Are the Flyers for real?

[jetsforever]

2nd in the Metro after 27 games is pretty good for a team with low expectations
Is this sustainable and does this team have a playoff run in them?

 

[Dread Clawz]

IDK if it's sustainable but it's not a fluke. They have a lot of young talent and Torts has them humming like a well oiled machine. They are totally buying in right now. The blue line has also been better this season. Sanheim has been great, Risto has been better, Walker has been terrific considering no expectations, and Seeler continues to be very underrated.

 

[Three On Zero]

Torts has them playing well, don’t think they can sustain the current success but definitely see them making the playoffs

 

[Bard Marchand]

For travel and rest, their schedule to this point has been fair to easy. Once they hit January it gets a lot grindier.

 

[MikeyMike01]

But I was told Tortorella is an out of touch bum?

 

[C0DITH]

If they stay healthy and don't take their foot of the gas, they make it IMO. They have a lot more balance happening this year. This is the first time in a long time I've seem them actually play good hockey together.

 

[King Makar19]

They have a Selke Candidate playing down the middle.
Bergeron-Lite is doing a major difference.

 

[HBK27]

Always liked Torts as a coach...yeah, he can be an asshole at times but he usually gets the most out of his teams.

That being said, I'd be floored if they actually made the playoffs this season. There's 3 points between the 2nd place Flyers and 6th place Hurricanes in the Metro. Also wouldn't rule out the Penguins just yet, who are 7 points back of Philly with a game in hand.

Devils and Hurricanes have had slow starts, but I think both teams eventually figure it out and get the other two Metro spots along with the Rangers. Wild card is going to be tough with Detroit, Tampa Bay, Washington, NYI and possibly Pittsburgh all in the mix with Philly for two spots.

 

[Darcy Tucker]

The Metro is going to be a dog fight in the spring. So many teams that can make it in.

 

[miscs75]

I’m honestly hoping that the metro turns into a bunch of “non playoff” teams when the season ends. Would be glorious to see Carolina, NJD and Pittsburgh out with the Isles, Philly and Washington in.

 

[Rich Nixon]

They're as real as the 2018-19 Blue Jackets were, if that makes sense. That Torts team had the exact same record through 27 games (15-10-2) and a similar talent profile. More talent than people give them credit for, not enough to actually contend for anything.

Which is to say, they're a try-hard team. They pressure and hit and block like crazy—and chase to do those things. They score mostly in straight-line transition, the second they gain possession the forwards flee the zone for a pass. And they have the right guys for that.

Konecny has 47 goals over the 87 games he's played since the start of last season. He's a real-deal NHL star these days. Then Farabee, Foerster, Tippett, Brink, and (quickly-aging) Atkinson are all dudes who can thrive on the 2-on-1s they create. They have like 5 2nd line wingers on the roster right now (and 4 of them are RW).

In terms of offenisve possession, they're remedial. Most of their in-zone time is spent digging pucks off the boards and then rimming them back around. They aren't dazzling the defenses with cross-zone passes. The only really competent setup guys on the team are Brink, Frost, and Couturier. Basically every other forward is a shooter, and despite all those good wings their center depth is really weak: Couturier, Frost, Poehling, Laughton (Cates is on IR).

Their D is pretty patchwork but overachieving like crazy. Sanheim has been devouring minutes and, while still making mistakes, lugging the puck up ice and shooting with confidence. He's not a perfect 1D, but he sure as hell takes the role more seriously than Provorov ever did. York is a very capable and promising youngster showing signs of similar progress. Seeler-Walker has been one of the best pairings in the league this year, somehow, some way.

So, playing that grinding + quick strike game means they need great goaltending, and they've got it. Hart's a legit top-10 starter. And after 2 rough starts at the beginning of the season, young backup Ersson is 5-1-0 with a .930 over his last 6 starts.

Their PP is ass (6th worst) and their PK is unreal (5th best). At 4 v. 5, they're -1 on the season. Only 8 goals allowed, 7 shorthanded goals scored, because their aggressive forward play applies on the PK too. They manage at least 2 dangerous shorthanded rushes or breakaways per game. It's wild.

Is it sustainable? Perhaps for a regular season or two. If they're wise, they should probably ditch some of the overachievers—like Walker—now that Torts has their value as high as it will ever be. Seeing the orange team win games again is fun, but they still need to put themselves in position to draft or trade for/sign high-end C and D talent. Because, while it's fun to win games and maybe pull a first round upset like the 2018-19 Blue Jackets did, it's not fun to be the 2023-24 Blue Jackets, and that's the last thing most of us want to see.

 

[Rebels57]

They're as real as the 2018-19 Blue Jackets were, if that makes sense. That Torts team had the exact same record through 27 games (15-10-2) and a similar talent profile. More talent than people give them credit for, not enough to actually contend for anything.

Which is to say, they're a try-hard team. They pressure and hit and block like crazy—and chase to do those things. They score mostly in straight-line transition, the second they gain possession the forwards flee the zone for a pass. And they have the right guys for that.

Konecny has 47 goals over the 87 games he's played since the start of last season. He's a real-deal NHL star these days. Then Farabee, Foerster, Tippett, Brink, and (quickly-aging) Atkinson are all dudes who can thrive on the 2-on-1s they create. They have like 5 2nd line wingers on the roster right now.

In terms of possession, they're remedial. Most of their in-zone time is spent digging pucks off the boards and then ringing it back around. They aren't dazzling the defenses with cross-zone passes. The only really competent setup guys on the team are Brink, Frost, and Couturier—basically every other forward is a shooter, and despite all those good wings their center depth is really weak: Couturier, Frost, Poehling, Laughton (Cates is on IR).

Their D is pretty patchwork but overachieving like crazy. Sanheim has been devouring minutes and, while still making mistakes, lugging the puck up ice and shooting with confidence. He's not a perfect 1D, but he sure as hell takes the role more seriously than Provorov ever did. York is a very capable and promising youngster showing signs of similar progress. Seeler-Walker has been one of the best pairings in the league this year, somehow, some way.

So, playing that grinding + quick strike game means they need great goaltending, and they've got it. Hart's a legit top-10 starter. And after 2 rough starts at the beginning of the season, young backup Ersson is 5-1-0 with a .930 over his last 6 starts.

Their PP is ass and their PK is unreal. At 4 v. 5, they're -1 on the season. Only 8 goals allowed, 7 shorthanded goals scored (because their aggressive forward play applies on the PK too).

Is it sustainable? Perhaps for a regular season or two. If they're wise, they should probably ditch some of the overachievers—like Walker—now that Torts has their value as high as it will ever be. Seeing the orange team win games again is fun, but they still need to put themselves in position to draft or trade for/sign high-end C and D talent. Because, while it's fun to win games and maybe pull a first round upset like the 2018-19 Blue Jackets did, it's not fun to be the 2023-24 Blue Jackets, and that's the last thing most of us want to see.

All of this.

 

[StreetHawk]

Torts is known for riding the top guys big minutes. Is he doing that in Philly? If so, those guys could hit a wall early in 2024.
Given the moves they made in the off-season, basically eating the Cal P. contract, this is very surprising that they are in the mix for a PO spot.

 

[abo9]

Crazy what bringing one the best coaches in the NHL can do to a team

They have a really good goalie in Hart. Some really solid young forwards finally tapping in their potential.

The defense is where I'd have doubts, but its also the one area of the game where systems and coaching make the most difference - and they have one of the best in the business.

 

[Curufinwe]

If they lose Hart for an extended period for any reason, their playoff push is done.

In the rush to credit Torts, a lot of people are ignoring that Hart's having his best ever season

 

[Gizmoskevich]

Hard to get a good read on if they are for real. They've beaten some good teams like Colorado, Canucks, and LA but the Meh-tro division as a whole is up for grabs after the Rangers. Still haven't played other top teams in the league like Florida, Toronto, Boston, Winnipeg.

Let's see where they are after December.

 

[Satoru Gojo]

But that old Dinosaur coach though?

 

[Vinh]

They should be in the playoff conversation for most of the year. Much better structure now that Couturier's back (hasn't missed a beat) and they've solidified the third pair with Seeler-Walker. York has been a bit unlucky so far, but I like his game quite a bit.

And we all know Torts can coach defense.

 

[Rich Nixon]

They should be in the playoff conversation for most of the year. Much better structure now that Couturier's back (hasn't missed a beat) and they've solidified the third pair with Seeler-Walker. York has been a bit unlucky so far, but I like his game quite a bit.

And we all know Torts can coach defense.

Seeler-Walker is the second pair, third is Zamula or Staal with Ristolainen. Risto and Staal were hurt much of the season so far, so Mete, Belpedio, and Andrae all also saw minutes down there.

And Couturier has missed several beats. His mobility is noticeably diminished (and was never his strong suit) and his offensive game has a lot of lag in it. He's just so, so smart that he'll never be anything less than a defensively-capable 2C as long as he can stand on skates.

 

[FlameChampion]

Just from scoreboard watching, it doesn’t feel like luck. Whether they can keep it up, I don’t know. I like their chances better than Washington.

It’s crazy how junk the Metro has been this year outside of the Rangers.

 

[TGWL]

They're throwing a wrench in the plans of those teams that thought they could easily finish 4-5 for the playoffs. Of course, Hurricanes are helping those teams.

 

[Devilsfan2326]

Atkinson and Couturier are back after missing full seasons. And Atkinson played for Torts with CBJ.

 

[WaitingForThatCab]

Hart is a very good goaltender. I think if he stays healthy and stays hot, yeah, that's a playoff team.

 

[holy]

I believe in their existence yes.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

If they lose Hart for an extended period for any reason, their playoff push is done.

In the rush to credit Torts, a lot of people are ignoring that Hart's having his best ever season

Torts system is usually goalie friendly. Not to take anything away from Hart he has been really good and so has Ersson after a rough October