Fresh off a trip to the All-Star Game in Columbus, Jake Voracek said the Flyers needed to win 25 of the remaining 34 games this season to feel like they had a chance at the playoffs. The Flyers opened that stretch on Tuesday night against Arizona with a 4-3 shootout win.
It was only the beginning for the Flyers, who have spent the entire season hovering the fine line between NHL bottomfeeder and borderline playoff contender. Not much is going to change about that over the final two months of the season.
The roster consists of many players who have playoff experience. This is a franchise that expects to be in the playoff race every season – after all, they have made the playoffs in 37 of their 47 seasons in the NHL, including 17 of the last 19 seasons. As long as the standings show they have a chance, they'll believe they have a chance.
Prior to Tuesday's game, the Flyers had a 12-point deficit to overcome.
There is obviously a huge difference in perspective between the players and the fans. To the players, a 12-point deficit can potentially be erased with consistency. Try convincing the fans that this team, which sometimes is as consistent as a pee-wee team, that they can be that team.
But for fans who think this team has any shot in the McEichel sweepstakes – the potential to draft one of Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel – the probability is no different than it was earlier in the season.
There are four teams behind the Flyers in the Eastern Conference alone. The gap between 24th – where the Flyers rank in the league – and 17th is five points, a margin that could easily be erased. Having to erase a 12-point margin is like trying to climb Mount Everest – few have done it, most likely fail in the attempt.
But just a small winning streak, three or four games, can move the Flyers out of a Top-10 draft pick and into the middle of the field.
The way the Flyers played last Tuesday against the Penguins was the type of performance that shows the team's full potential. This is what a solid defensive effort brings. This is what happens when you play with passion and emotion and stand up for teammates. The Flyers are more than capable of beating the teams at the top of the East.
But the day before, the Flyers had stumbled on Long Island in another lackluster performance. There again was the lack of consistency.
The Flyers may never truly find that consistency this season, and it's best they look for players in the offseason, through draft or free agency, that help them reach a level of consistency that improves the quality of play. Even if it doesn't happen this year, there are enough games where the Flyers will show that emotion they bring against Pittsburgh and enough inferior competition still, that the Flyers will end up right around the middle of the pack.
It isn't what Flyers fans are looking for out of a season that seems all but lost. But this is how the Flyers have approached every obstacle. As long as they're in the race in some capacity, Ron Hextall's hands are tied for a few more months, which just means delaying the moves that are imminent within the organization.
Kevin Durso is managing editor for Flyerdelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Durso.
