The Philadelphia Flyers will kick off their slate of preseason games against the Washington Capitals, with some of the Flyers’ top prospects getting a chance to show their skills against NHL opponents.
The roster for this game includes a mix of NHL roster players and prospects, but just three days into camp, it’s clear that it would be difficult for the Flyers to put together a group that didn’t look strong. The work ethic and talent of their players has been evident, and fans are itching to see how they’ll look against their Metropolitan Division rivals.
Luchanko And Michkov Take D.C.
Perhaps the biggest news to come out before this game was that top prospects Matvei Michkov and Jett Luchanko would be featured on the roster after majorly impressing during rookie and training camp.
The pair were put on a line together during rookie camp, and Flyers coaches were notably impressed at how instant their chemistry seemed to be. They brought out the best in each other during the Flyers’ Rookie Series games against the New York Rangers, displaying incredibly mature levels of creativity and hockey IQ.
It’s unclear if they’ll be kept on a line together for this game, or how they’ll look against NHL-level opposition, but all eyes will be drawn to them to see how they fare.
“They Want To Be Pushed.”
Those were head coach John Tortorella’s words when asked about how his players were handling the intensity of his training camp drills, saying that “they understand the program…the skating and all that, [but] the one thing about our players, I think they want to be pushed.”
Michkov said that the difficulty of training camp is a good thing because it makes playing in actual games easier, while multiple players have stated that the drills “suck,” but it does bolster their mental toughness and helps them bond as a team.
Related: Bobby Brink Explains Summer Improvements As He Impresses In Flyers Training Camp
With a number of players enduring their first Tortorella training gauntlet, it will be interesting to see how the camp has affected this group’s energy levels—will they have tired legs, or will they be the better-conditioned team in this matchup?
Setting The Tone
After what many people have called an “overachieving” season last year, the Flyers are anxious to prove that the 2023-24 campaign wasn’t some glitch in the matrix. With how many players made significant improvement, they’re determined to continue building and be more consistent.
While making the playoffs isn’t necessarily the measure of success the front office is using this season, it’s obviously the ambition of the team to prove to any doubters—and themselves—that they have a team capable of going far, not just this season, but in future ones as well.
Puck drop between the Flyers and Capitals will be at 3:00 p.m. The game can be viewed on NHL Network.
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