As is a well established practice, I will be taking the reins on Philly to provide objective coverage of Liam’s favorite team, as he does for Anaheim. The Philadelphia Flyers 2023-24 season was one of unexpected results, perhaps filled with more joys than initially anticipated by the fans and analysts alike, but the result was certainly aligned with preseason expectations. Much like the 2022-23 Nashville Predators, the Flyers foray into their rebuild saw more standings points and triumphs than expected. The positive outcome of this is that young players were unexpectedly playing meaningful games deep into April, with the only drawback being their position being in the low teens (twelve) rather than in the single digits. It appears that GM Daniel Briere will be continuing the plan from last season to keep the team competitive while letting young players enter the lineup.

               The Flyers had two notable “new” player signings this offseason, and I am cheating to a degree because the team had so few acquisitions that the inclusion of a three-year ELC for their 2023 first round draft pick needs to be included somewhere in this. The free agent addition, which also technically wasn’t an addition at all due to the player having initially been acquired in March for a fourth round pick and this being a re-signing with the team upon becoming a UFA, was former first-overall pick Erik Johnson. Johnson effectively replaces Marc Staal as the primary veteran presence in the D-corps. Both players posted negative GARs last season, but Johnson’s overall regard from his peers for his character (think back to the Avalanche banner raising when he was on the opposing team) and the fact that he has won the Stanley Cup in recent history (Marc is the only Staal to never win the cup) are both assets to the Flyers’ room. The other key signing was Matvei Michkov. Michkov recorded 41 points in 47 games for HC Sochi in the KHL last season and continued his torrid development as one of the premier U23 scoring players in the world, and perhaps the best player who was not in the NHL last year. In terms of PPG, it is fair to expect, based on NHLe models, that Michkov’s scoring output in his rookie season will likely be similar to Bedard’s. With RW Cam Atkinson having been bought out (which was probably for the best for both parties, as it allowed Philadelphia to move forward and take their next steps in their efforts under the Briere regime and for Atkinson, who would subsequently sign with Tampa Bay, to be allowed the freedom to spend the latter years of his career where he chose while also acting in the best interests of his family), Michkov effectively serves as his replacement. This is a tremendous upgrade. While Atkinson at his peak was a tremendous offensive asset, he clearly was never going to be the same after the herniated disc and tricep surgery which kept him out of the entire 2022–23 season. It showed last season, with him registering just 13 goals and 15 assists in 70 games and having a career long goal drought by a significant margin. His previous health and current form combined with his age and status as an offensive-minded, undersized player (which means only more degradation from here) meant it was time for the Flyers to get younger at the position and Michkov’s arrival to fulfill that need was perfectly timed. He will be immediately impactful even several seasons before his eventual prime.

               After trading back one spot with Minnesota (which additionally netted them a 2025 third rounder), the Flyers used their “newly acquired” first-round selection on Guelph Storm standout Jett Luchanko. Luchanko posted 74 points in 68 games in the OHL this past season, including 20 goals. Watching Luchanko play, his most noted skillset is in his speed, especially on the forecheck and how he can leverage it alongside his lower center of gravity to win puck battles and get the team set up in the offensive zone. As he develops, if his playmaking doesn’t scale at the NHL level, this would still provide him with an avenue to develop into a ruthlessly efficient middle-six forward. The other selection that piqued my interest for the Flyers was defenseman Spencer Gill. Taken 59^th overall, Gill is a big-bodied (6’4” and 185+lbs) defender who has decent enough offensive instincts for a QMJHL player. Gill has enough puck moving ability, with proper coaching and development, that could lead him to being a premier second pairing two-way defender.

               Overall, the Flyers had a quiet offseason. My evaluation would be a B-. This would have been a B+ if they had used their first-round pick on a player who didn’t feel like a reach the way that Luchanko did. Passing on Konsta Helenius at that spot leaves a sour taste for me with the arrival of Michkov due to what that duo could have been in the City of Brotherly love. Having said all of that, the Flyers should be similarly competitive in 2024-25 as they were in 2023-24.