Flyers Facing Uphill Battle in Schedule Gauntlet
The final 15 games on the Flyers schedule this season have a chance to potentially deliver a dose of truth serum to the franchise. It’s been an amazing and yet rumbly 2023-24 season. They have clearly exceeded all expectations. They’re sitting on the presipice of an unlikely playoff berth, but it’s far from secure.
Much like the Eagles last season, the Flyers have started a seven-game gauntlet that could tell us all we need to know about their playoff viability.
The Bad News
The disappointing 6-2 defeat at the hands of the Toronto Maple Leafs was the first of the seven-game gauntlet. The Flyers have lost two games of their last three games by a combined score of 13-2.
Their next six contests are against teams ahead of them in the standings. Toronto returns again next week. They’ll play a home-and-home against the Boston Bruins. The Florida Panthers will seek revenge in a trip to Philadelphia, and road games against the Carolina Hurricanes and the New York Rangers await. If the Flyers wants to create belief they could find a way to a playoff series upset, this would be a great stretch of the schedule to start building hope.
The Good News
The nine games that finish out the 2023-24 campaign should give them the chance to regroup. They could accumulate points to grab that trip to the tournament. Only one game versus the Rangers is against a team that is ahead of them in the standings. If the Islanders, Capitals, or Devils close the gap, their only remaining matchups will all be in Philadelphia.
Will health and other factors cooperate?
The Flyers have dealt with injuries, and it’s not clear whether they’re depleted defensive corps will recover in time to save their playoff hopes. They’ve asked goalie Sam Ersson to carry a huge load after the unexpected exit of Carter Hart. Felix Sandstrom doesn’t look ready for prime time at the moment. There are many obstacles that could make late April hockey an impossibility.
Does it matter?
I’m excited with what I have seen in the first 65 games, and I’ve certainly changed my tune as to whether a playoff berth is worth chasing. A collapse down the stretch could damage the psyche of young players who helped them into playoff position for a long portion of the season. The swagger earned and lessons learned could be valuable in future years.
Conclusion
I expect the Flyers to secure a playoff berth, but I believe it’s going to be a struggle bus to the finish line.
“We’ve done it all year… This time of the year, whether you lose 7-0 or 2-1, it’s a loss. We’ve got to move on.”
— Colin Newby (@ToNewbyginnings) March 15, 2024
-Sean Couturier
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