Philadelphia Flyers - Injuries and Lack Of Offense Concerning

The recent reinjuries to Ryan Ellis and Kevin Hayes undercut team depth significantly.

Derick Brassard's injury in the Tampa Bay Lightning road game is also troubling, as he is one of the team's top scorers.

So, Morgan Frost is teased as the next man up.

While replacements have played decently, the roster needs its full contingent, or as close to it as possible, to realistically remain in the playoff chase.

Philadelphia Flyers - Loss of Ryan Ellis Is Problematic

 

Ryan Ellis' lower-body injury appeared to have healed. But an apparent reinjury (speculated as being in the hip or groin area) is believed to have happened in the road game against the Dallas Stars. So, his status is week-to-week for now.

Hopefully, this is not becoming a chronic issue, as Ellis was the key off-season defensive addition. His absence from the Philadelphia Flyers d-core is noticeable, as the reworked regular-strength pairings do not flow nearly as smoothly. Ellis' absence from special teams also weakens those units.

Philadelphia has a good .615 winning percentage through its first 13 games (7-4-2). It is clear that far more consistent goal-tending, as compared to last season, has allowed the squad to stay in most games.

Ellis' consistent presence is needed for this team to win consistently. Otherwise, a young defenseman, who is not on the current NHL roster, would need to make a dramatic impact, or an impact veteran replacement would need to be acquired at some point, with Cap issues affecting trade considerations.

Philadelphia Flyers Encouraging Start Makes Sense

The Philadelphia Flyers went 2-1 on the road trip. There have been good starts in several games this season despite being blanked (4-0) by the Calgary Flames. 

It is fair to attribute the Flyers .643 winning percentage to this point in the early season (4-2-1) to Alain Vigneault's ability to have regular practice sessions with his club. The head coach mentioned the inability to do so last season, with that point of explanation not representing an excuse.

President, Hockey Operations and General Manager, Alternate Governor Chuck Fletcher earned the ability to sport the titles that precede his name. That experience and his assertive style allowed a significant change to the club's roster in the off-season. 

AV has a roster that includes several veteran additions. Their experience and production to date are noticeable. The four lines and defensive pairings are deeper and productive. Goaltending has been solid as well. 

There are issues to work on, including taking unnecessary penalties and ranking twentieth on the PK. 

The Flyers were 4-2-1 to start last season. But this one feels different so far. That is purely subjective, as is much of life.