A lot has happened since the Philadelphia Flyers last took the ice.
Claude Giroux showed that he’s still a superstar. He earned MVP honors as the Metropolitan Division reigned supreme during the NHL All-Star Weekend. Giroux improved his stock before the trade deadline. If you want him, pay up.
Daniel Briere is the Special Assistant to Chuck Fletcher. The official announcement took place yesterday. Internally, the Flyers aren’t sitting on their thumbs. They’re grooming a long-term solution. Briere was a favorite to become the general manager of the Montreal Canadiens.
Right, and while all of this took place, Philadelphia is beginning a winning streak. Please, let’s leave the first half of 2021-2022 far behind. Tonight, the Detroit Red Wings visit the Wells Fargo Center.
Detroit Red Wings (20-21-6; 46pts)
Out of the lineup for the Detroit Red Wings are Troy Stecher (wrist,) Mitchell Stephens (lower body,) Jakub Vrana (shoulder,) Carter Rowney (undisclosed,) and likely Nick Leddy (upper body.) Rowney and Stetcher are both unrestricted free agents at the end of the season.
Here’s the projected lineup for the Red Wings:
Zadina-Larkin-Raymond
Fabbri-Suter-Bertuzzi
Namestnikov-Rasmussen-Erne
Smith-Veleno-Gagner
DeKeyser-Seider
Staal-Hronek
Oesterle-Lindstrom
Nedeljkovic
(Greiss)
Alex Nedeljkovic (13-13-5, 2.9GAA, 91.1%SV) will likely start. He had one previous start against the Philadelphia Flyers. Nedeljkovic hasn’t earned a victory against the Flyers (0-1-0, 4GAA, 87.5%SV.)
Lucas Raymond didn’t record a point against the Los Angeles Kings but ranks in the top five of team scoring. Centered by Dylan Larkin (23G, 21A,) Raymond has a prime linemate to craft his game. Tyler Bertuzzi could take some shifts with Larkin in place of Raymond, pending on the game’s pace. All three are the core of the Detroit forwards, but Larkin is the nucleus.
A Philadelphia Fly-By
Philadelphia still misses Ryan Ellis (lower body,) Sean Couturier (upper body,) Kevin Hayes (lower body,) Patrick Brown (MCL,) and Joel Farabee (upper body.) Cam York and Morgan Frost return to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, but Derick Brassard rejoins.
Here’s the projected lineup for the Philadelphia Flyers:
Lindblom-Giroux-Atkinson
van Riemsdyk-Laughton-Konecny
Mayhew-Brassard-Willman
Ratcliffe-Bunnaman-MacEwen
Provorov-Braun
Sanheim-Ristolainen
Yandle-Seeler
Hart
(Jones)
Carter Hart (9-14-5, 2.8GAA, 91.5%SV) has never lost to the Detroit Red Wings. In his career, he’s 4-0-0 against them. That record includes his debut in the NHL, where Shayne Gostisbehere scored the game-winner immediately as Scott Gordon took over for Dave Hakstol.
The spotlight remains on Giroux (15G, 20A.) Everyone is watching over him as the trade deadline approaches. Though he didn’t reach the stat sheet versus the Winnipeg Jets, he continued to play quality minutes. A reset from the NHL All-Star weekend could launch another gear for him. In his career, Giroux has 26pts (7G, 19A) in 25 games versus the Red Wings.
Prediction
Giroux averages a point per game against the Detroit Red Wings over his career. Everything about this matchup sounds like it favors the Philadelphia Flyers, including goaltending. I worry about Nick Seeler sliding back into the 3RD instead of York, which could elevate Larkin, Bertuzzi, and Raymond. I do predict the win streak to continue, however.
Flyers 4, Red Wings 2
(Gavin Baker/Icon Sportswire)
