Philadelphia Flyers
Though the circumstances are very different, the NHL has been here before when it comes to shortened seasons, and not too far in the past either. The NHL saw the 2012-13 season shortened to 48 games after a lockout. Sean Couturier remembers that season well, and how a slow start can turn things sour quickly.
Both the USA – with Flyers prospects Cam York and Bobby Brink on the roster – and Sweden – with Emil Andrae on the roster – are playing in Group B. Through Monday, Sweden sits atop the standings in the Group, with two wins in two games. The US is in a three-way tie with Russia and Czech Republic with one win and one regulation loss.
Take the emotion of playoff hockey and bottle it up into a 56-game schedule where you play the same seven teams all season and it’s a recipe for rivalry. The 2020-21 season schedule will be the strangest we’ve seen so far, but it has a chance to restore some divisional rivalries for the Flyers.
Shortly after the NHL released the schedule, Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher spoke to the media, covering a range of topics surrounding the 2020-21 roster and how the Flyers will manage things in a shortened season.
The Flyers are set to open the 2020-21 season on Wednesday, Jan. 13, at home against the Pittsburgh Penguins. View the full Flyers schedule here. The start time for all games is TBA.
For Kevin Hayes, a newcomer to the Flyers last season, this was the reason he had signed in Philadelphia. He wanted a chance to win and saw the potential the Flyers really offered as a key part of their success, and he believes that last season’s playoff run is only scratching the surface.
While this season holds some different circumstances, the importance of getting off to a hot start remains the same. With only 56 games on the schedule and every one within the division, there is little room for off nights and none for lengthy losing streaks for the Flyers.
The Flyers were relatively inactive in free agency, adding newcomer Erik Gustafsson on the blue line, but not making any other significant additions. Perhaps that’s because the significant additions that could come may be internal.
Alain Vigneault’s second season as Flyers head coach will begin next month on Jan. 13, when the NHL opens the 2020-21 season. The 56-game condensed schedule, realigned divisions, empty arenas and shortened training camp present a new set of challenges.
After weeks of negotiations and planning to conduct the 2020-21 season in the midst of a pandemic, the NHL and NHLPA officially announced their plans for the season on Sunday evening.
