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Flyers Daily: Stats Salute Carter Hart; Ovi Ties Gordie Howe; Habs’ Trade Talks
Ten games into the season, how do the Philadelphia Flyers compare to their final product in 2021-22?
Well, they are playing harder for new coach John Tortorella, the eye test tells us.
But what do the statistics tell us?
Their record is slightly worse, but they have shown great improvement in their goalie play (hello, Carter Hart) and have had nice gains on special teams.
Check out the expected goals-against stats, and you will see just how good Hart has been.
Most of the stats so far this year are fairly similar to last season That’s not a good sign, because Hart will be hard-pressed to match his off-the-charts performance (2.10 GAA, .943 save percentage) while seeing a daily barrage of shots.
Somehow, Hart (5-0-2) has yet to lose in regulation.
The Flyers are 5-3-2. At a corresponding point last season, they were 6-2-2 before injuries ruined them, and they finished with just 61 points.
They went 19-44-9 — including 10- and 13-game losing streaks — after their 6-2-2 start.
Here are some numbers, comparing the Philadelphia Flyers’ first 10 games this year with their final totals from last season:
Goals per game
2022-23: 2.60 (tied for 29th in NHL).
Last season: 2.56 (31st).
Goals-against per game
2022-23: 2.70 (tied for sixth).
Last season: 3.59 (27th).
Save percentage
2022-23: .936 (4th).
Last season: .913 (22nd).
Expected goals for (per 60 mins.)
2022-23: 1.93 (31st).
Last season: 2.46 (18th).
Expected goals against (per 60 mins.)
2022-23: 3.22 (31st).
Last season: 2.83 (31st).
Faceoffs
2022-23: 46.1% (26th).
Last season: 52.2% (sixth),
Power play
2022-23: 18.9% (23rd).
Last season: 12.6% (32nd).
Penalty kill
2022-23: 79.4% (15th).
Last season: 75.7% (26th).
Shots per game
2022-23: 26.3 (30th).
Last season 31.0. (16th).
Shots-against per game
2022-23: 36.7 (30th).
Last season: 34.0 (29th).
Salute 😄 pic.twitter.com/SgcSpG75if
— Jaromir Jagr (@68Jagr) November 3, 2022
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A decent start in October and improvement in some areas, notably better defensive coverage and goals-against. Recent losses seem to indicate the coming annual November slide. This is where they say to each other it’s a long season and we have to pace ourselves, effort drops off, and losses mount. That continues into December with the annoying road trips. Soon it’s the end of January and they’re saying, uh-oh, we better step it up now. Then by February, it’s clear they won’t make the playoffs. Torts needs to short-circuit this before another re-run.
They’re “playing better defensively” only because of Hart’s performance right now. If you look at the shots against, there is no way Hart or the team can keep winning like that. Not with this roster. They don’t have the talent to control the puck, score, or do more than grind out a few wins. Unfortunately, the roster is probably worse this year without Couts & Cam, plus adding fringe players who are getting more minutes but don’t bring any offense with them. The downward spiral will begin soon and the next few months barring a miracle will be horrible to watch.