The Philadelphia Flyers‘ loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins was the most devastating they could have all season long, and it’s not just because of the result. For starters, they lost a huge divisional matchup to fall to 30-22-7 but still have a five-point lead for third place in the Metropolitan Division. The real issue comes with them losing an important young player, and it could be for a while. What were some takeaways?
All Eyes on Drysdale
In the second period of this game, 21-year-old defender Jamie Drysdale took a big hit and immediately rushed to the locker room holding his shoulder. Considering his previous history with a long-term injury to his shoulder when he was still with the Anaheim Ducks, it’s not looking good. In fact, it could be his undoing. Yes, it could be that serious.
Related: Anaheim Ducks: Drysdale’s Impact in Eventual Return From Injury
If Drysdale’s injury is only for a little while, it won’t be that bad. Even if it’s for the rest of the season, it won’t be that bad. But if it goes into the offseason? That’s where trouble could start to brew. He is a raw defender with great talent but has not figured out how to play in the Flyers’ system since they acquired him. Losing more time on top of what he already has could be a setback that he might not come back from. He needs time to learn — if he loses this offseason, he might not improve in 2024-25.
Unfortunately, the Flyers’ rebuild will depend on how severe his injury is. He’s a big piece for them. He lost most of his 2022-23 season, so losing a pivotal offseason where he could learn Philadelphia’s system better, bulk up, and make any other necessary changes to his game would be crushing. Injuries can ruin a defenseman’s career in a flash, as seen by the Flyers firsthand with Sam Morin not too long ago. It’s not an overreaction to worry about this one. Considering his history, all the Flyers can do is hope he’s okay.
Foerster Was Sensational
Tyson Foerster actually had to head to the locker room with an issue of his own, and it came after an injury on Feb. 10 that he just returned from on Feb. 24. Occurring in the third period, he easily could have been done for the rest of the game and perhaps for a while, but he came back and continued to be great. Overall, he had two goals and an assist on just three shots on goal.
In his last game, he had a goal as well. He’s slowly starting to heat up and that is great news for the Flyers. The Flyers have depended on him heavily, so if he can stay in the lineup they will have a chance to win any game they play. With forward Travis Konecny being out in each of the matches he was in for since his return, he’s made up for that loss pretty well.
Laughton Is Finally Back
In some other good news, Scott Laughton has been heating up for the Flyers. He was on a six-game point streak entering this one, but he had his best game in a while here. He had two goals, an assist, a plus-4 rating, and three blocks on four shots on goal. He was easily the Flyers’ best player in this game but was unfortunately not rewarded for it. After being poor to start this season, he is finally back.
Laughton could be dealt away at the trade deadline, and this will only help his value. Of course, a streak of excellence won’t change much, but it’s been a complete switch for him. He was not good to start the season but is very good now. It could be argued that he’s been the Flyers’ best player in February as a whole.
Flyers Need to Find a Balance in Goal
Now, it’s time to address the biggest elephant in the room. On just 3.29 expected goals against, backup Cal Petersen allowed seven to get past him. It was a rough game, obviously. And no stat can back that up. He didn’t singlehandedly cost the Flyers this game, but he was not good.
Really, he was set up to fail. It’s easy to forget how poor starter Sam Ersson looked when he started out with the Flyers. He was the backup and never got playing time. When he did, he gave up 12 goals in his first two games. Not only did he not look like the starter he currently is, he didn’t even look like an NHL player. When he got the chance, he was excellent.
Whether or not it’s Petersen as the backup from now on, the player who is has to be given starts. They cannot sit for many games at a time, otherwise this will be the result. The Flyers have seen it enough to know their fate. Some losses might come from that, but it’s better than overworking Ersson and not having a reliable backup.
After this colossal game, the Flyers will take on the Tampa Bay Lightning at Wells Fargo Center to close out the month of February. Now on a two-game losing streak, it will be one they’ll want to win. If the losses keep piling up, it might be a long March and April for the Orange and Black. Their playoff hopes are on the line.
