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NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Philadelphia Flyers were in a good position to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for most of the previous season. However, a disappointing 4-9-3 finish left them trailing by four points for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference.

The Flyers are confident they can reach the postseason for the first time since 2020, as the majority of their roster is returning along with one significant addition.

“I do believe our team’s right there,” forward Travis Konecny said. “We’re going to work just as hard as we did last year. We’re going to skate and continue to work on some of the young guys getting a little bit better and some of the older guys adding stuff to their game as well. I’m really excited to see where this team can go.”

The player generating the most excitement is forward Matvei Michkov. The 19-year-old, selected with the No. 7 pick of the 2023 NHL Draft, signed a three-year, entry-level contract July 1, just days after having the final two seasons of his three-year contract in the Kontinental Hockey League terminated.

Michkov had 41 points (19 goals, 22 assists) in 47 games for Sochi, the second-most points by a teenager in the KHL history (Kirill Kaprizov, 42 in 2016-17). He is expected to play a top-six role and on the first power play with Philadelphia.

Daniel Briere, the general manager of the Flyers, stated that he and his team are striving to maintain expectations at a manageable level.

Briere clarified, “We don’t regard him as a savior. We’re definitely not burdening him with such expectations. At 19, he’s here to learn and develop his skills. While we hope he achieves great heights, we’re not counting on him to single-handedly rescue the team.”

However, Michkov doesn’t appear to be bothered by the high expectations.

“Winning is always the primary objective,” Michkov conveyed through his translator on July 24. “My role here is to assist the team in achieving victory. I’m here to play my unique style and secure a win.”

Philadelphia has taken measures to provide a support system for Michkov, which includes employing an English-language tutor.

Briere also holds the belief that another form of support will be provided by coach John Tortorella.

“Briere believes that ‘Torts’ will be beneficial for Matvei,” he said. “He will instruct him on how to be a professional. He will guide him on competition, playing hard, and defending strongly, but he also wants Matvei to unleash his creativity, be autonomous, and create some plays. Briere is optimistic that their collaboration will be successful.”

Michkov’s most significant contribution will be on the offensive side. Last season, Philadelphia ranked 27th in the NHL for scoring with an average of 2.82 goals per game and had the lowest power play percentage at 12.2 percent.

But one player won’t fix their scoring issues. Further maturation from a young group of forwards that includes Owen Tippett, Tyson Foerster, Morgan Frost, Joel Farabee and Noah Cates will be key.

The Flyers also need a more consistent season from No. 1 center Sean Couturier. The 31-year-old, returning after missing most of the prior two seasons because of back problems, started the season well but ran low on energy in the second half, finishing with one goal in his final 37 games.

Briere believes that Couturier can return to his pre-injury performance level, characterized by back-to-back 30-goal seasons (2017-19) and winning the Selke Trophy for being the best defensive forward in the NHL (2020).

Briere said, “We anticipate that Sean will perform as he did in the first half of last season. It’s not to make excuses, but he was quite injured. Last year, he experienced pain in nearly every part of his body, except for his back, which is a positive.”

He’s set to be a powerhouse. Moving forward, he’ll be a crucial player for us, guiding this young team.

Another offensive spark could come from defenseman Jamie Drysdale. He had had five points (two goals, three assists) in 24 games after being acquired in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks on Jan. 8 but played through a sports hernia sustained in October. He had surgery in April, has been skating since late July and said he’s focused on showing what he can do when healthy.

“Our defense corps has long needed someone like him who can control the game,” Farabee stated. “We’re extremely excited to have him on board, regardless of whether it’s 5-on-5 or power play. He’s going to be in the game, which is truly exceptional. He’s an outstanding player.”

Briere is confident that the Flyers will once again be playing significant games deep into the regular season, and possibly beyond. This optimism is fueled by Michkov’s addition, the ongoing development of their young forward group, and anticipated healthy seasons from Couturier and Drysdale.

“Last year, we proved that our team is competitive,” Briere stated. “We’re determined to work hard this year and leverage our experiences from last season. Our goal is to find ourselves in significant games again towards the end of the season, hopefully with improved outcomes.”