2025-26
Record: 43-27-12, 98 points, 3rd in Metropolitan Division
Playoffs: Lost to Carolina in Second Round
Key Losses
G – Samuel Ersson (Trade w/ OTT via TOR), D – Emil Andrae (Trade w/ TOR), Garnet Hathaway (Trade w/ FLA), D – Noah Juulsen (COL)
Key Additions
G – Joseph Woll (Trade w/ TOR), D – Simon Benoit (Trade w/ TOR), F – Noel Acciari (Signed via FA), F – Zach Aston-Reese (Signed via FA)
2026-27 Preview
Looking For the Playoffs Again
The 2025-26 season was an unexpected success for the Philadelphia Flyers, who took advantage of an unusually unpredictable Metropolitan Division to sneak into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. With the Washington Capitals and New Jersey Devils struggling throughout the season and the New York Rangers falling apart early, Philadelphia found an opportunity to establish itself as a playoff contender.
The Flyers made the most of that opportunity once the postseason began. They eliminated the heavily favored Pittsburgh Penguins in six games in the first round before pushing the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes in a hard-fought second-round series. For a team that was not expected to make much noise entering the playoffs, the run was a significant confidence boost and provided valuable experience for a young roster still progressing through its rebuild.
More importantly, the playoff run gave the Flyers a glimpse of what this team could become. Philadelphia’s young core gained valuable postseason experience, while the organization received confirmation that its rebuild is beginning to move in the right direction. The challenge now will be proving that last season’s success was not simply the result of a favorable division and that the Flyers are capable of consistently competing with the Eastern Conference’s best.
The Metropolitan Division is expected to be much more competitive in 2026-27, with several teams looking to rebound and strengthen their rosters. That will make returning to the playoffs more difficult, but the Flyers should not be overlooked. If their young players continue to develop and the team builds on the confidence gained from last year’s playoff run, Philadelphia has a legitimate chance to make another postseason appearance in 2027.
Briere’s Gamble
For Flyers general manager Daniel Briere, the offseason saw him take a major swing at adding another elite young talent to Philadelphia’s growing core. Briere signed Anaheim Ducks forward Leo Carlsson to a five-year, $90 million offer sheet, a move that immediately turned heads around the NHL. The Ducks ultimately matched the offer, keeping Carlsson in Anaheim.
While the Flyers were unsuccessful in bringing Carlsson to Philadelphia, the move sent a clear message about Briere’s intentions. He is willing to be aggressive and explore every avenue available to improve the roster, particularly when it comes to adding young, high-end talent that can become part of the team’s long-term foundation.
The offer sheet also served as a statement about the progress of the Flyers’ rebuild. Philadelphia is no longer simply looking toward the distant future; the organization believes its young core is developing quickly enough to begin competing at a higher level. Adding a player of Carlsson’s caliber would have accelerated that process considerably.
Although the Ducks ultimately prevented the Flyers from landing Carlsson, Briere deserves credit for taking the gamble. Offer sheets are rarely used around the NHL, and Philadelphia was willing to put significant resources on the line to pursue a player it believed could make a major impact. The Flyers may not have gotten their man, but the move demonstrated that Briere is willing to be bold as he continues building Philadelphia into a legitimate contender.
Projected Lineup
Offense
Tyson Foerster — Trevor Zegras — Porter Martone
Travis Konecny — Christian Dvorak — Owen Tippett
Alex Bump — Noah Cates — Matvei Michkov
Denver Barkey — Sean Couturier — Noel Acciari
Defense
Travis Sanheim — Rasmus Ristolainen
Cam York — Jamie Drysdale
Nick Seeler — Oliver Bonk
Goalies
Dan Vladar
Joseph Woll