The Philadelphia Flyers were officially eliminated from playoff contention over the weekend.
Philadelphia currently sits at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, and this marks the fifth straight season in which they’ve failed to reach the postseason. The team did sell off key pieces over the last few years but has reached the point where they’re looking to come out of their rebuild.
However, they haven’t been able to make meaningful progress towards getting back to being more competitive. The Flyers currently hold just a 31-37-9 record with a .461 points percentage. The team also recently fired head coach John Tortorella, naming Brad Shaw as interim coach.
Based on their position, the team could look to make some upgrades this summer. While building around young talent should still be the priority, aiming for offseason additions as well could help to speed along the process.
Below are three predictions for the Philadelphia Flyers’ 2025 offseason.
Flyers address their goaltending issues
Perhaps the biggest issue for the Flyers this season was their goaltending. To this point, the Flyers’ .879 team save percentage ranks as the worst in the NHL.
Samuel Ersson was coming off a surprising 2023-24 season, where he received Calder Trophy votes. Then once again this year, he ended up taking on the biggest workload of any goalie on the team. But across 45 games this season, Ersson has posted just an .881 save percentage. His minus-21.7 goals saved above expected also ranks as the third worst of any goalie in the league.
Meanwhile, Ivan Fedotov hasn’t been any better. Fedotov arrived in Philadelphia with some hype after a strong KHL career. However, he’s also posted just an .881 save percentage this season.
Then in limited action, Aleksei Kolosov also struggled. The 23-year-old netminder managed just an .870 save percentage across 15 games.
As a result, we can expect the Flyers to do something to improve in between the pipes. All three of Ersson, Fedotov and Kolosov are signed through next season, but based on how this year went, it’s unlikely they’d run back the same trio.
Looking at trade options, one of the better goalies available could be John Gibson. The netminder has been at the center of trade rumblings for several years and is in the midst of a bounce-back season. Gibson has posted a .912 save percentage across 29 games and has two years remaining on his contract.
If the Flyers search via free agency instead, Frederik Andersen would likely be the best option. Andersen has struggled to stay healthy, but could still be a short-term upgrade to stabilize the crease.
Whether via trade or free agency though, we can expect Philadelphia to make some sort of a move in goal.
Restricted free agents receive extensions
While the Flyers don’t have any major UFAs, the are some restricted free agents in need of extensions.
The biggest of the group would be Cam York. Originally selected 14th overall in 2019, York has become a key part of the team’s defense group. This season, the defender posted 16 points in 61 games, and his 20:50 per game ranks second on the team. York took a bridge-deal last time around, but the Flyers will now have a bigger decision. He’s getting closer to unrestricted free agency, so the team will have to examine extending him long-term.
Noah Cates is also due for an extension. The forward is coming off a two-year contract which carries a $2.6 million cap hit. Cates has posted 15 goals and 32 points and could become an unrestricted free agent in 2026.
Meanwhile, Tyson Foerster’s entry-level contract is set to expire. The 2020 first-round pick has managed 19 goals and 36 points this year, which represent very similar stats to his rookie season.
Lastly, there’s Jakob Pelletier, who was acquired as part of the Joel Farabee trade with the Calgary Flames. It hasn’t been a noteworthy start for Pelletier in Philadelphia, managing only six points in 20 games since joining the team. However, he’s still just 24 years old and an extension wouldn’t be expensive.
As a result, we can anticipate all restricted free agents being extended.
Flyers take a swing in free agency
The Flyers are still trying to get back to being competitive, and adding in free agency may be the best way to speed up the process.
Based on their position, Philadelphia wouldn’t be wise to trade off any future assets. They’re still setting themselves up long-term, and are best to build through the draft and around young talent.
However, they’ll also have quite a bit of cap space. As a result, we could expect the Flyers to be in on some of the larger free agents to help speed up the process.
Aside from their goaltending, the Flyers could also use upgrades to the forward group. Philadelphia currently ranks 24th in the NHL in goals per game, and with their defense group possibly set for next season, adding a forward or two may be the most likely free agency play for the Flyers.
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