Flyers roundtable: What to make of all the recent changes and are there more coming?

It has been a busy few weeks in Flyers nation with some major front-office changes, the emergence and arrival of several prospects, and even a winning streak. With less than 10 games remaining in the season, we checked in with Giana Hana and Olivia Reiner on the comings and goings on the beat as the Flyers hit the home stretch:

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GH: I don’t know that the Flyers had much choice other than to make some changes. Things have not gone as planned, there wasn’t a clear path forward, and fans have vocally expressed their displeasure. It was time for a fresh perspective as well as a signal to the community that the Flyers truly are dedicated to getting this back on track. While Brière is yet another former Flyer, he’s young and can provide a different way of thinking. He’s a fan favorite and always seemed the likeliest to succeed Fletcher. Meanwhile, Scott was not popular among fans, and he hadn’t made a public appearance since January 2022. He hasn’t felt engaged, so his retirement wasn’t a huge surprise either. In bringing in Dan Hilferty, who has done a lot for the Philadelphia community, both with sports and otherwise, it seems like the Flyers are dedicated to doing this right.

OR: The Flyers are signaling that they’re turning a new page, or they’re signaling that they’re starting to turn a new page given we could see more front-office moves in the offseason. I think it was important that Brière verbalized that a rebuild (not a fire sale, he clarified) is necessary. But ultimately, words need to be backed by action, and we’ll see how the front office approaches the the roster in the offseason. I thought that Fletcher created some of his own problems partially because he would state one thing publicly (an “aggressive retool” last offseason or “we’re selling” at the trade deadline) and ultimately back away from that objective. It made the Flyers seem like they didn’t have a plan, or that they couldn’t execute their plan. It’s on the new regime to put a plan in place and make it happen.

GH: In a small sample size, it looks like Foerster has what it takes to be a really good NHL players. He’s always had a big shot, which he showed off while with the Flyers, but he’s really rounded out the rest of his game. He’s a physical player in addition to being an offensive weapon, so his game should mesh with John Tortorella’s style of play. I was also very impressed with how fast he adjusted to the pace of the game. I’m not ready yet to call him an elite talent just yet, but he’s definitely someone that can help turn things around. Fans are right to be excited about him.

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OR: I mean, if Tortorella is excited about him, and I don’t think he gets excited about too many players, then I think fans can look forward to what he could potentially bring to the Flyers next season. He had a strong eight-game showing (three goals, four assists) that coincided with a Flyers winning streak. We witnessed his highly-touted shot (see his snipe that beat Minnesota Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury) and also saw how his play away from the puck has improved. He’s also learning how to use his frame to his advantage as he incorporates more physicality into his game. It’s encouraging, but like any 21-year-old player, it’s important to give him room to learn from his mistakes as he continues to develop.

GH: Sanheim has definitely stepped up in recent games. You can see it in his stats, but you can also see it just by watching the games. He has been more aggressive on offense, jumping up on the rush whereas before, he was mostly noticeable defensively. Since I don’t see what goes on behind the scenes, I’m not sure how much of it has been growth under Tortorella so much as under Brad Shaw. Tortorella likes to say that he leaves the defense to Shaw, and the players all speak very highly of Shaw’s coaching. I also know that Sanheim hasn’t been happy with his own play, and with the season winding down, he seems to be pushing himself to finish strong.

OR: Yes. Ever since he was benched for the second period against the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 7, Sanheim has been building toward incorporating a more aggressive mindset into each facet of his game. He’s getting involved more offensively (three goals, two assists, plus-three rating over his last eight games) while closing out plays defensively. It’s a good start, albeit too late for it to matter for the outcome of the season. That said, closing out the year with newfound confidence can only benefit Sanheim heading into next season.

GH: If Brière truly wants to rebuild, he needs to help the team get younger. That’s not to say all the veterans have to go. They’re very important in developing the locker room and teaching the youth what it takes to be a pro. However, the Flyers like to talk about the 25-and-under group, and next year, the current roster will have 14 players who don’t fit that description and might not be on the same timeline as the organization. The biggest signal, to me, that guys will be traded, is that Tortorella keeps mentioning building through “subtraction.” Naming players is pure speculation, but prior comments from Tortorella about Kevin Hayes lead me to believe he’s someone they’ll take calls on. Sanheim also might be an option, considering the way Tortorella talks about him, as well.

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OR: Tortorella has used the phrase “addition by subtraction” since before the season started and he’s reused it all year long, not-so-subtly hinting that changes will happen going into his second season at the helm. So, yes, I would expect the Flyers to look to move veteran players with term, but we’ll see how successful they are at the task. Again, pure speculation, but seeing as the 30-year-old Hayes has been bumped from top-line center (with Sean Couturier out this season) to bottom-six center-sometimes-winger, all while being set to make $7.142 million per year for the next three seasons, it’s hard to envision him not being a trade candidate in the offseason.