The Philadelphia Flyers started their 2023-24 preseason on Sept. 25 against the New Jersey Devils. Losing by a score of 6-0, there were few positives as a collective but there were still some good things that the Flyers did individually. What were some of the storylines from this game for Philadelphia?
Flyers Succumbed to Offensive Pressure
The Flyers improved as the game went on, but their effort early in the first period skewed that. They had some nice pressure in the first minute, but one goal quickly led to four within the first half of the first period. What did them in was some poor defensive positioning on rushes and an inability to gain control of the puck.
In the second period, the team had a delay of game penalty that led to a power play goal for the Devils. In the third, the Flyers took a penalty after a couple dozen seconds in their own end. While sustaining pressure is a big strength of the Devils, even if their lineup was lesser than it would be in a regular season game, it would have been nice to see the Flyers have a bit more push-back. This is something they will have to work on in the future.
Flyers Weak Against Devils’ Rush
Another key reason why the Flyers struggled so badly was because of the strong rush of the Devils. On multiple occasions, their forwards would get past the Flyers’ defense and generate prime scoring opportunities. This was even an issue when Philadelphia was on the power play, as they were forced into taking a penalty after a Devil had a point-blank chance.
The Flyers did not have many odd-man rush chances of their own. When they finally did, the Devils countered with one of their own and nearly scored. On the Flyers’ only breakaway of the game, they were unable to score. When the Devils had one, they scored rather easily. In essentially every facet of the game, New Jersey was better than Philadelphia.
Couturier Looks Ready
On a positive note, center Sean Couturier was one of the Flyers’ better players in a disappointing effort against the Devils. It might not have been the player we’re completely used to, but he was good in the defensive end and was competently creating scoring chances. For his first official game in nearly two years, he was solid.
Couturier might have been a tad bit rusty with a couple turnovers, but he was still an impactful piece. That’s all you can really hope for, and he should improve the more he plays. It’s looking like he is the clear-cut first-line center of the team as of now, which is something the team really hasn’t had since he left. For any chance of the team being competitive, he will have to be on his game.
Emil Andrae Has High Offensive Upside
Emil Andrae has been consistently solid for the Flyers. He didn’t start out terrific, but he was one of the Flyers’ better offensive play drivers on the back end. As a 21-year-old, he has the skills to make the Flyers’ roster on opening day.
Andrae was strong when he had the puck. He was making great outlet passes to his forwards, showcased his powerful shot, and had good puck control. All of these factors make a good NHL defenseman in the current age of the game. He could still improve his all-around game, but his youth inspires that he can. If free agent addition Marc Staal is subbed out of the lineup here and there, a second-pairing position could be available for him to grab.
Matt Brown Was Productive
Offensively, Matt Brown was generating more chances than anyone else on the Flyers. Starting out as a camp invite, he has continued to impress the team when he has played. This type of play could earn him a role in the American Hockey League (AHL) or the ECHL for the Flyers’ affiliates.
In the game, Brown was shooting well and even drew a penalty. He had a breakaway chance but shot it off the post in the third period. In a game that saw no goals for Philadelphia, he came awfully close to scoring.
Cal Petersen Just Needs Time
Some poor defense in front of him did not aid his cause, but Cal Petersen had a rough start for the Flyers. Early in the first period, his positioning as a whole was off and he had some bad rebound control. If he wins the backup role for Philadelphia, it might take some time for that to happen.
A single-game sample size might not be enough to judge a player, but Petersen is coming off of a .868 save percentage (SV%), and a 3.75 goals-against average (GAA) season with the Los Angeles Kings in 2022-23. Traded to Philadelphia for his former club to make cap room, he will have to work hard to earn the trust of head coach John Tortorella. With a competitive backup room that has both Sam Ersson and Felix Sandstrom as candidates, he could be on the outside looking in by the start of the season.
Related: Flyers’ Cal Petersen Needs to Be Given an Opportunity
To his credit, Petersen heated up as the game moved on. As a whole, the Flyers’ defense was abysmal in front of him throughout the game, and not just early on. An opportunity to rebound from a disappointing start allowed him to make several challenging saves including multiple odd-man rushes in the latter half of the first period and during the second period. He improved from his early issues, while the defense did not. Five goals against doesn’t look too good on him, but allowing just one on his next 11 shots in the second period is a positive takeaway from an otherwise underwhelming game.
The Flyers will play their next preseason game on Sept. 27 against the New York Islanders. Hopefully, they show a better 60-minute effort in that contest, and the team performs better as a whole.