NHL predictions: Will the Flyers improve on last season? Who will win the Stanley Cup?

Hope springs eternal in 32 NHL cities every October, and this year is no different, as each of the league’s teams begin their respective journeys to win Lord Stanley’s Cup this week.

The Flyers, who open up the season Thursday night in Columbus, are no different despite what the organization has admitted is a rebuild. With the puck having dropped on the NHL season Tuesday night, we asked our resident hockey experts Jeff Neiburg and Lochlahn March for their predictions for the Flyers and the rest of the league in 2023-24:

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Jeff Neiburg: 38-36-8 (84 points). This is a big jump from last year (75 points), though still well short of a playoff spot. But it’s not that hard to fathom when you factor in the return of Sean Couturier and some more experience under the belt of some of the team’s younger players. The Flyers tied the New York Rangers for the Eastern Conference lead in OT losses (13). The three-on-three is a coin flip at times, and they can’t be that unlucky two seasons in a row, can they?

Lochlahn March: 36-37-9 (81 points). In Year 2 under John Tortorella, I think the Flyers will have a better finish than last year, but they’ll still end up toward the bottom of the pack. There are several young players poised for key years, while a healthy Couturier and Cam Atkinson, plus the offseason additions, will provide a veteran presence as the young guys develop.

JN: No. But they’ll be in the mix a lot longer than people are expecting. At the very least, that means a few fun and meaningful games at the Wells Fargo Center in February. Remember those?

LM: No. I don’t think the Flyers are going to be quite as bad as everyone thinks, but they’ll be out of the playoff conversation for the fourth straight season.

JN: Over. See above.

LM: Over. I think they’ll squeak out a few more overtime wins than last year.

JN: Travis Konecny. He needed only 60 games to do it last season with 61 points.

LM: If Konecny stays healthy, I think he can put up 70 points.

JN: Konecny. He should flirt with 40. If it’s not him, it’s Owen Tippett.

LM: Tippett with 34 goals. He had 27 goals in his first full season with the Flyers, the second-most on the team. He will continue to build on that this year.

JN: Over. If he’s healthy, it’s an easy one. He scored 31 in 60 games last season.

LM: Over. See above.

JN: Over. But just barely. Something like 23 goals and 26 assists seems like a decent result for Farabee.

LM: Over. Farabee is coming off a healthy offseason and is positioned for a big year.

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JN: Under. Expect some rust early, but a surge later in the season. I wouldn’t take the under on 60, though.

LM: Under. Couturier hasn’t had a 65-plus-point season since 2018-19. Having missed so much time due to injury, there will certainly be an adjustment period for the veteran center.

JN: Under. Frost is on an upward trajectory, but the Flyers have more offense around him than they had last year. It wouldn’t be surprising if it’s over, but the under feels more likely.

LM: Under, but not by much. Frost had a breakout season in 2022-23 with 46 points, and will put up similar numbers.

JN: This is probably the toughest one to predict of all of these. It will depend on how much he plays early in the season and what situations the Flyers put him in, obviously. My guess is something like 14 goals.

LM: 19. Foerster scored three times in his eight NHL games last year. He wasn’t able to find the back of the net during preseason, but when the first one comes, more will follow.

JN: Couturier. They greatly missed his two-way play and his ability to win key faceoffs last year.

LM: Carter Hart won the Bobby Clarke Trophy as team MVP last season and will repeat in 2023-24.

JN: Konecny becomes the first Flyer since Jeff Carter (2008-09 season) to score 40.

LM: The Flyers will somehow win the 2024 draft lottery and draft Macklin Celebrini.

JN: Toronto Maple Leafs over Edmonton Oilers. Sorry, America.

LM: Oilers over Carolina Hurricanes.

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JN: Connor McDavid is the huge favorite for a reason.

LM: McDavid will bring home his fourth.

JN: Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres.

LM: Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche.

JN: Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars.

LM: Ilya Sorokin, New York Islanders.

JN: 36. For reference, Sidney Crosby scored 39 his rookie season, Auston Matthews scored 40, and Alexander Ovechkin piled up 52.

LM: 34. And he’ll win the Calder Trophy.

JN: The easy answer is watching the Flyers approach this “new era of orange” and how they react around the trade deadline and beyond. Beyond that, it’s Bedard and the quest for a Canadian team to finally win the Stanley Cup.

LM: I’m most excited to see Bedard play at the NHL level. I still rewatch his World Juniors highlights and I’m looking forward to seeing how he lives up to the hype against the best of the best.

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