We might just have to live through this

by Bob Herpen

Phanatic Hockey Editor

We’re only seven games into this regular season and already the stupids have all come out to play. If I’m being honest, I’m only shocked that normality didn’t last until the home matinee 11 days from now against the Anaheim Ducks. 

It was bad enough with the Flyers starting 0-2-2, outplayed for a majority of those 240-plus minutes and outshot by a margin of minus-82. But there were signs of life. In Ottawa on Thursday, despite a 2-1 setback, the Flyers scored a power play goal. They also controlled the first 8 minutes of action, then a majority of the second period and swarmed the Sens end in the final 95 seconds of regulation.

In Boston on Saturday afternoon, with three regulars missing, how could it be anything other than the same old thing? They lost, 5-1. Then, with the same 3 guys missing, they lost at home on Sunday to Carolina, 4-1. 

At least we could wipe Christian Dvorak’s name from the no-goal ledger. Of course, that only left regulars Travis Konecny, Trevor Zegras, Sean Couturer, Denver Barkey, Noah Cates, Noel Acciari, Nick Seeler, Cam York, Jamie Drysdale, Rasmus Risolainen, Simon Benoit and Carl Grundstrom with goose eggs.

Baby steps to the blue line, baby steps to the goal, as Bob Wylie might say. 

Typical for an old-school head coach, Tocchet laid the responsibility on his charges. 

“It wasn’t great, don’t get me wrong. But it was zero-zero halfway through the game. I think we were hanging in there,” he admitted in Sunday’s postgame. “Then we don’t make a 10-foot pass. We don’t win a wall battle. And then they get the goal and we get dejected. We just didn’t have enough guys pullin’”

Losers in a franchise-record 7 straight to start the season. Two points. Just us and Calgary without wins. Execution lacking. Confidence tanked. Compete level wavering. By my count online since 10 pm Sunday, there’s been 57 “Fire Tocchet” posts and 34 “Fire Briere” posts. 

Flyers GM Danny Briere was in Boston. In the pregame, he lambasted the club’s lack of compete in the early going. That’s a sign. His presence this early is telling – as was the front office’s visit to Allentown on Sunday afternoon ahead of the Carolina night cap. It’s a first strike,  assessing water-testing call-ups from the Phantoms.

More importantly (and let’s not ask why), Briere has yet to even offer the slightest hint Tocchet is resting his rump on anything above room temperature – a stance backed up on Monday morning by international hockey insider Elliotte Friedman.

The Flyers have, in fact, upped their competitiveness from 0 to 10 all the way up to roughly 30 minutes a night, but have exactly zero points to show for it. Bizarre that their worse-than-professional efforts actually produced the only two points on their ledger.

Oh simple things, where have you gone? Tocchet didn’t have any insight into Keane’s 2004 musical question or one from a media member on Sunday, either.

“I don’t know if it’s a lack of focus, you’re nervous or pressured, I can’t give you that answer,” he said. “At the end of (last) year, you make a mistake, someone would cover for you. Now, they’re making duplicate mistakes. It’s evident for me. It’s a tough thing to correct, other than working every day.”

I’m not here to tell you what you want to hear. Might just have to live through whatever’s coming. Want Tocchet fired? Briere, too? Tough nuggets. It’s gonna burn and sting. There’s nothing you can do about it. Keep screaming on the internet, though. 

The necessary historical context

Twice before the franchise opened up a season without winning for 6 games. 

The first one was a shock: 1999-2000. Eric Lindros’ last season in Philadelphia. Even before all the internal drama hit, they started off 0-4-1-1. No Keith Jones for 6 weeks and no Brind’Amour for 2 months didn’t help. 

They were shut out in back-to-back home games to start the season for the only time in 60 years. Scored 1 goal in the first 3 games. Eventually the ship stopped listing, as the team reeled off 4 straight wins and went 8-1-1 in their next 10 outings. 

The other time was 2008-09. No going back for John Stevens and a small cadre of former Phantoms who won the Calder Cup in 2005 and were elevated to team leaders after a surprise trip to the conference finals. They opened up 0-3-3 including back-to-back wild losses to San Jose beyond regulation. 

That team might have been cursed when Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin dropped the puck before a season-opening home loss to the Rangers. After their initial troubles, they won 4 in a row and hit Thanksgiving on an 11-3-1 run – but hit a trough in between which required some front office action.

You think the chronically online are all over Tocchet like flies to rotting meat now? They would have had a feeding frenzy with Stevens, who unironically called his new forecheck method heading into ‘08 “Dump and Hunt” rather than a dump-and-chase which the Penguins picked clean the previous spring.

By the way, both teams rebounded to make the playoffs. 

So did the 2013-14 squad which tuned out Peter Laviolette, forced the front office to slide Craig Berube behind the bench after an 0-3 start and still couldn’t score for the season’s first 6 weeks. That club set the original dubious record of 8 total goals in the season’s opening 6 games. This year’s team beat that by one. That team also got in gear with a month-long 9-3-1 run after opening at 4-10-1. 

So maybe it’s short-tempered reactionaries treating a 6-month grind in hockey like a 17-week sprint in football and crashing out in a public forum, rather than a horrible start caused by complacency of mid-level talent compounded by chronic front-office systemic rot.

Still, there’s a nagging thought already that this season may be a teensy bit different. 

Why we can trust reverse 20/20 vision

The slender thread which held together the Flyers’ success in April and May seems more like an aberration.

After going up 3 games to none on the Penguins in the Eastern quarterfinals, they’ve lost 13 of their last 14 games. The one they *did* win was a fluke long-range overtime prayer which kept them from the record books.

If the Flyers didn’t take Game 6 at home and remove that anvil they placed on their own shoulders by not winning Games 4 and 5, the Pens had 100% of the momentum and tell me they wouldn’t have won Game 7 in Pittsburgh. So, right now, we’d be extra miserable ruminating over the unwashable stain of a reverse sweep as an appetizer to a pair of franchise records for season-opening malaise. 

I was there on Black Friday of 1991 when an angry sellout crowd roared “PAUL MUST GO” with the Flyers losing to the Penguins 9-3 in Game 23 of Paul Holmgren’s 4th season as head coach.  I was there in 2015 when, game after game after the All-Star break, chants of “FIRE CHIEF” rained down loud enough to be heard up in the press box, at home through your TVs and certainly could be read via Steve Mason’s intense 500-yard stare in the locker room.

Firings don’t work the way the screaming mimis want them to. Holmgren was on the leash for 5 ½ more days and 2 more games because the front office couldn’t track down Bill Dineen. Berube wasn’t shown the door until the 14-15 season was over. 

This is new territory. “FIRE TOCCHET” in the waning moments of Game 7 of a regular season, 89 games into his coaching tenure and 89 games into a 5-year contract. In this moment, the paying customers are loud – but wrong. Briere hasn’t yet said a peep about Tocchet. In Sunday’s postgame, Zegras even gave Tocchet a public vote of confidence. 

“He’s an amazing person. He’s an amazing coach,” Zegras said, catching onto a bit more of the media training which struck Porter Martone and Travis Sanheim when asked what the team needs to do to start looking like professionals. 

Martone even used the Lavy-ism “jam” in his comments on Saturday then talked about “dog mentality” on Sunday. There goes the next chief of police. 

Think you can’t fire the players? Wrong. You can’t do it now. Not 13 days into a season. But 3-to-4 weeks? Yeah. 

By Halloween, there are a certain number of NHL GMs whose cell phone bills are going to spike. And Briere’s better be one of them – provided there’s any trade value left in a roster that’s heading for a crash faster than Wile E. Coyote after deploying a defective Acme product.

The earliest significant body-for-body in-season trade in team history which led to immediate improvement was Paul Holmgren shipping grinders Steve Downie and Steve Eminger to Tampa Bay for young, offensive-oriented blueliner Matt Carle on Nov. 7, 2008 – exactly 28 days after Palin-gate. That’s your bar for Briere. 

The only way out is through

Captain Couturier said (to the floor) there’s “no quit” on his club and that a turnaround is a matter of simplifying the game. 

“We’re playing slow, we’re not making the right reads, we’re not winning races,” he said Sunday night. “We’re out of sync. There’s not really any excuses right now.”

Well, if the head coach publicly calls out the team’s inability to make 10-foot passes or win board battles – how “simple” is a recalibration going to be? What’s kindergarten-level practice sets for million-dollar pros? A visit with Hockey Central and a bunch of 10-year-olds?

If Tocchet’s message isn’t getting through, in one-and-one-tenth seasons as coach, the responsibility to compete and execute is squarely on the players. Gun to my head, responsibility shifts onto his shoulders at the end of this season. There’s still 77 games to salvage … something.

The only potential damning public comments so far on his end came before Saturday’s loss. When asked about what was different between last year and this year, Tocchet let the facade slip a bit: 

“We’re not gonna out chance (other teams) most nights … we have to play who we are. Playing good defense, being good in the neutral zone, I think we got a little away with it. That’s why the disparity in shots. Finally, we took the attitude to get pucks to the net. That helped us.” 

He’s basically admitting “low-event hockey” is not just playing hawkish hockey in the neutral or limiting chances in the d-zone. It’s about playing so buttoned-up in the other two-thirds of the ice, that the offense has to constantly make the most of limited o-zone activity. 

Keep an ear out for little slips like this as we go along…

Jurgens latest lineman to fly coop, lands with other birds in Baltimore

The fallout on the offensive line continues for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Less than 24 hours after the shocking, sudden retirement announcement by OL Lane Johnson for undisclosed reasons, the Birds dealt struggling center Cam Jurgens to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for a 5th-round pick in 2027 and a second-rounder in 2028.

Also heading down 95 South is a 7th-round choice in '27.

The mouthpiece and leader for this and the next generation of Eagles linemen, Jordan Mailata again shared his thoughts as another loyal comrade leaves the corps: "We shared a moment, Cam and I, where we cried," he admitted to an assembled media throng in South Philly on Wednesday. "You think about all the memories. Won a lot of games here. Won a championship here. Lost a lot of games here."

Jurgens had been a Pro Bowl level center for the last two seasons, but was pressed into duty this year at left guard thanks to an injury to usual starter Landon Dickerson. In April of '25, two months after helping the Eagles win their second Super Bowl and fifth championship in franchise history, he was rewarded with a 4-year contract extension.

Per a recent column by Jeff McLane of The Inquirer focusing on Johnson's experience, Jurgens had lost confidence in himself to ably perform at a high level.

However, like Johnson. And Jason Kelce. And Fletcher Cox. And Dickerson -- it appears years of battle caused Jurgens' body to fail him first, before his mind.

Timing of the move is certainly interesting, given Jurgens self-reported concussion symptoms on Monday morning, one day after the Eagles' 24-20 home loss to the Los Angeles Rams. He was in concussion protocol, according to several sources, but no other details were available ahead of the trade announcement.

It appears that Willie Lampkin will be shuttled into the open spot beginning Sunday.

Jurgens, a 27-year-old native of Nebraska who played college ball for the Cornhuskers, was taken in the 2nd round of the 2022 draft and subsequently appeared in 62 games (45 starts) over the last 5 seasons. He leaves a club sputtering at 2-2 heading into a London date with the Jacksonville Jaguars, to a Ravens team sitting at 3-1 heading into a Sunday night tussle in Atlanta.

"In a moment of embrace you kind of forget about everything and you just savor the last moment you have," Mailata added of his final meeting with Jurgens. It wasn't all emotional availability, though. Room for humor always. 

"I started calling 'dibs' on a couple things in his locker," Mailata said. "Did the same for Lane as well."

Flyers ink free agent F Bunting

Staring down the barrel of an 0-2-2 start with no end in sight and their young core failing to recapture the magic which defined last year's stretch run to a playoff berth, Flyers GM Danny Briere made a move on Tuesday.

Unsigned free agent forward Michael Bunting was brought into the fold on a 1-year, $1.2 million contract. 

Bunting, who like Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet is a product of Scarborough, Ontario, spent last season split between the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars, collecting 14 goals and 19 assists over 74 games but carrying a minus-24 rating.

The former 4th round draft pick of the Arizona Coyotes has compiled 109 goals and 143 assists across 418 regular season games for the 'Yotes, Maple Leafs, Hurricanes, Penguins, Preds and Stars. Bunting's high water marks in offense came with Toronto in 2021-22 and 2022-23 (23 goals each season) while his career high 103 penalty minutes was also achieved with the Leafs. 

Bunting's arrival hints at several issues that need buttoning up in the early going: one, that a veteran forward with some sandpaper is desperately on order after Briere let go of three veterans who populated the 4th line and two, that a proven veteran presence who has played under Tocchet could relay his message to the young core while also providing necessary competition for players who may be too comfortable.

The signing also removes the possibility of dipping into the prospect pool at Allentown, with the Phantoms' season just underway last weekend. 

Eagles OL Lane Johnson abruptly announces retirement

Less than 48 hours after being a late scratch for the Eagles' 24-20 home loss to the Los Angeles Rams, veteran offensive lineman Lane Johnson announced his retirement in a statement issued on his personal X page. 

If this abrupt ending holds, the 36-year-old native of Texas -- who the Birds selected fourth overall in the 2013 draft out of little-known Kilgore College in Oklahoma -- rides off into the sunset having participated in 171 games over parts of 14 NFL seasons having won 2 Super Bowls. He also earned 1st Team All-Pro honors twice and was selected to the Pro Bowl on 6 occasions. 

Earlier this season, Johnson stated this would be his final pro campaign. In addition, he mentioned his parents' health and the attendant toll it took on his mental preparation as a contributing factor to absences from the team. There is no official word from either the team or Johnson himself whether this played a factor in his decision.

On WIP shortly after the announcement, fellow veteran OL Jordan Mailata said Johnson "was everything you could ask for." when offering advice and guidance for the Australian to acclimatize to the NFL. 

"I've never seen anybody work as hard as he worked, even in meetings," Mailata added. "He was researching things all the time (about recovery modes). He never gatekept success, always shared it with the other guys."

It is kind of sad to think Lane was the last of the old guard," he admitted. He was part of the original Core Four. One of the greatest groups of all time to come through a locker room."

Thank you. 🦅 https://t.co/up2kH1K40p

— Lane Johnson (@LaneJohnson65) October 6, 2026

A short time later, Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie also took to social media to express his fond farewell:

https://t.co/T39yp5Phnd

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) October 6, 2026

Dear Porter Martone

Courtesy of Steph Ricci

by Bob Herpen

Phanatic Hockey Editor

PORTER!! HELLO!!

It wasn’t even Day One of the new NHL season and I see you’re already aiming to move from the back of the room with all the cool kids to Head of the Class in the Bryce Harper School of Pandering to a Long Suffering Fanbase.

Yeah, I read that whole thing. Cause I’m a crusty old dude who can concentrate for 7 minutes at a clip, rather than zoning out for a 30-minute podcast with pretty pictures.

I love these pieces because it’s as unfiltered a voice from the players themselves as anyone’s gonna get. Just a little polish to smooth out the rough edges. Sticks it to all the award-baiters out there who fancy themselves “story tellers,” because it comes straight from the hearts and minds of the men and women in the arena.

You hit all the major points: hockey mad kid in Ontario. Dad who was a former draftee and never made it. Flyers fan in a region of the province that’s mostly Maple Leafs supporters. Backyard rink. Gassing up the big dogs who came before and carried your hopes and dreams for the Cup. Cute pics with your heroes. Dream fulfillment to wear the sweater for real. First experience with the bloodlust that comes with battling the Penguins.

I get it. You’re a first round draft pick. Big freshman season with Sparty that stopped well short of a natty party. Took the town by storm with a strong stretch run. The hope of nations.

You’re young, dumb and full of … a desire to live up to expectations: your own along with the Flyers’ fans and organization.

The franchise is placing a tremendous amount of faith in ya, bud. First-line winger. First power play unit. 

Remember why you’re here with all the distractions that will eventually find your doorstep with that unblemished face. Do I even want to cite that line where Mickey doesn’t consider Rocky a true fighter until he gets his nose busted?

Just steer clear of any deodorant commercials. And cross-checking dudes square in the back when all four pairs of zebra eyes are fixed on a net-mouth scramble. Also, no interviews with cartoon rabbits, ducks, pigs or Martian conquerors. Eyes on the prize.

This city and its starved hockey fans don’t need someone who gives the team's admin star eyes with the fresh drip every home date. Don’t need an aw-shucks type of dude trying to gain crossover appeal in the Phillies broadcast booth with the National Treasure and his Mets-fan side kick. 

You wanna be in the driver’s seat? Be more like Max Verstappen than Toonces. Harder than it looks, isn't it. Had your first goal of the season wiped out and the team hasn't won a game yet.

We don’t wanna hide our faces anymore. Done with discussions over whether Kate Smith should be out, loud and proud or stuck in a wooden crate guarded by top men. Just win, baby. We need ya to internalize that mindset with every stride of every skate blade on every fresh slice of ice from this day forward.

Harper’s done more to integrate the Phillie Phanatic into high-end off-the-field couture than he’s done to bring us a championship on it. Seriously, son, don’t start.  

Don’t be wearing Gritty socks and Gritty Hawaiian shirts and shooting hoops with the Sixers in Camden or shagging flies across the street with a Gritty headband. No Gritty-themed skates for children’s cancer research. 

It’s been done to death.  

You know your head coach, “Tocc?” He wasn’t expected to be a savior and that’s not what we want, either. His development into a folk hero was a rare and beautiful thing. 

Went from a wild-eyed kid from another borough (Scarborough) who’d do anything to get ice time and do anything to keep it, to a bona-fide threat with his hands on every shift. No Insta posts of the second his fist met some poor unlucky bastard’s face.

You know what this city and its starved hockey fans need more than a wide-eyed kid ready to tell the world how great Philadelphia is? A 30-goal scorer. 

Haven’t had one since Travis Konecny scored 33 a whopping 3 whole years ago. Better yet, they need a 40-goal scorer. Haven’t had one of those since Jeff Carter in 2009 and the only guy who’s been close since, was Scott Hartnell (37 in 2011-12). Only Simon Gagne has done it more than once this century, back-to-back seasons (46 in 2005-06, 41 in 2006-07).

Better still, a 50-goal scorer. Rarest of the rare. It’s a Six-Timers Club: Rick MacLeish. Reggie Leach. Bill Barber. Tim Kerr. Mark Recchi. John LeClair. Last time was 1998. 

The Flyers haven’t drafted and developed a true sniper … EVER. Only traded and signed for their red-light rockers and in two rare cases, sent them right to the NHL after a brief, scorching period in the minors.

We also need a player who executes his role on the power play immaculately. Last season, Trevor Zegras was the first Flyer to hit double digits in PP goals (10) since James van Riemsdyk (10) in the COVID shortened 2021 season. 

So why not shoot for let’s say, 15 goals on the advantage. That hasn’t happened in an uninterrupted season since Brayden Schenn (17) AND Wayne Simmonds (16) did the dirty work 10 years ago. 

Although ticket prices in the 21st century suggest a base who’s been successful enough in life to build backyard rinks for their kids in cul-de-sacs that dot the ‘burbs, the spirit of our suffering is more fundamental. 

City living. Heavy trouble. The small kids and the smart kids needing to look over their shoulder. Abbotts milk crate for a net. Mylec plastic for a stick. Cars parked on one side of a small street for boards. Scatter when the big kids take over the rink or try to roll with ‘em?

Or if you lived in a neighborhood that believed in public outlets for youth with a lot of energy, a rink with 8-foot-high cyclone fencing, two painted blue lines, one red line and 4 empty 20-gallon drums as goalposts. 

Wanna know where you should go?

Scanlon Ice Rink. I and Venango. Recently refurbished in the middle of a once working-class Catholic neighborhood that could use a boost. 

Rizzo Rink. Front and Washington. Check out what’s pretty much the last generation of guys and gals who take it upon themselves to play whenever and wherever there’s an open spot. Fishtown Rec. Girard and Montgomery. Burke Playground. 2nd and Jackson. Same deal. 

Tocchet talked about "connections" on the power play. This is your shot to connect for real. Not Insta real. Real real. With the kids who look up to you and the adults who need you to produce so they don't submit to public embarrassment when they lose their fantasy league in April.

McDevitt Rec Center. Scotts Lane. Little Falls. I would also have said Houston Playground in Andorra, but,

oops … 3 years too late. 

Of course, it’s also gonna be *strongly suggested* you stop by the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation. 

You’ve got a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be the kind of player who’ll never need to pay a bar tab or pick up a check for the rest of your life. Time to walk the walk. We’ll be in your corner. Until we’re not. 

See ya out there. But we wanna see you here, too.

Sincerely,

Us

Flyers preaching patience (for now) with new power play 'homework'

by Bob Herpen

Phanatic Hockey Editor

Forgive me if I didn’t rush outside to see if white smoke poured from the roof vents of the Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees last Wednesday when I dropped in on training camp, but the Philadelphia Flyers have a power play. 

Six days ago, Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet definitively stated he selected a crew to man the first power play unit. And its construction is interesting – four forwards and one defenseman: Trevor Zegras. Porter Martone. Matvei Michkov. Tyson Foerster. Jamie Drysdale. 

Tomorrow night, when the curtain and the puck drops on the 2026-27 season, they’ll get the first of an indefinite number of chances to fulfill their destiny –- to raise the ailing man advantage out of the dregs of the National Hockey League. 

In the midst of an answer which bordered on glazing, Tocchet did manage to keep his feet stuck to the floor, saying there’s some “special gifts that they have” that pushed this five-man band to the head of the line. 

“The key is connection,” he explained. “I think ‘Mich’ and Trevor’s connection the last 3 days has fast tracked. And Porter’s got a really good brain when it comes to scoring goals. I hope the connection stays.”

Of course, Tocchet said this when the only video evidence of the new unit and its formation was, at first, an individualized side-session with 3 of the guys alone and then a full-unit try against 4 players providing no pushback. 

We can only hope the five neat guys did their summer reading and are ready to put the plan in action. You wouldn’t want to upset the teachers, who worked so hard to prepare themselves.

“I think Yogi did a Hell of a job with Jay of identifying where the goals are scored, how they’re being scored and also the details of (positioning) a flanker, a low player, a bumper,” Tocchet noted. 

The instructions weren’t just on the technical side. They apparently asked each player to view, analyze, digest and provide feedback. The better to read and react in real time, as Tocchet asked the guys to consider the following: “Why is Mark Stone so good low? Why is Jack Eichel and those guys good on the half wall?” 

Find out why Flyers want center prospect Jett Luchanko to "shoot more."

Interesting that their pair of sets shown during the first period in a 2-0 win over Boston last Thursday in their first of two home preseason tilts featured both a 3-1-1 formation and a 2-1-2 formation. No goals, but it was clear there’s something different in store: 

Then, on Saturday, in a 5-1 loss to the Capitals it was another oh-fer but more good motion and reactions. Process over results for now, I guess.

On Sunday, Tocchet strongly hinted that there are other players “competing” for permanent spots on the power play and lightly hinted that the top 5 may not remain a unit with improved play from others.

Without any other context, I think we can assume that all spots on PP2 are up for grabs to start the year. Alex Bump, he of the shoot-from-anywhere ethos -- of whom Tocchet said, cryptically, is a guy who can't receive and process a whole lot of information at once -- is slated for the second unit as well.

“That can kinda amp a power play into getting better, is when there’s competition,” he added. “Sometimes you give (players a no-fault chance to remain in place), they get comfortable. Yorkie (Cam York)  looked pretty good. I think he was one of the better guys moving the puck. He’s in the mix, for sure. And David (Jiricek) and Drysy (Jamie Drysdale).”

You can see York head into uncharted territory just ahead of a power play in Saturday’s game:

Tocchet also emphatically stated the power play, as a function of their whole offensive mindset, needed to generate more open chances and needed to record more shots on goal. 

Part of the improved puck motion appeared to be better reactions by the puck handler, distributor and shooters how to move based on the opposition’s penalty kill. Tocchet said it back in May was the most pressing technical need to solve.

“It’s the one thing we gotta stay on top of,” Tocchet offered. “What’s the read? Is it a box, is it a ‘top-down?’ What happens if the flanker or defensive d is too high, what are we looking to do? We have to get better at that because last year, the reads were a little bit off.”

Accountability doesn’t stop there. Tocchet also expects the improved reads to incorporate better hockey IQ. More than that, he wants off-ice confirmation they’re picking up what they see on ice.

In a move that’s only going to further obsess the chronically online armchair warriors, Tocchet also said he’d be “an idiot” to shake things up if things don’t go well over the first batch of games. For that trust, he’s expecting growth and discipline but also basic hustle and desire even if the process fails.

“They gotta get to the 50-yard-line, too. They gotta do the stuff that we’re asking,” he said. “If they’re not chasing down the puck on a retrieval, that’s a whole different story. I don’t think that’s gonna happen, but there has to be accountability on their side.”

What were the Flyers' 10 Greatest Losses? Find out here.

Yesterday is History

Tomorrow night, the Flyers and Penguins – who are simultaneously celebrating their 60th seasons of operation as two of the six franchises included in the league’s initial 1967 expansion – will face each other in a Philly home opener for the 8th time. 

A recap of the previous ones: 

Oct. 19, 1967 - The very first home game for the expansion Orange and Black saw Bill Sutherland’s third-period marker and 21 saves from Doug Favell stand up in a 1-0 victory.

Oct. 17, 1968 - Brit Selby, a 1966 Calder Trophy winner with Toronto, notched a goal and assist, while Bernie Parent made that margin stand up by halting all 20 pucks he faced in a 3-0 decision. 

Oct. 9, 1980 - The defending Campbell Conference champions began their title defense with a 7-4 decision courtesy of 2 goals from rookie Yves Preston, 2 more from Al Hill and 24 saves from Phil Myre.

Oct. 10, 1991 - The defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins topped their hosts, 6-3, on the strength of 2 scores from future ex-Flyers coach Joey Mullen, a goal and two helpers from future ex-Flyers defenseman Paul Coffey and Tom Barrasso’s 18 saves. Brad Jones netted his first goal in his first game with the Flyers.

Oct. 5, 1993 - Buoyed by 8 straight wins to end the previous season, the Flyers squeaked out a 4-3 win after falling behind by 2-0 in the 1st period. Rod Brind’Amour, Eric Lindros and Slava Butsayev scored to erase the deficit, Dmitri Yushkevich provided the winner early in the 3rd.

Jan. 19, 2013 - The NHL returned after a prolonged lockout and the Flyers were a step slow in a 3-1 loss to the Penguins, whose only interesting tidbit happened after the game. A young man  on a tour of the ice-level facilities broke from the pack, went up to the podium in front of the assembled media and got about 3 sentences out before security exited him off the premises.

Jan. 13, 2021 - The truncated COVID schedule pitted these rivals together again, with 2-and-3-game series scheduled to cut down on travel. Six different players, including the late, lamented Nolan Patrick, Oskar Lindblom and Kevin Hayes in a 6-3 triumph. Carter Hart added 31 stops on his winning ledger.

LeBron says he wants to bring 'blueprint' for success to unproven Sixers core

LeBron James officially faced the local media throng at Philadelphia 76ers media day on Monday at the team's practice facility in Camden, and the 23-year professional said he had some lessons to impart that were passed down to him by a Hall-of-Famer.

When asked if Shaquille O'Neal -- James' teammate briefly on the 2009-10 Cleveland Cavaliers -- had some valuable things to tell him on his own journey that could be passed down to this generation of Sixers struggling to win a second playoff series, he said: 

"I have a lot of experience in this game, obviously, so I hope I can bring that knowledge, bring that blueprint to the guys that's trying to accomplish things they haven't done in their careers," he said. "I've seen everything that this league has to offer on the floor and off the floor.

The message isn't just for Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and others. Apparently King James has something to offer the likes of new acquisition Jaylen Brown, a champion two Junes ago with the Boston Celtics.

"I hope that, every single day with my approach to the game, approach to the work, that it can translate to every single guy -- even the guys that's been able to win at the highest levels."

As far as being a lightning rod for criticism externally or a calm water internally whenever the club eventually goes through a rough stretch this upcoming season, James appeared to want to put himself at the center so his teammates could work through whatever issues arise.

"You never get too high, never get too low. Understand that the noise is gonna be the noise," he offered. "What happens outside this building is going to consistently happen and it's going to be doubled and tripled and quadrupled when I'm here."

Regarding the role he wants for himself, or that which he's discussed with head coach Nick Nurse and his staff, James gamely offered up his services as a Swiss Army knife. His quiet, veteran confidence was on full display in 10 words, with a knowing smile.

"The luxury of my game is, I can do everything," he said.

The 41-year-old native of Akron, Ohio has pretty much done everything one can think of during a career which spans three decades of the 21st century: 22-time NBA All-Star, 21-time All-NBA selection, 6-time All-NBA defensive player, 4-time league MVP, 4-time NBA champion, 2003-04 Rookie of the Year, one of the best of the league's 75-year history and more which true fans could rattle off at the snap of a finger which I don't care to address in this piece.

It's the 4-time NBA champion that will be the thrust of James' work both on and off the court for however long he lasts in Philadelphia. James has won once with Cleveland, twice with Miami and once with the Lakers. The Sixers, however, not including Brown, haven't advanced past the second round of the playoffs in 25 years, when the franchise led by Allen Iverson, lost to Shaq's Lakers.

And so maybe take the second knuckle out of your mouth when James talked about still "loving the process" of preparing to play each season. He said he will never get tired of putting in the work -- a word he said more than 20 times in a 17-minute interview -- claiming it is part of his DNA. He also said he won't miss the sacrifices inherent in playing one place while his children are scattered in age and location. 

On Embiid, James said it was a little premature to make any judgments or statements about his role as a mentor since it was his first day within the confines of the organization but he admitted he was "looking forward to seeing what his process is."

James was also looking forward to seeing how Embiid himself defines his pathway to becoming the best version of himself and the best version he can be for the Sixers, given his largest obstacle to both has been nagging injuries which slowed him down and affected how the team performed. 

"As an elder statesman of the team, as a guy who's been through a lot, hopefully I can give him resources and whatever he needs on a day-to-day basis to make him feel more and more comfortable about where he is, where we are, as a team."

To view James' full remarks from earlier today, bang the link.

Former Phils owner, chairman Giles dies at 92

Earlier on Friday, former Philadelphia Phillies owner, general manager and chairman William Y. Giles died at the age of 92.

Giles and a consortium of other investors purchased the franchise from Ruly Carpenter and the Carpenter family following the strike-interrupted 1981 season. 

Son of Warren Giles, who spent periods as team president of the Cincinnati Reds as well as the National League, Bill Giles influenced team history before stepping unto the breach at the highest levels. As a member of the marketing team, he was instrumental in creating the Phillie Phanatic and such spectacles as the Flying Wallendas.

Giles was also a significant factor in convincing Reds star Pete Rose to sign a lucrative free-agent contract with the Phils in the winter of 1978 over several other clubs. 

Below is a statement issued by the team earlier this evening, including remarks from John Middleton on Giles' passing:

A statement on behalf of Phillies Managing Partner and CEO John Middleton: pic.twitter.com/hSUyXXdfNw

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 25, 2026

Vladar suffers arm injury vs. Bruins, listed as day-to-day

Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar will apparently not miss significant time after sustaining an apparent injury to his right arm in Tuesday night's 5-1 preseason loss to the Bruins in Boston.

He's officially listed as "day-to-day" by a franchise which notoriously keeps things close to the vest.

Vladar, who started the Flyers' second exhibition contest in as many nights and was scheduled to play the first 2 periods, was forced to leave the game with roughly 6 1/2 minutes remaining in the opening stanza. During a sequence in the Bruins offensive zone, Vladar appears to be run into by B's forward Tanner Jeannot, after which he visibly holds his right arm at his side.

Seconds later, the Bruins scored the first goal of the contest and Vladar was replaced by Alexei Kolosov for the remainder of the contest. 

Following the game, Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet said there was no update on Vladar's status, only that he was "being evaluated" by team staff. 

Obviously they "dodged a bullet," as Tocchet said when he kicked off a post-practice update among reporters on Wednesday afternoon. 

"He's day-to-day," Tocchet admitted. "He's in good spirits today."

When asked if Vladar would be OK to play in next Wednesday's season opener vs. the Penguins, Tocchet deferred to his opening quote. 

"Could be 48 hours or 72. I don't know," he added.

Vladar suffered a similar injury during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins when Pens forward Bryan Rust tried a similar strafing run through the crease in what ended up a 5-2 Flyers win. 

Vladar did not miss another minute for the entire series and a subsequent loss in the East semis to the Carolina Hurricanes, but the nature of the injury was not disclosed by the team during the playoff run, nor did Vladar elaborate during break-up day in May. 

At that time, he only told the assembled media contingent that the injury would not affect his pending off-season routine.

In large part due to the failure of Sam Ersson to make an impression, this summer Flyers GM Danny Briere traded for Toronto Maple Leafs netminder Joe Woll -- who filled in admirably 2 seasons ago with nominal starter Anthony Stolarz on the shelf -- who might be called upon in relief.

"The one thing we're lucky (about) is, he has an intelligent mind," Tocchet said of Woll. "He studies, even our (penalty kill) and stuff like that. I think he knows how important he is and that he's going to play some games for us."

Tocchet also said he'd be "very comfortable" with Woll stepping in should he need to begin the season in net and play more than originally thought, also admitting that former Leafs head coach Craig Berube spoke highly of Woll. 

"We're in good shape with that."

For Woll's part, he was very much understated in his own comments after workouts.

"I think I've proven that I can do that in my career," Woll offered when asked if he was ready to take the reins if needed, from the start of the season. 

"My goal from the start with this team has been to help out wherever I can -- whatever situation that means," he added. "It doesn't really change my process day-to-day or my mindset."

Woll called the acclimatization process with the Flyers "fun challenges" 

The club officially opens the regular season one week from today, at home against the Penguins.

The Flyers have two preseason games remaining, both on home ice, vs. Boston on Thursday night and vs. Washington on Saturday evening. 

'Shoot more:' Why Flyers' want Luchanko to be more selfish

Courtesy of Sportsnet.ca

by Bob Herpen

Phanatic Hockey Editor

Former first-round pick Jett Luchanko will apparently get to play in one place this year and from all indications, it seems like it will be with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. 

Prior to the Sept. 12 rookie game in Allentown, his presumed new boss, John Snowden, gassed up the AHL as a prime proving ground. He touted the unique benefits of learning how to play on the doorstep of a legitimate pro career with respect to skating, puckhandling and how much time and space can be utilized in a teaching environment.

“For a player like him, who’s got an offensive upside … we want to push the offense with him because we know he’s responsible and makes the right decisions without the puck,” he noted. “Our job is to continuously show him the opportunities he has offensively and keep pushing the envelope on his ability to create.”

Luchanko’s progress, as the No. 1 suspected media leaker stated last week, has not been “uneven.”  Rather, it’s been downright stunted by his wonky path up and down the amateur and professional ladder. 

Since 2023, he’s been with Guelph in the Ontario Hockey League (head coach Chad Wiseman), Guelph (new head coach Cory Stillman), the Flyers (head coach John Tortorella), the Phantoms (head coach Ian Laperriere), the Flyers (head coach Rick Tocchet), Guelph again (Stillman), traded to Brantford (head coach Jay McKee) now presumably back in Allentown.

Mix in that core/groin/pelvic floor injury which apparently affected him for most of the last two seasons – which wasn’t enough for him to slam on the breaks, for which he underwent surgery that prevented him from auditioning at rookie camp the last 2 years – the truth becomes evident. 

It’s not so much that Luchanko bears all the responsibility to prove himself, but the organization bears a good bit of responsibility for providing a stable environment after putting him through the ringer. 

Nonetheless, the messaging at all times has been that a bona-fide speedy puck-handling center should “shoot more.”  Someone got in Luchanko’s ear in the summer of ‘24 and he himself offered up the need to develop that part of his game to team-friendly beat Adam Kimelman. Ian Laperriere, then the Phantoms head coach, first broached the subject in multiple reports two years ago. 

That core injury Luchanko suffered through? It’s one that affects lower-body positioning needed as a foundation before the upper body activates in a shooting motion – something nobody connected with the club has apparently noticed, or cited, as a mitigating factor. 

Just that he needs to “shoot more.”

One theory I floated last summer, was the revelation that the Flyers, through multiple coaching and front office regimes, have never drafted and developed a single traditional pure goal scorer. That means, centers playing wing, wings playing center and of course, pressure put on centers to be more than simple drivers of forward offensive flow to make up for the deficit.

That column focused on the longer-term issues prevalent in constructing poor power plays, but the logic still stands for what the club expects out of Luchanko by himself.

Given just one chance in front of the media before the rookie series opener on Sept. 11, Luchanko was neither specifically asked about the organization’s wish for him to shoot more, nor did he provide an off-the-cuff answer on the issue when asked about offseason prep.

However, the clearest answers arrived from someone looking in from above – Flyers director of player development Riley Armstrong. 

During an Inquirer-based podcast episode from Sept. 16, Armstrong hit viewers fairly early on with the money quote: “I definitely think, with his speed, his vision, his playmaking, I definitely think he’s gonna ‘pop’ this season.”

At least nobody in the organization is asking Luchanko to sacrifice what he already has, to make room for shooting. 

Armstrong continued: “The one thing that I loved, he went down on a 2-on-1 and I forget who he was with in the game, and I was yelling ‘SHOOT’ and he did shoot. He didn’t score, but I’m glad he shot the puck because that’s something we’ve been preaching to him. He’s always a pass-first kind of guy so, to see him start to build that confidence and get that mindset, is definitely a step in the right direction.” 

And when asked later whether there’s a “hyper-focus” on shooting while giving Luchanko instruction, Armstrong admitted that there is an awareness in opposing players, who are  committed to studying and knowing each other’s tendencies well before puck drop. 

“When you become a ‘pass-first’ guy, goalies figure you out pretty quick,” he said. “We always talk about being a dual threat. Once you start shooting and have the ability to pass, you keep everybody guessing. That’s something we’re trying to push for in his development.”

Sizing up the Kid

If the Flyers braintrust is insistent Luchanko embrace a skill set closer to a top-six or even top-line centers possess, it’s fair to look at some comparable pivots in franchise history.

Pelle Eklund. Eklund arrived in 1985 direct from the Swedish Elite League at age 22 and eventually set a franchise record for assists (51) and points (66) by a rookie center, despite being essentially a spare part for head coach Mike Keenan for the first half of the season. 

Once he gained Keenan’s trust as a fluid skater, reliable passer and counterpart on the power play for Tim Kerr’s still-standing NHL record of 34 power-play goals in a season, his place on the roster was cemented.

As he grew in responsibility and confidence, Eklund’s forte with the puck was something only seen previously in the North American game from Wayne Gretzky – not just control through the neutral zone and blue-line entry, but a way of dictating the offensive flow for his teammates and against defenders while possessing. 

This is what I envision if the franchise wants Luchanko to possess as long as possible while creating his own scoring chance, this gem in Winnipeg from the spring of 1993:

Over his injury-plagued 9 seasons here, Eklund’s best goal-scoring year was 23 in 1989-90. Especially if that coveted 1C role is filled, what’s wrong with only potting 15-to-18 if 50-or-more-assists are right next to it on the ledger?

Mark Recchi. A more traditional Canadian breed of center, one who was equally adept at positioning to intercept passes or turnovers and reversing flow as he was at digging out pucks along the boards and dishing out to start a rush. 

His 53 goals and 123 points in Eric Lindros’ rookie season and expansion year of 1992-93 still stand as single-season team records for centers. Recchi netted 103 goals over his first 190 games with Philly, then came back after an exile on Ste. Catherine Street by recording 20-or-more goals in his 5 full seasons here (1999-2004). 

These are among the prettiest goals in Recchi’s repertoire, a home-ice hattie vs. the Capitals in 2001: 

Mike Richards. Although more widely recognized as a deadly penalty killer who could turn on the jets and create shorthanded chances, Richards did make some bones as a puck-possessing driver of offense and shooter, particularly on the power play. 

His brand of positioning forced the opposition to be mindful of a pivot who could distribute and collect north-south and laterally, like in this goal scored early in the 2009-10 season against the Capitals: 

As the coveted 1C starting in 2007, Richards netted at least 30 goals twice and had 4 straight 20-or-more goals in his final seasons in Orange and Black – numbers he never even chased over the remainder of his career despite two Stanley Cups. Even so, it took 2 years of NHL-level development before those gaudy numbers appeared. 

Claude Giroux. If not when considering both impact and hardware, but definitely for sheer longevity, the second-best center in franchise history was Ground Zero for any debates about the effectiveness of shuttling a player between center and wing. Eight 20-goal seasons and a 34-goal, 100-point performance in the expansion year of 2017-18. 

Giroux was killer with open space, like in 4-on-4 OTs, using a combination of separation speed and shootout-level mind games to fool goaltenders. My guess is they need Jett to look something like this 2018 extra session winner: 

Heading into his 18th full pro season, Giroux ranks 9th in total points among all players since 2005 and is borderline for Hall of Fame consideration alongside Anze Kopitar and John Tavares. Luchanko's ceiling would need to be sky high and his progression so fast, to come close.

Whatever brilliant idea lurks in Armstrong or Briere’s mind and vision, the dress rehearsal was last night in Hershey, when Luchanko was the 2C. The real story should begin to be written starting Oct. 3 at home vs. Hartford.

NHL putting Flyers, league behind eight ball with shortened preseason

by Bob Herpen

Phanatic Hockey Editor

As part of the exchange for adding two games onto each team’s regular-season schedule from 82 to 84, the National Hockey League has reduced the preseason from 6 games to 4 for each club.

With the Flyers training camp set to commence two days from now, there’s only a maximum of 4 full days of preparation on tap before the first exhibition game, Sept. 21 in Hershey against the Washington Capitals.

From there, another road game the next night against the Bruins, before the truncated slate ends with home dates vs. Boston (Sept. 24) and Washington (Sept. 26). Then, the curtain falls for good on Sept. 30 at home against the Penguins.

Forgive the metaphor, but that puts the entire coaching staff and roster-ready players under the gun. Aside from what can be immediately gleaned from the skating and drills and eventual scrimmages that are pre-scheduled, there’s the question of instruction. How changes to whatever system needs tweaking will be approached in a limited window.

And yes, where oh where and when oh when will they get to practice the power play? Rick said they were going to have to figure out how to do it beyond the boundaries of the daily practices…

There’s a whole lotta undue pressure coming for all 32 coaching staffs, so don’t bother complaining specifically about what the Flyers staff did or didn’t do, or didn’t do well enough. What has a better chance of distinguishing a solid start to the NHL regular season vs. an NFL model where the starters are up to speed in the first couple weeks, will be the amount of pre-camp prep from on-and-off-ice personnel. 

Note, we don’t actually know what that is because, at least the Flyers coaches would consider this type of info “state secrets” so we’ll have to act surprised whichever way things turn out.

I think there’s actually a technical term in German for what’s coming: Scheisseschau.

Nothing is ever going to be the same, but there was an element of looseness and fun in what was each team’s exhibition schedule, up until about 20 years ago. Camp lasted 2 1/2 weeks or more. Teams played anywhere from 8 to 10 games, often back-to-back multiple times, sometimes in far flung neutral sites or on rinks of American Hockey League affiliates, and mayhem often ensued. 

It was a long-form, low-pressure chance for coaching staffs to take what was written on the whiteboard and practiced in solitude and execute it in real time with a variety of lineups. There used to be guys who had their roster spots cemented who played half the games. Guys on the bubble who played the other half. And the rink rats, the dudes on the fringes still holding on in the AHL or IHL who provided a sideshow with fisticuffs if it proved to be the last time they’d wear an NHL uniform. 

It was often structured like Spring Training; off day on Thursday where coaches formulate game plans, play in Orlando against the Red Wings on a Friday night and have a scrappy lineup led by the head assistant register a couple fights and 100 penalty minutes in a 7-4 game, then return for a local TV engagement Saturday on home ice with a hungry squad and the head coach presiding in front of 10,000 ticket holders and send ‘em home happy with a crisp 5-2 win over the Islanders. 

Then, on Sunday, play a full-squad match against the Devils, or Rangers to best simulate real-game situations. Lather, rinse, repeat. Monday, rest or light workouts with instruction. 

Split the squad again for games Tuesday in Providence against the Bruins and then Wednesday at Rochester vs. the Sabres and expect a touch of anarchy. Maybe mix in a full-roster game vs. the Bears or Phantoms in Philadelphia so the kids get a full and fair chance to see what NHL-level talent requires.

Surprises abounded without such strict controls. In 2005, the Flyers rallied from a 5-1 deficit against the Capitals – including 5 goals in a wild third period – to win, 7-6, in overtime and nobody complained. Where has that been, like, ever since? 

The next year, Pens rookie Evgeni Malkin made his NHL debut, tried a body check in Halifax and ended up slamming into John LeClair. How can we forget Steve Downie making like an ICBM and blowing up Dean McAmmond in 2007? 

Well, the league has rightfully cleaned up a significant amount of that clownery, but what’s emerged over the years has taken on the form of a sanitized appetizer to the 6-month regular season grind. Games shifted from “exhibitions” to “preseason” when used largely as real-time gauges for roster spots and proof that tweaks to systems introduced at the start of camp worked or not.

Under the current system, veterans are restricted to participating in 2 games maximum.

You watch. Maybe the Flyers would have a 5-4 game thrown into the mix, but my guess is “low-event” hockey will result in low-score games for those that don’t count before the games that do. 

Besides, there’s no indication otherwise until I see it with my own eyes either on Thursday or Saturday in Voorhees. Tocchet hasn’t spoken publicly yet, and Danny Briere went on Nasty Knuckles podcast over the weekend and offered nothing in terms of what to expect during camp or the limited preseason competition. I hope the plan is for a good mixture of each rather than just basic blocks of 2 and 2.

You know who could benefit from the old, less pressurized system? Current NHL and AHL guys on whatever fringe exists, like Zayde Wisdom. Garrett Wilson. Oliver Bonk. Devin Kaplan. Cole Knuble. Jett Luchanko. Denver Barkey. Alex Bump. Porter Martone.

Give the NHL hopefuls a long, 60-minute look against their impending competition instead of locking them into a softball two-game series against equal skill and experience level meant to goose pre-camp content levels and prospect promotional opportunities.

When asked on Saturday in Allentown if he was trying to make a point to the front office about his abilities in the rookie game, Bump certainly gave a canned, NHL-ready response: “For sure. It’s kinda getting to that time where you gotta make an impression. Don’t overcomplicate (things). Don’t overthink it. What’s best is to go out and play my game.”

And, in light of the follow-up question about whether Bump could draw from what he knew about playing in the NHL at the end of last year and apply it to the rookie series I have to ask – what is he doing back with the kids, anyway? 

Here’s where the Flyers front office – with a little foresight – can create a ramp to success: if you’re a prospect who plays in more than one rookie series, you’re automatically promoted to competing for a spot in any of the four NHL-level preseason games. 

That certainly fits in Bump’s case, and for Barkey, who admitted after Friday’s rookie opener that he’s been there long enough the first-timers are leaning on him like a veteran to get the hang of it all.

Due to the compressed timeline, I'd really hate to think the first few days at Skate Zone will be nothing more than teachers expressing pleasure or frustration once they find out which of the students did or didn't attend to their summer reading list - with attendant rewards or punishments.

For the rest of the squad, some grace. And the less you think about the success of the preseason depending on their actual game record, the better. Or, if you can’t help it, I can get ya into an Eagles support group.