The 2023-24 NHL season is finally upon us and the Philadelphia Flyers are back to…. do whatever it is the Philadelphia Flyers do these days. While the overall direction of the season is a big storyline of itself, there are a few other things to keep an eye on as opening night is just a few weeks away.
Number 5: Can the Youth Repeat?
Despite a bottom ten finish, the Flyers actually had quite a few positive steps taken from some of their young roster players last season. Noah Cates, Owen Tippett and Morgan Frost were the most notable standouts and the 2023-24 campaign will prove whether or not they can replicate their outputs, or even improve upon them. If they can prove themselves as capable NHL forwards, it potentially establishes a new young core to build around moving forward. So was it all a fluke or do the Flyers have new building blocks to play with for years to come?
Number 4: Logjam at RW
This was a concern that we focused on in the 2022 state of the union, but the problem ultimately never really came to fruition due to Cam Atkinson missing the entire season with an injury and Foerster was stuck in Lehigh for a majority of the campaign. Though with a new season and everyone (theoretically) healthy, it’s a chance to wonder how exactly the ice time gets divvied up. Does Tyson Foerster, their top NHL-ready prospect make the roster despite the overcrowding? Do the veterans or the youth move to the left side? Why didn’t they trade Konecny in the offseason to alleviate some of this pressure at the position? A Lot of questions, but only time will tell how the cramped right wing slot will work itself out.
Number 3: Sean Couturier’s Return
After missing 22 months undergoing two separate back surgeries, all signs indicate that Sean Couturier will return to the Flyers’ lineup for the 2023-24 season after successfully making it through the 2023 preseason. Though the major question is what kind of player will he be when he returns? He’ll turn 31 in December and it’s practically unheard of that a player returns after missing nearly to years, let alone does it with any kind of success. Now, he wasn’t particularly fast or dynamic to begin with, so maybe there won’t be a big difference when he comes back, but if he struggles more than expected, it could be a very long seven years to wait out the remainder of his contract. He’s looked fine thus far, still in the process of shaking the rust off, but can he step up when the pressure is on and the games start to matter?
Number 2: Hart vs Ersson
The future of the Flyers in the crease was a storyline that picked up some steam during the 2022-23 season with the emergence of 23-year-old Sam Ersson, who played his first full season in North America and left everyone wanting more with his promising sample size. If Ersson snags the backup role away from Felix Sandstrom for the opening night roster and his play remains at a high level, it could provide a very compelling tandem for the season and give the front office some questions to ask as Hart enters the last year of his current deal before hitting restricted free agency next summer.
Number 1: Can the Torts Effect Work Twice?
John Tortorella’s unique coaching strategy brought the best out of the roster during the 2022-23 season, but the “82-game playoff” style can be a hard bar to maintain… especially when it doesn’t amount to making the actual playoffs. We’ve seen this team respond well to a coach during the first year, then completely give up on the second year and beyond (hello, Alain Vigneault) in recent seasons and if the hard work this team puts out there doesn’t pay off, the Tortorella effect may overstay its welcome much sooner than expected.
Honorable mention
Young vs Old
The Flyers are at a crossroads in their own developmental rebuild. The main roster is congested with older veterans, and they also have at least half a dozen rookies that are fighting for ice time and may struggle to get it. With the word “rebuild” thrown around willy nilly, it seems like the kids should take some level of priority, but with someone like Tortorella at the helm, it may not be that easy. Can the organization finally get out of their own way and rebuild properly, or have we all simply gone full circle back to the days of Jori Lehtera playing while Oskar Lindblom sits in the press box?
By: Dan Esche (@DanTheFlyeraFan)
photo credit: nhl.com
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