The Philadelphia Flyers are reeling, stuck with an absolutely brutal 0-4-2 record to start their season, and this, my friends, is a full-blown disaster. There’s no way around it, no sugarcoating the mess they’ve made on the ice so far. Forget their record for a second, it’s how they’ve played. Outside of that 2-1 loss against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday, this Flyers squad has been skating like all their limbs are numb, like they just woke up from an unexpected mid-day nap with dried drool still on their mouths.
GM Briere’s First Move Was a Whisper, Not a Shout
You’ve gotta wonder what general manager Danny Briere is thinking right now. We already saw his first reaction back when they were 0-2-2: he signed unrestricted free agent winger Michael Bunting to a one-year deal. Look, Bunting is an NHL-level player, no doubt about it, but the guy was still unemployed in early October. The move itself was a low-risk play, just bringing in some more forward depth. It was a justifiable reaction to the Flyers’ rough start, a small bandage on a gushing wound. But now? Two more regulation losses later, and the latest one being yet another total disaster on both ends of the ice? That Bunting signing feels like ancient history.
The Fork in the Road for Philly
This is where things get serious for Briere. Being an NHL general manager means you’re constantly trying to convince the public you’re heading in the right direction, often with a few “non-truths” thrown in. But the next thing Briere does, his actual reaction to this horrendous start, is going to expose his true feelings about the Flyers and their future. He’s got a bunch of options, and it’s going to tell us everything. We’re talking about a multi-pronged fork in the road here, and he has to make a choice: either try to rescue this season or do what’s best for the long-term future of this team. It’s high stakes for the Flyers.
So, what’s the expected play after a start this bad? Firing head coach Rick Tocchet. That’s the go-to move for any general manager, usually their one free pass to try and shake things up immediately. It’s not about moving players around, it’s about trying to get all 23 guys in that locker room playing a different way, under a new system. Getting rid of one coach and his approach, maybe even going in a totally different stylistic direction, that’s what could be next.
The Gauntlet Ahead, Including Our Kraken
Now, let’s be real, we’re assuming the Flyers won’t suddenly turn it all around this Sunday against the Carolina Hurricanes. They’re probably going to keep looking rough for most of next week too, facing Detroit, Ottawa once more, and then, yeah, they’re facing Seattle. While the results might vary in those next four games, the overwhelming feeling that something drastic has to change for the Flyers is going to be incredibly loud. This stretch, including their game against our boys in blue and green, is going to be crucial in shaping Briere’s final decision.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Broad Street Hockey.
Leave a Reply