2014-15 Philadelphia Flyers Season Predictions

Season Predictions

The 2014-15 Philadelphia Flyers are similar in many respects to the team that ended last season, but if you look closely one can see new GM Ron Hextall putting his stamp on the club.  Gone are the slow skaters that took significant penalty minutes and in are plus skaters with less penalty minutes.

The club that takes the ice in Boston should be faster, more disciplined, and more adept with the puck.

Players were made aware that they needed to show up in shape for training camp after a few were called out in Ron Hextall’s initial press conference.

While the Flyers were a poor puck possession team last year that can be partially attributed to the Flyers leading the NHL in penalty minutes.  The team often had problems getting in sync with the even strength lines never getting the opportunity to present a sustained forecheck like the Los Angeles Kings.

The constant swapping between special teams units can wreck havoc on a lineup as players constantly move from one role to the next. 

The lack of production from the fourth line was a problem as well with Zac Rinaldo and Jay Rosehill not assisting the top three lines causing a shortened bench for most games. 

This season the fourth line should be able to log a few more quality minutes per game, giving the Flyers the ability to properly reset the top lines after prolonged stretches on special teams.

While the third line seems to be a work in progress when compared with the top two lines they should feel the most pressure to produce with exciting young rookies like Scott Laughton starting the season with the Phantoms.

The same goes for the blueline where a number of players with less than two years remaining on their contracts will feel the heat from young defensemen Shayne Gostisbehere, Samuel Morin, and Robert Hagg. 

Ron Hextall learned from Dean Lombardi in Los Angeles that prospects need seasoning in the minors and he wants them to prove that they belong on the roster rather than being handed a role. 

To that extent, it is more than likely that the top prospects will spend at least a full season with the Phantoms unless they force Hextall’s hand, putting him in a position where he needs to make a deal.

The first call ups may not be the sexy names that fans salivate over, but the guys called up will be asked to fill specific roles, be it as an enforcer or penalty kill specialist.

The roster this year is a work in process with the team that ends this year likely looking very different from the team that starts this year. 

While the Flyers do not have a lot of wiggle room under the cap and Pronger, Timonen, and White on LTIR they do have some flexibility in terms of making deals and we will likely see a few deals done as the year progresses.

The division itself is challenging with the Pittsburgh Penguins always a favorite and the New York Rangers are coming off a run that took them to the Stanley Cup finals before losing to the Los Angeles Kings.

The late trades by the New York Islanders to add defense to their roster indicate that they will be knocking on the playoff doors as will the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

A small step back should not be looked at as a disappointment as the Flyers are in the process of retooling their roster to emphasize more skill and better skating over slow, pugilistic play. 

There are a number of pieces to the puzzle that are already in place with this roster.  The top two lines can match up with any team in the NHL.  The third line is a bit of a work-in-process while the fourth line transitions to more of a speed and grind line rather than a pugilistic line.

The Flyers were able to manage to make the playoffs with almost the same lineup last year after a horrendous start.

This year under the steady and analytical minds of General Manager Ron Hextall and Head Coach Craig Berube the Flyers will shift from a grinding team to a faster and more disciplined team.  

The Flyers should be in the mix for a playoff spot in the highly competitive Eastern Conference where a number of teams have their eyes set on the playoffs.

More importantly, the roster should be judged not on how they start but how they finish as tinkering will take place over the course of the season as new stars emerge from the Phantoms and trades are made to create a better overall roster fit.

The Flyers benefitted last year from a very healthy roster logging some of the fewest man games lost in the NHL.

If they can stay healthy the Flyers should be a playoff team as they have significant scoring depth and adequate defense to get into the playoffs.  Once there it will depend on matchups.

The keys will be to stay healthy and cut down on the penalty minutes while playing a more skilled and disciplined style of hockey.

In terms of actual numbers from players I am looking for balanced scoring much like last year when eight players netted over 20 goals.


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