Flyers

Goals? Not Necessarily Necessary – Thoughts after Oilers 3, Flyers 0

By Anthony SanFilippo

Published: Mar 2nd, 2022 · 10:43 AM EST

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Still waiting for the Flyers to score a goal against Edmonton?

Yeah, me too.

The Flyers had 39 shots on goal against the Oilers, which on most nights when you don’t score would suggest the opposing goalie was doing the old head stand routine.

And while you don’t ever want to take anything away from a goalie, especially when he makes that many saves and registers a shutout, it’s safe to say Mikko Koskinen has had more challenging days at work.

That’s because most of the Flyers shots were from distance, there was a lot of “one-and-done” to their game, and they got zero traffic to the net to harass, distract or otherwise dissuade Koskinen from doing his job.

The final score was 3-0 Edmonton. Leon Draisaitl scored a power play goal. Kailer Yamamoto made it 2-0 on a goal late in the second period that could have been goaltender interference, but the Flyers didn’t challenge it, and Connor McDavid added an empty-netter.

That was it. Otherwise, Carter Hart was again strong in net, making 29 saves for the Flyers, they played well defensively, especially at 5-on-5, limiting the chances of some of the top scorers in the sport, and even though the penalty kill did allow one goal, they did kill off four other penalties, and against Edmonton’s lethal power play, that’s saying something.

But, a loss is a loss is a loss.

This one makes 30 losses in the last 38 games (8-23-7).

As a fellow reporter said after the game last night, “I have a feeling a lot of games are going to be like this the rest of the season – where the team doesn’t necessarily play bad, but they don’t win anyway just because the team opposite them is more talented.”

Yep. Only 29 games to go…

Here are some thoughts about things going on around the team….

1. Everyone is available

There are 14 scouts in the building tonight to watch this game (two from Tampa) and NINE from Western Conference teams. I doubt those nine flew halfway/all the way across the continent to see Edmonton. @NHLFlyers #bringittobroad

— Anthony SanFilippo (@AntSanPhilly) March 2, 2022

Not sure if these scouts got to see what they wanted to see considering the Flyers didn’t score. However, Claude Giroux had a pretty solid game. He competes hard on every shift. He continues to win faceoffs all over the ice and is now second-best in the NHL in faceoff win percentage (62.0%) behind only Patrice Bergeron (63.0%).

Justin Braun had a really solid performance, considering he played a lot against either McDavid or Draisaitl. Derrick Brassard played two games in a row and seems healthy, for what that’s worth.

Travis Konecny, whose name has come up in trade rumors lately, didn’t have a great game. He took a lazy penalty, had a hard time connecting on some passes and passed up an opportunity to shoot from the slot trying to make a perfect pass back door that got broken up.

One player they probably weren’t there to see, at least not any longer, is Rasmus Ristolainen.

2. A Game of Cat and Mouse with Risto

On Sunday, I reported on the Flyers contract negotiations with Ristolainen. To recap, they offered him a 6-year, $37.5 million extension, which Ristolainen and agent Mike Liut turned down.

The reasoning given was that Ristolainen is a defenseman built for the playoffs and if he got a chance to prove his worth this postseason (by the Flyers trading him to a playoff team before the March 21 trade deadline) he could get even more on the open market.

Meanwhile, the Flyers feel like their offer is above market value. Not by much, but probably a year longer and about $250,000 more each year, enough to prove they want him to be a key cog in their defensive wheel going forward.

However, when Ristolainen turned down the offer, the Flyers didn’t counter with another one. Instead, they started flirting with Montreal and were trying to put together a trade for Jeff Petry, who, albeit seven years older than Ristolainen, is also a right handed defenseman with a really good shot, who makes identical money as the Flyers offered Ristolainen, only for three more years instead of six.

When word of this potential deal leaked out, both to the national reporters and myself, at first it seemed like the Flyers had moved on from Ristolainen and were looking else where for a No. 4 defenseman and were most likely to try to trade Ristolainen for good value before the deadline, trying to recoup, in part, the assets Fetcher gave up to acquire him initially from Buffalo, which was a first round pick, a second round pick and Robert Hagg.

However, I was told on Monday, that things have evolved.

Now, it appears, Ristolainen may be willing to sign that, or a similar extension.

What changed?

I’m not 100 percent sure. I reached out to Liut to try and get an answer, but he never returned my text.

However here is one plausible theory:

Ristolainen turned down the original deal thinking he had more time before the deadline and maybe by turning it down, he could get the Flyers to go even farther.

However, rather than counter with a new deal, the Flyers turned their attention elsewhere – and leaked it out – to gauge a reaction from Ristolainen and his camp.

Upon seeing the Flyers had, in fact, made their best offer, rather then risk that the team wouldn’t trade for Petry, or another similar defenseman, Ristolainen let it be known that the offer should be back on the table.

It’s a game of chicken, common in contact negotiations. Sometimes the team wins, sometimes the player does. Sometimes nobody does.

If, in fact, Ristolainen now does sign that deal, it could be a win/win. Ristolainen will get long-term financial security, and the Flyers will get a defenseman they believe in.

Now, the fans may not believe in him, which is a whole other story. The fan reaction to this signing, if it comes to fruition, is going to be visceral. The majority of fans will tell you it’s a disastrous contract. Ultimately time will tell. Maybe the fans will be right.

But here’s the thing, the Flyers are spending a lot of money on analytics these days. They’ve doubled the size of their analytics department recently. If their analytics told them the same thing as public analytics do – which is where most of the anti Ristolainen outcry stems from, don’t you think they’d advise Fletcher against such a signing?

Instead, there has to be a level of support for signing him from that department, otherwise things are getting mighty Hextallian again.

Who knows, things might change again between now and March 21. the trade winds blow hard at this time of year, it’s just a matter of determining if the wind you’re feeling is a legitimate breeze, or just a load of hot air.

3. Power Play Disadvantage

Look, we’ve detailed the woes of the Flyers special teams this season ad nauseam. The power play is pretty futile. It’s only scored 13.8% of the time which ranks 30th out of 32 teams. That’s bad.

Want to know what’s worse?

How about when the Flyers have two extra skaters on the ice.

Yep, the Flyers are one of the worst teams in the league when it comes to having a two-man advantage. In fact, it’s so bad that the Flyers have scored just one goal at 5-on-3 this season. And that one goal was really a 6-on-3 because they pulled the goalie.

Still, while there are other teams in the same one-goal boat, or worse, the Flyers have had more 5-on-3 time than all but four teams in the NHL, and those four teams (Detroit, Pittsburgh, Boston and Colorado) have a combined 14 goals at 5-on-3.

That makes the Flyers the worst in the league with 5-on-3 goals relative to time opportunity to score one.

I asked Giroux about it afterwards.

“Tonight we had some good looks, it’s just we can’t finish,” he said. “We just need to find a way to bear down and put it in. Like you said, it’s getting frustrating.”

Or, as Travis Sanheim put it, in one of those unintentionally funny quotes:

“Sometimes you get frustrated when your chances aren’t going in,” he said. “(You’re) trying to make that extra play that isn’t necessarily necessary.”

Not necessarily necessary. Good thing I had a mask on when he said it. I was cracking up underneath and that could have distracted him.

(Interim) Coach Mike Yeo, what do you think?

“Yeah. Obviously we’ve gotta score on that. You guys have been around a long time, you guys have all seen that it’s difficult to win hockey games. Everybody always kind of says usually when you don’t score on a 5-on-3 you’re not going to win. Those are opportunities you have to take advantage of. I did feel that one had a little bit more movement. We’ve got some one time –  you know Risto’s got a one-timer from point blank. Whether it’s execution we just gotta find a way to get that opportunity, get that goal. I think that sometimes mindset wise, we are a little bit more play oriented as opposed to shot oriented. Taking the goalie’s eyes away, getting the traffic in front of the net. It seems like in my opinion it’s a little bit like our game was tonight, where we’re looking for the perfect play. We gotta score on some of these. It’s real tough if you don’t.”

That emphasis above is mine. I pointed that out because it hearkened back to something else Giroux said:

“Believe me, I mean, when the puck is not going in, maybe you want to try the extra play because you don’t have the confidence to put it in. At one point in the game we had the chance to shoot and we didn’t. I really feel tonight the goalie saw a lot of pucks. We didn’t have a lot of guys at the net. Just making the extra play, it’s not always the right play.“

That chance to shoot and didn’t, had to be Konecny’s wide open shot in the slot. Had to be:

I know this is the #Flyers we’re talking about, but I can’t even begin to fathom why Konecny didn’t shoot that.

Especially on a goalie who isn’t that good.#BringItToBroad #EDMvsPHI

— Paul Jackson (@JacksonPHI_) March 2, 2022

https://twitter.com/rex78dash2/status/1498824416217677826

That’s a reference to Ben, not Wayne. Just in case you are still in hockey brain and went, “huh?”

Oh… and in case you are feeling nostalgic and want to see that one and only 5-on-3 (6-on-3) goal this season… here’s a flash back to New Year’s Day:

Two-man advantage + the extra attacker = Kevin Hayes goal 🚨 pic.twitter.com/LdwNmiSpi8

— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) January 2, 2022

He’ll be back Saturday, for what it’s worth.

4. It’s time to have the talk about Oskar

I’ve resisted writing this for some time now, but I think it’s becoming evident that Oskar Lindblom will never be the player he was just before he was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma in December, 2019.

We all root for him. Hard. He’s a real likeable guy and he does give it his all. It’s not a concern about effort. Lindblom will always be an effort player.

What he’s not going to be anymore though, is a top six forward, or a scoring winger, or anyone that can be relied on in an increased role.

He’s probably best suited for fourth line duty with some extra penalty killing time, and can move up the lineup, as needed to fill in, and won’t embarrass you.

And while there is value in a player like that on your roster, when your roster needs to add top-end talent, someone has to fall by the wayside, and Lindblom may have to be that case.

The Flyers will be reluctant, considering what he’s been through and the inspiration he has been to many. And it’s hard to knock the Flyers for giving him the contract they did – as that was equal parts reward for beating cancer as it was for belief in his hockey ability.

But if the Flyers want to be what they claim they want to be next season, then I’m not sure Lindblom can be part of it.

Like I said, fourth line, maybe.

The Flyers are going to pursue top tier players in both free agency and via trade. But, they also expect young players who have been hurt to be an integral part of this team next season. Wade Allison and Tanner Laczynski for sure. We’re getting a glimpse of Isaac Ratcliffe, and he’ll likely be in the mix. Morgan Frost will be part of that too, assuming he isn’t traded as part of a deal to land a bigger fish.

Add those four guys alone to a group that is likely to include Sean Couturier, Joel Farabee, Kevin Hayes, Patrick Brown, Cam Atkinson and Scott Laughton, plus new players, and I haven’t even mentioned Konecny (who I think will be traded before next season) or James van Riemsdyk (who, if he’s not traded, will probably be waived, or bought out), with young guys like Tyson Foerster just around the corner and maybe even Bobby Brink, if he decides to not go back to college for his senior year, and finding room for Lindblom at $3 million is going to be tough.

He had a rough game against Edmonton. He took two penalties, had a bad turnover, and was ultimately demoted by Yeo in the third period.

When asked about breaking up the entire line, Yeo said they’ve not played well for a couple games and needed course correction, but it was only Lindblom who went down the lineup.

It’s not definite that he won’t be part of this team next season, but whereas one time it was a sure bet he would be, it’s starting to look more and more like he won’t.

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