Category: Sports News

The Philadelphia Flyers went from rebuilder to playoff dark horse... or so they thought, and now the team and its loyal but increasingly impatient fans are paying the price.

The Flyers, in the midst of a five-game losing streak (0-4-1), still very much look like a young, directionless team that has some future pieces, but a far cry from a finished product.

Having now fallen out of a playoff spot in what is shaping up to be yet another midseason collapse, the Flyers have also allowed no fewer than five goals in each of their last four losses, all in regulation.

Backup goalie Sam Ersson, after falling well behind Dan Vladar in the eyes of Rick Tocchet and Co., has descended into unplayable territory and owns an unfathomably bad .853 save percentage on the season.

Continuing to put Ersson in the line of fire when he very clearly has no confidence is harmful to both the player and his teammates, and the Flyers need to move on and move forward for the benefit of both parties.

That puts the Flyers back at what can be considered square one relative to the past few seasons; one goalie who can steal a few games, and another goalie behind him who is a complete enigma.

Time will tell if Aleksei Kolosov's resurgence is legitimate and can be relied upon, or if the Flyers again gravely miscalculated their situation.

The Discourse Around Matvei Michkov Makes No SenseThe great debate for the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> so far this season has been whether or not star sophomore forward Matvei Michkov is getting a fair shake under new head coach Rick Tocchet and being put into positions to truly succeed.

Since signing a five-year, $25.75 million ($5.15 million AAV) contract extension with the Flyers on Jan. 5, veteran center Christian Dvorak has been out-shot 75-60 at 5-on-5, according to Natural Stat Trick, while being out-scored 5-2.

Linemates Trevor Zegras and Travis Konecny, who have gone equally cold, have struggled in lockstep, though Zegras, who earns favorable deployment when the team trails, has out-shot opponents 80-65 in the same timeframe.

By re-signing Dvorak, in addition to retaining other grey hairs like Nick Seeler, Konecny, Rasmus Ristolainen, and Garnet Hathaway, the Flyers have called it quits on a rebuild and have no intentions on racing with other cellar dwellers to the bottom.

But, if the Flyers are all-in on being a competitive team looking to reach the playoffs--they've already lost their playoff spot--they cannot be bad and boring. They are both.

The San Jose Sharks, who are still an objectively bad team hindered most by their island of misfit toys defense core, have given Macklin Celebrini the keys to the car, and it's made them one of the NHL's most entertaining teams.

Celebrini, still just 19, has 24 goals and 71 points in 47 games this season after recording 25 goals and 63 points in 70 games last season.

He also has his Sharks in a playoff spot.

Flyers starlet Matvei Michkov, as you'll recall, finished his rookie campaign with more goals than Celebrini did, more games played notwithstanding.

Report: Flyers Rejected Big Maple Leafs Trade for Rasmus RistolainenAccording to a new report, the Philadelphia Flyers received a massive trade offer from the Toronto Maple Leafs for veteran defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen. GM Danny Briere and Co. didn't budge.

That same Michkov has seen his average ice time drop two full minutes from 16:41 to 14:41 under Tocchet, who has demanded the Russian sensation adapt his style to the system and not vice versa.

Everyone knew when Michkov was drafted seventh overall in 2023 that he was not a plus skater but was an exceptional proprietor of offense attacking angles from his favored right wing and creating plays out of thin air.

The difference now is that the 21-year-old is playing left wing, right wing, with bit-part bottom-sixers, with top-sixers, on the top power play unit, or on no power play unit at all.

He's being thrown around and utilized with extreme indifference, but for some, it is a big shock and concern that Michkov has just 24 points in 45 games because of that.

But, hey, when you don't score, maybe you can contribute in other ways, right?

How about Michkov dropping the gloves and fighting Blake Lizotte on behalf of Denver Barkey, someone he's known for maybe a few weeks, in that 6-3 blowout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night.

In the last week, Michkov and Nikita Grebenkin, who have a combined 166 NHL games between them, got into fights standing up for and trying to inspire their teammates. But where are the leaders?

Hathaway, Seeler, Konecny, and Sean Couturier have seen this movie--the midseason collapse--before, and it is happening again.

The young guns are showing as much fight as possible in their limited opportunities, while the details, fight, and overall basic fundamentals for much of the rest of the team have completely fallen to the wayside.

NHL Trade Rumors: Should the Flyers Pursue Dougie Hamilton?The <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> still have one of the worst, most ineffective power plays in the NHL, but they can get the boost they've been looking for by taking advantage of another team's plight.

Just play a 1-1-3 neutral zone and keep three to four bodies above the puck like the Tampa Bay Lightning did on Monday night and the Flyers have been completely stifled offensively.

The Flyers are not fun to watch, not hard to play against, and not disciplined. They are not committed to making the playoffs or rebuilding, and they are not bad enough to secure a top draft pick as they had last season.

Instead, the Flyers are very much a team adrift, going through the motions until the 2026 Winter Olympics come along.

Only the team can dig itself out of this relentless cycle of greyness and mediocrity, but if they fail to do so, there would be enough sample size to deduce that the heart of the team, the core, as currently constructed, is simply incapable without further changes.

The Flyers' next opponents--the New York Rangers--just openly penned a letter to their fans admitting they have been terrible all season and will make a bunch of trades in order to try and course-correct, and that same Rangers team still has more regulation and overtime wins (18) than the Flyers do (17) this season.

If the Flyers can't take down New York in their own building on Saturday afternoon, the organization will be forced to double back and reconsider their blueprint for success for this season, the offseason, and beyond.

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While the Detroit Red Wings have put themsevles into an extremely advantageous position with their current second overall ranking in the Atlantic Division standings, they're going to be in for a dogfight the rest of the way. 

The Atlantic Division is perhaps the most competitive in the NHL right now, and multiple teams are on complete heaters - including one that has to be seen to be believed. 

With just how tight things are, the Red Wings are keenly aware of not only their own position but how their closest competition is faring. 

"We look at the standings, there's a lot of information that comes from that stat pack, not just on the front page, but we look through it, and then analytics gives us information," head coach Todd McLellan explained. "But if your nose is stuck in it and you're trying to do a bunch of math and figure out stuff now, you're probably wasting your time. There are too many games left, and it's just too tight." 

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After the termination of general manager Kevyn Adams, the Buffalo Sabres have rattled off 15 of their last 17 games. 

Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Lightning have won 11 straight games, while the Toronto Maple Leafs have won eight of 12. 

"It’s incredible," McLellan said of the pace of their Atlantic competition. "I don’t know who’s losing. Everybody seems to be winning." 

To begin their centennial campain, the Red Wings were put through the gauntlet with several divisional matchups, including twice against the Maple Leafs, along with matchups against the Lightning and Florida Panthers. 

Despite their Opening Night loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 9, the Red Wings earned victories in back-to-back contests against the Maple Leafs, followed by wins over both the Panthers and Lightning.  

Late last month, the Red Wings picked up their third win of the season against the Maple Leafs, the first time they'd won three straight against their longtime Original Six rival in 30 years. 

"As far as banking points against teams, you get teams when they're hot, and they're cold, and it can go for or against you," McLellan said. "Specifically against Toronto, we were able to get those points, and there are still some left on the table." 

"We needed to explain to the players that points in games two, three, and four are just as valuable as in (games) 80, 81, and 82," he continued. "Hopefully, our players have grasped that, but we're past the beginning. Now, we're over the hump and coming downhill. Points will remain important every night." 

The Red Wings well remember what has befallen them in each of the last few seasons when the month of March rolls around, and it will be incumbent upon them to avoid a similar outcome this year if they are to bring Stanley Cup Playoff hockey to Little Caesars Arena for the first time this spring. 

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On Saturday night, with the Boston Bruins in town, the Chicago Blackhawks will celebrate "The Banner Years." This is the third of four chapters throughout their Centennial Season that will honor the franchise's long history. 

This chapter is designed to recognize the teams that won the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013, and 2015. It was the greatest run of success in franchise history, and it brought the game of hockey back to the front burner in a sports-crazed town like Chicago. 

Over 20 of the players who appeared on one or more of those three teams will be in the house for the celebration, adding to the intrigue of the night. 

Of every player that suited up during that stretch, ten players stick out above the rest. Seven of these players won all 3 championships in the new millennium, and the other three won two.  

Won Two Championships With Chicago

10. Bryan Bickell

Bryan Bickell might not have been quite as productive during the regular season as other depth forwards on the team through the years, but his importance to two of the three championships can't be overstated.  

He was always a moderately productive bottom-six forward during the regular season, but his game reached a new level in the postseason. He always found a way to score big goals and make amazing plays when the stakes increased. 

In 2013 and 2015, Bickell was in the conversation for the Conn Smythe Trophy as a playoff MVP at times. In the playoffs, he usually found himself playing in the top six because of what he brought to the table. 

His style of play, a strong physical forward who dominates in front of the net, was incredibly suited for playoff hockey. The Blackhawks were even more dangerous because of his playoff scoring elevation alongside the stars on the team.  

9. Johnny Oduya

When Johnny Oduya is the fourth-best defenseman and the ninth most important player during a modern-day dynasty, it speaks volumes about those higher on the list. 

Oduya never made flashy plays or dominated offensively at any point, but he provided a steady, calm defender every time he was on the ice. 

He did find a clutch goal now and again, but shutting down stars like Pavel Datsyuk, Patrice Bergeron, Anze Kopitar, and Ryan Getzlaf, amongst many others, along the way was a huge key to the team's overall success. 

8. Corey Crawford

Antti Niemi was the main starter for the Blackhawks during the 2010 run to the Stanley Cup, but Corey Crawford took over after that. He was never a top-three goalie in the NHL, but he had times where he was 5-10. 

He was the starting goalie for Chicago in 2013 and 2015, along with many other deep playoff runs around those two incredible years. Whether it was the regular season or the playoffs, Crawford was always there when his team needed him most. 

You can't win in the NHL without above-average goaltending, especially in the playoffs. Crawford was as reliable as they come for many years. 

Won Three Championships With Chicago

7. Patrick Sharp

Patrick Sharp was one of the best pure goal scorers that the team had during the run. In fact, he's one of the best in franchise history. When his career was in trouble during his time with the Philadelphia Flyers, he found his way to Chicago, where he became a star. 

Sharp knew how to find the back of the net from range. He could score from in tight as well, but nothing like his ability to snipe. He wasn't dancing out there making finess plays, but the playmakers on the team knew that if they found him with some open ice, he was going to get it on net. It went in more often than not. 

6. Niklas Hjalmarsson

It's hard to beat a team that has two goalies on the ice. Hjalmarsson didn't wear all of the pads and responsibility that actual goalies do, but he never wavered if he had to block a big shot. 

No matter what, he'd throw his body in front of pucks coming off the sticks of the hardest shooters the game had to offer. Whether it was Shea Weber, Drew Doughty, or Zdeno Chara, Hjalmarsson was not afraid. 

Hjalmarsson never failed to have his sticks in the right spot either. He didn't provide very much offense, but teams didn't find much scoring success when he was on the ice as a deterrent to their game. 

5. Brent Seabrook

Brent Seabrook was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round (14th overall) of the 2003 NHL Draft. He lived up to everything they needed from him and more. 

Seabrook dominated the game in all three zones. He had a big shot that played well on a power play, he could make a great breakout pass, and nobody could get anything going against him with much regularity. 

He also had a certain clutch gene to his game, which allowed him to come up with some of the biggest goals in franchise history. Seabrook was so good that Team Canada had him on Olympic rosters throughout his career, which speaks to his overall game. On most NHL teams, he would have been a number one, but the Blackhawks had so much depth. 

4. Marian Hossa

Marian Hossa is the greatest free agency signing in the history of Chicago sports. He came to the Blackhawks, and they were a completely different team. 

Think of a high-end offensive producer and a Selke Trophy caliber player, and combine that into one. That gives you Marian Hossa. He also came to Chicago incredibly motivated after finishing each of his two previous years as a Stanley Cup runner-up. 

Hossa was the perfect complement to the young core that the team had put together. His line was always able to defend and score, no matter who the opponent was. Of every player on this list, Hossa was the first to make it into the Hockey Hall of Fame and have his number retired by the team. 

3. Patrick Kane

If this list were based on talent and overall career production, Patrick Kane would be number one. The truth is, however, that most of his super elite offensive years came after winning Stanley Cups. 

Kane was still the third most important player to the three teams that did win. As a winger, Kane drove offense like a center during these times, and everyone on his line was more likely to score due to his presence. 

Kane was one of the three players to win a Conn Smythe Trophy during this run. His playoff MVP came during the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

His most shiny moment of them all? Ending a 49-year drought for Chicago with his overtime winner in Game 6 of the 2010 Final. Few forwards in the league were as clutch as the man known as "Showtime". 

2. Duncan Keith

Duncan Keith was a robot on the ice. He could play anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes per game, depending on how long it went with multiple overtimes. He didn't score goals as much as Seabrook from the back-end, but he did make plays as well as any other two-way defenseman in the league. 

Keith won two Norris Trophies and was one of the three Conn Smythe Winners. Keith's playoff MVP came in 2015, as he willed the remnants of the previous two Chicago Cup winners to a third with his play. 

Keith joined Hossa in the Hall of Fame as a member of the 2025 class, but his number has not yet been retired. That will happen eventually, as he was the second most important player (and number one defenseman) on a team that won multiple championships. 

1. Jonathan Toews

Was Jonathan Toews as flashy as Patrick Kane (or even Marian Hossa)? No. That wasn't his game. His talent was being a great offensive player, but also an elite two-way forward. His play in all three zones was so good that many considered him to be a top-five NHL forward during these Stanley Cup runs. 

Eventually, Kane became a more notable player than Toews, but nobody can deny him the title of most important player to "The Banner Years". Every Stanley Cup champion in the last 25 years has that number one center leading the way. For Chicago, it was Toews. 

There were also a lot of leaders on these teams, but everyone followed the word of Toews more than anything. From a young age, he was the captain of a winning Original Six team, and that turned him into one of the game's all-time greatest leaders. 

The third and final Conn Smythe Trophy winner of the three Cups was Toews, who took home the hardware in 2010.

It was pure domination from Toews and every teammate on this list, for a very long time. This core must live in the legacy of Chicago sports forever. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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