A Return To Flyers Hockey Is Closing In, But Your 2018-2019 Philadelphia Flyers Team Is Still A Mystery
Its August 23rd and we are just over 3 weeks till the Flyers report to training camp in Voorhees to start their 2018-2019 campaign. However, going into this season, this Flyers team is still a mystery to say the least.
After barely hanging onto a playoff position last season and battling through adversity, the Flyers lost in round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs to the rival Penguins in 6 games. Since then, that Flyers team has went through some big changes. Those changes mainly coming in the line of letting some old veteran guys walk.
The Flyers let free agents Brandon Manning, Valtteri Filppula, and Matt Read all walk away from the team and sign new contracts elsewhere during free agency. These were moves that the Philadelphia faithful were wanting to see the Flyers make in the offseason. And, the Flyers made them happen.
But, the biggest move of the Flyers offseason was a well kept secret until it was announced. That secret was the resigning of former Flyer draft pick and New Jersey native, James van Riemsdyk.
Van Riemsdyk, who was traded to Toronto for Luke Schenn in 2012, has become one of the NHLs best power forwards in his time in Toronto. JVR has averaged 27 goals in his time with the Leafs. One of the many factors why he was brought back to Philadelphia.
Last season, the Flyers struggled with depth goal scoring. At times, they had to rely on the 1st line of Giroux-Couturier-Voracek for most of their scoring and went a stretch in late November where a forward, not named Giroux-Couturier-Voracek, did not score in a three week stretch.
However, van Riemsdyk was brought in to help with just that. One thing JVR does well is his ability to put the puck in the back of the net. With the addition of JVR, he will balance out the top 6 and that will hopefully spread out the scoring a little more evenly across the lines instead of relying on just the top line.
But, how will he balance out the top 6? Who will he replace? Will Dave Hakstol take Giroux or Konecny off the top line? Will JVR just bump Lindblom down to the 3rd line?
All of these questions are why the Flyers are still a mystery for this season. However, that mystery just became even harder with the news that Flyers #1 center, Sean Couturier, will miss 4-6 weeks with a MCL Injury. The same MCL that he injured in a practice collision with Radko Gudas last year in the playoffs.
The one thing Coach Dave Hakstol didn’t want to see was injuries this early. But, things happen and it is better that it happened now and not the first week of the season. However, now Hakstol has to piece together his team without any time together.
Couturier is slated to miss all of training camp and most of preseason. But, he expects to be back for the start of the regular season. The only problem with that is the valuable time of preseason where Hakstol could have tried new lines out and found the best chemistry. That will now have to come at the beginning of the season. Something that will be like throwing darts at a dart board and hoping they stick.
But, Couturier’s injury hurts not just the 1st line but also the vacant #3 center position. The Flyers chose to leave the 3rd line center position open after failing to agree on term with a couple of free agents. This left a hole for a training camp battle. However, that battle just became more interesting with the extended looks those candidates will now get with the Flyers missing Couturier.
Those candidates include Jordan Weal, Mikhail Vorobyov, Scott Laughton, Mike Vecchione, and prized prospect Morgan Frost. All 5 guys have something going for them in one way or another. However, the interesting fact of Morgan Frost’s 10-game tryout buffer is something that the Flyers may use to their advantage. This way, the Flyers can see what Frost can do but also without burning any years off of his contract.
So, with the Flyers mystery still to early to solve, here is my best guess at your 2018-2019 Philadelphia Flyers Forwards…
Giroux – Couturier – Konecny
van Riemsdyk – Patrick – Voracek
Lindblom – Weal – Simmonds
Raffl – Laughton – Lehtera
(Weise-Leier)
I think Frost will have every chance presented to him to be the Flyers 3rd line center, but another year of Juniors isn’t going to hurt him. The Flyers are in a good spot to let him have another year to develop if need be. One thing they don’t want to do is rush the kid into something he is not ready for.