Author: Jackie Spiegel

Christian Dvorak is sticking around Philly for the foreseeable future.

He just needed some help from Trevor Zegras first.

“It’s great. I think it’s well-earned. I think it’s a great deal for both sides,” Zegras said his buddy’s new deal before dropping this: “And, funny backstory, he had nobody to be his witness for signing the contract. So he drove over to my house last night at like 11 o’clock, and I was his witness.”

The late-night visit came after the Flyers announced the almost-30-year-old centerman was signed to a five-year, $25.75 million contract extension with an average annual value of $5.15 million. A team source confirmed to The Inquirer that the first two years of the deal come with a full no-trade clause while the third and fourth years carry a modified no-trade clause.

“We’re very happy to have Christian be a part of the Philadelphia Flyers for the foreseeable future,” general manager Danny Brière said in the news release. “He has played a pivotal role in our team’s success this season and proven to be a reliable, two-way center that can be trusted in all situations.

“More importantly, he plays a big role in our locker room and has fit in seamlessly to our group and what we are building.”

On July 1, after Dvorak signed a one-year, $5.4 million deal that many thought was an overpay, Brière said that players like him, Noah Juulsen, and Dan Vladař, “were willing to bet on themselves, which is awesome.” Dvorak reiterated Tuesday that he was doing just that this past summer.

And it paid off, with the term being one of the main things he was looking for.

“I’ve just loved my time being here, first off,” Dvorak said. “It’s a great group of guys. We have a lot of fun, and it’s been a good fit for me, and, yeah, just like where the team’s headed. We’re playing some good hockey this year, and I think we’re just headed in a good direction here.

“And that’s really important to me.”

However, there were several questions raised with his initial signing — amplified even more now — including where he would fit and what his signing meant for the team’s long-term outlook.

Brière said over the summer that the short-term deals the team handed out, including the one to Vladař, who was signed for two years, would provide flexibility as the Flyers work their way through a rebuild. It would allow them to keep their options open for free agency in 2026 — which always seemed to be earmarked as a big moment for the team.

But the market for centers and top-tier wingers dried up with Jack Eichel, Kirill Kaprizov, and even Connor McDavid signing extensions. A player comparable to Dvorak was 31-year-old center Alexander Wennberg, who signed a three-year, $18 million deal with the San Jose Sharks on Sunday.

With the salary cap rising, the amount Dvorak is getting paid isn’t the issue. But the number of years he got is a little eyebrow-raising, considering where the Flyers are in their rebuild and the drafted players expected to start making pushes in the coming years.

Jett Luchanko and Jack Nesbitt, two of the Flyers’ first-rounders from the past two drafts, and 2024 second-rounder Jack Berglund, who impressed at development camp and World Juniors, are expected to be centers in the NHL in the next one to three years. The only centers in Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League who could push next season are Jacob Gaucher and Karsen Dorwart, with the former a fourth-line type and the latter a former college free agent signing who projects as a bottom-six forward.

But, in the here and now, Dvorak has worked out.

Skating on a line with Zegras and Travis Konecny since Dec. 3, Dvorak is on pace for career numbers. He has 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) in 39 games, having missed one game in December with a lower-body injury.

The Illinois native is halfway to his career high in goals and is on pace to demolish his career high in points (38) set in 2019-20 when he skated for the Arizona Coyotes — and their then-coach, Rick Tocchet. Entering Tuesday, Dvorak is on pace for 18 goals and 51 points.

“I think it’s been pretty good,” Dvorak told The Inquirer in mid-December. “It’s been a good transition for the most part, coming in to a new team. They took me in right away. It’s a very tight-knit group, and it’s a good group to be a part of.

“And it helps knowing Tocc from prior, and I think it’s been a pretty smooth transition. It’s helped pretty much being with Zegras pretty much every game.”

Tocchet has relied heavily on Dvorak, as the former Coyote centers the top line, plays on the penalty kill, and was recently added to the power play. He has worked with Zegras in a hybrid center role where he takes the faceoffs and whoever is the first player back in the defensive zone fills the position of center.

Tocchet said in early December that Dvorak — who is sorely missed by his last team, the Montreal Canadiens, on and off the ice — was in more of a defensive role previously. Now he’s getting a chance to spread his wings offensively again.

“The one thing with Christian, he knows just because he signed this deal and he’s playing with Trevor, he’s still got to be Christian Dvorak,” Tocchet said on Tuesday, adding that it has helped the centerman’s season knowing his systems and their open line of communication.

“… That’s one thing that he’s really good at is knowing his identity — is being a really good two-way forward that can make plays, that can defend the puck and be a penalty killer. And he’s actually played a little bit of power play for us. So, a jack of all trades, and if he stays in that identity, he can be a good hockey player for you.”

According to MoneyPuck, among the Flyers lines that have played at least 65 minutes together, the trio ranks third in expected goals percentage (50.6%) and expected goals for per 60 minutes (2.9). They only recently have been clipped by the trio of Denver Barkey, Sean Couturier, and Owen Tippett.

“I’ve learned so much from him,” Zegras said in December. “[Looking] back to earlier in my career, like maybe when things weren’t going my way, I’d be screaming and slamming sticks on the bench, and saying all crazy stuff that doesn’t really help in a positive way.

“He’s as cool as a cucumber, and his famous line or expression is: it’s a game of runs. So that’s what I tell myself. It’s a game of runs. And you go back out there, you get ready to go for the next shift. So I just think that from the aspect of being himself, he’s a leader in that regard. And I’ve definitely learned a lot from him.”

With Dvorak signed, all eyes will turn to Zegras, who is a restricted free agent at season’s end and will command a hefty pay raise. Jamie Drysdale, Bobby Brink, Emil Andrae, Nikita Grebenkin, and Sam Ersson also are restricted free agents at season’s end. Nic Deslauriers, Carl Grundström, Rodrigo Ābols, and Noah Juulsen are the team’s only NHL unrestricted free agents next summer.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have suspended former Flyers defenseman Egor Zamula for failing to report to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, a Penguins spokesperson confirmed Sunday.

Pittsburgh acquired Zamula from the Flyers on New Year’s Eve in exchange for forward Philip Tomasino, who made his AHL debut with Lehigh Valley on Friday.

At the time of the trade, Zamula was playing for the Phantoms after clearing waivers on Dec. 18. He skated in three games, registered two assists, and was a minus-3.

Entering the season, Zamula was expected to be in the top six, but he struggled with his pace of play — a long-standing criticism that dates back to John Tortorella’s tenure as Flyers coach.

As time wore on, it also became more evident that he was losing his spot in the lineup. Zamula was leapfrogged in the depth chart by Emil Andrae, Noah Juulsen, and, after an impressive three-game debut in December, Ty Murchison. And when Rasmus Ristolainen returned from a triceps tendon injury on Dec. 16, there was no need for eight defensemen on the Flyers roster.

In 13 games this season, the Russian defenseman had one assist and was plus-4, boosted by a plus-5 night when he returned to the lineup on Nov. 22 against the New Jersey Devils. Signed as an undrafted free agent in September 2018, Zamula had 41 points (eight goals, 33 assists) and was minus-12 in 168 games with the Flyers.

Zamula, 25, is a restricted free agent at the end of the season. His salary-cap hit is $1.7 million, resulting in a qualifying offer of $ 1.4 million if he is given one in June.

EDMONTON, Alberta ― The Flyers kick-started 2026 with a bang.

In their first game of the new year, the Orange and Black handed the blue and orange Edmonton Oilers a 5-2 loss. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering the Flyers are now 13-1-5 after a loss; they lost to the Calgary Flames on New Year’s Eve.

The win helped the Flyersclose out a five-game road trip, which began in Chicago before the holiday break, with a 3-2-0 record. It was the fourth victory in their past six games.

And while Connor McDavid did get a goal and an assist, Leon Draisaitl had a plus-minus of minus-3, as the Flyers had more shot attempts, shots on goal, and scoring chances than the high-flying Oilers.

“Those are the moments that I think a lot of guys in here are living for,” said goalie Dan Vladař, who was outstanding in net, stopping 22 of 24 shots. “If you want to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best, right? That’s what we’ve been told since we were young. Obviously, we’re still not the best, but we are doing everything we can to get to the best spot as we can.

“We still know it’s a lot of hockey left, but I think that if you’re going to follow our leaders and the coaching staff, that we are going to be in a good spot.”

All Bark

Denver Barkey has been waiting patiently for that first NHL goal, and it was worth the wait.

Barkey started the breakout from deep in the Flyers’ end when he pickpocketed Vasily Podkolzin along the end boards and then skated the puck up between the Russian winger and the net. He hit Sean Couturier on the right wing as the captain, and Owen Tippett went two-on-two with the Oilers’ defensemen.

Couturier sent a leading pass to Tippett as the two crossed just before the Oilers’ blue line, and he carried the puck in. Meanwhile, Barkey was speeding down the center of the ice and heading toward the net. He got behind the defense and tapped the perfect pass from Tippett past former Flyers goalie Calvin Pickard.

“He’s been playing great for us [and] he’s been generating chances, it was only a matter of time before he put one in, and [I’m] happy for him,” Travis Sanheim said. “He deserves it, and it was a big goal for us.”

“Kind of settled us down a bit,” he added as the Oilers had a little more control to start the game. “And then ended up getting a couple more [goals] there. And I thought it kick-started us.”

Barkey’s first NHL goal comes in his seventh game, complementing the two assists he had in his debut. His first NHL goal also comes in the building in which Matvei Michkov scored his first two goals last season.

“I think just over time as many reps you get with each other, you start to get more comfortable,” Barkey said when asked about his confidence. “But I think they’ve done a great job of making me feel welcome [and] comfortable playing on their line since day one. So I think that’s helped a lot. I’m just super grateful to be playing with two really, really talented hockey players.”

Couturier finished with two assists, and Tippett had a goal (a late empty-netter) and an assist as the line was plus-2 on the night.

“Yeah, that’s the key, right?” coach Rick Tocchet said of Barkey’s play in his own end. “[Heck] of a defensive play and then playing a 200-foot game. I thought Couturier’s line was outstanding tonight. They were really good. Coots had a great game. Tipp and Barkey, they were the main reason why we won tonight.”

Building goal by goal

Barkey’s goal gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead for only the 13th time this season. It is the fewest in the NHL — which probably explains why the Flyers have the most wins when trailing, 1-0 (13-9-5).

But it was a lucky No. 13 for the Flyers, who won for the eighth time as they kept piling it on.

Travis Sanheim made it 2-0 when the Couturier line went to work again. After a Barkey pass to Tippett missed its mark, Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse got the puck and sent it up the boards. Podkolzin couldn’t control it, and it bounced out to Couturier above the circles.

The Flyers captain put a shot on immediately that Pickard stopped before Couturier got it again near the slot. The rebound went out to Sanheim, and the defenseman, who was named on New Year’s Eve to Canada’s squad for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, walked into the right circle and sent the wrister into the back of the net.

The goal is Sanheim’s fourth of the year and 18th point.

Bobby Brink then made it 3-0 with his 11th of the year, one shy of his career high set last season in 79 games.

Brink started the play when he intercepted a stretch pass by Evan Bouchard on the Flyers’ side of the neutral zone. He carried the puck into the Oilers’ end before dishing it over to Michkov along the right boards.

The sophomore winger took his time and hit Cam York as he skated down the middle. York waited as the Oilers put a double screen on their goalie before he shot the puck, which ended up going off the leg of Brink.

“Obviously, it’s a tough thing to go into the game thinking that you can play up and down hockey against this team. So I thought that everybody played responsible hockey in here, and we just outgrinded them,” Vladař said.

“We knew that if you were going to play good defense, you were going to have those opportunities and that we are skilled enough to take advantage of it, and we did. So great for the guys in front of me, they did much of the work today.”

Bending but not breaking

Much like the Flyers, there is no quit in this Oilers team, which has gone to the Stanley Cup final the past two seasons.

McDavid cut into the Flyers’ lead to extend his point streak to 15 games with a breakaway goal on Vladař in the first period. Sanheim carried the puck from Philly’s end into the Oilers zone and tried to send a cross-ice pass to Couturier; however, it was picked off by Edmonton defenseman Mattias Ekholm.

The Swede sent it up to McDavid, who skated in and notched his 25th of the season and 1,153rd point of his career in 754 games.

“Yeah, I thought, minus my turnover in the first, I think we did a pretty good job against them,” Sanheim said. “Just the whole team buying in and understanding you’re playing against two of the best players in the world, and you’ve got to be smart out there.

“And for the most part, I thought we were, and that’s kind of why we ended up on the winning side.”

In the second period, Michkov was called for high-sticking Mattias Janmark as he carried the puck through the neutral zone. Not the best move when the Oilers entered the day with the NHL’s best power play at 33.3%. And just over a minute into the man advantage, Bouchard scored with a slapshot from the point to make it 3-2.

“No, just breathe,” said Vladař, when asked if the talkative netminder said anything to his teammates after the second goal. “And, obviously, it’s hockey. It’s not always going to be perfect, and especially against a team like that, they’re going to get their chances, and eventually they’re going to capitalize, right?

“So, just trying to be positive as always, and obviously, I always had the trust in our group and the guys in front of me. So, I was really confident that we can pull those two points for me.”

After allowing just five shots on goal in the second period — Bouchard’s goal came on the third shot — the Flyers held the Oilers to just six in the final frame. They all came in the final 6 minutes, 24 seconds after Nick Seeler scored his first goal of the season off a faceoff win by Rodrigo Ābols to make it 4-2.

“We get those three in the first there, and they make it 3-2. So we just wanted to do what we’re doing in the first there, and play consistent and be above their top guys,” Seeler said. “Obviously, they have a couple of the best players on the planet so contain them the best you can, and try to match their speed. And I thought we did a good job.”

Philly is now 14-0-1 when leading after two periods, with all but one win needing a shootout. Nine of those wins were also by three goals. And they are 8-0-2 when leading after one period, with two of those wins going to a shootout.

“I think the conversation in the room [heading into the third] was just don’t get on your heels,” Barkey said. “Stay on our toes; I think that’s when we’re at our best. And we’re shutting them down, and we’re creating offense when we’re on our toes. So continue to stay on our toes and not get back on our heels and start watching the game come to us.”

Breakaways

Defenseman Noah Juulsen and forwards Nic Deslauriers and Nikita Grebenkin were the healthy scratches. … Forward Garnet Hathaway returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch for six games. He dropped the gloves with Darnell Nurse in the first period and had a game-high six hits with a plus-1. … Defenseman Emil Andrae also returned after being a healthy scratch against the Flames. He played 15:52 and was plus-1. … The semifinals are set at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. Jack Berglund and Sweden will face Heikki Ruohonen, Max Westergård, and Finland on Sunday (4:30 p.m., NHLN). In the other semi, Czechia goes up against Jett Luchanko, Porter Martone, and Canada (8:30 p.m., NHLN).

Up next

The Flyers return home to face Ryan Poehling, Cutter Gauthier, and the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday (7 p.m., NBCSP).

EDMONTON, Alberta ― Garnet Hathaway may not want to use the word reset, but like a reset button on your iPhone or Android, he does want to restore his system to what made him a successful, everyday NHL player.

Hathaway has skated in 639 games since being signed by the Calgary Flames as an undrafted forward out of Brown University in April 2015. But lately, and for the first time in about six or seven seasons, Hathaway has been watching games from the press box as a healthy scratch.

The move came after he posted zero points and an uncharacteristic plus-minus of minus-8 over the Flyers’ first 33 games. But he has been putting in the work.

“That’s why I respect him. He didn’t waste his time being out. He really worked on his game,” said coach Rick Tocchet, referring to the 34-year-old veteran’s work with assistant coaches Jaroslav “Yogi” Svejkovský and Jay Varady during his six-game absence from the lineup.

Hathaway has also been watching and taking notes on what makes the Flyers successful and how lines build chemistry. And now he’ll get a chance to show the work he’s been doing against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday afternoon (3:30 p.m., NBCSP) as he slots back in alongside Rodrigo Ābols and Carl Grundström.

“This league is addictive, and I think when you start focusing on the outcome rather than the process, you tend not to focus on the gratitude of the game. [And] not focus on the process of you getting to where you are,” Hathaway said as he reflected from the visitors’ locker room at Rogers Place on Friday.

“I thought about that a lot [over the years]. I wanted to play one game in this league, and then I wanted to play 10, and then I wanted to play 100, and I wanted to play 200, and I wanted to play every single game. And I wanted to be successful. I wanted to continue to grow my game. … I think that for me personally, I want to continue to learn how to be, to show gratitude for this game, for what I’m fortunate enough to do.”

There is no doubt that Hathaway has another gear. His legs have really been the problem this year as he is 12th in the NHL in hits — everyone above him has played more games — and has drawn 13 penalties.

Tocchet noted that the veteran is a true professional who has put in the work. He wants to see it now.

“Just confidence with the puck,” Tocchet said when asked what specifically he needs to see from Hathaway. “In all fairness to him — and I just don’t blame him — a lot of times he was leading the rush. He had the puck on his stick by himself a lot, and I think he’s one of those guys who is a support guy. He’s a really good forechecker.

“So those are the things I want to see him do, as the F1 be a disruptor, get on top of their defense. That’s when he’s on this game.”

While Hathaway is a grizzled veteran getting another chance, Emil Andrae is on the other end of the spectrum. At 23 years old, the defenseman is trying to solidify himself as an everyday NHLer and will re-enter the lineup after being a healthy scratch in the Flyers’ loss to Calgary on New Year’s Eve.

“He’s a young guy, and we’ve played a lot of consecutive games, and I think he was getting a little tired,” Tocchet said. “For him, it’s just like puck decisions, breakouts. When he’s on his game, he wheels the puck well, and that’s it. He’s given us a lot of good games, but this is just part of the process.”

Andrae has played in 28 of the Flyers’ 39 games this season after originally starting the season with Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League. He has one goal and 10 points and is tied with Travis Konecny for the second-best plus-minus on the team (plus-11). And since Nov. 22, when he began getting second-pair minutes alongside Jamie Drysdale, he has been averaging the fifth-most minutes on the Flyers (18 minutes, 49 seconds), tied with forward Trevor Zegras.

“I think overall, just get back to my swagger, get back to the confidence that I have, the play style I have to be [successful],” he said, noting he was disappointed that he had to sit but sees it as a learning experience.

“I have to be skating. And I think that’s one of the biggest things that I can improve, that I need to be on my toes and skating, and being aggressive. I think that’s when I play the best. So it’s been a little bit of that.”

The Swedish blueliner is self-aware that he is in the early stages of his NHL career, and that it has been an interesting year to do that.

Philly has been playing a bit of a condensed schedule with the upcoming Olympic break. Across the next 34 days, the Flyers will play 17 games.

“You need to go on your game every game, because if you’re not, you get kind of punished for it,” he said. “So yeah, it’s been tough, obviously, for a guy who’s not used to it, both mentally and physically. It’s tough, but you learn every day. And I think I’ve been getting better and better.”

Andrae has been a bright spot this season and continues to build and grow his game. Which is why he’ll be back in the lineup alongside Drysdale.

“He hasn’t been bad at all. I think for like, smaller guys, he’s a quick guy. When you can defend with your brain, and he’s a smart guy … [and] when he doesn’t get his body position, I think that’s when he gets pinned, and he’s been getting hit a little bit,” Tocchet said.

“So I think for him, on his toes, getting off the walls quicker, things like that, are beneficial to him. But he’s one of our best breakout guys, too, so when he’s on his game, it really helps our breakouts.”

Breakaways

Two Flyers prospects are on the move. Matthew Gard and Luke Vlooswyk, who were each taken in the 2025 NHL draft, have been traded by Red Deer of the Western Hockey League. Gard, a 6-foot-5, 194-pound center taken in the second round, is heading to Seattle. An alternate captain for the Rebels, he had six goals and 11 points in 23 games this season. Vlooswyk, a native of Calgary, was traded to Everett after putting up six assists in 32 games. Listed at 6-5, 201 pounds, the defenseman was selected in the fifth round by Philly.

CALGARY, Alberta ― And with that, 2025 comes to an end.

The Flyers wrapped up the calendar year with a 5-1 loss to the Calgary Flames on the second night of a back-to-back. It moved them to a 20-12-7 record this season and a 36-34-13 record since Jan. 1.

Here are seven things we’ve learned this year about the Flyers.

Trevor Zegras is still good

It’s time to put the last two years for Trevor Zegras fully in the rear-view mirror.

In 39 games with the Flyers, the 24-year-old New York native is not only putting up big numbers (15 goals, 24 assists), but he’s also controlling play, showing off the flash and creativity that made him a star — we all saw that between-the-legs pass attempt to Travis Sanheim on the rush and him playing the puck off the boards to himself before setting up Christian Dvorak in Tuesday night’s win — and bringing a big personality to the locker room.

He is on pace to demolish his career high of 65 points and is just eight goals shy of tying his career high, with 43 games to go.

The power play still isn’t good

As recently stated, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and, clearly, neither was the Flyers’ power play. Although it’s not last in the NHL anymore — progress! — entering Wednesday, it was ranked 25th with 17 goals in 105 opportunities (16.2%).

And it’s cost the Flyers games, like Sunday’s loss to the Seattle Kraken, where they faced the league’s worst penalty kill and couldn’t score despite three man advantages.

There have been several iterations, with the newest tweak moving Christian Dvorak to the net front with the unit led by Zegras getting an 18-second audition on Tuesday before Jamie Drysdale was called for interference.

On Wednesday against the Flames, that unit had the majority of the time across two power plays. They had six shot attempts on the first man advantage, with Cam York swapping with Drysdale at one point.

In the final advantage, which saw Drysdale go out with the other unit, York moved to the unit with Zegras, Travis Konecny, Dvorak, and Denver Barkey. They had four shot attempts, with the other unit, which started the power play, getting two, including Drysdale hitting the crossbar.

Overall, the movement has been good, but they can’t find the back of the net.

Denver Barkey is an NHLer

In the first period against the Canucks on Tuesday, Denver Barkey lost his stick in the Flyers’ end. Did that stop the 5-foot-9 rookie, who was skating in his fifth NHL game? Not at all. There he was, throwing his body around and making plays to stop the pressure from Vancouver.

Called up to the big club to provide a boost to the top nine, Barkey has shown he has the skill and the smarts to stay. He’s come close to scoring his first NHL tally and already has two assists — each coming in his debut at Madison Square Garden.

Across six games with Sean Couturier and Owen Tippett, Natural Stat Trick has the Flyers with 60.16% of the shot attempts and 69.39% of the scoring chances when they’re out there.

“Barks is an energy guy. He’s really helped,” Tocchet said. “I think he’s helped Tipp a lot. I think Tipp, our last couple of games, has been one of our best forwards, and I think that Barkey’s really helped.”

Added Couturier: “I like his game. I like the way he thinks; he’s a smart player, offensively and defensively. He does a lot of the little plays that create time and space for us, me, and Tipp. Yeah, he’s got a good vision out there.”

Barkey is just one of several players, like Alex Bump and defenseman Ty Murchison, who made his NHL debut in December, too, waiting in the wings.

The Flyers’ prospect pool has gotten deep

Danny Brière hasn’t been on the Western Canada swing. Instead, the Flyers general manager has been in Minnesota watching not just the next draft class but six of the organization’s prospects playing at the 2026 World Juniors.

While a half-dozen is a solid number, it says more about the prospect pool that three are wearing letters with two — Jack Berglund for Sweden and Porter Martone for Canada — sporting the “C.” Heikki Ruohnen is an alternate captain for Finland.

Martone, who was selected this past June, has created a lot of buzz as he stars for Michigan State. His addition, along with players like Jett Luchanko, Oliver Bonk, Bump, Jack Nesbitt, and Yegor Zavragin, has pushed the Flyers’ prospect pool up the rankings. Elite Prospects and The Athletic each rank the Flyers at No. 7.

“It’s pretty good,” assistant general manager Brent Flahr recently told The Inquirer when asked about the prospect pool. “Obviously, we had a lot of picks last year. We’ve had some guys emerging from previous drafts that have played well and are trending in the right direction. So, yeah, overall, pretty excited.”

Dan Vladař just needed a chance

When the Flyers signed Dan Vladař on July 1, a lot of people scratched their heads. They’re not scratching anymore. Vladař, who came to get a chance as a No. 1, has brought his A game to the Flyers.

Among goalies who have played at least 18 games, he’s tied for seventh with a .910 save percentage. Who is he tied with? The upper echelon of NHL goalies like Igor Shesterkin, Spencer Knight, Ilya Sorokin, and Jake Oettinger. His 14 wins in 23 starts rank tied for 11th with Linus Ullmark and his old goalie partner in Calgary, Dustin Wolf.

“I think he worked on his game this summer because he went with a skating coach, and I think he wanted to work on some stuff like the next play, the rebound,” Tocchet said recently. “And I noticed him this year he’s in position for the second rebound. … I think Vladdy’s worked on that, and I think he’s really done a great job when it comes to that second save, being in position and not being out of position.”

Travis Sanheim has arrived

In June 2023, Sanheim was almost sent packing to St. Louis. On Wednesday, he was named to Canada’s 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics squad.

“With the game last night [in Vancouver], we flew to Calgary and got in, I think it was just after 2 o’clock, and then my phone went off just before 8 local time,” Sanheim said via Zoom. “I was up pretty early, not a lot of sleep, and I usually have trouble after games anyway, and I was aware of that potential phone call coming.

“So just the excitement level and receiving that, and it means to represent your country and be a part of something like the Olympics, and I’ll take the sleepless night to take a phone call like that.”

The news comes less than a year after he made his mark on the international stage for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off. Originally, the American and Canadian media questioned whether he even belonged; then, he was a healthy scratch in the tournament opener. But in the end, he was manning the blue line on the opening shift of overtime in the championship game.

There is no quit in this team

Since 2025 started, the Flyers have trailed 1-0 46 times in 82 games. It is tied for the second-most in the NHL with the New York Rangers and Calgary Flames. Their win over the Canucks was also their 19th after trailing 1-0, which ties the Dallas Stars for the most in the calendar year.

And this season, the Flyers have 14 comeback wins, which is also No. 1 in the NHL. They are tied with the Rangers, Nashville Predators, and Detroit Red Wings for the second-most third-period comeback wins (five).

“Yeah, just resilient. We just keep playing,” Konecny said. “We believe in ourselves and trust the process that you’re going to get your opportunities. And you know, sometimes there’s a great way, but if you keep sticking with it, I think over the course of a year, it bounced out.”

VANCOUVER, British Columbia ― As the Flyers skated around the rink for warmups, a fan held up a sign that read “Toccquit,” in reference to Flyers coach Rick Tocchet opting to leave the Vancouver Canucks and finding a home in Philly.

Whether it sparked the Orange and Black or not, the Flyers did what good teams do — defeat bad ones. And despite an iffy start, they skated away with a 6-3 win against the Canucks.

It is the Flyers’ third win in four games, a stretch starting with a 5-2 win against the same Canucks on Dec. 22.

Of course, in the penultimate game of 2025, the Flyers would trail 1-0. Since Jan. 1, Tuesday’s game was the 46th time in 82 games they’ve trailed 1-0, tied for the second-most in the NHL with the New York Rangers and Calgary Flames. But it is also their 19th win from such situations, which ties the Dallas Stars for the most in the calendar year.

This season, they’ve trailed 26 times in 38 games, and have a 13-8-5 record.

David Kämpf gave the Canucks a 1-0 lead 3 minutes, 45 seconds into the game on their eighth shot. The Flyers hadn’t registered one, and they got pinned after a breakout pass off a faceoff hit the back of Denver Barkey’s skate as Vancouver controlled the boards. Drew O’Connor created a separation between himself and Cam York and found Kämpf in front.

But the Canucks played Monday night in Seattle and, despite beating the Kraken in a shootout, entered the night 30th in the NHL in points percentage. So the Flyers started to turn it up — with their play, their speed, and on the scoreboard.

First, Noah Cates tied it up 12:02 into the game. Travis Konecny threw a big-time hit — one of 26 by the Flyers in the game — on Vancouver’s Conor Garland as he tried to carry the puck into the Flyers’ zone. It didn’t lead to the goal, but it forced the Canucks to regroup as the Flyers clogged the neutral zone.

Travis Sanheim got the puck after it bounced down — Matvei Michkov forced the air pass — and gave it to Bobby Brink. He found Michkov on the right wing with the Russian actually knocking the puck down with one hand on his stick. He settled it, and, while drifting backward, fed the puck back to Cates, who wristed it short-side.

Cates now has 10 goals on the season. Across the past seven games, since Cates, Brink, and Michkov became a line, the Minnesotan has three goals and six points.

The trio wasn’t done, as Michkov fed Brink to make it 4-2 in the third period with Cates springing the duo from the Flyers’ end. Michkov settled the bouncing puck as Zeev Buium poked it back to him and then avoided the Canucks defenseman’s poke check.

Michkov carried the puck wide on the left wing as Brink went right to the net — something Tocchet wanted to see more of from his club — and Brink opened up to direct it into the net.

The assist was the 50th of Michkov’s career, and he now has 22 points in 38 games this season. Brink has 10 goals, two off his career-high.

In between the third line’s scoring spree, Carl Grundström continued his hot streak, and Konecny scored his 12th of the season.

Grundström made it 2-1 Flyers early in the second period. Sanheim moved the puck up to Nikita Grebenkin, who couldn’t control it inside the Canucks’ blue line but was able to push it down the right boards. Grundström skated down, corralled the puck, and scored into the top left corner from the bottom of the right circle. The Swede now has seven goals in 12 games with Philly and extended his goal-scoring streak to four games.

Konecny made it 3-1 in the second with a nifty move atop the crease. Jamie Drysdale, who was flying all night, sent a shot-pass down to a wide-open Konecny in front. He tried to score on the backhand, flicking it on Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko, but was stopped.

But there’s no quit in Konecny, and after turning to face the net, he realized not only did he have the puck, but he was still alone. While falling, he flicked it past Demko on the forehand to give him his 34th point in 38 games; he later added an assist on Christian Dvorak’s empty-netter to extend the Flyers’ lead to 6-3.

Breakaways

O’Connor scored for Vancouver in the third period to make it 3-2, and Tom Willander scored with under two minutes in regulation to make it 5-3. … Owen Tippett notched a short-handed empty-net goal to make it 5-2. It was his 12th goal of the season and third in the past five games. … Defenseman Noah Juulsen was a healthy scratch in his return to Vancouver. … Dan Vladař was stellar once again in net, stopping 32 shots, including Marco Rossi from right in front in the middle frame and Evander Kane on a breakaway in the third. … Nick Seeler dropped the gloves with Kane early in the first period after the Canucks forward hit him high along the end boards. They had to be separated again in the third period during a TV timeout. … Sean Couturier won 13 of the 17 face-offs he took, tying his season high winning percentage of 76.5, set Dec. 18 against the Buffalo Sabres.

Up next

The Flyers get right back to it with a New Year’s Eve matchup in the Canadian Rockies against the Flames (9:30 p.m., NBCSP)

VANCOUVER, British Columbia ― Rome wasn’t built in a day, and after years of ineptitude, neither was the Flyers’ power play.

But like a phoenix, it is rising slowly from the ashes. Entering Tuesday’s matchup against Rick Tocchet’s former team, the Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m., NBCSP), the Flyers’ power play is ranked 25th in the NHL (16.3%).

Hey, it’s not last.

“It’s been OK,” Tocchet said. “I mean, there’s been good movement. I just think there’s reads there. We have to understand, when the team’s topping down on you [when the F1 is attacking and leaving space], when you’re turning a diamond into a box, what are the plays in it?

“Think we’re missing a couple. I think [if] we just read them a little bit quicker, I think we’re going to get better chances. But I do think the movement has been better, and that’s a positive.”

On Sunday night in Seattle, the power play — especially the unit that is spearheaded by Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale, and Travis Konecny — moved the puck well. That unit had several good looks, with Zegras setting up Drysdale at the point more than once for one-timers and almost connecting with Konecny backdoor.

Tocchet likes the pairing of the former Anaheim Ducks teammates, with Zegras on the right flank and Drysdale at the point — specifically for that big shot.

“I just think with Trevor, he has the puck a lot, [and] you want a righty for the one timer. I think that’s big,” Tocchet said, speaking of the lefty Zegras and the righty Drysdale.

“The one-timer on the top is a really big play, especially against a diamond format. So it’s really hard for the lefty to get that shot through. That doesn’t mean you can’t do it, it’s just we’re trying to develop Jamie into that guy as a right-lefty look.”

But after going 0-for-3 in that 4-1 loss to the Kraken — which had the worst penalty kill in the NHL at the time — there have been a few tweaks.

The newest iterations have Cam York, Matvei Michkov, Owen Tippett, Noah Cates, and either Bobby Brink or Travis Sanheim on one unit and Zegras, Drysdale, Konecny, Denver Barkey, and, now, Christian Dvorak on the other.

Dvorak has one job now — attack the net.

“I’m not going to lie. I think we’re one of the worst teams with net-front and screens and stuff,” Tocchet said. “We need some people to start going to the net, and I know Dvo will go to the net. So, it’s a shot in the right direction.

“It’s not even power play, it’s five-on-five. We’ve got to start getting more interior play. In saying that, I do like the puck movement. I love our D, the way they move on the blue line, things like that are good. It’s just we’ve got to start getting people in front.”

It’s interesting that entering the holiday break, the Flyers scored eight goals across the last two games, with one on the power play. According to Natural Stat Trick, six of those tallies came right around the net, including the power-play goal by Cates, who is the net-front presence on his unit, against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Dvorak also scored one of those goals — his was against the Canucks — and guess where it came from. Yep, it came from right in front after he drove to the net.

“You see a lot of goals in the league, especially on the power play, whether tips, rebounds, backdoor plays, things like that. So, it’s kind of important in all areas, whether it’s five-on-five or power play,” Dvorak said.

“We looked at some numbers today that we need to be in front of the net, get some more screened shots, and rebound opportunities at five-on-five and, sure, power play, too. That’s where, you know, a lot of goals are scored in this league. So I like being there, yeah.”

Natural Stat Trick has Dvorak tied for eighth in the NHL with 48 high-danger chances at five-on-five, and when he is on the ice, the Flyers have 17 high-danger goals. NHL Edge says 44 of his 65 shots at all strengths have come from around the blue paint, with three of the four locations in the 81st-99th percentile.

Aside from Barkey, who will skate in just his fifth NHL game on Tuesday, Dvorak has the fewest power-play minutes among those on the man advantage (14 minutes, 19 seconds this season).

But it’s pretty obvious he likes to be around the net and has been successful there, and the Flyers need that on the power play.

“I think the main thing we talked about is just attacking, attacking when there’s an opportunity, when you got them tired, and just making sure we have guys at the net,” Dvorak said.

“If I’m out there, that’s kind of the thing I’ll try to do there, is be in front and whether it’s rebounds, tips, or just screening on the goalie, just to do whatever the job is.”

Breakaways

Goalie Dan Vladař (13-6-3, .909 save percentage) will get the start against the Canucks, a team he stopped 23 of 25 shots against in a 5-2 win on Dec. 22. … The game in Vancouver is not just a return for Tocchet but for Noah Juulsen. The defenseman, who grew up in nearby Abbotsford and suited up for Everett of the Western Hockey League, played 109 games for the Canucks across four seasons. He will be a healthy scratch. Juulsen played 27 games for the Flyers this season, registering a goal and four assists, before Rasmus Ristolainen returned from injury. … Forwards Garnet Hathaway and Nic Deslauriers are also expected to be healthy scratches.