It’s 2026, and the Flyers opened the new year in the win column with a 5–2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.
Denver Barkey kicked off the scoring, recording the first NHL goal of his career. Barkey has found early success in his seven games with the Flyers, establishing himself as a noticeable playmaker on the ice. Team Canada Olympian–to–be Travis Sanheim followed with a solid wrist shot to give Philadelphia a 2–0 lead.
The scoring continued when Bobby Brink deflected a Cam York shot past the Oilers’ goaltender. The Flyers closed out most of the first frame up 3–0. Edmonton managed to get one back late, as Connor McDavid beat Dan Vladar, but it was still an impressive opening 20 minutes from the orange and black.
The second period proved more challenging offensively for Philadelphia. While the effort remained, Edmonton tightened up defensively, playing more man-to-man coverage and limiting quality chances.
The Oilers cut the lead to one with a power-play goal from Evan Bouchard. That would be as close as Edmonton would get, however. In the final frame, Nick Seeler recorded his first goal of the season, and Owen Tippett sealed the win with an empty-netter.
The Flyers rebounded nicely after an ugly 5–1 loss to the Calgary Flames on New Year’s Eve with a vital 5–2 win over the Oilers.
Philadelphia continues to find success, now sitting at 49 points and holding third place in the Metropolitan Division. According to MoneyPuck, the Flyers have a 56.2% chance of making the playoffs. While the rebuild was expected to continue, this is some of the best hockey the Flyers have played in quite some time.
Much of the conversation has centered around the need for a franchise goaltender, but Dan Vladar has been lights out, providing some of the strongest goaltending the Flyers have seen in years. While there is still plenty of hockey left to play, Rick Tocchet has transformed this group into a legitimate playoff contender, creating a buzz around the city about the possibility of postseason hockey.
The Flyers return to action on home ice on Tuesday, Jan. 6 as they host the Anaheim Ducks, one of the top teams in the NHL right now. The matchup will also be significant for Trevor Zegras, as he faces his former team on what is now his home ice.
