3 Offseason Changes To Get Philadelphia Flyers Back In The Playoffs

The Philadelphia Flyers haven't made the playoffs in five years and haven't finished higher than sixth in their division in that time. They finished last in their division this season, but the good news is that there is only one place to go, up. More good news is that they are building something pretty good if everything turns out well enough. It isn't time yet, but if the Flyers are to make a playoff push as early as next season, these are some things that have to happen.

Add a Top-6 Center

The center market isn't that great this offseason, but the Flyers have to look regardless. I don't think Jett Luchanko is ready to be a number two center in the NHL just yet and Sean Couturier isn't exactly top line center material after his injury. Adding someone like Sam Bennett would do well for the team, but plenty of teams have him on their radar. Noah Cates would be a great third line center and that would be where he should be if the Flyers are in a better spot to get back in the playoffs. We'll see what they come up with this offseason, whether it be a trade, signing, or nothing.

Figure Out Goaltending

The Flyers' goaltending is a mess. Samuel Ersson is the starter, but that hasn't even gone great for them. It all fell apart in net when Carter Hart wasn't an option anymore. It thrust Ersson into a role he wasn't ready for and at best he should be a 50/50 goalie. Alexei Kolosov could turn into something down the line, but he's not there yet. And Ivan Fedotov is the third string and a trade candidate, so I don't see his future with the Flyers. The goalie market isn't great this offseason, but maybe John Gibson or Jake Allen could help.

More Young Players Step Up

The Flyers are filled with young players and some stepped up last season like Matvei Michkov, Tyson Foerster, and Bobby Brink. Others didn't exactly play their best such as Owen Tippett, Cam York, or Jamie Drysdale. The team will be looking for Jakob Pelletier, Cates, and Emil Andrae to do a little more as they develop along with the rest of the group. It's tough to expect every single player I mentioned to improve, but if most are getting better, it's a great step in the right direction and could be a game changer.