Flyers vs Capitals: What to expect in Philly’s preseason opener

The Philadelphia Flyers enter their fourth day of training camp, and the first preseason game will occur at Washington at 3 pm. With the roster being released, it’s apparent that much of the focus is on the rookies such as Michkov and Luchanko. Flyers head coach John Tortorella stated that he wanted to see younger players that he doesn’t know as well such as Luchanko in the preseason. 

While the first preseason game may feature younger faces who could potentially be sent back to their respective teams, it’s also a platform to witness the potential of these players. The big focus of this game is to see how Matvei Michkov performs in an NHL game setting. Although the lines haven’t been announced due to the team not warming up prior to the start, there are some combinations that would make sense.

What to expect from the Flyers in preseason opener

Michkov is most likely to play alongside Morgan Frost and on the other wing Owen Tippett. Defensively, Nick Seeler and Jamie Drysdale could form a strong pair, while Emil Andrae and Spencer Gill could complement each other. Offensively, it would be beneficial to see Jett Luchanko with Joel Farabee in some sort of line combination with Bobby Brink. Even though Luchanko will most likely be sent back to his OHL team, The Guelph Storm, it’s still beneficial to give him as much real NHL experience as possible to get a feel for the game. 

Carson Bjarnason will get the start on the net, with Ivan Fedotov backing him up. Bjarnason looked strong in rookie camp but held his own throughout the first few days of training camp. Bjarnason stands at 6’3 and utilizes his height to his advantage. The 19-year-old will return to the WHL Brandon Wheat Kings. 

Watching Michkov, Frost, Luchanko, Gill, Brink, Drysdale, and Andrae is the most critical part of today’s game. The results of the preseason game don’t necessarily matter, as the most important outcome is how the skillsets are displayed by some of the younger players on the team. Players like Owen Tippett, Joel Farabee, and Nick Seeler will be fine. However, getting good reps early on will speed up the comfort of returning to the ice. 

Photo by Joshua Sarner/Icon Sportswire