The Philadelphia Flyers are just a few days away from opening their 2024 campaign. A new era of hockey is set to grace the City of Brotherly Love, and it’s headlined by the sensational Matvei Michkov & rising rookie Jett Luchanko who will both be debuting against the Canucks. If you’re looking to bet on the season ahead, here’s a look at some of the most popular betting markets before the season begins.
To win the Stanley Cup +6000
To win the Eastern Conference +3000
To win the Metropolitan Division +2500
The Metro (and the East for that matter) is filled with great teams. The Hurricanes, Devils, and Rangers, all surpassed the 100-point mark in 2023, with New Jersey likely coming out of the offseason the strongest with one of the most exciting young rosters in the league.
While dreams of a Stanley Cup are always present, it does feel a little out of reach for the time being. With that said, this team has a very strong young core and one that could grow substantially over the coming season. A bet on the Flyers to win the Metro or even the Eastern Conference could be worth a lotto ticket, but these bets should be seen as just that.
Philadelphia Flyers over/under total points: 85.5 (-115)
Philadelphia Flyers to make the playoffs: Yes (+280) | No (-220)
The Flyers ended last season with 75 points, so this line is already a 10-point leap over 2023, at least giving fans reason for optimism.
While the goaltending situation is hardly the most promising in the NHL, an exciting young crop of players is emerging, headlined by Michkov and Luchanko who look set to usher in a new era. The rest of the roster remains largely unchanged, so they’ll likely struggle against the premier teams, but it’s fair to assume that the Flyers can get much closer to the playoffs than they did last season.
Hart Trophy winner: Matvei Michkov +30000
Selke Trophy winner: Noah Cates +4000
Two wildcard prop bets here. Winning the Hart Trophy as a rookie would be an unprecedented achievement and one very rarely seen. But if you’re bullish on Michkov as a generational talent bursting out of the gates and putting the league on notice, then this kind of price is simply too appealing.
The more attractive bet is Noah Cates winning the Selke. Sean Couturier was the third and latest Flyer to hoist the award given to the ‘best defensive forward’, and Cates finds himself listed among the underdogs ahead of the 2024 season.
He broke out as a two-way player before signing an extension with the team and could really thrive in 2024 if he continues to progress. Selke candidacy is certainly within the realms of possibility for a player who has flashed elite upside over the last two years.
Calder Trophy winner: Matvei Michkov +275, Jett Luchanko +5000
Michkov is currently the favorite to win the Calder Trophy in 2024, which rewards the NHL’s rookie of the year. This shouldn’t come as a huge shock, with the young Russian exploding in the KHL last year, scoring the most points of any player under 20 and the second most of any in that age range all-time.
He’s bound to be a huge factor for the Flyers this year and will see plenty of ice time.
Luchanko is the wildcard bet here, but it would likely take a monumental effort to not only rival the ice time of Michkov, but also the production the wonderkid looks set to bring to the table.
Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
