After an impressive showing last year under head coach Alain Vigneault, the Philadelphia Flyers will enter the 2020-21 season with high expectations. Not only does the team have an impressive nucleus of players that includes the likes of Carter Hart, Claude Giroux, Ivan Provorov, and Sean Couturier, they also have an excellent supporting cast which should place them in good stead in arguably hockey’s toughest (East) Division. With the start of the NHL season just under three weeks away, let’s take a closer look at three burning questions facing the Flyers franchise.
Question #1: Will the Flyers place more of an emphasis on offense?
Although the Flyers have some high-end names at the forward position, scoring goals has been something of an Achilles heel for this team. This was specifically brought into focus inside the NHL bubble during their playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens and New York Islanders. Despite finishing off the Habs in six games (4-2), Philadelphia managed to score just 11 goals. Then, against the Islanders, the club scored 15 goals over the course of seven games and were shutout twice (games one and seven) before being eliminated.
Placed in the NHL’s East Division with several familiar foes such as the Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, Islanders, Washington Capitals, and of course the Pittsburgh Penguins, goal-scoring will be paramount if the Flyers are to emerge as a top-four club this coming season. The Flyers will need to have a more potent offense and to score with added conviction if they are to not only advance to the playoffs but make some noise when they get there. The pieces are in place, hockey fans will just have to wait and see how it all unfolds.
Question #2: Is Ivan Provorov a serious contender for the Norris Trophy?
In short, absolutely. After being a human dynamo as a junior player with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League (WHL), Provorov has picked up right where he left and has become an absolute stud in the orange and black of Philadelphia. The former seventh overall selection back at the 2015 NHL Entry Draft is a multi-dimensional defenseman who’s playing style is emulates that of a modern-day superstar defenseman and the NHL level. I think this is the season that puts Provorov in the upper echelon of star-studded blue-liners. This kid really is that good.
At the tender age of 23, Provorov possesses a deep and extensive skill set. He is sharp, quick-thinking, an excellent skater, and is one of the few defensemen in hockey who can dictate the pace of a game. He is a natural-born leader, brimming with confidence and absolutely loves to play the game. Last season saw the Russian-born blue-liner score 13 goals and 36 points to go along with a plus-11 rating and 24:51 worth of ice time. That ice time increased to a whopping 25:39 in last season’s Stanley Cup Playoffs to go along with eight points. There cannot be enough good things said about Provorov and he is due for a mammoth year in the City of Brotherly Love.
Question #3: How far can the Flyers go with Carter Hart?
In a league filled with a plethora of talented goaltenders, the Flyers’ netminder is starting to cement himself as one of the game’s very best. After posting an impressive 24-13-3 record with one shutout last season to go along with a 2.59 goals-against-average and .915 save percentage, expectations will remain high for the Sherwood Park, Alberta native this time around in Philadelphia.
In addition, Hart was absolutely phenomenal inside the NHL bubble last summer and willed the Flyers to a series victory over Carey Price and the Canadiens before losing in seven games to the Islanders. If you talk to many in and around the Flyers organization, they’ll tell you that Hart was the team’s MVP all season long.
As a player, Hart possesses a deep and extensive tool kit. He is smart and confident, skilled, and calm as can be in the crease. Quick on his feet, Hart has the propensity for making the right saves at the right time, and can keep his team in games should the team not be at their very best. Hart is a rising star in the National Hockey league and one of the most electrifying goaltenders by a country mile. Look for the talented 22-year-old to have a big season for Philly when the NHL kicks off in three weeks’ time. This kid is that good.
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