After an impressive week of games, the Philadelphia Flyers have a 14–7–3 record—it’s one of their best starts in recent memory. In this edition of Flyers News & Rumors, we’ll take a deeper look at said start, analyze prospect Jett Luchanko‘s trade to the Brantford Bulldogs, and dive into some individual hot streaks on the Orange and Black.
Flyers Four Points Back of Top Seed in Eastern Conference
Don’t look now, but the Flyers are in a good spot following last night’s win. With 31 points in 24 games, they rank fourth in the Eastern Conference. The top-seeded Tampa Bay Lightning, sitting at 34 points in 25 games, are within genuine striking distance (although they hold the regulation-win tiebreaker by a commanding 13–7 margin).
Now, will the Flyers’ excellence sustain itself? If you’re a believer in analytics, probably not to this extent, but the postseason at this stage is a reasonable goal. Let me explain.
At 5-on-5, the Flyers are only 22nd in expected goal share—a measure of how much you’re out-chancing the opponent. Although the team’s above-average penalty kill and respectable power play are pluses, they don’t move the needle enough to suggest the playoffs are a sure thing.
However, head coach Rick Tocchet has the Flyers playing sound hockey. Their dump-in-heavy style prevents rush chances the other way, leading to less chaotic environments for netminders Dan Vladař and Samuel Ersson. They have to remain sharp, to be clear, but goaltending is a far easier job than it was in 2024–25.
Related: How Long Can Dan Vladař Keep Carrying the Flyers?
With a responsible yet opportunistic attack, the Flyers rarely find themselves out of games. However, they don’t really pull away, either. The result is a 7–7 record in regulation-decided contests and an efficient 7–3 record in post-regulation affairs.
The shootout, if you can believe it, has been the team’s best friend. With five wins and zero losses after overtime, the Orange and Black have dominated the “skills competition.” I mean, when you have Trevor Zegras converting at a 68.0% career clip, Matvei Michkov being one of the league’s best at 41.7%, and stellar goaltending to top it off, wins are going to come naturally.
Analytics would have you believe the Flyers are a team poised to fall below the playoff line. But their post-regulation success seems sustainable enough, and given their play style, they should have a lot of tight games ahead. A postseason clinching for the first time since 2019–20 is totally on the table.
Luchanko Traded to Bulldogs; Records Two Assists in Home Debut
If you haven’t been keeping up with prospect news, the Guelph Storm announced a huge trade earlier in the week. They sent Luchanko, their co-captain, to Brantford in exchange for mostly futures.
The Bulldogs are, in essence, the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) version of the Colorado Avalanche. Both teams have just one regulation loss through 25 contests. We’re talking about more than a contender here—a Memorial Cup appearance is the expectation.
That sole regulation loss actually came in Luchanko’s debut against the Brampton Steelheads on Black Friday, courtesy of a last-minute power-play dagger. But the 19-year-old bounced back at home, recording two assists in a 4–3 victory.
Being in Brantford will be a good opportunity for Luchanko. He should go on a deep playoff run with an all-situations role, key for a young player yearning for new experiences. He’ll be set for a full-time professional spot in 2026–27, whether that be with the Flyers in the NHL or the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the American Hockey League (AHL).
Couturier, Foerster, Michkov, Tippett, & Zegras Lighting the Lamp
The Flyers are on a three-game winning streak, spanning back to a 4–2 road decision over the Florida Panthers on the eve of Thanksgiving. Five members of the Orange and Black have lit the lamp at least twice during that stretch: Sean Couturier, Tyson Foerster, Michkov, Owen Tippett, and Zegras.
Flyers with 2+ goals during 3-game win streak:
— Justin Giampietro (@justingiam) November 30, 2025
Michkov – 3 (4 points)
Tippett – 2 (4 points)
Zegras – 2 (3 points)
Couturier – 2 (2 points)
Foerster – 2 (2 points)
Michkov, in particular, has played some excellent hockey recently—a questionable late-game penalty against the New York Islanders aside. His four points in those three games are tied with Tippett for the team lead, and his 54.62% expected and 66.67% actual goal shares at 5-on-5 represent elite play-driving ability.
Better yet, even the 20-year-old Russian’s minutes are slightly up. Over the Flyers’ last two games, he ranks fifth among forwards in ice time at 5-on-5. It’s a step in the right direction for the viability of Michkov and Tocchet as a long-term duo.
The others are already trusted players in Tocchet’s system, but it’s still nice to see them make noise. Couturier’s 5-on-5 impacts are improving, Foerster is evolving into a more consistent goal-scoring threat, Tippett may be starting to heat up again, and Zegras has entered core-member status on this roster.
Next week, the Flyers have three crucial games ahead of them, all at home: vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins (12–7–5), Buffalo Sabres (10–11–4), and the rolling Avalanche (18–1–6). Two wins, evidently, would be huge.
Stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick
