A new NHL season is almost on the horizon! So before we all go back to throwing things in frustration whilst watching the Philadelphia Flyers attempt to play hockey, let’s take a look at the reasons to get excited for the 2025-26 campaign!
Number 5: The Tank?
The Flyers’ on-again, off-again rebuild has led to fans getting behind the occasional pseudo-tank… a.k.a. desperately attempting to justify the listless ship the team has become in the name of big-brain rebuilding rather than the open-faced incompetence it really is.
The roster didn’t undergo that much change during the 2025 offseason. They may end up being better without John Tortorella, but they probably won’t be making a significant leap up the standings. If there was ever a year to hope for an extra loss or two, landing Gavin McKenna, one of the most talked about prospects since Connor McDavid, at the end of the rainbow and finally seeing this rebuild pay off may be a rooting card to keep in your back pocket if the Flyers sputter out for yet another season.
Number 4: Tyson Foerster
Foerster was one of the more intriguing players to emerge after John Tororella’s dismissal. Nine of his 25 goals came in the last three weeks of the season. It seems like he dodged a serious bullet when he picked up an infection during the World Championships, that was cleaned up with an offseason surgery.
He was largely pigeonholed as a two-way defensive winger, which he did very well, but he may be one of the best pure shooters on the team right now. A little less focus on a shutdown role and a little more focus on offense and Forster may not only eclipse 30 goals, but he seems like a guy who could flirt with hitting 40 as well.
Number 3: Lehigh Valley Phantoms
In terms of sheer anticipation, the 2025-26 Lehigh Valley Phantoms is shaping up to be some must-watch TV. Some of the old guard has been chipped away and replaced with some of the organization’s top prospects. It’s the real beginning of what is hopefully the fruits of the organization’s drafting over the last few years.
Oliver Bonk, Alex Bump, Denver Barkey, Nikita Grebenkin, Carson Bjarnason, Devin Kaplan, Alexis Gendron, Karsen Dorwart, Ty Murchison among other returning faces will all more than likely suit up for the Phantoms this season. The Phantoms have made the playoffs for three consecutive years, and this influx of talent could be their best product yet.
Number 2: Trevor Zegras
Zegras was the big fish of the Flyers’ 2025 offseason, and they’re sure going to put a lot of stock in the 24-year-old entering the new season. They’re going to need him healthy, playing center and posting a near-point-per-game pace to get the most out of their current wing-heavy forward group.
He’s obviously walking into a much better team than the one he’s been stuck on in Anaheim, and given the Flyers’ lack of center depth, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be getting copious opportunities in prime positions to succeed. If Zegras finds chemistry with Matvei Michkov or Travis Konecny or Tyson Foerster, not only are they all in line for personal-best seasons, the team in general will be much better. A rising tide lifts all ships.
Number 1: Matvei Michkov
The fact that Matvei Michkov scored 26 goals and 63 points in 80 games during his rookie season whilst feuding with head coach John Tortorella doesn’t really get talked about enough. There was a stretch of the season right after Christmas where Michkov was lucky if he saw more than 10 minutes of ice time a night.
We saw the production turn up in a brief flash after Tortorella was fired with a few weeks remaining in the regular season, and if that’s any indication of what lies ahead for Michkov, expect the sophomore forward to shatter his 63-point pace from his rookie season.
Honorable mention
Porter Martone
The sixth overall pick of he 2025 draft opted to play in the NCAA for Michigan State this season. While that will keep him out of the NHL for (at least) most of the 2025-26 season, keeping an eye on how Martone adapts to the the collegiate level will be interesting in terms of getting excited about his progression to the professional level in the near future.
By: Dan Esche (@DanTheFlyeraFan)
photo credit: nhl.com
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