the ice — at almost the same time in the second period.

    With four minutes remaining, after some sustained pressure in the Lightning’s end, Hagel sent the puck cross-ice to Kucherov, trapping the three forwards deep. The Russian winger skated up and sent the puck back across the ice to Hagel as the defensemen collapsed around the net, and the backcheck was late. Andrae went down to the ice to take away the pass, but Hagel skated around him and fed Anthony Cirelli alone in front for the easy tip-in.

    Flyers prospect Jett Luchanko traded to Ontario Hockey League favorite Brantford

    Breakaways

    Hagel added an empty-netter in the final seconds. … The Flyers’ Nic Deslauriers, who is 6-foot-1, dropped the gloves with 6-9 Curtis Douglas in the first period. The elder statesman in the fight by nine years, Deslauriers won the battle against the 25-year-old and yelled at his bench and a fan banging the glass on his way to the penalty box. … Sanheim played in his 600th NHL game, all with the Flyers. He is the sixth defenseman to hit that mark in franchise history.

    Up next

    The Flyers head to Sunrise, Fla., for a matchup with the Florida Panthers on Thanksgiving Eve (7 p.m., NBCSP).

  • Flyers make more tweaks to the power play; Jon Cooper discusses Travis Sanheim’s Olympic chances

    Flyers make more tweaks to the power play; Jon Cooper discusses Travis Sanheim’s Olympic chances

    TAMPA BAY — Look, a power play isn’t expected to score every single time. It would be nice, but it just doesn’t happen.

    The best one in the NHL right now has a 32% effectiveness, which means the Pittsburgh Penguins roughly score every three opportunities. Currently, the Flyers’ power play sits at 17.5%. The unit’s not last in the NHL — that belongs to the New York Islanders (13.3%), who the Flyers face on Black Friday (4 p.m., NBCSP) — but it does rank in the lower-third (23rd).

    And while the Flyers’ power play struggled before and during the John Tortorella era, the ranking is all-too-familiar. Although the current coach, Rick Tocchet, thinks it’s in a good spot, it can be better.

    “Everybody wants plays, but sometimes it’s good old-fashioned beat pressure and then attack, and we’ve got to get that mentality, and we’re close, but we’ve got to keep working,” he said on Saturday morning, adding two days later that he wants his players to play inside more.

    Entering Monday’s matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m., NBCSP), the Flyers have 10 power-play goals. The last one came five games ago against the Edmonton Oilers — they are 0-for-8 since — and Tocchet said his units may be more interchangeable.

    The Flyers’ power play has improved from previous years. Trevor Zegras is a big reason why.

    Practice on Friday had four more players involved, and on Saturday night in the Flyers’ 6-3 win against the New Jersey Devils, new power-play units were deployed.

    Another tweak came on Monday in Florida.

    One power play has Noah Cates, Travis Konecny, Tyson Foerster, Trevor Zegras, and Cam York. What? York and Zegras reunited? Makes a whole lot of sense that the two former USA Hockey teammates are together; York has been on the ice for eight power-play goals this season — just one without Zegras.

    Konecny was also switched to that unit, and while he has played a lot on the left flank the past two seasons, he is back to his familiar bumper spot.

    “I feel a little bit more comfortable in there. I feel like I can make quick little plays, be fast on loose pucks, and recovery, stuff like that. … On the power play, I got to know my strengths. And I think it’s, I don’t have the hands that Trevor has,” Konency said with a grin, alluding to Zegras’ effectiveness on the right flank to draw in defenders, create space, and find seams.

    Flyers right wing Travis Konecny says he feels more comfortable in the bumper position on the power play and that he needs to play to his strengths.

    The other power play has Travis Sanheim, Emil Andrae, Owen Tippett, Bobby Brink, and Matvei Michkov. No center? “It’s interchangeable,” Tocchet said.

    Sean Couturier will be on the ice when there is a face-off, but when they switch units “on the run” or on the fly when play is happening, that is the unit that will be on the ice.

    It’s also interesting having two defensemen, with Sanheim being more of the pointman and Andrae on a flank. Tocchet thinks Andrae is not only good with the puck but “his shot’s pretty good,” too. The Swedish defenseman, who has been moved to the second pairing, knew that he had to build up trust with the new coaching staff, and it looks like he has.

    “I like to be on the power play,” Andrae said. “I like to make those plays, and like to use my vision and my passing to create chances. So obviously, it boosts my confidence to know that the coaches rely on me on that side of the game. So, yeah, just make the most of it.”

    Sanheim, who hasn’t spent much time on the man advantage in his career, is looking forward to the opportunity. It’s something he’s “always wanted to add to my game.”

    “I think they’ve been doing a pretty good job in trying to grasp some of the structural components of what they’re trying to get across,” said Sanheim, who has been able to watch a lot of the power plays this season from the bench.

    “And I think it’s just continuing to make those reads and understanding certain situations, depending on how the penalty kill is structured. And, maybe that’s a benefit, I guess, [being on the penalty kill] so much and understanding what the other team’s doing and trying to exploit some of the weaknesses that come with that, and, in saying that, [I] just want to have an attack mentality and deliver pucks and hopefully do a good job of doing that.”

    What’s a bumper? Here’s a closer look at a key to power-play success for the Flyers.

    Canadian pride

    Speaking of Sanheim, the defenseman is continuing to build a strong case to be part of Canada’s team at the 2026 Milan Olympics. No pressure, but the guy on the other bench on Monday night just happens to be the one making the decisions. Lightning coach Jon Cooper will be Canada’s bench boss in Italy, but a plus for Sanheim is that they’ve already worked together, snagging a gold medal at February’s 4 Nations Face-Off.

    “You see these players, you compete against these players, but you don’t really know till you have them. And I’ve always, I’ve really liked his game,” Cooper told The Inquirer about Sanheim. “I’m a big fan of big D that take up a lot of space, and can skate, and he can do all those things. But his ability to jump into plays, he’s got an offensive mind to him.”

    Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper, who will coach Canada at the Olympics, has been impressed with Travis Sanheim’s game over the past few years.

    Sanheim seemed a little nervous and wide-eyed at the first practice in Brossard, Quebec, with Hockey Canada ahead of the 4 Nations. And while he didn’t start the tournament in the lineup, by the end — half due to injury and half due to his play — he was not just skating in the championship game but got the first shift of overtime. The familiarity and his ability to play both the left and the right side will help Sanheim once decision day comes.

    “Anytime that you get to coach players, and you win with players, I always think there’s a familiarity. Past performance isn’t going to predict future success, and so the guy’s got to keep working, but he’s done a heck of a job so far,” Cooper said.

    Flyers prospect Jett Luchanko traded to Ontario Hockey League favorites Brantford

    There’s another familiar face for Cooper on the Flyers bench. Tocchet was his assistant coach at 4 Nations and will be beside him again in Italy, making his Olympic debut.

    Tocchet did a lot of the structure, faceoff planning, and in-game adjustments; he was a jack-of-all-trades for Cooper. But what Cooper loved most was how he would often meet with players 1-on-1 or in small groups to watch videos — over a garbage can. As Tocchet explained later, he would put his laptop on a garbage can and go over things, much like he did in his days with the Penguins. His assistants on the Flyers do it now, too.

    “I couldn’t have surrounded myself with a better guy,” Cooper said. “I will tell you this, because his eye for the game and what happens in real time, having that talent is a real thing. And Tocc has that. He sees it, he processes it, and then gives you the information.

    “And there were countless times at the 4 Nations that he made me think of things, or I saw things in a different light, or I missed something, and he caught it. And so many little adjustments we made in between periods, because of what Tocc did.”

  • Flyers prospect Jett Luchanko traded to Ontario Hockey League favorite Brantford

    Flyers prospect Jett Luchanko traded to Ontario Hockey League favorite Brantford

    The writing was on the wall and now it is in ink.

    Jett Luchanko has been traded. Luchanko, the Flyers’ 2024 first-round pick and the co-captain for Guelph of the Ontario Hockey League, is on the move to the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs. In exchange for Luchanko, Guelph will receive center Layne Gallacher and four future draft picks.

    The trade was expected after the Storm were awarded the 2027 Memorial Cup late last week. Guelph was willing to move Luchanko, one of its top players, to recoup assets that will help it build for next season, when the Storm will participate in the tournament as hosts.

    The prestigious trophy, which was originally awarded by the Ontario Hockey Association in 1919, is awarded to the best team in Canadian junior hockey. The annual four-team tournament features the champions of the OHL, Western Hockey League, and the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, as well as that season’s host city’s team.

    Flyers top 20 prospects: Porter Martone is No. 1, but where do Alex Bump and Jett Luchanko rank?

    Kelowna, British Columbia, will host this year’s tournament, which will conclude right before the start of the NHL’s Scouting Combine in early June. There’s a good chance the Bulldogs will be there. Coached by Flyers general manager Danny Brière’s former Buffalo Sabres teammate Jay McKee, Brantford sits atop the OHL’s Eastern Conference and has yet to lose in regulation in 23 games (18-0-4-1).

    Jake O’Brien, the No. 8 pick in June’s draft, will now be teammates with Jett Luchanko with the Brantford Bulldogs.

    After breaking camp for the second straight season with the Flyers, Luchanko skated in four NHL games and did not register a point before being sent back to Guelph on Oct. 27. He has 17 points (two goals, 15 assists) in 11 games for the 11-11-2-0 Storm.

    “He’s going to play in the NHL, there’s no doubt about that. Now, how high does he get? That’s really up to him, but it’s in there,” Brière said when Luchanko was sent down. “The speed alone is going to scare a lot of teams eventually — when he gets more comfortable, when he gets more assertive out there. The speed alone is probably his biggest asset. … From our end, we need patience.”

    Luchanko, who turned 19 in August, was ineligible to play in the American Hockey League due to the longstanding NHL-CHL agreement, which prevents Canadian Hockey League players under 20 years old from going to the AHL. That rule will change next season when each team is expected to be granted at least one exemption.

    With Luchanko unable to play in the AHL or the NCAA, a trade to Brantford will be viewed by many as the next best thing for his development, as he will play alongside better players and in more important games, including maybe the Memorial Cup.

    The London, Ontario, native joins a stacked team led by Jake O’Brien, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2025 draft by the Seattle Kraken, and Adam Benák, a fourth-round selection by Minnesota this past summer. Those two rank first and second in the OHL in points, respectively. O’Brien, a playmaking center, was thought to be in consideration for the Flyers at No. 6 before the team landed on Porter Martone.

    But how Luchanko will be deployed by McKee will be interesting. The focus for the center’s return to juniors was to get him ice time, and there’s only so much to go around.

    “Very simple, we want him to play high minutes,” Brière said when Luchanko was sent down. “We liked what we’ve seen. He could have stayed here; he showed that he can play. But we want more than that for him in the long run.

    “And we felt at this point it was time for him to start playing high minutes and more of an offensive role, get back to playing power play, killing penalties, facing the top opposition on the other team, on a nightly basis.”

    With Guelph, he did have seven power-play assists, and one of his two goals was scored while shorthanded, but the Flyers want to see him shoot the puck more. He had 25 shots on goal across those 11 games with Guelph.

    Skating with the Flyers, Luchanko averaged 8 minutes, 58 seconds of ice time, registering one shot on goal and a plus-minus of minus-3. He had just three shots on goal in five preseason games, and an NHL scout told The Inquirer in early October that Luchanko, who is listed at 6-foot, 190 pounds, doesn’t look NHL strong yet and needs to play a harder, more confident game.

    “It’s a comfort thing. He just needs to feel comfortable,” Brière said. “I know how you feel as an 18- or 19-year-old. You’re coming in, you’re trying to please everybody around you. You’re on the ice with guys you’ve been watching on TV. You have a Travis Konecny beside you, obviously, you’re going to force a pass there. It’s human nature. That’s just how it is.

    “It takes time, and hopefully he’s going to get out of that pretty soon. And we’ve seen him play in juniors. He can shoot the puck. He’s got a good shot. It’s just the confidence that he needs to do it here now.”

    Luchanko is expected to also get a chance to work on his game at World Juniors. A Hockey Canada scout was at the game the day after he was sent down, hoping to see Luchanko; instead, he watched Ben Kindel of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who should be joining him in Minnesota when the tournament starts on Boxing Day.

    When he is eventually named to the team, Luchanko will represent Canada for the second time at the tournament. He skated last year, averaging 12:22 of ice time across five games, scoring one goal, and while Brière thought “he performed great,” the Flyers were “disappointed” in the small role Canada gave Luchanko. This year, Dale Hunter, who just coached Flyers prospects Oliver Bonk and Denver Barkey to the Memorial Cup with London of the OHL, is the head coach for Canada.

    Flyers make more tweaks to the power play; Jon Cooper discusses Travis Sanheim’s Olympic chances
  • Good vibes from the Flyers after an impressive win: Defense looks deep and offense shows balance

    Good vibes from the Flyers after an impressive win: Defense looks deep and offense shows balance

    How quickly things can change across an 82-game season.

    If the Flyers had lost on Saturday, it would have been their fourth in six games. Instead, a quick spurt of goals that started a cascade led to a 6-3 win against the New Jersey Devils, and now they have won three of four.

    This time last year, the Flyers were 8-10-2, and two seasons ago, when they came close to a playoff spot, the Flyers were 10-9-1 through 20 games.

    At the 20-game mark this season, the Flyers are 11-6-3 and sit in a playoff spot in a supertight Eastern Conference.

    Here are seven things we learned Saturday that the Flyers can carry through the next 20 games.

    Flyers right wing Tyson Foerster (center) celebrates his second goal with Travis Konecny (left) and Noah Cates.

    This team can score goals

    It’s been a slow process as the team learns coach Rick Tocchet’s offensive systems, but it has been building. Entering the night, the Flyers were ranked 29th in the NHL in goals per game (2.63). However, in the last five games, including Saturday night, they rank 12th with an average of 3.20 goals. And against New Jersey, they set a franchise record with three goals in 26 seconds.

    “To get one, and get the building into it, obviously a couple of quick [goals] after that was awesome,” said Noah Cates, who tied the score at 1 and scored the first of four Flyers’ goals in 3 minutes, 32 seconds. “Just keeping our foot on the gas and getting pucks out and being predictable early is kind of what we’re preaching right now, and we’ve just got to keep it up.”

    Added Sean Couturier: “Obviously, if we get more shots on net, the odds should be a little more in our favor. But I think it’s more than that. Today, we forechecked pretty well. We created turnovers, and that’s hard to defend for any team. So off of that, we can create some offense, get some shots, and at the same time, when we had our chances, we capitalized.”

    Drysdale impresses Tocchet

    He is always known as an offensive defenseman, but Jamie Drysdale’s defensive game continues to grow and impress. The second pairing of Drysdale and Emil Andrae was not on the ice together for any goals by the Flyers, but they were also not on the ice for any against.

    According to Natural Stat Trick, they skated together for 14 minutes, 6 seconds across all strengths, and allowed 12 shot attempts, including six shots, and six scoring chances. And in the third period, Drysdale combined with Cates to help keep a loose puck in the crease out of the net after a weird carom off the boards took goalie Dan Vladař out of the play.

    “Thought Drysdale was our best player tonight. … For defending, he was our best defender by far,” Tocchet said. “I thought Andrae, too. Andrae is not scared of going into corners. I thought those two guys were really defending hard.”

    Flyers defenseman Egor Zamula shoots the puck against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.

    Flyers have depth on defense

    Skating in his first game since Nov. 1, Egor Zamula admitted he was “kind of nervous” on his first shift. Makes sense considering he had played in only eight of the Flyers’ first 19 games.

    But the blueliner put on an impressive show, skating alongside his old partner Nick Seeler and finishing at plus-5. Although they hadn’t played together this season, across the last three seasons, Zamula played the second-most minutes with Seeler (246:46).

    The duo of Jamie Drysdale and Emil Andrae is bolstering the Flyers’ defense

    Seeing the Russian slide back into the lineup seamlessly — and showing versatility — is a good sign for the depth on defense.

    The top pair of Cam York and Travis Sanheim continues to drive the defense. Noah Juulsen, who sat for the first time this season, has been a steady presence on the third pair, and the Flyers also have Rasmus Ristolainen inching closer to a return from injury.

    First blood

    Once again, the opposition got on the board first when Timo Meier scored on a wacky sequence during a power play. But, as Tyson Foerster said, “It isn’t great, but we bounced back.”

    Indeed. It’s never ideal to fall behind early in games. However, maybe for the Flyers it is. They lead the NHL with eight wins — a reminder, they have 11 total wins on the season — when trailing first.

    Balanced offense

    Against the St. Louis Blues a week ago, the Flyers won, 6-5, in a shootout, but got all the scoring in regulation from one line. On Saturday night, three of the four lines got on the board.

    The uptick comes after the Cates, Foerster, and Bobby Brink line was broken up. Cates and Foerster are still together, but now have Travis Konecny on the right wing. They combined for three goals against New Jersey, with Foerster getting a pair.

    Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar watches the puck with defenseman Jamie Drysdale and defenseman Travis Sanheim against the New Jersey Devils.

    Brink was moved alongside Matvei Michkov and Couturier, and the Minnesotan scored after receiving a pass from the captain — who kept the puck away from two defenders — in the second period. In the first period, it was Couturier feeding Michkov for a breakaway after the Russian winger read the play properly and sprinted ahead.

    “What I like is he backchecked, he was in a good position, and once he saw we got full puck possession, he just took off, which is what we want,” Couturier said of the goal that started the 26-second, record-breaking frenzy. “When you have a guy like that, that you can send alone on a goalie, I like our odds.”

    The line of Owen Tippett, Trevor Zegras, and Christian Dvorak was on the ice for one Devils goal but made up for it in the third period with Zegras getting on the board. Zegras now has 21 points in 20 games.

    And while the fourth line of Rodrigo Ābols, Garnet Hathaway, and Nic Deslauriers didn’t score, they played a role in keeping the energy up.

    “Every time they’re out there, they’re creating momentum,” Couturier said. “They’re three big boys that can shoot the puck in and lay the body; I’m sure it gets tiring for defenders on the other team. So, yeah, even if they don’t score, they bring a lot and help us along the way with the momentum swings.”

    Added Tocchet: “I thought the [Ābols] line again, I thought Abs had a good game. … I thought he forechecked well and held onto some pucks. It’s nice when you can get some minutes to those guys. But, yeah, balanced offense was great.”

    Vladař is No. 1

    Tocchet did say recently that he thought his team backed in more with Sam Ersson in net, which saw him face harder shots, leading to a lower save percentage. The backing in did occur, with less frequency, with Vladař in net, but it has stopped for now — as noted by the rush chances and strong transition game the Flyers had on Saturday. Regardless, it’s clear that the net is Vladař‘s for now.

    Among goalies with at least 10 games this season, Vladař ranks No. 4 in goals-against average (2.42) and save percentage (. 912). He is 8-4-1 in 13 games, with 10 of those showcasing a save percentage above .900.

    Flyers left wing Noah Cates in action against the New Jersey Devils.

    According to Natural Stat Trick, he stopped all 14 low-danger shots he saw from the Devils, nine of 10 mid-danger, and six of eight high-danger. He came up huge in the third period as New Jersey was pressing, stopping Meier off a cross-crease pass on a two-on-one and robbing Nico Hischier between his pair of goals when the Devils captain had two big chances while shorthanded.

    One loud arena

    In front of a sellout crowd at Xfinity Mobile Arena, the Flyers brought the entertainment. Was it the loudest Foerster has heard? “Yeah, and when Anaheim came to town,” he said with a big grin. That game saw former Flyers prospect Cutter Gauthier make his debut in Philly.

    A former Flyers forward, Tocchet also heard the fans loud and clear.

    “I’ve lived it here, this crowd. When they get something to cheer about, it’s loud. … They’re a big part of it,” Tocchet said. “So, we’ve got to continue to push the envelope to get these guys on our side, because they want to believe in our team and that starts on the ice with us.”

  • Flyers put on offensive clinic, defeating Devils 6-3 on night the franchise honors Bernie Parent

    Flyers put on offensive clinic, defeating Devils 6-3 on night the franchise honors Bernie Parent

    Bernie Parent surely liked an easy night or two between the pipes. He probably also liked it when his team staked him to a big lead.

    On Saturday night, as the Flyers honored the Hall of Fame goalie, who backstopped the Orange and Black to consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 1974 and 1975 and died on Sept. 21 at the age of 80, the Flyers put on an offensive show.

    In front of an announced sellout, they defeated the New Jersey Devils 6-3, giving them two straight wins and three in the past four.

    It’s funny how Bruce Springsteen once sang: “If I should fall behind, wait for me.” Fans should heed that because despite trailing — once again — the Flyers came back.

    This time with authority.

    The duo of Jamie Drysdale and Emil Andrae is bolstering the Flyers’ defense

    First, they trailed 1-0 on a Timo Meier power-play goal that saw Sean Couturier’s clearing attempt go off the leg of Nico Hischier and stay in the zone. It led to sustained pressure by the Devils, with Meier just missing at the right post, before the Swiss forward grabbed a puck out of midair, got a shot on goal, and buried the rebound.

    For the record, it is the Flyers’ 11th win of the season and ninth comeback win. But this may have been the flashiest one.

    The Flyers scored five straight goals beginning with Noah Cates 83 seconds after Meier’s goal. Devils goalie Jake Allen knocked away the centering attempt by Cates, but defenseman Egor Zamula, skating in his first game since Nov. 2, hopped on it and put a shot on goal. Allen made the save and then swatted the puck away again, but this time right to Cates for his fifth goal of the season and first since Nov. 6.

    Then from 12:06 to 12:32, the Flyers set a franchise record with three goals in 26 seconds.

    Matvei Michkov gave the Flyers a 2-1 lead with his fifth of the season and fourth in seven games. Couturier tipped a cross-ice pass by Meier inside the Flyers’ blue line, forcing Hischier to skate past the puck. Couturier then sent the puck to Michkov as the Russian winger, skating in his 100th NHL game, split through the defense and outskated three Devils before beating Allen stick-side.

    In the blink of an eye, technically nine seconds later, it was 3-1 Flyers. Off the faceoff, won by Cates, they transitioned the puck up the ice with Travis Konecny sending the pass across to a flying Cates. He dipped the shoulder on Juho Lammikko and sent the puck from the right face-off circle to Tyson Foerster in the left circle for the one-timer.

    Foerster scored again, 17 seconds later, this time from the right circle. Defenseman Nick Seeler poked the puck away in the neutral zone, and Cates scooped up the puck, creating a three-on-two for the Flyers. Cates dished the puck over to Foerster, and he sent a blistering wrister past Allen. He now has seven goals on the season.

    In the second period, Bobby Brink added to the goal total with his sixth of the season. Along the boards in front of the Flyers’ bench, Couturier protected the puck from Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton and then forward Connor Brown before finding Brink as he looped in the neutral zone. The Minnesotan skated in and appeared to use Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler as a screen to beat Allen and give the Flyers a 5-1 lead.

    Hischier did score in the middle frame to make it 5-2, taking a pass from defenseman Luke Hughes. And he scored again with 6:33 left in regulation when he deflected in a Šimon Nemec point shot.

    But goalie Dan Vladař also came up big in his own right. In the third period, he stopped Meier off a cross-crease pass on a two-on-one and robbed Hischier between his pair of goals when the Devils captain had two big chances while shorthanded. And he got some help on a weird carom, with Jamie Dyrsdale and Cates keeping a loose puck in the crease out of the net.

    Trevor Zegras then put the game away when he roofed his shot on a breakaway. In the Flyers’ end, Christian Dvorak knocked the puck away from Brown, and Owen Tippett tracked it down to feed Zegras. It was the seventh goal of the season for Zegras, who scored just 12 times last season and bested his high from 2023-24 when he was held to 31 games due to injury.

    Breakaways

    Zamula and Seeler each had a plus-minus of plus-5. … Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim skated in his 599th NHL game.

    Up next

    The Flyers begin a four-game road trip on Monday against the Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m., NBCSP).

  • The duo of Jamie Drysdale and Emil Andrae is bolstering the Flyers’ defense

    The duo of Jamie Drysdale and Emil Andrae is bolstering the Flyers’ defense

    There’s been a bit of a shake-up to the Flyers’ defensive corps.

    The top pairing of Travis Sanheim and Cam York is still intact, but the bottom four are looking a little different right now. During Thursday night’s win against the visiting St. Louis Blues, Nick Seeler and Jamie Drysdale were split up, as were Emil Andrae and Noah Juulsen.

    After speaking with assistant Todd Reirden following the first period, and with the Flyers trailing by two, coach Rick Tocchet said, “Let’s make the switch here.”

    So Andrae was moved into the top four alongside Drysdale, and Seeler was switched to play with Juulsen. It seemed to work as Andrae and Drysdale were on the ice for both of the Flyers’ goals in regulation before Travis Sanheim won the game in overtime.

    Emil Andrae isn’t going anywhere, and other takeaways from Flyers’ win over Blues

    Based on who stayed out late for the team’s optional morning skate at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Saturday, before facing the New Jersey Devils, it looked like Juulsen will be a healthy scratch for the first time this season, and he was. Therefore, Egor Zamula slotted in alongside Seeler for his first game since Nov. 1.

    It’s an interesting dynamic putting Drysdale and Andrae together. Both are puck-moving defensemen who are known for their offensive upside. “We don’t complicate it that much,” Andrae said on Saturday.

    Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale skates with the puck against the St. Louis Blues on Nov. 20.

    According to Natural Stat Trick, Andrae and Drysdale played 54 minutes, 21 seconds together last season. They had a 54.26% Corsi For and were on the ice for 31 scoring chances for the Flyers compared to 25 by the opposition. But, while they were also on the ice together for four goals by the Flyers, five were scored against with a .762 save percentage.

    Drysdale has changed his game, becoming better in the defensive zone. As noted by the stat site, when he is on the ice, Corsi For percentage has risen from 46.22% to 51.97%, expected goals against has drop (49.14% to 12.49%), and save percentage has risen from .876 to .893

    He’ll now be skating with Andrae, and when the Swede is on the ice the Flyers have an expected goals against of 5.69 along with a .914 save percentage.

    But, in a game dominated by big men with teams across the league hyper-focused on adding size, they are a smaller pairing; Drysdale is listed at 5-foot-11 and Andrae at 5-9.

    ‘Walk together forever’: Tributes pour in for Bernie Parent during a celebration of his life and legacy

    But as the saying goes: It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog.

    “I think Emil, he’s shown ability to go in a corner, and he’s not afraid to squash a player or hit a guy,” Tocchet said Saturday morning. “He’s a small guy, but he’s built pretty good, so I don’t see that being a problem.”

    Tocchet likes Andrae’s abrasiveness and his ability to use his brain, body positioning, and quickness to read plays and be smart on the puck in the defensive zone. When the bench boss was playing, it may have been taboo to let a guy get the puck first in the corner, but he’s OK with seeing a defenseman like Andrae let the heavier opponent get the puck and then defend after that.

    Flyers defenseman Emil Andrae skates with the puck against the Nashville Predators on Oct. 30.

    New to the organization, Tocchet’s seeing what the Flyers front office has noticed for a long time about Andrae: his competitiveness, grit, and determination.

    “I’ve never been the biggest guy and I’ve always had to find a way to get around that and to play the style of game that I can with my size,” Andrae said. “I’m strong on the walls, strong on the puck. I think it comes with a lot of competitiveness, too. I like to use that to my advantage. Maybe it’s a little surprising for the guys out there that I play against.”

    In May 2024, Flyers general manager Danny Brière told The Inquirer that Andrae is “a special package” and “patience is the key.”

    That’s coming to fruition.

    Breakaways

    Forward Nikita Grebenkin stayed on late during the optional skate and was a healthy scratch again. “It’s tough because in our position right now, we’re looking for a fourth line identity, and he’s kind of stuck in the middle there,” Tocchet said. “We’re trying to find out what is Grebby, in a sense. But that’s a process, a 23-year-old. Eventually, we’ve got to make a decision; he’s got to play. Trust me, we’re talking about it all the time, Danny and management about it, the best way to handle him if he’s not going to play much. So we’ll figure that out as it goes.”