Flyers mailbag: Is it almost David Jiříček time? And can the Flyers actually make the playoffs?
With 14 games remaining, we opened up the mailbag to answer some of your pressing questions about the Orange and Black.
SAN JOSE, Calif. ― The Flyers have just 14 games remaining in the 2025-26 season but are still hanging around the playoff picture. Here’s what’s on the mind of the Flyers faithful as The Inquirer opens up the mailbag:
Q: Jackie, I was impressed with [Jack] Berglund’s performance in the WJC; he might have been the MVP of the entire tournament. [Heikki] Ruohonen was also excellent. What are you hearing about Berglund coming over, and where would he slot? — billyphilly75 on Inquirer.com
A: If you ask Flyers general manager Danny Brière, Jack Berglund should have been the MVP, as he told The Inquirer in early March: “He was the best player at the World Junior Championship. I know he didn’t get voted as the best player, I think, because there were bigger names that were there, guys that were drafted much higher than him. But when you watched the game, night after night, he was the captain of that team; he was their No. 1 center; he was on the first power play in front of the net; he was the first PK.”
Berglund has opened eyes with the Flyers as someone who has made a huge jump in his development. Brière said in that same Q&A that the hope is the Swedish center comes to North America after his season with Färjestad BK concludes and it wouldn’t surprise me if they saw him eventually develop into a 2C.
» READ MORE: Flyers ‘keep applying pressure’ in the NHL playoff race despite their hapless special teams
“It’s a 6-foot-5 center who is going to bring size and grit to our team down the road,” the GM said. “So there’s a lot of possibilities, that’s the exciting part.” As for Ruohonen, another big center at 6-3, they think he’s developing nicely and projects as a bottom-sixer in the NHL. “It’s another big, strong center who can win faceoffs, kill penalties, and bring a little sandpaper to the game,” Brière said.
Q: Nathan Quinn. His junior numbers are impressive and he is a center. Does DB see him as a high prospect? Also, can you get some intel on [Egor] Zavragin? Is the organization pleased with his progression, when will he be coming to North America? — sdsctt on Inquirer.com
A: Another late birthday for the Flyers (Aug. 29), Quinn was a sixth-rounder last June and has broken out this season for Quebec of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, where he leads the Remparts with 73 points (34 goals, 39 assists) in 57 games. The 18-year-old center has exceeded the Flyers’ expectations thus far but still needs some time to fill out his 5-11, 176-pound frame. He’s committed to Northeastern, but don’t be surprised if he plays another year in juniors.
As for Zavragin, he keeps progressing despite bouncing between the Kontinental Hockey League and the VHL, Russia’s version of the American Hockey League. He does have one more year on his deal with SKA St. Petersburg, so, unlike Matvei Michkov, don’t expect him to come over early.
Q: Will we see David Jiříček anytime soon/this season? — BiGGy Frane (@biggy245) on X
A: Brière said after the trade deadline that he would “love to see him play some games” in the NHL but made no promises. Maybe Jiříček saw that because the Czech defender has been on a tear with two goals and six points in five games for the Phantoms. It would not shock me if he’s with the Flyers soon.
» READ MORE: Q&A: Flyers GM Danny Brière on newcomer David Jiříček, Matvei Michkov’s progress, and the search for a 1C
Q: What’s left in the Flyers’ tank to make one last push to qualify for playoffs? Who needs to step up to help make it happen? — Ed Helinski (@MrEd315) on X
A: It seems like there’s quite a bit left in the tank. The Flyers are in the midst of an 8-2-1 clip and are gutting out gritty wins despite facing a ton of adversity — like losing three forwards before even stepping on the ice Thursday in Los Angeles.
As always, Travis Konecny looks like he’s skating on one leg but is strapping this team to his back and trying to will them forward — got to love this comment from him Thursday night: “We’re going to keep applying pressure and let them know that if they slip, we’ll be right there.” Noah Cates has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in the 12 games since the Olympic break and has developed chemistry with Matvei Michkov, who has three assists in the past two games.
But one guy who needs to step up and has is Sam Ersson, who will be tasked with staying ready despite the likelihood he won’t get a ton of starts across the final 14 games. Thursday night marked Ersson’s third straight start with a win, and he is 3-0-0 with a 1.74 goals-against average, .920 save percentage, and 1.70 goals saved above average in four appearances since Feb. 26. Reminder, before that, he was 8-10-5 with a 3.51 GAA, .856 save percentage, and the third-worst GSAA (-22.54) in the NHL.
» READ MORE: Resetting the Flyers’ future: Which prospects beyond Porter Martone and draft picks are on the way?
Q: Jackie, do you see the Flyers adding another center this summer? — Mark Ramos (@RamosReports) on X
A: Brière and president Keith Jones have long said that they know they need to upgrade the center position, and while they were hoping to have a chance to snag a 1C this summer in free agency, that dried up quickly as those players signed extensions with their current teams.
Could the Flyers upgrade the bottom-six center role through free agency? Well, maybe that’s Scott Laughton’s music as the dependable forward is an unrestricted free agent this summer and has refound his game in LA. Trade options are also still there, as Robert Thomas, Shane Wright, Matty Beniers, and Dean Letourneau are some names that are out there.