The Philadelphia Flyers have had a rough start to the 2024-25 season, going 3-6-1 with some atrocious goaltending and lackluster 5-on-5 play to thank for the struggles. But it’s not all bad, there have been some positives to emerge from the early days of the season as well. So let’s review the biggest storylines for the Flyers through the first 10 games of the season.
Number 5: John Tortorella’s Job Security
A 3-6-1 start certainly isn’t what most expected from the Flyers to start the season, but it has led to some whispers from the fanbase about Tortorella’s ability to lead the team. Now, they have won two of their last three games, so the pressure gauge has basically gone back down to zero, but it could be a fascinating development to keep an eye on if the turnaround is only temporary. Would the Flyers actually part ways with their coach if the rough seas persist?
Number 4: Cam York’s Injury
York is slated to miss a few weeks with an upper body injury. Because of the vagueness it’s unknown wether it is a neck/shoulder problem or a concussion. There have already been rumors from insiders that this could be a longer term problem, and based on the last few years of injuries, two weeks may as well translate into two months. He did take the mom’s trip to Boston despite his IR status, which may be a good thing, but considering the state of the defense these days, a quick return would be a good thing.
Number 3: The Goaltending
Ersson pitched a shutout in game 10, but even going perfect on 24 shots has only lifted his save percentage to .890. His GAA of 3.00 is also the best on the team… and “best” is generous. Fedotov has been very bad and Kolosov’s first start showed promise but was statistically not very good either. We all knew going in that the goaltending was going to be the crux of the season, and so far it has been more of a hinderance than a positive.
Number 2: Matvei Michkov on Calder Watch
Michkov’s nine points in 10 games currently leads all rookies in scoring, with Logan Stankoven in Dallas also keeping pace. Historically, the Flyers have had pretty atrocious luck when it comes to the Calder Trophy, but is this the year where their curse is broken? If the Russian rookie can maintain his pace offensively throughout the whole season, it may be enough to finally bring some hardware to Philly.
Number 1: Special Teams
At the 10 game mark, the special teams has been propping up their season. The power play is currently ranked 12th with a 22.2% conversion, and the penalty kill is fifth with an 87.2% kill rate. The power play in particular is notable considering they finished dead last for the last three seasons. While both numbers may fluctuate over the coming 70 games, so far so good for the special teams, which are responsible for any minor success the Flyers have had to start the season.
By: Dan Esche (@DanTheFlyeraFan)
photo credit: Getty Images
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