Flyers still winless as lineup changes continue before Bruins
The Flyers are still looking for their first win after a 2-1 loss to Ottawa, but Thursday night was at least their best showing of the season so far, per Broad Street Hockey. Rick Tocchet has kept shuffling the lineup, including moving Trevor Zegras to wing, and Michael Bunting is set for his Flyers debut today against Boston.
What the Ottawa loss changed
The headline from Thursday is simple: better effort, same result. The Flyers lost 2-1 to Ottawa, but Broad Street Hockey said the team upped its compete level, scored a power play goal, and looked more like a functional NHL team than in the first four games.
That matters because the record is now 0-3-2, and the coaching staff is clearly still searching for combinations that stick. Per Broad Street Hockey, Rick Tocchet has the line blender out in full force, and the latest move pushed Trevor Zegras back to wing. That kind of turnover can be necessary this early, but it also shows how little has settled in yet. [4,5,7,10]
Bunting arrives, while the roster keeps changing
Michael Bunting is expected to make his Flyers debut against the Bruins after signing a one-year deal earlier this week, per Broad Street Hockey. It may not be the one move fans were waiting for, but it gives the Flyers another veteran forward to sort into the mix as they try to stop the skid. [9]
There was also another roster move on Thursday: NBC Sports Philadelphia reported the Flyers traded Devin Kaplan to the Kraken for David Goyette. It is a prospect-level swap, but it matters because the organization is still adjusting its long-term pipeline while the NHL roster is under pressure to find answers now. [12]
Prospect watch stays positive
Not everything in the system is going sideways. Jack Nesbitt scored twice in Michigan’s 10-1 win over Alaska Anchorage, a good sign after what Broad Street Hockey called a relatively quiet opening weekend. For a 12th overall pick who projects as a big center, getting on the scoresheet is a useful step. [1]
Broad Street Hockey’s prospect report also pointed to other names starting to get rolling as schedules pick up, so there is at least some movement on the development side even while the big club is still sorting itself out. [2]
Philly Sport Daily writes this brief each morning with the help of AI, working only from the reporting linked above. Spot an error? Let us know @sport_philly.