The 2023-24 season has officially come to an end for the Philadelphia Flyers. They stayed in the playoff mix through 81 games and for most of their 82nd before they were officially eliminated. They did a great job for a team that was projected by most to land in the basement.
By no means was it a boring season. The drama never really stopped for the Orange and Black. Here are some of the best and worst moments from their 2023-24 campaign.
Best: A Near Historic Comeback in Hockeytown
On Dec. 22, the Flyers had their worst start to a game of the season. Their nine-game point streak ended the night before, so following that up by falling into a 5-1 deficit in the first period against the Detroit Red Wings was concerning. Even during that point streak, their play had started to slip, but they still got the job done.
This season, the Flyers ranked 27th in the league in goals scored. Yet, their response to that 5-1 deficit was to casually score five straight goals and take a 6-5 lead with 5:07 remaining in the third period. A team that had struggled to score suddenly turned into an offensive juggernaut when they needed it.
The Flyers’ lead didn’t stick for very long, though. The Red Wings scored from an impossible angle just over 30 seconds later to tie the game, and Philadelphia lost in the shootout to cement a 7-6 final.
Worst: Late-Game Collapse vs. the Golden Knights
For every late-game comeback, there is a late-game collapse. On Oct. 24, the Flyers put together a phenomenal road effort against the then-undefeated Vegas Golden Knights. They led 2-1 entering the third period in one of the toughest atmospheres in the NHL, but their lead vanished with just over eight minutes to go in regulation.
Paul Cotter caused a complete breakdown of Philadelphia’s defense with a gorgeous move, setting up an easy goal for him to knot up the game at two. After that, the Flyers went into survival mode, attempting to salvage a point and force overtime.
Of course, Vegas smelled blood. With less than a minute to go in the third, the Golden Knights sustained pressure in the Flyers’ zone. Desperately trying to clear the puck, the Flyers grew tired. Inevitably, Vegas’ Shea Theodore fired a long-range shot from the point through traffic that found the back of the net with just 31.5 seconds left in regulation.
Despite a terrific effort in a game that wasn’t supposed to be close, Philadelphia came away with nothing. Looking back, the one or potentially two points they lost could have come in handy during the final stretch of the regular season.
Best: 9-Game Point Streak
The Flyers enjoyed a nine-game point streak right around the Holiday season. From Nov. 30 through Dec. 19, the Orange and Black had a 7-0-2 record, transforming a mediocre 11-10-1 record into a very solid 18-10-3. The Flyers had played well before this stretch, but the wins weren’t coming consistently. If anything, they played a bit worse during this time, but they still found a way to close out games.
One of the most memorable moments during that stretch was beating the Pittsburgh Penguins twice in a home-and-home showdown, one in a shootout and the other in overtime. Sean Couturier scored both game-winning goals two months before he was named captain.
The most impressive win for the Flyers was a 5-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on the road, perhaps their best win of the season. The Avalanche finished the campaign with the league’s best home record, so winning in that environment was a highlight.
Worst: 8-Game Losing Streak
At the worst possible time, the Flyers went on an eight-game losing streak from March 24 through April 9, spanning from their 72nd contest through their 79th. They hadn’t been out of a playoff spot since before their nine-game point streak, but because of this skid, they fell out of a spot and were eliminated for good on April 16.
Related: 3 Reasons for the Flyers’ End-Of-Season Collapse in 2023-24
The Flyers had losing streaks in 2023-24, but none were quite like this late-season collapse. They couldn’t rely on any of their goaltenders to make routine saves, the goals didn’t come, and the defense seemed more prone to mistakes.
While the Flyers pulled themselves together and even held a playoff spot for a few moments after their 81st game, their losing streak was their demise. Regression like that happens, but the late timing made it so Philadelphia had no chance to rebound.
Best: Flyers’ Young Players Excel
The Flyers were an interesting team to watch this season as a rebuilder that looked like a sure-thing playoff team until the end of March. They weren’t the youngest team but did have a few young players on the roster, and a lot of them performed well.
Bobby Brink had 11 goals and 12 assists in 57 contests during his rookie campaign despite averaging 13:48 of ice time. From the middle of the season onward, he didn’t get many consistent looks, which derailed his impressive showing. Nonetheless, the 22-year-old was a positive.
Speaking of 22-year-old rookies, Tyson Foerster had 20 goals and 13 assists in 77 contests. His focus was more on defense, and he didn’t unleash his deadly shot until the third-quarter mark. He might not be a finalist for the Calder Trophy, but his all-around game was up there with some of the best rookies in the class.
The most impressive was 23-year-old Cam York who took another step in the right direction. From games 61 through 82, he had a team-leading ice time average of over 25 minutes. Playing high-end first-pairing minutes, he handled the situation well. He finished the season with 30 points in 82 games.
Worst: Gauthier Shenanigans
Early in January, after being named the best forward of the 2024 World Junior Championship, forward Cutter Gauthier was traded to the Anaheim Ducks for defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round draft pick. A rebuilding team rarely trades one of their best prospects who’s at their absolute peak, so that came as a shock.
As it turned out, Gauthier refused to play for the Orange and Black, forcing general manager (GM) Daniel Briere’s hand. While Drysdale was a huge addition to the Philadelphia defense, losing Gauthier in the way that it happened caused unnecessary drama.
We might never know why Gauthier refused to join the organization, but it might have put the Flyers in a favorable spot. Before, it seemed that they had to draft a defenseman at the 2024 NHL Draft. Now, maybe they can draft the best player available.
Best: The Penalty Kill
One of the biggest surprises of the season was that the Flyers’ penalty kill was one of the best in the NHL. Their 83.4 percent success rate ranked 4th, and scored a league-high 16 shorthanded goals. Travis Konecny scored six of them — 10 teams had less than that number.
At its best, the Flyers’ penalty kill kept them in games. Against the Dallas Stars on Oct. 21, the Orange and Black scored three shorthanded goals, including two on the same penalty kill. Down 4-2 at the time, the back-to-back shorthanded tallies helped Philadelphia force overtime.
At times, it was almost fun to see the Flyers take a penalty. It served as an energy shifter at times.
Worst: The Power Play
Unfortunately, the Flyers set an NHL record by having the worst power play for a third consecutive season. Manned by coach Rocky Thompson, the team scored on 12.2 percent of their man advantages, the lowest mark of any team since 2020-21. The Flyers’ power play truly hit rock bottom and is one of the main reasons they missed the playoffs.
While the Flyers didn’t have elite talent, their talent isn’t the worst the NHL has seen in the last three seasons, as their power play percentage suggests. At least there’s nowhere to go but up for that unit in 2024-25.
Missing the playoffs was an unfortunate outcome for the Flyers, but the memories from this season will remain. The future seems bright in Philadelphia, and their offseason will determine if it can get brighter.