Washington Capitals Metro Division Preview - Philadelphia Flyers
Our Washington Capitals Metropolitan Division preview brings us to Philadelphia, where the Flyers are looking to improve upon their first round playoff exit last season. How exactly will the Flyers look this season in a division crowded with talent?
The Philadelphia Flyers were not considered by many to be a team that could win the Stanley Cup when they got into the playoffs last season. Still, when the Washington Capitals went up 3-0, even I had the feeling in the back of my mind that the Flyers could turn it all around and bounce the Caps in a reverse sweep. Thankfully that was not the case, but it did manage to leave one question for me: how much should the Capitals fear the Flyers going into the next season? We will have to take a look into their previous season and the offseason to answer that.
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Last Season
Philadelphia finished the regular season by squeaking into a wildcard spot. Most readers of Stars and Sticks should be familiar with how the Flyers ended up in the playoffs, as the Capitals trounced them in six games. The Flyers were in the lower half of the league (ranking in at 22) when it came to scoring goals, and it showed in their playoff series as they only scored six goals total against the Capitals. Meanwhile, the Capitals were able to take advantage of Philadelphia’s poor play early on and took the first three games. The Flyers were able to take two games after that, mainly relying on goalie and former Washington Capital Michal Neuvirth. However, Philadelphia’s biggest weakness came back to bite them as they were eliminated in game six 1-0.
Perhaps that was why the Flyers were able to avoid a sweep, seeing as their goalie play was able to keep them in the series. Time was split between Steve Mason and Neuvirth, although for the Flyers, Neuvirth had a better save percentage and record of the two. Going forward, both goalies will be playing on the last year of their contracts, so for both Mason and Neuvirth, they will go into the 2016-17 season with a big motive to play lights out in between the pipes.
This Offseason
As for how the Flyers did this offseason, not much can really be said. They were inactive for the most part, their biggest transactions coming July 1st. Of their signings, forward Dale Weise was signed to a four year deal. Weise bounced around a bit, his most productive years being in Montreal, but for the Flyers they signed him to fill out their bottom six. As for other signings, they added forward Boyd Gordon, another former Capital, to a one year contract.
Other than that, Philadelphia’s offseason has been uneventful. For some teams, stability is a good thing and shaking things up would not be necessary. However, the Flyers were lucky to make the postseason and not doing much this offseason does little to make me think that they will do anything substantial this season. Still, that doesn’t mean that they should be looked over, especially not by the Capitals.
Final Thoughts
The Flyers did not do a lot this offseason, so I don’t believe they are that much closer to making a deep playoff run. Unless Claude Giroux is able to get back to the level he was at in 2011-12, his best scoring year, then it’s hard to see Philadelphia as anything more than a wildcard team this season. When it comes to the Capitals, however, the Flyers are still a rival. If there happens to be a postseason rematch, the Capitals will have to play at their best if they’re to succeed.
Coming up next time, I will be covering the Carolina Hurricanes and what they did over the course of last season and the offseason.
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