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.
“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.
