Do the Flyers make the Playoffs in 2017-18?

[briererocks]

With the expansion draft over, the NHL draft behind us and most of the NHL offseason trades and signings over, do you think the Flyers make the playoffs and how many points do you think each team in the Metro has?

Some teams have arguably/definitely gotten worse. The Capitals have definitely gotten worse with the loss of Mojo, Williams and others. The Islanders have lost Hamonic and Strome (I think Eberle sucks). The Rangers are a abit of a mixed bag, trading Stepan but adding Shattenkirk and Smith. Columbus is also a bit mixed by trading Saad for Panarin. Some teams have clearly gotten better, including the Devil and Carolina.

Do you think the Flyers can jump ahead of Washington, the NYR or Columbus? Even if the Flyers do jump ahead of those teams, might Carolina, the NYI or even NJ finish ahead of us.

What are your predictions?

Mine:
1. Pitts. - 120 pts.
2. Columbus - 105 pts.
3. Caps - 100 pts
4. Flyers - 96 pts
5. Rags - 95 pts
6. Carolina - 93 pts
7. NYI - 90 pts
8. NJ - 82 pts

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FYI - Last year
8th seed in Atlantic: Buffalo (78 pts)
8th seed in Metro: NJ (70 pts)
7th seed in Central: Colorado(48 pts)
7th seed in Pacific: Vancouver(69 pts)

Click to read more...

 

[Rebels57]

I think we get back in. I voted 61-80%.

We haven't missed the Playoffs in back-to-back seasons since the early 90's and we aren't about to start now.

We will take a step forward thanks to the exciting youth (Patrick, Lindblom, Sanheim, Morin, Hagg added to Provorov, Ghost, and Konecny) contributing in their own ways while also rejuvenating our veteran core.

Also..120 for Pittsburgh? GTFOH lol.

 

[Random Forest]

I said 41-60%, but I'm definitely closer to 60%.

It really just comes down to how solid a duo Neuvirth and Elliott can be. The rest of the lineup is good enough.

 

[briererocks]

I think we get back in.

We haven't missed the Playoffs in back-to-back seasons since the early 90's and we aren't about to start now.

We will take a step forward thanks to the exciting youth (Patrick, Lindblom, Sanheim, Morin, Hagg added to Provorov, Ghost, and Konecny) contributing in their own ways while also rejuvenating our veteran core.

Also..120 for Pittsburgh? GTFOH lol.

The Caps had 118 pts last season and Pitt had about 110. I could see Pitt doing better this season than last, especially with the Caps regressing. If Pitt win a couple more games then last year they are in the neighborhood of 120 pts.

 

[David St Hubbins]

I suspect Pitts, Wash, NYR all regress. I'm thinking ~ 66% chance we get it, maybe better if Patrick comes out of the blocks strong.

 

[Rebels57]

The Caps had 118 pts last season and Pitt had about 110. I could see Pitt doing better this season than last, especially with the Caps regressing. If Pitt win a couple more games then last year they are in the neighborhood of 120 pts.

Well on paper at least, they do not look as good going into next season. They also went from having Fleury as a security blanket for Murray to having Niemi. That is going to cost them some points as well.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

I'm going with no, hope to be wrong though.

 

[tictactoe]

Toughest division in NHL. I doubt it. Not enough goals and not sure how goalies going to play. No faith in head coach and still crappy PK (on paper).

 

[usahockey22flyers]

I voted 41-60% but after really thinking about it, I don't think we are close to - WSH, PIT, NYR, CBJ.

That leaves one wild card, and I highly doubt we get it

 

[deadhead]

Basically they need about 95 points to make the playoffs.
They had 88 last year with a goal S% of .905
They scored 14 less ES goals than the NHL average
The PP really fell off the second half
The season before, the scoring was about the same but goalies put up .920 S% and they had 96 points and made the playoffs

1) goalies - regression to the mean suggests there will be some improvement, two veteran goalies plus 2 AHL prospects

2) Lindblom & Patrick > loss of Schenn, with Weal, Filpulla and Lehtera, they finally have scoring depth

3) Laughton, Raffl, Weise, Lehtera, MV, Read - it'll be the first time in 6 years the Flyers will have forward depth, both to field a respectable 4th line and players who can move up to the top 3 lines when the inevitable injuries occur

4) young, mobile defensemen.

Flyers haven't been above the league average in scoring at ES since 2011-12, when they had 11 forwards with at least 10 goals and 4 defensmen with 20+ ES points. Depth matters.

 

[RoDu]

worse teams have made it

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

probably around 50/50 for me. think they will be battling for a WC spot all year. Even with some teams taking a hit it is going to be tough.

 

[Jgboys1]

I think we might sneak into the 8th spot. I also think we are 2 or 3 years away from being a very good team. I hope we can sustain competitiveness, once we do become good. Like the Blackhawks, Redwings and Penguins.

 

[tade]

Definitely above 61% for me.

 

[YEM]

not a coin flip for me, I'd put the chances at 33% considering we probably need at least two teams that finished ahead of us [metro] to decline

 

[whitstifier]

Don't see how Columbus is any better than Philadelphia.

 

[Rebels57]

Don't see how Columbus is any better than Philadelphia.

Their Defense and Goaltending are both better and they added Panarin up front.

Our Defense is an Unknown at this time. I think it will be better (because how can it not?), but it remains to be seen just how good it will be at first.

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

I said 41-60%, but I'm definitely closer to 60%.

It really just comes down to how solid a duo Neuvirth and Elliott can be. The rest of the lineup is good enough.

This all day.

I think Neuvy is going to have a good season in the 30-35 games he plays and I think Elliott is going to be a good enough signing for us - I think just the fact that we are changing back there is going to give the whole team a boost (and that is not putting blame on Mase - just mentioning that we will benefit from a change IMO).

I predict that Matt ****ing Murray is going to miss more games due to injury than Neuvy (I am not joking) and will be misdiagnosed with bone weakness/Benjamin Button Syndrome, something like that (I am joking about that part), and the ****ing Panguins will falter, but still easily make the playoffs unfortunately. I think the NYR again accrue more points than their roster deserves. I think Columbus will stumble badly and Torts will be flushed. I think Bill Whatshisface in Carolina is going to show us that he is the coach a lot of people think he is, especially the ones who can remember his last name, and they get in.

I can't remember what else I think, aside from the fact that I think we get in.

 

[sigma six]

I think they'll play well enough to grab one of the last spots, maybe even as the regular season winds down. I'm hoping this will be that year where the young, up and coming team shows a flash of what they'll become, even if they don't go deep into the post-season.

Besides goaltending as everyone mentioned, I think O production is going to be a big factor. With all the good teams in the Metro we're going to need GOALS and GOALS and GOALS. Simmonds will do his part yet again so looking at you, Jake! Also anxious to see Konecny take another step forward.

 

[Striiker]

100%. I'll bet an organ on it.

They were 7 points out of a playoff spot, which is a decent gap, but that stretch of play from New Years to the beginning of March was unsustainably horrible. It's not crazy to say that with a more normal stretch of play, even if they were in a more normal slump, they might make the playoffs.

Now also consider that, if our roster predictions are right, the forward and defensive core will be significantly improved from last year. There's a lot of "I hopes", but none of them are big stretches... all are either likely or at least possible. For example, Giroux/Voracek/Ghost bouncing back, Lindblom/Konecny/Patrick making an impact, a better 2nd PP unit, more consistent goaltending, a more experienced Provobot, Morin/Hagg/Sanheim being better than Streit/MDZ/Schultz, that piece of human waste Mnng not playing, and the bottom 6 (and specifically 4th line) no longer being a glaring horrific weakness.

If even half of those come to fruition, the team will be far better than last year. The only real issue is Weal.



Also, going by our current make/miss playoffs pattern, this is a "make" year.

 

[bennysflyers16]

I'm very confident, rookie D, but man no more Streit, MDZ, Schultz, Mandog and hopefully less Farmer is a massive upgrade.

Plus most likely goalies are better

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

I'm enthusiastic. Almost made it last year and the whole team played like crap. We'll have some young guys that will probably have some growing pains but I think they'll sneak in.

 

[CanadianFlyer88]

This should be a fun team to watch this year and success will be heavily dependent on how well the new young guys handle the transition to the NHL... and goaltending.

I really think their only playoff shot is at a wild card with Washington, Pittsburgh, and Columbus as the likely divisional seeds.

It will be difficult this year, but not impossible.

 

[WastedTalent]

If somebody can really step up into a solid 2/3 defenseman role, I think they can be in the mid 90's point wise

 

[BringBackHakstol]

Went 60-80

They were not really that far out of it last year and you can definitely see some holes being plugged starting this year.