The Flyers opened this past week with a 5-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks in a game that had no shortage of drama. Trevor Zegras stole the spotlight in the much-anticipated matchup, scoring twice, and the Flyers would go on to pull away on the scoreboard. The win, however, came at a cost, as Bobby Brink and Jamie Drysdale were both forced out after being on the receiving end of questionable hits, putting a damper on an otherwise fun night of hockey.
Next came the Toronto Maple Leafs and Scott Laughton’s return to Philadelphia. It was a frustrating 2-1 overtime loss, after the Flyers let a late lead slip away. It looked as if the Flyers would be able to hang on for a regulation win, but Laughton found the tying goal before Easton Cowan ended it in overtime. The Flyers also lost another player to injury, with this time Travis Konecny going missing before the third period began. Finally, any momentum the Flyers had built from a 1-0-1 start to the week was quickly erased against the Tampa Bay Lightning, who handed them a lopsided 7-2 loss.
3. Garnet Hathaway
First goal of the season, involved physically, Gart Angry
It appears Garnet Hathaway has finally turned a corner. In his third year with Philadelphia, the veteran winger struggled through the first half of the season, going 36 games without a point. While offense is not his primary role, Hathaway has typically found his way into the high-teens or low-twenties in points while playing a heavy, physical style. This season, however, he was not only absent from the scoresheet, but also failed to make the usual impact without the puck that had defined his game.
That downturn led to a healthy scratch that lasted roughly two weeks before he returned to the lineup earlier this month. Since then, Hathaway has looked revitalized, throwing his weight around, pouncing on loose pucks and creating offensive chances when opportunities arise, and finally snapping the scoring drought by finding the back of the net on Saturday night.
Hath found a way. #TBLvsPHI | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/ElEI1xaIIJ
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) January 11, 2026
While the vibes may be low right now following a disaster of a game, one bright spot from Saturday night’s contest against the Leafs was Hathaway, who continued to be engaged physically and scored his first goal of the season. It’s been a concerning season to this point, but if the Flyers can keep getting the version of Hathaway that we’ve seen since his return, that would be a significant development for their forward depth.
2. Christian Dvorak
3 primary assists, 25 million reasons to stay
The newest locked-in member of the Flyers’ core had a strong week, recording an assist in all three games. Before hitting the ice, Dvorak made headlines by signing a five-year extension with Philadelphia worth an average of $5.15 million per season. While questions remain about how that contract will age, Dvorak’s impact on the team’s success this season is undeniable. He continued to deliver this week, posting a point in every contest and standing out as the only Flyer to do so.
Against Anaheim, Dvorak helped open the scoring, keeping a bouncing puck alive at the blue line before finding Zegras for a one-timer. It was another example of the chemistry that the two have built, with that likely being a big driving factor behind the Flyers’ rush to lock Dvorak into a long-term deal. He then picked up his second point of the week on the Flyers’ lone goal against Toronto, collecting a loose puck along the boards and finding Travis Konecny in the slot.
TK-ing care of business. #TORvsPHI | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/cErmJOMSjb
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) January 9, 2026
His final point of the week was the least impactful, coming in the third period of a 5-1 game when the Flyers were already well out of it. The goal itself was also a bit fluky. With the man advantage, Dvorak won a faceoff and got the puck to Owen Tippett in the high slot. The puck was rolling, leading to it being a bit of a knuckler of a shot, arcing high into the air and eventually finding its way to the net. It was a weird goal, but one that wouldn’t have happened without Dvorak’s faceoff win.
Even without scoring himself, Dvorak generated plenty of chances both as a passer and a shooter. It may be surprising, but he led the Flyers in individual expected goals and scoring chances at both five-on-five and in all situations this week by a pretty sizable margin. Against Toronto, in particular, 46 percent of the Flyers’ total expected goals came off his stick, according to Natural Stat Trick. While they certainly could’ve used an actual goal from him, it’s important that Dvorak continues to create offensive now that he’s set to be a Flyer until 2031, and this week he did just that.
1. Trevor Zegras
2 goals, won the revenge game bowl
Nothing new here — Trevor Zegras once again proved to be the Flyers’ most impactful player with the puck. In a stronger week from the team, this stat line might not be enough to take the top spot, but in the team’s lone victory, it was Zegras who was the driving force behind the win.
Tuesday night’s storyline was simple: revenge. This still-young rivalry between the Flyers and Ducks reached new heights, with Zegras becoming the new main character. After Cutter Gauthier opened the scoring, it seemed the Ducks may be on their way to the game they had envisioned back when Gauthier played his first game in Philadelphia last January. But Zegras responded with two almost identical goals to give the Flyers their first lead of the game.
THAT’S OUR GUY. #ANAvsPHI | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/j1n418uVAw
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) January 7, 2026
No take-backs.#ANAvsPHI | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/CIaZtY7A4V
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) January 7, 2026
Zegras was exceptional against his former team, and was a threat to score nearly every time he touched the ice. In his first season with Philadelphia, he is enjoying the most productive campaign of his career, and his performance against Anaheim reinforced his status as a gamebreaker. The Flyers had a concerning start, falling into early penalty trouble and giving up the first goal, but Zegras took control and shifted momentum firmly in their favor with two quick tallies.
Against Toronto and Tampa Bay, Zegras was held off the scoresheet while the team struggled to generate offense. It’s no coincidence — as Zegras goes, so do the Flyers. Outside of his game against the Ducks, Zegras has actually been in a bit of a scoring lull, going without a point in four of his last five games. That said, he hasn’t been playing poorly. Aside from a messy turnover against Tampa Bay when the game was already out of reach, Zegras has continued to make good decisions with the puck and generate chances on offense. Looking ahead, the Flyers will need him to start converting on those opportunities again if they hope for a stronger week, but in an otherwise tough stretch of games, his performance against the Ducks holds as the standout moment.
