PhHN Daily
PhHN Daily: Flyers Pick Watch, Michkov’s Heater, & Around the NHN Network
The Flyers picked up an encouraging win on Saturday, showing significant offensive improvement. It seems as if they have unleashed Matvei Michkov, and a few Flyers are putting more emphasis on their offensive game.
However, as I asked in my preview for the game, was the winner of that game actually the loser?
Read More: Flyers Explode for Seven Goals, Beat Sabres 7-4 on Saturday
Flyers Pick Watch
With the Flyers’ win, they immediately swapped places with the Buffalo Sabres, Saturday’s opponent, as the Flyers once again have a higher points percentage.
Making matters worse for the Flyers’ hopes of a high draft pick, the Seattle Kraken, another team right on the doorstep of the Flyers, lost while Philly picked up a win. Consequently, the Flyers (69) now have the sixth-worst points percentage in the NHL, with Seattle (68) fifth-worst, and Buffalo (66) back as the fourth-worst points-percentage in the league.
The Nashville Predators, unspursingly, lost on Saturday. That should just about be the dagger in the chances of the Flyers finishing the season with the third-worst points percentage.
How the Bottom 10 Looks:
- SJS (.340 pts%)
- CHI (.349 pts%)
- NSH (.425 pts%)
- BUF (.458 pts%)
- SEA (.459 pts%)
- PHI (.460 pts%)
- PIT (.466 pts%)
- BOS (.466 pts%)
- ANA (.500 pts%)
- DET (.507 pts%)
No Need to Panic Over Out-Playing a Good Pick, Yet
It’s not quite time to panic over the Flyers’ draft position. It’s not out of the ordinary for a team to catch a bit of a surge after firing their coach. I doubt that lasts for the rest of the season.
Looking at a few things here, it really is important to remember that the Flyers end the season in Buffalo, so they have one more game against the Sabres. The Flyers have also played three more games than the Sabres. On that same note, they have played one more than the Kraken, Penguins, and Bruins, who are all in that 68-69 point range the Flyers are in.
It’s fair to assume the Flyers won’t lose out, but neither will Buffalo, Seattle, Pittsburgh, or Boston.
I would not even panic if the Flyers beat Nashville on Monday. With seven games remaining, most of which are against teams fighting for a playoff spot (five of seven), the Flyers certainly don’t have the easy road to the end of the season.
There is still plenty of time for the Flyers to improve their lottery odds and potential draft position.
Read More: Flyers Ink NCAA UDFA to Entry-Level Deal
Michkov’s Tear
On the same note, there is also a BIG positive in the Flyers’ recent surge. Matvei Michkov has gone on an absolute tear in the post-John Tortorella era.
In two games under Brad Shaw, Michkov has four goals (two in each) and an assist for five points. His recent surge has tied him for the lead in rookie points scored this season. He leads all rookie forwards in goals (24) and is tied for the most assists by a rookie forward (32).
These stats were aired on the NBCSP broadcast before the game:
Michkov added two goals/primary points in the game. Lane Hutson did not play, and Macklin Celebrini was kept off the score sheet in his game.
Michkov’s tear has most certainly put him back in the Calder Trophy conversation.
Read More: Calder Trophy Watch: An Update on Michkov’s Chances
Around the National Hockey Now Network
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The youth movement is underway in Pittsburgh. Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen have arrived, and it does not seem like they will be eased into the NHL. Dave Molinari breaks down the Penguins’ latest call-ups.
Boston Hockey Now: Flyers fans, imagine if Claude Giroux were traded to Pittsburgh or New York. That would have been a tough pill to swallow. Well, Bruins fans are swallowing that pill right now. Brad Marchand has officially made his Florida Panthers debut, and well, it is something to see. Andrew Fantucchio breaks down the former Bruins’ Florida debut and talks about what led to the trade.
San Jose Hockey Now: Just what you’d expect! More youth in the NHL for the San Jose Sharks. This time, it is Cam Lund, SJ’s 2022 2nd-round pick, who is impacting the NHL. In just his second career game, Lund lit the lamp. Sheng Peng takes you inside the Sharks’ locker room and breaks down Lund’s first score.
Florida Hockey Now: I have not done a daily since John Tortorella got canned, so I’ll bring this up here. Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice had some interesting thoughts about John Tortorella, and what he was feeling ahead of being fired on Thursday. George Richards breaks down Maurice’s comments for Florida Hockey Now.
Read More: Flyers Locker Room: ‘Any Change is Welcome’
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I would be happy to just get the 5th and hopefully get frondell. Boston has been awful with the 8th lost ands pitts has stalled . We have played a game more but even more they jumping the sabers for the 4th spot I don’t want to see Boston or the kraken lose out while we win. Hopefully we can end up with the 5th.
Your continual articles about the Flyers “tanking” and their associated “standings” in the Draft Lottery are absolutely DISGUSTING!! Imagine being a player or a coach reading your crap. You totally DISRESPECT the spirit of the game and the efforts that these players/coaches put forth to actually WIN these games. You really should spend your “journalistic” time and efforts proofreading your articles and doing unbiased fact-checking before posting. The amount of blatant errors in your writing is appalling. It’s hard to believe that you are a college graduate.
Steve–
I appreciate your concern with the standings associated content. I too, would prefer to see the Flyers winning games and playing well. This job is more fun when the team you are watching is thriving. However, at this point in the rebuild, getting that high draft pick is a big deal. I look at Briere’s “rock-bottom” comment as an indication that a high draft pick is where they would prefer to be.
On that same note, as someone trying to write what people want to read, I have the growing sense that most of fanbase (at least the people who comment on here, Facebook, and X) would prefer to land that high pick. Writing simple content regarding the pick scenarios, or pick watch, is an easy way to give an update as to where things stand. I try find the positives in good games, as well as the bad games. Again, I want to see the Flyers playing well, too. At this point, making the playoffs is not an option, so being in the race for a great draft selection is the next closest storyline, so that is why that sort of content is being pushed.
Will you have great articles. Going to college has nothing to do with knowing hockey. the real / smart flyers fans know all that matters is the draft , michkov points and regulation losses. We don’t want to win 7 pointless games and not be able to get Misa, frondell or Hagens. It’s just common sense . Keep up the good work . Let’s go top 5
So it is actually mr.james fault the flyers had a bad season and not torts fault.If you want to blame the articles that you do NOT have to read on someone,then blame the players who do NOT want to play defense,the goalies who CANNOT seem to play with consistency,and the clouds in the sky.(oops),sorry i got carried away.I would rather read about the flyers improving their playoff positioning,but that is a pipe dream.The writer can only write about what is presented to him in subject material.BTW,i hope my (writng) does not want to make you hurl,i only graduated from high school.Have a nice day!
The “casual” fan, like Steve, wants the team to win as much of the last 7 games as possible and then probably wind up drafting like 11th or 12th and pick up another 200ft defensively sound player! Wash, Rinse, Repeat! Stay middle of the pack for another 50 years! The more logical fans, know the team needs a couple high end players to go with Michkov! They are mostly found in the start of the draft! The other teams aren’t usually offering them up in trade Steve!