The Philadelphia Flyers won’t get a better opportunity to clinch a spot in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs than this.
With the season on the line, the Flyers are recipients of a huge favor from the Metropolitan Division rival Carolina Hurricanes, who have little left to play for this late in the season.
Advertisement
On Monday afternoon, Hurricanes team reporter Walt Ruff shared that Carolina is likely resting many of its top players, including leading scorers Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov, No. 1 defenseman Jaccob Slavin, and captain Jordan Staal.
Shayne Gostisbehere and Seth Jarvis were also among the Hurricanes not on the ice to start the team’s morning skate on Monday.
Flyers Set Up For Win-And-In Scenario vs. Hurricanes
Advertisement
Carolina’s lines, according to Ruff, were as follows:
Hall – Stankoven – Blake,
Ehlers – Kotkaniemi – Nadeau,
Carrier – Jankowski – Deslauriers,
Robinson – Brind’Amour – Martinook,
Miller – Chatfield,
Nikishin – Walker,
Reilly – Legault,
Bussi (S)
And, yes, that is former Flyers tough guy Nick Deslauriers, who was virtually traded away for free–a conditional seventh-round pick–playing his off-wing on the third line for the Hurricanes.
As for the Flyers, they figure to be at full strength for Monday night’s game.
Unsurprisingly, Dan Vladar will start in goal for the Flyers; defenseman David Jiricek joined the team for practice and has taken Egor Zamula’s old No. 5 as his number with the NHL club.
Without question, the Flyers need to pounce on this Hurricanes team that is far from full strength.
If they win, they’re in.
