On paper, the Philadelphia Flyers are making strides.
In the off-season, they acquired promising center Trevor Zegras and signed center Christian Dvorak and goalie Dan Vladar, and they plan to not be sellers – and stockpile more draft choices – at this season’s trade deadline.
“Now, we’re adding, and you only add when you think you have a shot to be in the playoff conversation,” Dan Hilferty, the Flyers’ governor, said at a news conference Wednesday at the team’s practice facility in Voorhees, N.J.
Keith Jones, the club president, said this year “feels a little bit different” than the start of recent seasons.
“We’re starting to progress,” he said. “Our players are continuing to move forward, and we’re doing everything we can to ensure that continues to happen. I feel really good about where Danny (Briere, the GM) has the team now and for the future. We’re a deeper team, and there’s way more options for our coaching staff.”
Jones said he believes younger players, such as Noah Cates, Bobby Brink, Tyson Foerster and Matvei Michkov, will continue to progress. He is also high on goalie Samuel Ersson, saying he’s a “big believer” in the goalie.
“He’s in a position, age wise, (to improve), and being pushed by the depth at the position is going to benefit him as well. I think Sam is going to stand up to the test this year.”
Ersson, who turns 26 on Oct. 20, is coming off a disappointing season where he recorded a 3.14 goals-against average and .883 save percentage. The Flyers finished last in the NHL in save percentage (.872) last year, according to naturalstattrick.com.
Hilferty was asked if the Flyers would consider bringing back Carter Hart, 27, if the NHL reinstates him. In July, Hart was found not guilty of a sexual-assault charge stemming from a Hockey Canada trial that also involved Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube and Cal Foote.
“At this point, we’re going to make no comment on that situation,” Hilferty said. “The NHL has made it clear they’ll speak first, and right now, we’re not prepared to comment at all on the Carter Hart situation.”
Besides better goaltending, the Flyers need Cam York to blossom and take on a major role.
Jones acknowledged that the defenseman had a disappointing year and said he thinks his game will “come back into a place it was two years ago.
“Last year wasn’t a great year for him, but I do believe he’s going to be a big part of our blueline.”
The Flyers have missed the playoffs for five straight years, equalling their longest drought in franchise history. Making the playoffs this season isn’t the main priority. Trending in the right direction is their main focus.
“I feel really good that we’re going to have a successful year,” Hilferty said. “How I define a successful year… is not necessarily making the playoffs, although that would be great as the fan in me, but just to see improvement throughout the year in our younger players and (see) that competitive edge continue to grow.”
He said the rebuild was about a “patient approach, growing it though the draft, and making sure we don’t jump ahead of ourselves and that we get get our cap space in a good place. I feel really good about where we’re headed … and I’m excited about coach (Rick) Tocchet coming in.”
The fans seem to have bought into the plan as, according to Hilferty, 90 percent of them renewed their season tickets.
“I said this to the players the other day. ‘We want to build a culture of sustainable excellence, not just a shot next year and it falls off afterward,’ ” Hilferty said.
NHL Anticipates Eligibility Update On Hart, Formenton, Dube, Foote And McLeod In ‘Near Future’
Nearly seven weeks have passed since the five players involved in the 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault trial were found not guilty on all charges. And yet, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Michael McLeod, Cal Foote and Dillon Dube continue to remain ineligible to return to the NHL.
Breakaways
Jones reiterated that Foerster, recovering from an elbow infection, will be ready for the start of the season, and he said goalie Aleksei Kolosov is expected to be in Voorhees when veteran camp opens on Sept. 18. … A couple dozen Flyers were on the ice Wednesday, including Michkov, Zegras, Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny. … Rookie camp starts Thursday in Voorhees at 11 a.m. and is expected to highlight winger Alex Bump, 21, a Minnesota native who is a contender to make the team. The camp is free and open to the public.
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