James: Things Are Finally Going Right for the Flyers

EDMONTON, AB - OCTOBER 15: Philadelphia Flyers Center Jett Luchanko (17) attacks the offensive zone on a power play the first period of the Edmonton Oilers game versus the Philadelphia Flyers on October 15, 2024 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, AB. (Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire)

The Philadelphia Flyers have been stuck in a cycle of sub-mediocrity for the last four-plus seasons. That sub-medocrity has been masked by terms like “rebuild” or worse, “retool”.

It had seemed to be a series of unfortunate events for the Flyers. No matter what they had done to improve the team and change the direction, they always wound up being unable to get over the hump.

Some of it was top prospects not panning out the way they hoped. German Rubstov played a total of four games for the Flyers. Nolan Patrick couldn’t stay healthy, Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee got traded, and, heck, Jay O’Brien never even signed.

It took until 2019 and 2020 for the Flyers’ first-round picks to start showing flashes with Cam York and Tyson Foerster.

Bad contracts have been in the way of the Flyers’ success. They still owe Ryan Ellis, who hasn’t played since 2021, $6.25 million for the next two seasons. Sean Couturier is getting paid $7.75 million a year for the next five seasons. He is playing much more like his old self, but injuries derailed his dominant career, and he’s making a fortune. Rasmus Ristolainen falls under that category. He makes $5.1 million a year and cannot stay healthy.

Contract buyouts and retained salary still loom over the organization. Kevin Hayes‘ ~$3.75 million still stings.

At a point, nothing could go right for the Flyers, but that changes now.

Things Finally Seem to be Heading in the Right Direction for the Flyers

For the first time in a while, things are looking like they are heading in the right direction for the Flyers.

Let’s go back to the trade deadline–that’s when the signs began to show. That previously mentioned cycle of sub-mediocracy was partially due to the Flyers still being in “realistic” reach of the postseason at the deadline, so they got too conservative.

This year, Flyers GM Daniel Briere did what nobody could do before him, including himself, and finally made trades that a seller would make. They were true sellers at the NHL trade deadline.

Frost and Farabee, two underachieving first-round picks, were traded. Scott Laughton, a player who consistently generated trade buzz and significant interest, but was never traded because he was a glue guy, gets traded. Briere flipped Andrei Kuzmenko.

The Flyers were able to clear cap space all while recouping draft picks and loading up for a pivotal offseason.

Cap space opens up for the Flyers in 2025. If they choose to, the Flyers can afford to chase higher-end free agents this offseason to help turn things around.

Briere is done with the rebuild; it’s time to start winning.

Critical Change Necessary

Roster moves were not the only things that have gone right for the Flyers.

The Flyers have moved on from four members of the coaching staff since the deadline. Head coach John Tortorella was dismissed in late March, a move necessary to take a step forward.

Tortorella was a good coach for the Flyers. He taught the organization’s youth a lot of valuable lessons and aspects of the game. He got the best out of a lackluster team and almost had them in the playoffs last season.

It’s hard to judge his tenure with the Flyers purely based on the cards he was dealt, but the team seemed to hit a wall and wouldn’t improve under Tortorella. So, what did Briere do? Well, he made the call to move on from the coach. Surely, there were other factors in his dismissal, none more notable than his feud with Cam York. Nonetheless, the move has been made, and it was the first big change that will benefit the Flyers down the line.

No other changes were made during the season, but once the offseason hit, the Flyers fired three more coaches: Rocky Thompson, Angelo Ricci, and Darryl Williams.

Of the three, Thompson was the most significant fire, which, above all else, needed to happen this offseason. Thompson was the team’s power play coach, which was nothing short of abysmal under his control. The power play ranked at the very bottom of the league in his first two seasons with the Flyers, then 30th this past season. Firing Thompson had to happen to turn things around.

Now, the Flyers will have at least four coaching positions to fill, now that they know what the team needs to improve on to compete next season.

Draft Picks Galore

The Flyers will have the ammo needed to make some significant personnel changes this offseason. Seven picks inside the top-50 in the 2025 NHL Draft is absurd. There is no way they pick all seven.

The Flyers will have the power to trade some of their surplus for a higher draft pick, or even use those picks as assets to acquire NHL talent right now. They have the picks to make things happen this offseason.

However, that may not be exactly “what went right” for the Flyers. What went right is that they ended the season with the fourth-best odds at winning the NHL draft lottery. Finishing the season with the fourth-worst record in the league is not a highlight, but the 9.5% chance at the No. 1 or No. 2 overall pick in the lottery is. They cannot pick worse than No. 6 overall, which guarantees them one of Michael Misa, James Hagens, Anton Frondell, Caleb Desnoyers, or Jake O’Brien. While one of the first three is ideal, they are all high-end center prospects in the draft class.

Barring a shocking move, the Flyers will bolster their room of center prospects, a position of great need.

Again, it’s not expected that the Flyers use all seven draft picks on prospects in the top 50, but they can give their prospect pool a significant boost this offseason.

Speaking of Flyers Prospects…
While on the topic of prospects, for the first time in a while, the Flyers have an exciting group of prospects that are all showing potential.

Denver Barkey, who has torn the OHL up, is set to turn pro after the London Knights’ season. Oliver Bonk, another fellow Knight, looks like he has the potential to be the physical two-way defenseman the Flyers need. Like Barkey, he’ll turn pro after the Knights’ season is over,

Carson Bjaranson, one of the Flyers’ promising young goaltending prospects, has already turned pro and joined the Phantoms. Jett Luchanko had a stellar year in juniors and may be playing a bit tired right now, but he is still showing off his incredible playmaking ability.

The Flyers acquired Nikita Grebenkin in the Scott Laughton trade, and he looks like he has untapped offensive potential. Last but not least, Alex Bump has been nothing but a great surprise. The organization loves him, and it is easy to see why. Since making the jump from the NCAA to the AHL, Bump looks just as good, if not better.

The Flyers now have cap space, draft picks, prospects, and have now moved on from coaches who needed to go. After years of things going wrong, things look like they are finally starting to head in the right direction.