The Flyers are all but eliminated from playoff contention, but there’s still a lot to play for in coming weeks

Although the Flyers have 37 games remaining, if they don’t make a dramatic turnaround, only a few will have much meaning.

With two 10-game losing skids marring their 2021-22 season, the Flyers are futilely still chasing after a playoff spot. They’re second-to-last in the Metropolitan Division in points (38) and points percentage (.422) and are currently 17 points behind the Boston Bruins, who currently hold the final Wild Card spot.

» READ MORE: Chuck Fletcher says it's time for the Flyers to 'aggressively retool' the roster

The Bruins are on pace for 105 points. The Flyers are on pace for 69. Since 2005-06, the year the league got rid of ties and adopted shootouts to decide games, the lowest number of points a playoff team has had is Minnesota’s 87 in 2016. The Flyers snuck in with 88 in 2010.

If the Bruins keep up their pace, the Flyers would have to average a 1.75 points per game pace over the last 37 games to catch them. That would mean they could only lose at most four more games. To reach the 95-point plateau, long considered a good marker for playoff qualification, the Flyers would need to accumulate 57 points over their remaining games and play at a 1.54 ppg pace.

Even if the Flyers don’t earn a playoff spot, they still have the chance to prove they have a foundation for future success. But time is running out to do that with the March 21 trade deadline quickly approaching. The Flyers have 17 games before that date to show they are better than their record indicates and that the team doesn’t need a complete overhaul.

Flyers CEO Dave Scott and general manager Chuck Fletcher felt that was the case when they spoke to the media on Jan. 26. Both Scott and Fletcher said that while there’s no doubt the Flyers need to add more high-end talent, they still believe the team has a strong core. They feel that rather than a total rebuild, the Flyers just need “two or three more pieces.”

» READ MORE: Breaking down the Flyers roster: Are they really ‘two or three pieces’ away? Not a chance

Fletcher acknowledged that “everything’s on the table,” including making moves before the deadline. Those in playoff contention will be looking for players to help them make a Stanley Cup run, he said, while others are looking for draft picks and prospects to help them build for the future. However, when Fletcher made these statements, the team was in the midst of a record-losing skid, and his mind hadn’t turned toward what moves he could make ahead of the trade deadline.

“Right now we’re really focused on trying to win some games and get better,” Fletcher said ahead of the All-Star break. “The math is daunting, so in view of that, if this continues, then clearly we’re going to look to do what we can at the trade deadline to improve this team going forward.”

Both during this season’s 10-game and 13-game losing streaks, players mentioned they had higher expectations for themselves and for the season. They all felt the team had the potential to be better than their current record. Through that time, they talked about how the team was finding ways to lose, even in games they controlled and had within reach. They discussed bad habits they developed, born from the lack of confidence that comes with losing.

What the players have not blamed is the number of injuries. However, Fletcher and Scott pointed out the team’s bad luck and how different the Flyers would look if they had had their injured players all season.

“Realistically, players like [Sean] Couturier and [Ryan] Ellis are going to come back at some point,” Fletcher said. “When they come back, we’re a significantly better hockey team.”

“If you were to ask me what our No. 1 challenge is today, it’s injuries,” Scott said. “It’s not an excuse, but it’s our reality. I can tell you I read that medical report every day, open it up and cringe a little bit. The last time I looked at it, we were 10 injuries just at the NHL level.”

With 39 games left at the time, Scott said he felt “we’ve got some time” before needing to make major decisions. Two of the biggest decisions they have to make are about Claude Giroux and Rasmus Ristolainen, who are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents at season’s end. But Both of those players have said they aren’t thinking about negotiating new contracts yet, either.

Neither the team nor the players will be able to put those conversations off much longer, and whether the team turns it around or not will alter those potential trade and/or contract negotiations. Giroux’s future is also complicated, as the captain possesses a no-move clause, giving him the final say if he is traded ahead of the March 21 deadline or not.

The Flyers have won two straight since Scott and Fletcher’s press conference. However, they also began a seven-game point streak directly after snapping their first 10-game losing streak. That proved to be fool’s gold, as the Flyers embarked on a franchise-record 13-game skid directly following the holiday break.

As they return from the All-Star break, the Flyers have much less time to get their feet back under them. They need to show they have a strong foundation for the future before Fletcher has no choice but to begin his “aggressive retooling” ahead of the trade deadline. For the Flyers, their “playoffs” begin Wednesday against the Detroit Red Wings.