What Preseason Taught Us About the Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers play a real NHL regular-season game on Thursday. While the NHL season has already begun, the Flyers are on the doorstep of meaningful games. We did not get to that point without the preseason.

Throughout training camp and the NHL preseason, we were able to learn a lot about Philadelphia’s team.

Every team has its strengths, its weaknesses, and even its surprises.

Heading into the 2025-26 NHL season, what are the Flyers’ strengths, weaknesses, and surprises? Thanks to preseason and training camp, we have a pretty good idea.

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Flyers’ Biggest Strengths Going Into the Season

As a whole, the Flyers’ forwards are by far their biggest strength. The team’s top six is full of talented and skilled wingers. You could even make the top-nine argument. Matvei Michkov, Travis Konecny, Owen Tippett, and Tyson Foerster are a great room of wingers. You also add guys like Bobby Brink, Christian Dvorak, and even Nikita Grebenkin once you expand the view.

The Flyers are pretty solid on the wing, but they even saw an improvement at center depth as well. Adding Trevor Zegras this offseason was a big get. While he certainly has plenty of room to grow while returning to center, the preseason was a display of his high-end skill and hockey IQ. Zegras definitely boosted the Flyers’ very weak center room. He joins the always steady and responsible Sean Couturier – and even the Flyers’ Captain looks refreshed and ready to take a step forward. Though I wonder if a specific coaching change is playing a role in that?

Then, of course, you have Noah Cates. Cates centers the line of himself, Foerster, and Brink, who have shown in the preseason that they have picked up where they left off. The chemistry on that line is unmatched. They are a strength for the Flyers.

I mentioned Dvorak as a winger, but who knows where he’ll end up playing. His versatility was on display all preseason. He could be a fourth-line center, and a great one at that. I think he may be a little too talented to take on that role, pushing him to the wing, but who knows? Dvorak could even help that weak center core for the Flyers as well.

Sanheim Breakout

The other strength I wanted to mention was Travis Sanheim. He looked like a completely different beast this preseason. Sanheim was extremely aggressive on offense, joining the attack and using his great shot. That did not stop him from being a great defender. Typically, with Sanheim, it’s been a one or the other game – you either get offensive aggression but a lack of defense, or it flips around. It’s never both.

Sanheim had a fantastic preseason, where he looked like a bona fide No. 1 defenseman. Granted, you have to take that with a grain of salt in the preseason. Sanheim is a seasoned NHL veteran, so, of course, he will look better when playing against bubble players on other teams. However, the Flyers’ top defenseman looked that good in the early-year action. He could really be a strength for the Flyers this season.

Defense Will Remain a Big Weakness

Sanheim looked fantastic during the preseason. Even Cam York looked really good, though his injury will certainly test the Flyers’ depth.

The team’s second pair will be what you expect. Drysdale looks much better, but he’ll still be primarily an offensive defenseman. Nick Seeler will be the inverse – it’s what makes them a good pair. But even they are a drop off from the top pair. Now, the real weakness is everything below them.

Adam Ginning, Egor Zamula, Dennis Gilbert, and Noah Juulsen are the rest of the Flyers’ defense. Yikes. The good news? One will be waived once Cam York is healthy. Another will be waived once Rasmus Ristolainen returns. Nonetheless, the Flyers’ depth will be tested, and it’s not good.

Zamula absolutely regressed from last season, which seems a remarkable feat. Gilbert and Juulsen also had rough preseasons. I will say, there was some slight improvement from Juulsen, but overall, not enough for any vote of confidence, even in the slightest.

What is even worse is that the Flyers’ best non-top-four defenseman is buried in the AHL. It seems like Emil Andrae’s NHL days are done in Philadelphia, all due to his size. If it were based on talent, he’d make the roster over all four of those defenders.

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Goaltending Won’t Be the Biggest Problem for the Flyers

Yeah, the Flyers’ goaltending situation is not great. It could certainly be better. However, the preseason showed us that Dan Vladar is a very competent backup who could actually push Sam Ersson.

As a starter, Ersson has never really felt someone coming for his spot, which makes it easier for you to fall back and get comfortable. Vladar will push Ersson, which is actually why I believe in the tandem that the Flyers currently have.

However, what good is a goaltender if they are constantly being put in bad situations by the defense?

Yeah, throughout the preseason, the Flyers’ goaltending was far from perfect. However, the defense allowed too many odd-man rushes, left guys in dangerous areas, and really made their own goaltending look silly.

Yes, the goaltending has plenty of room for improvement. Until the defense is addressed, it won’t be the team’s biggest weakness.

Biggest Surprises of the Preseason

For me, there were three really big surprises out of the preseason.

The first is the emergence of Nikita Grebenkin. Heading into preseason, I thought there were one-to-two spots open for young guys to step up. The first spot I undoubtedly thought belonged to Alex Bump. If there was a second, I thought it was Jett Luchanko’s. I honestly thought Grebenkin was far away. I was wrong. He showed up in much better shape, well-conditioned, and ready to battle – I should have known on the first day of camp that he was prepared for the push.

Grebenkin turned heads in the preseason, playing a strong, fast, and physical game. Rick Tocchet loves using the phrase “sticky” to describe him. Grebenkin often goes into the corners for puck battles and comes away with the puck.

He earned his spot on the roster, and even a potential top-six role. Grebenkin was getting time with Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny late in the preseason.

Another surprise has been Jamie Drysdale. He just looks healthier this season. Again, I am in no way saying he will be a two-way player. He’ll still be an offensive defenseman, but maybe a bit less of a liability. He was making smart defensive plays throughout the preseason. Drysdale was playing a bit more physically and had a lot more juice on his shot, which is critical if he is going to run the power play. I was surprised to see how well Drysdale looked this preseason.

Lastly, Rodrigo Abols, a player I personally had written off, had the best camp of all. A player who debuted at 29 years old, I thought Abols was destined for another year in the AHL. He made sure that did not happen. Abols dominated the preseason and earned every bit of his roster spot. I am excited to see what he can do after making his first NHL roster out of training camp.

What’s Next for the Flyers

The Flyers travel to Sunrise, Florida, to take on the 1-0-0 Florida Panthers on Thursday, aired on NBC Sports Philadelphia and 97.5 The Fanatic. Puck drop is at 7:00 p.m. EST.

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