The Philadelphia Flyers are sitting at a 30-20-7 record and third place in the Metropolitan Division, trying to cement their spot as a playoff team in the Eastern Conference. That was aided on Feb. 22 with a regulation loss for the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders but hurt with wins for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals. Three teams below their 67-point mark are sitting at 60 points in their division, with none of them having more than two games in hand. At this point, it’s the Flyers’ spot to lose — staying at third place in the Metropolitan Division guarantees they make the postseason.
But we are at the stage where some news and rumors are starting to ramp up. With the March 8 trade deadline hastily approaching, among other things, it’s going to be a fun time to keep track of the Orange and Black. Here’s the latest scoop on the current team and some prospect news.
Michkov Has Three-Point Game
Nineteen-year-old phenom prospect Matvei Michkov is having a historically great season. Ironically, it’s been an off one for him — he battled pneumonia this season and wasn’t really at his best all the time. That might seem like a contradiction, but it speaks to how good he actually is.
He is chasing the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) record for most points by a player under the age of 20 in that league, trailing star forward Kirill Kaprizov by just one point with one game in hand. He was sitting at 38 points before his most recent game, but made up a lot of ground with a two-goal outing with one assist as well.
In the KHL this season, Michkov now has 19 goals and 22 assists for 41 points in 46 games. What he’s doing is nothing short of historic. And he’s doing it in a season in which he battled illness for long portions of it. For all we know, he might still be feeling the effects of his illness, but he’s still going strong.
Michkov continues to prove that he is arguably the best prospect in the world. Sure, he’s a great scorer, but his passing tends to get underrated, too. He is one of those complete offensive dynamos that don’t get landed with the seventh-overall pick in a draft, where the Flyers got him. He won’t be eligible to come over to North America until 2026-27 unless his KHL contract is terminated, and that might be for the best. He is doing great things in the KHL and should only get better in 2024-25.
Unfortunately, Michkov’s HC Sochi squad won’t compete in the KHL playoffs, so there’s not much hockey left for him. But healing, improving, and getting ready for next season will be his priority. He’s already ahead of the game, so even if he remained stagnant with 41 points, it would be impressive. If he were to improve? He might be getting severely underestimated.
Seeler Could Sign an Extension
With the trade deadline looming, the Flyers are talking to their unrestricted free agents. One of those is 30-year-old left-defenseman Nick Seeler, who has been a huge part of the Flyers’ success. With Sean Walker and Rasmus Ristolainen both in trade talks, it makes sense for him to be one they’d like to keep.
As of Feb. 23, Seeler leads the NHL in blocked shots with 168. He gets good defensive results and has played very well this season. That sort of game might not age well in the long term, but if no team at the deadline makes it worth the Flyers’ time, then it makes sense to keep him for a little bit, especially if other defenders are being shopped. With 21-year-old Jamie Drysdale still needing to learn the ropes, Seeler is someone who can be a mentor.
Lycksell Down, Foerster Could Be Returning
On Feb. 23, the Flyers sent forward Olle Lycksell down to the American Hockey League (AHL) after a short stint with the Orange and Black. Considering that move, perhaps Tyson Foerster might be back from an injury he suffered on Feb. 10 against the Seattle Kraken. That’s good news.
Foerster might not be the offensive weapon the Flyers hoped he might be this season, but he has been tremendous defensively. That’ll be a big player to add back to the team, as the 22-year-old has been getting excellent results. Sure, it would be nice if he was a more explosive offensive player, but he fits right in with the team and their defensive nature. He was sorely missed in his absence.
All Kinds of Scares in Practice
Finally, there were a few scares that happened in practice on Feb. 23, but some of them appeared to be false alarms. First, defenseman Cam York participated in a non-contact jersey. It’s unknown whether or not he’ll be available for the Flyers’ clash with the New York Rangers on Feb. 24.
In addition, both Travis Konecny and Jamie Drysdale were in a bit of trouble. The former left practice early, while the latter didn’t participate at all. With how important both are for their offensive instincts, it was an unfortunate sight.
However, it seems as though Drysdale will be ready to play the Rangers, as he just had a maintenance day. Konecny might just be precautionary, and nothing suggests he’ll be out for any time, but head coach John Tortorella didn’t comment on the matter. If he’s out, that’ll be a huge loss.
Related: Flyers’ Travis Konecny Named 2024 NHL All-Star
Over the next couple of weeks, more news should be flying in. This trade deadline and playoff push could help define general manager (GM) Daniel Briere’s time with the Flyers — this season could set up his future. Making the postseason and perhaps making some noise in the playoffs could help him stay around for a while, especially if he is responsible at the deadline.