Justin Williams
The odds were already stacked against the Flyers when they faced the President’s Trophy winners, the Washington Capitals, in the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but it turned out to be a much closer series than the results showed. Our Series in Review series continues with a closer look at this playoff appearance.
For as level-headed and as focused as the Flyers have been on the task at hand and staying in the moment in every game, notably when adjustments have to be made, it’s only natural that some of the excitement is setting in.
The Flyers secured their eighth straight win, defeating the Hurricanes, 4-1, on Thursday night and moving into a tie for the Metro Division lead after Washington lost to the Rangers in overtime.
Do the Flyers have room to add a player via free agency? They still have a spot for a third-line winger, but money will be an issue. Here are some potential targets the Flyers could look at as free agency opens.
The Boston Bruins swept out the Carolina Hurricanes in four games to reach their third Stanley Cup Final in the last nine seasons. The St. Louis Blues defeated the San Jose Sharks in six games, reaching the Final for the first time since 1970.
The Boston Bruins have vaulted to a 2-0 series lead with a pair of wins at home on the wildcard Carolina Hurricanes. The San Jose Sharks took the first game of the Western Conference Final, but the St. Louis Blues bounced back in Game 2 to even the series.
The Columbus Blue Jackets and Carolina Hurricanes both made the playoffs in the two wildcard spots in the East and pulled off upsets of the two division winners in the first round. Now, both teams hold the lead in their respective second round series after three games.
Last week, it was already known that the President’s Trophy winners, the Tampa Bay Lightning, were eliminated, as were the Pittsburgh Penguins. Six other teams have joined, and many of them were near the top of the regular-season standings.
The Flyers, who have lost four straight games since their playoff hopes were officially dashed a week ago, and have lost six of the last seven games and nine of the last 12 games, close out the 2018-19 season at home against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Audition time begins for many Flyers as they begin the final five on the road facing the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday afternoon.
