Flyers Primer: Flyers’ Final Roster Battles Showcased in Preseason Finale vs. Devils

For one last time this preseason, the Philadelphia Flyers play a preseason game. The Flyers take on the New Jersey Devils in their preseason finale at 12:30 p.m. EST. at the Xfinity Mobile Arena. It’s like an appetizer to Game 1 of the NLDS, if you will. Go Phils.

While the expectation was that Thursday’s game against the Islanders was the dress rehearsal, Saturday’s roster features mostly NHL talent, with two-ish roster battles taking place. Here is the roster:

FORWARDS (12)

10 – BOBBY BRINK

11 – TRAVIS KONECNY

14 – SEAN COUTURIER

17 – JETT LUCHANKO

18 – RODRIGO ABOLS

19 – GARNET HATHAWAY

22 – CHRISTIAN DVORAK

27 – NOAH CATES

29 – NIKITA GREBENKIN

39 – MATVEI MICHKOV

46 – TREVOR ZEGRAS

74 – OWEN TIPPETT

DEFENSEMEN (6)

6 – TRAVIS SANHEIM

8 – CAM YORK

9 – JAMIE DRYSDALE

13 – ADAM GINNING

24 – NICK SEELER

47 – NOAH JUULSEN

GOALTENDERS (2)

33 – SAMUEL ERSSON

80 – DAN VLADAR

Sam Ersson got the whole game on Thursday, and Vladar is expected to get the full game on Saturday. Here are the projected lines.

Read More: Dvorak Shines in New Role With the Flyers in 4-3 Loss to the Islanders, But Who Didn’t?

Projected Lines and Pairs vs. Devils

Forwards
Nikita Grebenkin – Sean Couturier – Travis Konecny
Owen Tippett – Trevor Zegras – Matvei Michkov
Christian Dvorak – Noah Cates – Bobby Brink
Rodrigo Abols – Jett Luchanko – Garnet Hathaway

Defensemen
Cam York – Travis Sanheim
Nick Seeler – Jamie Drysdale
Adam Ginning – Noah Juulsen

Goalie
Dan Vladar
Sam Ersson

Special Teams
PP1: Drysdale, Zegras, Michkov, Konecny, Tippett
PP2: Sanheim (York), Cates, Couturier, Brink, Grebenkin

PK1: Dvorak, Hathaway, York, Sanheim
PK2: Couturier, Konecny, Seeler, Ginning

Flyers Storylines

It’s the preseason finale. By this point, rosters are usually set, and there is not much meaning in the finale. In most cases, it’s typically the AHL guys that play in the finale. That’s not tonight.

The Flyers are running their top-six in full on Saturday afternoon. Their top-four pairs are intact as well. It looks like a night off for Nic Deslauriers and Tyson Foerster. In their place, it’s Rodrigo Abols and Jett Luchanko. Adam Ginning remains in the lineup, but his partner from Thursday, Egor Zamula, is taking a seat in the press box. After the horrible night he had on Thursday, and really the poor preseason in general, maybe the Flyers want to get a. look at Noah Juulsen and Ginning as a potential Game 1 pairing.

So, the main storyline is the roster battles. Can Juulsen stand out? What if Luchanko and Abols both play so well that the Flyers are forced to go with 14 forwards? If so, I wonder how safe Dennis Gilbert is, given that he is not in the lineup. These are all things we will get to see play out in real time.

Some minor storylines to watch on Saturday. I’d keep an eye on Christian Dvorak throughout the game. He’ll likely start toward the bottom of the lineup, but I’d keep an eye on him to see if he plays his way up the lineup – possibly to that second line with Zegras and Michkov.

Speaking of that line, I am also going to be paying close attention to Owen Tippett to see how he plays, and even who he plays with. I still think he is a better fit for the Couturier line – but that’s just me.

How to Watch Flyers vs. Devils

The game will once again be aired on NBC Sports Philadelphia, as well as 97.5 The Fanatic. Puck drop is at 12:30 p.m. EST. at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Read More: 14 Forwards of 8 D-Men: Where do the Flyers Lean vs. What They Should Do