We are almost at the end of our Summer Blue Jackets series that compare them with their rivals in the Metropolitan Division. While the calendar turns to September, we focus our attention on the Philadelphia Flyers.
Last season for the flyers there was one to forget. Coach John Tortorella did not end the year. The team finished last in the Metropolitan Division. Thanks to a few important changes, there is a renewed excitement around them.
The blue jackets and flyers have one important thing in common when they start with the 2025-26 season. Each has important questions they have to answer. Let’s explore.
The Michkov factor
As with every team, you have to start with their stars. The flyers have a radiant star that has a lot of their fan base that eagerly anticipates what he will do for an encore.
Matvei Michkov Was nothing less than impressive as Rookie. He scored 26 goals and 63 points in 2024-25. But somehow he finished fourth in voting Calder Trophy. (Note from the author: Yes, I had Michkov fourth. I didn’t feel good at it, but it showed how strong the other three players were.)
Michkov is one of those players who is worth every cent of the entrance fee. His skills can drop off at any time. He also plays the game with a Swagger because of the confidence he has in himself. Seriously, how many boys after they have been thrown out of a game signs before they leave the tunnel? That is somewhat large Rockstar energy.
Even under a defensive coach in Tortorella, Michkov scored 63 points. He has the talent to eventually become a scorer of 100 points. We will see how the team around him develops over time.
When considering the Blue Jackets, the Michkov/Adam is a fantilli-matchup must-see TV. They are two of the best in the NHL design of 2023. Do not be surprised if this develops into a number of great individual matchups between the two young stars. The games must also be great.
The Blue Jackets did well on Michkov last season, which limited him to 0-2-2 and 8 SOG in four games played. The Blue Jackets must give priority to removing this talent on a certain night.
Trevor Zegras
It only felt a matter of time earlier Trevor Zegras Would have a new home. After five seasons and 268 games in Anaheim, he was traded to the flyers in exchange for Ryan Poehling and two concept choices.
Two big questions that come in the season for Zegras and the Flyers. What can we expect from him after he has received his new start? And where will he play in the line?
Health will also be an important factor for Zegras. In 2024 alone, he treated both a broken ankle and a torn meniscus. He only played 88 games combined the last two seasons.
Many believe that Zegras is given every opportunity to find his attacking form at Center Ice. A potential of playing with Michkov can bring a level of excitement for almost every game, assuming Zegras can regain its shape.
The best days of Zegras with the ducks were when he played in the middle. It is still to be seen whether he will start in the upper center or whether the flyers there start veteran Sean Couturier. How the lines look at the start will be one of their best storylines in the camp.
If Zegras can regain its shape, it will be a huge help for a Flyers team that ended 23rd last season in goals for and third sausage in the Eastern Conference. Will their depth score be able to pick up one of the play?
Rick Tocchet
The other big story that came in the season for the flyers was hiring Rick Tocchet. He left the Vancouver Canucks to return to a team with which he is very well known.
Tocchet led the canucks to the play-offs in 2023-24 in which they defeated the Nashville predators in six games before she finally lost to the Edmonton Oilers in seven games in the second round. The drama of the Canucks eventually caught up with everyone who she left outside the play -offs last season.
The most important task of Tocchet is to find a way to get the most from the young, offensive talent from the flyers. How will he unlock Michkov’s full potential? How can he get Zegras back to shape?
Perhaps just as important for all flyers fans, can they find out their power play once and for all? Last season it was only 15% that third was in the NHL. The Canucks of Tocchet were at 22.5% for comparison, which was generally 15th. Even that kind of jump into production would predict well for the opportunities of the flyers.
When watching different flyers matches last season, outside Michkov and occasionally Travis Konecny and Owen Tippett, there was just not much creativity. With Tocchet in and Tortorella out, more insult should be unused. We will see how long it takes to find that part.
Tocchet is the right kind of coach for the team of a young flyers who have to set up a winning culture. Not much will shake much, given what he encountered in Vancouver. He will have enough time to establish the culture he wants there.
Other important stories
Here are a few other important stories for the flyers that we view in the new season.
- Goal tending: Samuel Erson will be accompanied by a new acquisition in Dan Vladar. The flyers gave up the fifth goals in the NHL last season with 286. They played the majority of last season by three goalkeepers. Can Vladar be a stable backup?
- Jamie Drysdale/Defense: Drysdale was the return to the Cutter Gauthier trade. Last season he scored seven goals in 70 games while showing some flashes after returning from an injury. But the defense was always a work in progress. Can he find a new level where he is more responsible? Cam York and Travis Sanheim will have a lot on their plates as the best defensive couple of the flyers.
- Porter Martone is in Michigan State. But how close is Jett Lucanko on the NHL? He played four games in the NHL last season and also spent some time in Lehigh Valley.
- What is the next step for Tyson Foerster? His last two seasons were 20 goals and then 25 goals. Can he challenge 30 goals while giving the flyers a second dangerous offensive line?
Blue jackets/flyers compared
As you can see, the flyers have many questions. But that also applies to the blue jackets as we have spoken. They each have similarities with their situation.
- Both teams have a young star to build for years (Fantilli/Michkov).
- Both teams have questions in goal. We do not yet know who Game 1 starts for the Blue Jackets, still between Elvis Merzlikins and Jet Greaves.
- Both teams have questions about the defense, because they each have to reduce their goals.
- Both teams believe that they are on the road and hope to be good enough to knock on the door of the play -offs.
The blue jackets get the check mark on attack. Their young talent was one of the best last season in scoring goals with almost everyone back. Another year of fame and chemistry will do wonders for them.
The flyers have talent and skills, perhaps not as much as the blue coats. The center depth and wing players of the Blue Jackets led by Kirill Marchenko and know Johnson gives them a clear advantage.
The blue jackets also get the check mark in defense. Zach Werenski is the best defensive player on both sides and proved what he was able to do last season. York and Sanheim is a good top pair. There are also questions they have to answer. The blue jackets must remain healthy on the blue line and get a number of better overall versions.
Goal tending is a wash for the time being. Both situations are confronted with considerable questions that it is the ultimate yoker sign. Both teams can place both teams in the Playoff yacht, while bad goaltents can have them in the trekking lottery. The Vladar acquisition helps the flyers. It will be interesting to see what kind of improvement Merzlikins and Erson have.
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The flyers must be better than last season. But the combination of the teams for them in the Metropolitan Division in combination with important questions they have to answer, the Blue Jackets projected for them in 2025-26.
Stay informed for the last part of our series. We will look at the state of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
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