The Flyers’ New Year’s resolutions should include finding a No. 1 center for Matvei Michkov and more Emil Andrae

SAN JOSE, Calif. ― Before the ball drops on either coast, the Flyers will play one more game in 2024.

The 366 days of 2024 (it was a leap year) have been a roller-coaster for the Flyers. On Jan. 1, they were third in the Metropolitan Division solidly in a playoff spot. It all came crashing down in the last month of the season, as the team won just four of 16 games and was officially eliminated from the postseason in the final few minutes of the season.

But then Christmas and Hanukkah came in July when Matvei Michkov arrived on North American soil two years earlier than expected. It was one small step in the career of the Russian phenom, but a giant leap for the Flyers organization.

» READ MORE: Flyers takeaways: Matvei Michkov bounces back but Orange and Black fall, 5-4, to Kings

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and one player doesn’t change a franchise’s fortunes overnight. So the Flyers’ uneven start to the season hasn’t been surprising. The Flyers are 16-17-4 and enter their last game of the calendar year tied for 18th in average goals scored (3.03) but second-worst in goals allowed (3.62); the Pittsburgh Penguins are last, by the way.

Although they haven’t looked as bad as Buddy the Elf did at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, the Flyers have lost five of their last seven games and eight of 12. Across those 12 games, they averaged 3.50 goals (eighth best) but allowed 4.42 (the most).

The good news is one of their two three-game winning streaks this season started with a 4-3 overtime win against their final opponent of the year, the San Jose Sharks (8 p.m., NBCSP). The Sharks are also focused on developing young talent and rebuilding from the ground up. They have won just two of their 12 games in December.

Tuesday night’s matchup should be a good test to finish the year, and a chance to see rookie of the year favorites Macklin Celebrini and Michkov battle one more time — the two went at it at the end of regulation with the Flyers forward throwing a few rabbit punches — before embarking on a new chapter in 2025.

Although most resolutions don’t stick, it doesn’t hurt to attempt some. With that, here are three resolutions the Flyers should make in 2025 to have a happy new year.

The Flyers’ passion project is Michkov and they need to start focusing on building this team around the Russian phenom. Does he slump at times? Yes. Does he struggle defensively? Absolutely.

We’re not saying Michkov is the second coming of Alex Ovechkin, but it’s a good comparison considering how bad Ovechkin was defensively until he linked up with Barry Trotz in 2014-15. His lack of backchecking was easy fodder for analysts around the league. It wasn’t until he became a complete player that the Washington Capitals got it together and won a Stanley Cup. That growing process is starting early for Michkov — Ovechkin was in Year 10 — but one wonders how much the defensive focus is impacting Michkov’s game.

It didn’t hurt Ovechkin that, for the majority of his career, he had Nicklas Bäckström, who assisted on 279 of his 870 goals. It’s time for the Flyers to find Michkov his Backstrom. Although Dylan Cozens of the Buffalo Sabres has long been considered an option, could Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson truly be the answer?

» READ MORE: It’s no secret the Flyers need to land a high-end center. Here are three candidates who could fit the bill.

Vancouver hasn’t been too happy with Pettersson’s production and maturity; he reportedly has a rift with teammate J.T. Miller.

“Petey has shown up to this point that he is an extremely talented, quality player that could and should be a No. 1 center. I believe in him. I believe that he’s capable,” Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin told Sportsnet on Monday. “[But] he needs to mature and understand that there are certain expectations and it does not get easier. And you need to face the music when things don’t go well. Is [a trade] possible? I guess I would say anything is possible.”

The Flyers have three first-round picks and three seconds in the June draft. The Canucks have just one in each and could use a boost to their prospect pool — especially down the middle. The issues are the money and term. Pettersson, 26, is in Year 1 of an eight-year $92.8-million contract ($11.6 million per year) deal that has a no-movement clause that kicks in next season.

This is a tight dressing room, and there’s no denying that. A family off the ice, the Flyers need to spend more time near each other on it.

The Noah Cates-Bobby Brink-Tyson Foerster trio is a proven recipe for success. They consistently provide puck support by narrowing their gaps, which allows for a higher probability of passes connecting.

Flyers players too often try to force passes in the offensive zone when the lanes aren’t there because they are too spread out. On the play below, Joel Farabee tries to make a cross-ice pass to Garnet Hathaway who is on the wrong side of the puck. Hathaway needs to be more down the middle, or on the right side of the Kings defender who inevitably picks off the pass.

Not every goal can be scored off a pretty stretch pass like the one Foerster received from Cam York on Sunday. But playing together, supporting the puck, and playing on the right side of the puck — as seen below on a goal by Noah Cates against the Detroit Red Wings when the trio creates a triangle — should help not only offensively but by maintaining pressure in the zone to stop the opposition from breaking for chances the other way.

It is time for Emil Andrae to become an everyday NHLer.

Sent back to Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League after 20 games, the 5-foot-9, 189-pound blueliner showed a high level of grit, speed, puck movement, and hockey IQ. He helped the Flyers’ transition game and had one goal and five points, including two on the power play, while averaging 19 minutes, 18 seconds of ice time.

“He came up, I thought he really showed what he could do as far as with the puck and his compete level and retrievals,” assistant general manager Brent Flahr said the day Andrae was sent down. “Defending, he’s got some things to learn still, but I think he’s really impressed the coaches, and he’s established himself as a guy that’s going to be an NHL player for us going forward.”

The time is now.

According to Natural Stat Trick, among players who have played more than seven games this season, Andrae still has the team’s top Corsi for percentage (54.7%), expected goals for percentage (60.25%), scoring chances for percentage (57.19%), and high-danger chances for percentage (58.33%). The Flyers have also outscored their opponents, 14-10, at five-on-five with Andrae on the ice.

Playing on the second pairing with Rasmus Ristolainen, Andrae complemented the Finn well. And while the Flyers may have needed a roster spot as they carry three goalies, and Andrae was the easiest option to send down, he deserved more of a chance than he got to work out his game at the NHL level.