The Philadelphia Flyers opened their season with a 3-2 shootout win versus the Vancouver Canucks. Tyson Foerster and Cam York notched regulation goals while Travis Konecny and Morgan Frost got on the board in the shootout, helping the Orange and Black achieve a come-from-behind victory where they never led.
Even though they didn’t do enough to warrant their own section, rookies Matvei Michkov and Jett Luchanko were more or less as good as expected in their NHL debuts. Neither got on the scoreboard, but the former created some golden opportunities while the latter stood out in a positive way (even though he had a minus-1 rating). What were some of the bigger takeaways, though?
This Was Not the Flyers’ Best Work
While the Flyers got the win, they were thoroughly outplayed at even strength during their first two periods of play. With an expected goal share of less than 30 percent and getting outscored 2-0, they were lucky to be in the game at all. Things looked promising at the very beginning of the first period, but they started to go downhill a bit when the team kept taking penalties.
Last season, the Flyers depended on their even-strength dominance to win hockey games—this was needed for many reasons. For starters, the offense failed to convert chances into goals on a frequent basis. Also, the goaltending had downswings so severe that the team had the worst cumulative save percentage (SV%) in the league. The power play was notably bad, too, but it was so poor that the unit had the worst 82-game scoring efficiency in the NHL since 2013-14. This stranglehold on even-strength action didn’t result in a playoff berth, but it did help the Orange and Black be competitive when they weren’t expected to be.
The Canucks might be a great team, but the Flyers made it their mission to outplay great teams in 2023-24. Getting two points will be difficult moving forward if the Orange and Black come out as soft as they did with regularity.
Ersson Channeled His Best Self
Goaltender Sam Ersson is a case of stats alone not being enough to tell a full story. He put up a .890 SV% last season, making him one of the worst starters in the league if you were to look at it that way. But that’s deceiving. At his peak, he was one of the best netminders in hockey (and for a pretty decent chunk of time)—his lows were just that devastating. Against the Canucks, he channeled that elite form to basically hand the Flyers two points.
Ersson saved 1.10 goals above expected, turned aside four of five shootout attempts, and put up a .923 SV% against a very strong Vancouver team. His positioning was superb and he did an excellent job of seeing the ice. Quite easily the Flyers’ most valuable player, he was awarded the first star for the contest.
There were many nights last season where Ersson gifted the Flyers a win when they didn’t really deserve it. That was vital for the team to be competitive, as they weren’t always on their best behavior. This will likely be one of those outlier performances, but it was nice to see the 24-year-old play as well as he did.
York Looking for a Big Extension
Eligible for a contract extension as we speak, York is definitely looking to prove himself in 2024-25. The 23-year-old first-pairing defender was excellent on opening night, potting a goal and showcasing sound defensive play on a night where it was a necessity. On a $1.6 million cap-hit contract, he’s working toward a massive payday.
York’s previous two seasons were inspiring for the Flyers, particularly in his own zone. He has had moments of offensive brilliance, but those occurrences were limited in his last campaign. Versus the Canucks, he looked like a true top-pairing player in his 20:48 of logged ice time. His results on the penalty kill weren’t as ideal, but he didn’t sacrifice any goals so no damage was done.
If he can consistently be one of the best and most reliable skaters on the ice, keeping York around for the long term might be a good idea. If he continues to play at a high level, don’t be surprised to see an in-season extension get done (similar to Owen Tippett in 2023-24).
Next up, the Flyers will face the Calgary Flames on the road at 10 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. However, the Oct. 12 contest will be less about the game and more of a memorial. Calgary will presumably honor long-time superstar Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew. Both tragically lost their lives during the summer, taking two lovable people away from their families, friends, and the hockey world.
Related: Remembering Johnny & Matthew Gaudreau With Their Lasting Impact
The Gaudreau family was very involved in both communities. Guy Gaudreau, the father of Johnny and Matthew, was invited to multiple Flyers practices as a warm gesture to a person who could most certainly use one. As for the game, it won’t really be about hockey. A win would be nice, but the victor will not be remembered in the long run—it might sound cliche, but that matchup will be much bigger than the sport itself.
