The Philadelphia Flyers are back in action once again to play in their penultimate preseason game. It’s going to feel so much real. They have gone ahead and made a whole lot of roster cuts and we’ll actually see a lineup tonight that looks closer to what they’re going to start the season with.
Puck drop: 7:00 p.m.
How to watch/listen:
📺: NBCSP+
📻: 97.5 The Fanatic
Pregame reading
- As mentioned, the Flyers did a whole lot of cuts. That includes waiving a total of six players and then assign another six down to the AHL, who do not require waivers. Everyone that was unlikely to make the final roster is now no longer at training camp. [BSH]
- Rick Tocchet said a lot about the power play on Wednesday. They have been going with some fairly exciting units and new tactics, and he said he’s going to stick with it even if they stumble out the gate. [BSH]
- First prospect report! Get a look at everyone in the Flyers organization playing around the world and how they’re starting their season. [BSH]
- We can all breathe a little bit easier. Dan Vladar’s injury is not as bad as was expected and he’s considered day to day. Disaster avoided. [BSH]
Pregame watching
Projected lineups
Philadelphia Flyers
It was another day where the Flyers held a limited morning skate, so we didn’t get a look at any lineup for tonight’s game against the Bruins. But, we will use the power of educated guesswork, going off the combinations we have seen in previous practices and just what Rick Tocchet might be thinking.
Tyson Foerster — Trevor Zegras — Porter Martone
Travis Konecny — Christian Dvorak — Matvei Michkov
Nikita Grebenkin — Jett Luchanko — Cole Knuble
Jacob Gaucher — Sean Couturier — Noel Acciari
Travis Sanheim — Rasmus Ristolainen
Cam York — Jamie Drysdale
Simon Benoit — Helge Grans
Joseph Woll
(Aleksei Kolosov)
Boston Bruins
JJ Peterka — Elias Lindholm — David Pastrnak
Casey Mittelstadt — Pavel Zacha — Morgan Geekie
James Hagens — Fraser Minten — Marat Khusnutdinov
Alex Steeves — Sean Kuraly — Mark Kastelic
Hampus Lindholm — Will Borgen
Nikita Zadorov — Connor Clifton
Mason Lohrei — Henri Jokiharju
Jeremy Swayman
(Michael DiPietro)
Storylines to watch
Finally, the Flyers veterans are playing
It has just been two games but we can really only last so long watching AHL veterans and some roster hopefuls out there on the ice alongside a sprinkling of Flyers regulars. With the new CBA, veteran NHL players are limited to playing just two preseason games and the Flyers really saved them for these final two games. And after the latest round of cuts, we’re getting something that resembles so much more of an actual lineup that we will see throughout the season.
These are the players that have not yet played a preseason game who are playing tonight: Sean Couturier, Trevor Zegras, Matvei Michkov, Travis Konecny, Tyson Foerster, Noel Acciari, Christian Dvorak, Rasmus Ristolainen, Travis Sanheim, Cam York, and Jamie Drysdale. Basically, most of the top of the lineup at both forward and defense.
We’re going to finally get to see what they have been working on in training camp for the past week in game action.
The players that need to show something
Aside from the veterans, a couple players are getting key opportunities to make that final effort to maybe win a roster spot. Cole Knuble and Jett Luchanko will be playing in their third preseason game. The Flyers are clearly looking at these two forwards to show if they can maybe push someone more established out of the way.
Knuble specifically has looked exceptional during the preseason and if Nikita Grebenkin doesn’t show that he has recovered from his injury well enough to play in his designated role as well as Knuble can, then maybe there’s a decision there. For Luchanko, he should be considered a step behind Knuble but these games serve as an opportunity for him to start his season well offensively. Create some scoring chances, pop a little bit, and then Flyers management and us fans can feel great about him going down to the AHL, being the Phantoms’ No. 1 center and maybe earning a call-up later on.
Even someone like Helge Grans is sticking around (most likely just due to the new rules regarding veterans in the preseason). He’s certainly going down to the Phantoms but after having a miserable training camp last year and not having an outstanding season, maybe he can recoup some attention and at least be seen on the same level as other young defenders like Hunter McDonald and Ty Murchison. Is he likely to see NHL ice this season? Probably not, but he might as well try.
Simon Benoit also has a chance to show he should be more of a rotation piece (potentially with Jiricek) than a pure extra defender who is just there in case they want a more physical game out of someone. There are still little bits and pieces up for grabs.
The new-look power play is going to be under a microscope
The Flyers have notably been overhauling their power play. New units featuring both Zegras and Michkov together, along with Martone, Foerster, and Drysdale as the quarterback, should show something. It’s just the preseason so it’s not mandatory and Tocchet himself is going to be patient with their approach and not panic into changing anything.
But with all that being said, this will be the first opportunity to see it in action. We will try not to judge it based on just a couple minutes in a preseason game, but since that is all we will have for the time being, we will really overanalyze it. We can’t help it.
Martone vs. Hagens
Look, we don’t want to be pitting players against each other purely out of online narrative, but the Flyers had a decision between Porter Martone and James Hagens on Draft Day last year and went with the big winger instead of the small center (who is playing wing right now). We might not even think of it as a comparison a year from now, but it will be the first time we see them playing against one another.
Maybe Martone will just score a hat trick tonight to really show off.
