Before the Philadelphia Flyers took on the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the playoffs, a whole bunch of writers here at Broad Street Hockey huddled around a document and decided to jot down some thoughts and some predictions for what is going to happen.
And now, after the Flyers knocked the Penguins out of the playoffs in six games, we get to sit back and look at all of our predictions and just how right (or terribly wrong) they are.
Well, hopefully we don’t look like a bunch of idiots.
Who will be the Flyers’ MVP this series?
Thomas: Just like the entire Flyers season, it starts and ends with Dan Vladar. There might be some offensive pop coming from somewhere in the lineup, or a defenseman that holds his own against the Penguins’ star power; but it all comes down to the man in the crease and while it is maybe the most chalk answer, it feels the most likely to come true.
Jason M:The Flyers are going to need a handful of MVP-ish performances to get into round two, but if Dan Vladar isn’t the version Philadelphia had 98 per cent of the season, then it’s going to get ugly rather quickly. It’s doubtful he’ll have four consecutive shutouts against Pittsburgh, but the earlier he can get in the heads of the Pens, the better his chances are of keeping them a bit mystified.
Jake B: The rational pick for MVP would be Dan Vladar, he’s been the team’s best player this season and is probably the reason they’ve made it to this point – but I’m going to go a different route. My pick for MVP in this series is Sean Couturier. He’s one of the few Flyers players who has experienced playoff hockey on Broad Street, and his experience will come in handy. I also believe he will turn his game up another notch by throwing his weight around and being even tougher to play against than he already is.
Cole: Despite playing clearly banged up and his rough end to the season, I think that Travis Konecny is bound to have a massive impact in a series. I’m rooting for it, for a guy that’s been here through a tremendous amount of bad times and was dying to get back to the playoffs. In 22 career playoff games, Konecny only has 8 points. Now, one of those series was in his rookie year against the Penguins, and the other was that weird bubble playoffs that really doesn’t mean anything. Konecny, in a series that is bound to be tense and filled with physicality, is made for getting under an opponent’s skin. We’re about to see that on overdrive in the Battle of Pennsylvania, and I’d bet on Konecny making a massive impact on the scoresheet. He’s due.
Joe D: It’s tough to pick anyone other than Vladar, but I think Tyson Foerster’s about to put the league on notice. Three goals and four points since returning–plus the playoff clinching shootout goal–and he seems to have good chemistry with Zegras and Tippett. I don’t think that line will be matched against Crosby, as much as Tocchet can manage it, and Foerster should be able to take advantage of the rest of the Penguins’ roster.
Evan: Vladar will have to be at his best if the Flyers have a chance at an upset, but my MVP pick will be Matvei Michkov. He’s coming into the series at peak form and the most confidence we’ve seen him play with all year. He led the team in points during the stretch run and I don’t believe he’ll see much ice against Sidney Crosby’s line– though that could mean he doesn’t play as much as we want him to. He’s close to a point per game historically against Pittsburgh, and he’ll have to provide offense while his teammates are tasked with slowing down the Penguins elite scorers.
Name one Flyers player that might surprise
Thomas: Denver Barkey has to be my choice. While he has a little bit of a nagging injury, watching his playoff performances in London just makes me excited to see him on the biggest stage with the Flyers. He doesn’t have the traditional size or physicality, but he will be as annoying as anyone on the forecheck and can easily stir it up against Pittsburgh.
Jason M: Sean Couturier is not going to play a lot, but he’s perfect for this series and his role in it. The fourth-line doesn’t get a lot of ice time as a rule, yet Couturier has found a second or third life alongside Garnet Hathaway (or Denver Barkey) and Luke Glendening. Since having the discussion and role change after the Olympic break, Couturier has looked a bit more like his older version. He might not shadow Crosby around the ice like he used to, however, he should be able to make an impact through his play, positioning, faceoffs, penalty-killing, and experience.
Jake B: Tyson Foerster is the one guy who seems like he’s heating up at the right time. Riding the confidence of scoring the shootout winning goal to send the Flyers to their first postseason birth since 2020, I believe that the 24-year-old will take his game to another level when the pressures the highest and will end the series as a point-per-game player in the playoffs. His goal-scoring ability is exactly the thing the Flyers are going to need in the tighter-checking playoff style of hockey, and he will shine when the lights are brightest.
Cole: Noah Cates is going to be a factor in this series. When I look at the matchups, if the Flyers try to pin the third line to the Penguins third line (Ben Kindel), Cates and Michkov might be able to thrive. Further, Cates has been one of the Flyers’ best forwards since the Olympic Break, and could be a real mismatch along with Michkov against the Penguins’ bottom-six. Combined with Michkov playing exceedingly well down the stretch, you’d have to think Noah Cates might turn some heads in this series.
Joe D: I’ve been banging the Jamie Drysdale drum for a long time, and I’m gonna bang it again. He isn’t exactly a “playoff style” defenseman, but he’s been great down the stretch, playing over 20 minutes a night on some occasions–including 25:45 in the clincher against Carolina. I’m curious to see how Tocchet deploys York/Drysdale against the Pens, but Drysdale’s got a real opportunity to show he can handle the intensity of the playoffs.
Evan: I’m going to agree with Noah Cates here, as he’s going to be leaned on more than we might think. The analytics community is nudging a little Selke love towards our third line center, and he’s one of the leading scorers on the team over these last six weeks. A good showing against the Crosby Penguins would put him on the map, at least nationally, and he’s more than capable of providing offense with Matvei Michkov on his wing. He and Drysdale both stand to gain a lot of respect if they continue their recent play.
Who is going to win the series?
Thomas: Flyers in seven. It’s an annoying answer (because if you pick any series going to seven, you’re really saying “I don’t know”) but it feels like it’s going to happen. Just a brutal back-and-forth series with hills and valleys as we ride the rollercoaster of emotions that the pinnacle of sports is all about. And if you don’t pick the Flyers to win, you’re just being a little sour.
Jason M: As someone who comes from the same province but has no love for him, it would be incredibly sweet to see the Flyers take out the Penguins and their glorious, omnipotent captain on their home turf in game seven. However, with a pair of two-day breaks in the series, including one between games six and seven, it’s crucial the Flyers can somehow be in a position to win it all at home in the sixth game. Giving the older team as little chance to recover should be an advantage to a much younger Flyers roster. If the Flyers can hold their own after four games, they should be in good shape. Besides, the Penguins are 2-5 in their history on May 2 (which is the date for game seven), including a 4-3 overtime loss to the Flyers in 2000.
Jake B: I’m as biased as they come, so I think the Flyers can pull this one out by game five. It might be a scorching hot take, but the Flyers have been playing playoff hockey for the last month and a half, and with the added pressure of making the dance off their shoulders, I think this team will play fast and free and get under the skin of the Penguins. Guys like Martone, Michkov, and Foerster have all been playing incredible hockey, not to mention a guy like Trevor Zegras, who shines in the big moments. On top of that, the Flyers have been getting solid goaltending from team MVP Dan Vladar and backup Sam Ersson, who has turned his season around since the Olympic break. Penguins can’t even fly, so gimme Flyers in five!
Cole: A day before the series begins, I’m feeling incredibly similar to how I felt before the Phillies played the Braves in the NLDS in 2022. If they can just split Games 1 and 2 in Pittsburgh, I’d give the Flyers a really strong chance in Games 3 and 4 at the Xfinity Mobile Center. It feels like that crowd will be so amped up, and especially so if the series is 1-1 after the first two games. Not to be dramatic, but it feels like we are on the verge of a new, era-defining moment, similar to that Phillies team in 2022. Also, if the Flyers can just survive the special teams battle, Dan Vladar and stellar 5-on-5 play gives the Flyers a real good chance in this series. For these reasons, I don’t think this playoff run stops here, and I’m going to say Flyers in six.
Joe D: The gap in special teams does concern me (even if the Flyers’ fancy stats say they’re owed more on the score sheet), but I still think the Flyers can do this in six. They probably lose game one but, once they’ve worked out their nerves, I’m with Cole: they can split the road series, win twice in the Xbox, lose back in Pittsburgh, and close it up at home. Pens are favored, sure, but that’s largely based on track record–we just don’t know how any of these young Flyers players are going to elevate in the post season. They have the benefit of an unknown ceiling and are playing with house money; this is going to be a great series.
Evan: It’s so difficult to get a feel for this series– Pittsburgh has been able to coast for a while, and the Flyers might have emptied the tank to get in the door. Many of them are undoubtedly in a good deal of pain. The momentum suggests the Flyers are going to be a really difficult team to beat four out of seven times, especially with their success on the road and the lack of real expectations to weigh them down. However, I don’t think the experienced Penguins would lose a Game 7 at home. I’d also be better off using a random number generator and copying those results, but I’ll lean into the fun: Flyers in five. Get after Stuart Skinner and stay out of the penalty box.
