NHL predictions: Will Matvei Michkov lead the Flyers back to the playoffs? Who wins the Stanley Cup?

Let’s do that hockey.

While the NHL opened up the season in Prague last weekend with the Global Series between the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres, the regular season begins on North American soil, and in earnest, with a tripleheader tonight on ESPN.

Hope springs eternal for all 32 teams when the calendar hits mid-October each year, as each sets off on a journey that for one team will end in the hoisting of sports’ most prestigious trophy, the Stanley Cup. The Flyers, armed with shiny new arrival Matvei Michkov, enter 2024-25 with the most excitement they’ve had in several years, and after an agonizingly close miss last year, will have their eyes set on making the playoffs — even if John Tortorella won’t concede as much. With the puck dropping on the season — the Flyers don’t play until Friday in Vancouver — we asked our Flyers beat writer Jackie Spiegel and editor Gus Elvin to make their predictions for 2024-25:

Jackie Spiegel: 42-31-9 (93 points). After extensive research and in-depth analysis of John Tortorella-coached teams in their third full year (stay tuned for more on this), the Flyers should see a bump. Last season, they exceeded expectations and finished with 87 points and 38 wins, despite an eight-game losing streak down the stretch. The Flyers should have won those matchups against teams in the bottom third of the league but ran out of gas. This year, they have a two-week break — for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament — to refresh and a guy named Michkov who is determined to win a few in overtime.

Gustav Elvin: 40-34-8 (88 points): The Flyers probably overachieved a bit last season but they also did so while dealing with an unfathomable amount of adversity spanning from key injuries to trade demands to No. 1 goaltender Carter Hart leaving the team and being charged with sexual assault. While I have my concerns about the defense corps, this a pretty solid forward group, with Michkov adding some much-needed creativity and scoring punch to the top six and the power play. The Flyers will be better this season, but their record might not fully reflect that due to increased competition.

JS: No. Several teams, like the Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres, Ottawa Senators, and last season’s underperforming New Jersey Devils, are expected to make jumps. The Flyers are close but not there yet. Will they make it interesting? For sure. Fans who want a high pick won’t like to hear this but they’ll just miss out on the playoffs — and a lottery pick.

GE: No. With the New York Rangers, Carolina Hurricanes, and much-improved New Jersey Devils expected to occupy the top three spots in the Metropolitan Division, the Flyers’ playoff hopes likely hinge on them claiming a wild-card spot. There’s a lot of competition there too, as in addition to the revamped Tampa Bay Lightning, the New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, Red Wings, Senators, and Sabres all have designs on taking a step forward. The Flyers should stay in the playoff hunt until late but due to a more competitive wild-card bubble, they come up just short — though it wouldn’t be a shock to see Tortorella extract all he can from this group and sneak them in.

JS: Take the over. With Michkov and All-Star Travis Konecny up front, a healthy Jamie Drysdale, Sam Ersson cemented as the No. 1 — as long as they don’t make him start more than the 55-60 games Tortorella suggested during training camp — and it being the bench boss’ third season, this team will not regress.

» READ MORE: Flyers’ 23-man opening night roster headlined by rookies Matvei Michkov and Jett Luchanko

GE: Over but just barely. The Flyers should be better offensively with the addition of Michkov, and frankly can’t be worse than they were last year on the power play (12.2%, last in the NHL). Add in a top penalty kill (83.4%, 4th) and hopefully some better luck health-wise, particularly on the blue line, and this team should surpass the 87 points it achieved last year.

JS: New York Rangers. They will run it back again with a team that lost in the Eastern Conference finals last season. The Flyers will move up one spot from last season, and finish fifth in the division — ahead of the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins.

GE: Rangers. Carolina looks to have taken a step back, albeit a slight one, while the Devils still have a lot to prove. The safest bet is the Rangers, who have stars at all three levels in Artemi Panarin, Adam Fox, and Igor Shesterkin, and seem to know how to navigate the regular season. The Flyers will finish fifth, behind the three mentioned above, as well as the Islanders.

JS: Konecny. He has led the Flyers in scoring for three straight seasons, so why stop now? The feisty forward has increased his production each season from 52 points in 2021-22 to 61 the next season and a career-high 68 last year. Seeing the trend — and that Tortorella has him alongside Michov to start the season — I’ll pencil him in to add five more points this season and finish with 73.

GE: Konecny. While a lot of the offseason hype has surrounded Michkov, Konecny has become a star here the past two seasons and now has an eight-year, $70 million contract as a reward. A better power play, and playing with a chance creator like Michkov sees Konecny post a career-high 75 points.

JS: Konecny. Owen Tippett scored 28 last season and could give Konecny a run for his money, but the Michkov factor for the latter is huge. The Russian has both high-end vision and creativity and should get the puck to Konecny early and often. Konecny scored 33 last season, so with Michkov, there’s no reason to think he won’t be closer to 40.

GE: Konecny. There finally seems to be some internal competition here with Tippett knocking on the door of 30, and the gifted Michkov now in the fray as a dark horse. That said, Konecny sets the pace with 37 goals.

JS: Under. Yes, he has star potential but don’t forget he is just 19 years old (turns 20 in December). And yes, he is a Russian phenom, but he has only scored more than 60 points once, with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl’s U16 team in 2019-20, and expect some growing pains against the game’s best.

GE: Over. Expect him to smash the 48.5 preseason total at DraftKings and just eclipse 60 given he’ll feature on the No. 1 power play and figures to play all year in the top six.

JS: Over. But not by much. He’ll hit 25 with a good chunk of those coming on the power play.

GE: Over. He’ll get 26 to finish third on the team behind Konecny and Tippett.

JS: Yes. Tippett scored 28 last season, one more than the previous season, and put enough shots on goal to add to that. He finished 11th in the NHL with 289 shots but only shot 9.7%. You’d have to think a few more go in this year if he keeps putting pucks on net.

GE: Yes. Tippett’s combination of size, speed, and shot has had him right on the doorstep and this year seems like the time for him to break through. Improved shot selection — and accuracy — sees him notch 31 goals.

JS: This is the toughest one. Ersson finished with a .899 save percentage in 12 games two seasons ago and dropped to .890 last season in 51 games, but maybe, just maybe, this is the year ... he hits .900.

» READ MORE: Sam Ersson keeping the same ‘earn it’ mentality despite now being the Flyers’ No. 1 goalie

GE: Ersson was much better than his .890 save percentage from last season would indicate, as the rookie wore down with overuse once Hart left the team in January. A disastrous 12-game stretch from March 9 to April 9 where Ersson posted a league-worst .835 save percentage negatively skewed his numbers. Entering the season as the unquestioned No. 1, Ersson will find more of in-between, as last year was either really good (27 quality starts) or really bad (13 really bad starts). He posts a respectable .905 in 54 appearances.

JS: Yes. Unfortunately, injuries happen and Kolosov, who is athletic and quick, is the top netminder in Lehigh Valley. Expect to see him an NHL arena at some point this season.

GE: Yes, somewhere along the line he’ll get a shot whether it be due to an injury or Ivan Fedotov struggling to adjust to the North American game. The caveat being Kolosov remains patient and plays out the season in Lehigh Valley.

JS: Konecny. He’ll lead the team again in goals and points and will win his second straight Bobby Clarke Trophy as team MVP.

GE: It will be hard to displace Konecny, but Ersson will be the most important Flyer this season. The 24-year-old has the athleticism and, maybe even more importantly, the mental makeup to be the No. 1 goalie in a market like Philadelphia. The Flyers have owned their part in overusing and setting Ersson up to fail at times last season, and with a year of experience under his belt, and a more manageable workload, the ever-calm Swede will establish himself as the backbone of this team.

JS: Egor Zamula. The Russian defender recently told The Inquirer he has to step up “because if you do not step up, you are out of the lineup.” He will. Tortorella already said he’ll be on the power play, which has to be a confidence booster. And while he may be someone for Michkov to lean on, he now has Michkov and Ivan Fedotov to lean on, too. Comfort and confidence go a long way.

GE: Morgan Frost. It’s now or never for Frost, who enters the second and final year of a two-year bridge deal with the Flyers. After a positive preseason, look for Frost to hit the ground running and get off to a hot start playing alongside two shooters in Tippett and Tyson Foerster. This is the season Frost turns offensive flashes into more consistent production. With some questions around Sean Couturier’s health, look for Frost to become a player this team leans on for offense to the extent of 55-plus points.

JS: Jamie Drysdale will reach 35 points. Finally healthy, the defenseman is skating with speed, quickness, and agility. In his only full NHL season, he scored four goals in 81 games, but that was in Anaheim. Tortorella will put him in the best position to succeed — including the power play — and Drysdale will produce.

GE: The Flyers will fall in love with Jett Luchanko after nine games and elect to keep him for the entire season. Tortorella speaks glowingly about the youngster and his speed and mature 200-foot game would answer a big question for the Flyers in the middle of the ice. I’m skeptical that it’s the best move for his long-term offensive development, but reading the tea leaves, it seems the Flyers are pretty convinced he’s ready to contribute at this level.

JS: Edmonton Oilers. They’ll face the Rangers but, well, we’ve all seen Connor McDavid screaming at his guys from the Amazon Prime Faceoff: Inside the NHL teaser by now, and if there’s one angry, agitated, and determined guy to never bet against, it’s McDavid.

GE: Dallas Stars over Boston. The Stars have probably the most suffocating defense in the league, a superstar forward in Jason Robertson, an elite No. 1 defenseman in Miro Heiskanen, and a Vezina-caliber goalie in Jake Oettinger. They’ve also played deep into the playoffs in recent years and 21-year-old forwards Wyatt Johnston and Logan Stankoven are just scratching the surface of their potential. This is the year Peter DeBoer finally gets over the hump.

» READ MORE: Flyers GM Danny Brière talks Jett Luchanko, Alexei Kolosov, and more: ‘He’s blown us away from Day 1’

JS: Auston Matthews. He’ll win another Rocket Richard Trophy as the leading goal scorer and his second Hart Trophy.

GE: McDavid. After a slow start and the Oilers coming up just short of winning the Stanley Cup last season, expect a determined McDavid to hit a new level in 2024-25. Don’t be surprised if he surpasses 50 goals and 150 points again.

JS: I correctly picked Quinn Hughes last year and why not run it back with the Vancouver Canucks captain?

GE: After a down year by his standards, Colorado’s Cale Makar will remind everyone why he’s the best defenseman on the planet.

JS: In 2018, he was the runner-up. In 2020, he won, and the next year he finished fourth. In 2022, he finished third, and last year he won it again. We are living in Connor Hellebuyck’s world.

GE: Jacob Markström. After two top-five finishes, the towering Swede brings home the Vezina in his first season with the Devils.

JS: Yes. Flyers director of player development Riley Armstrong said at development camp, “When he gets the puck, I think he’s going to pull all of you guys [the media] right out of your seats and along with the other fans at the Wells Fargo Center.” Check that one off already. Michkov should have gone second overall in his draft year and, while it’ll probably be neck-and-neck with San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini, Michkov’s wow factor will be rewarded.

GE: Yes. Michkov gets 60 or so points and edges out a field that includes Celebrini, Stankoven, and much to Flyers fans’ delight, Anaheim’s Cutter Gauthier.

JS: Nope. He’ll come close but will set the record next season.

GE: Yes. Ovechkin has a point to prove after all the chatter about him being out of shape and losing a step. The 39-year-old was a different player over the second half of last season — he scored at a 48-goal pace over the last 39 games — and even in a down year got to 31 goals. He’s one year removed from 42 goals, so don’t be surprised if the “Great 8″ passes “the Great One” in early April.

JS: The Yeti since Grizzlies is a no-go. But Utah will not make the playoffs. Maybe next year.

GE: I’m on the Yeti bandwagon as well because ... let’s get weird. Utah is building something but the playoffs will have to wait.

JS: Watching Michkov do his thing. I’m still blown away by the move he made in the preseason when he knocked a long outlet pass down with one knee on the ice and then, with two hands on his stick, made an on-the-tape pass to a streaking Morgan Frost. That and seeing games in Utah, Las Vegas, Dallas, Minnesota, and Winnipeg. Yes, Winnipeg.

GE: The Oilers will be fascinating to follow as McDavid and Leon Draisaitl continue to inch closer to that elusive Stanley Cup. You get the sense that one of these years McDavid is going to break through and will this team to the holy grail. That sour taste of last season’s Game 7 loss in Florida might be that last bit of motivation No. 97 needs. Gretzky always said that his great Oiler teams learned to win by losing to the New York Islanders dynasty. The Oilers have now lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champ in three straight seasons. Is it finally their turn?

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