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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.

Last season, the Philadelphia Flyers were mostly in a position to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, a disappointing 4-9-3 finish left them four points short of the second wild card in the Eastern Conference.

With the majority of that team coming back, along with one key new addition, the Flyers are optimistic about securing a postseason spot for the first time since 2020.

“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 working to maintain expectations at a manageable level.

Briere stated, “We don’t view him as a savior. It’s not our expectation to put such a burden on his shoulders. At 19 years old, he’s here to learn and grow his game. We are hopeful for his limitless potential, but we don’t anticipate him single-handedly saving this team.”

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

“Winning is always the main idea,” stated Michkov through a translator on July 24. “My purpose here is to assist the team in achieving victory. I’m simply here to play in my own style and to win.”

Philadelphia has taken steps 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 ‘Torts’ will be beneficial for Matvei. He said, ‘Torts’ is going to instruct Matvei on professional conduct and competitiveness, on playing and defending hard. But he also wants Matvei to exercise creativity, to feel liberated and make some moves. Briere is under the impression that their partnership will be incredibly successful.”

Michkov’s most significant contribution will be in offense. Last season, Philadelphia ranked 27th in the NHL for scoring, averaging 2.82 goals per game, and were at the bottom in power play with a 12.2 percent success rate.

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 has the ability to return to his peak form prior to his injury. This form was exemplified by him scoring 30 goals consecutively in the 2017-19 seasons and winning the Selke Trophy for being the best defensive forward in the NHL in 2020.

“Briere stated, “We anticipate Sean returning to his performance level from the first half of last season. While it’s not an excuse, he was injured… nearly every part of his body was in pain last year, except for his back, which is fortunate.”

He’s set to be a significant force. Moving forward, he will be a crucial player leading our young group.

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.

Farabee expressed enthusiasm about the new addition to our defense team, stating, “We’ve needed a player who can control the play like he does for quite some time. We’re extremely excited to have him on board, he’ll be playing in all situations, from 5-on-5 to power play. He’s an exceptional talent and it’s quite special to have him.”

Briere is confident that the Flyers will be playing significant matches late into the regular season and possibly further, thanks to the inclusion of Michkov, the ongoing development of their young forward group, and the healthy seasons of Couturier and Drysdale.

Briere stated, “We demonstrated last year that our team is competitive. We’re determined to work hard this year and apply the lessons we learned from last season. Our goal is to be in a position to play significant games towards the end again, hopefully with improved results.”