Flyers Eliminated from Playoff Contention
The Philadelphia Flyers were officially eliminated from Stanley Cup Playoff contention last night with a 4-3 loss at the hands of the New York Rangers. It will be the third time in the last five years that they miss out on the postseason.
Many things can be called into question pertaining to the team’s struggle during the back end of the season. However, the main factor may have been their dismal play after their 10-game win streak spanning from late Nov. to early Dec. After the win streak, the Flyers sat in third place in the Metropolitan Division. Now, they sit in seventh, just one spot out of last place. To add to fans’ misery, the Flyers are the first team in NHL history to miss out on the postseason after having a 10-game winning streak.
As of late, the Flyers hadn’t been playing too bad. Coming into last night’s game against NYR, they were on a four-game winning streak and there was still a sliver of hope for them to squeak their way into the playoffs.
With only three games left, the Flyers will finish out their season and begin looking towards the future. Players like Travis Konencny and Ivan Provorov are just getting started with what they can do and the Flyers’ AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, have multiple players stocked and ready to get called up to the big leagues. Prime examples include Jordan Weal and Colin McDonald, each contributing to the Flyers scoring as of late.
This season has become a wash for Philadelphia but the future is still bright. A deep farm system leaves hope that the Flyers will be able to climb back into a spot as part of the NHL’s elite. Perhaps not making the playoffs will make the team take a closer look at itself and evaluate their needs going forward.
