Ryan Ellis
At the halfway point of the 2021-22 season, the playoffs aren’t happening and things appear to be in shambles on and off the ice. So what happens in the final 41 games? What makes them noteworthy? Here are three questions that are facing the Flyers going forward for the remainder of the season.
The law of averages essentially caught up to the Flyers. Out of the break, they were lucky to get a win in Seattle and stole a point in San Jose. Deservedly, they have nothing to show for a defeat that featured more sloppy play, more poor puck management, and continued lapses in defensive coverage.
The Philadelphia Flyers have had nothing but injury after injury to key players, young and old. Thankfully, things seem to be back on track with getting some important young stars back in action.
The Flyers losing streak reached 10 games with another lifeless, boring, and uninspired effort. That’s beyond concerning for a team that should be prepared for much more change and uncertainty over the next few weeks if nothing changes.
Fletcher leaned on the difficulty of the team’s schedule and injuries over the course of the first 20 games of the season, placing more emphasis on a few early-season successes and less on the noticeable struggles the team has had over the last couple of weeks.
There’s really no end in sight for the Flyers losing trend, not without some serious adjustments. That was fully evident in the most recent defeat, a 5-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Sunday night.
The Flyers are proving that this roster is not equipped to get the job done. Maybe that has to do with the system, maybe that’s talent, but if they wanted to avoid another purge, things needed to improve. For everyone’s sake, it had better start on Wednesday, because this is going to become an ugly season quickly, and it’s only Thanksgiving.
The Flyers are having to survive the opposition more than driving play. They clearly have flaws in their play, and it’s fair to wonder how much longer they can go without addressing them.
Claude Giroux’s second goal of the game earned the Flyers a valuable point against the reigning Stanley Cup champions. It was just another example of their resilience in the face of adversity, another quick response just when you think this team is starting to reach the breaking point.
Tuesday’s game was the sixth of its kind, a 2-1 overtime win against the Flames that showed the team’s ability to adjust and once again their ability to get the best performance at the most crucial position and use an opportunity to seize the result.
