As each NHL team is eliminated from playoff contention -- either mathematically or by losing in the postseason -- we'll take a look at why its quest for the Stanley Cup fell short in 2017-18, along with three keys to its offseason and a way-too-early prediction for what 2018-19 will hold.
What went wrong
Let's keep things in perspective. No, the Philadelphia Flyers didn't get too close against the Pittsburgh Penguins in their first-round series. But the fact that the Flyers even played this late in the season is something at which to marvel.
Around Thanksgiving, the Flyers were mired in a 10-game losing streak and chants of "Fire Hakstol" reverberated around the Wells Fargo Center. Those calls would resurface, but it's hard to argue that this team didn't improve substantially; the Flyers are trending up.
Depth, however, plagued Philadelphia; the Flyers struggle when either Sean Couturier or Claude Giroux are not on the ice. And of course, there's the decades-long issue that won't go away: goaltending. Philadelphia has become the factory of sadness for churning out goaltenders, a la the NFL's Cleveland Browns and quarterbacks. Brian Elliott became the 10th Flyers goalie to start a playoff game for Philly since 2005, most in NHL in that span. While the 33-year-old journeyman shouldn't be the only scapegoat for playoff woes, he certainly couldn't match up against Sidney Crosby & Co.
Keys to the offseason
1. Address goaltending.
We're really not trying to pile on here, but Elliott, Alex Lyon, Petr Mrazek and Michal Neuvirth's combined .907 save percentage and 2.76 goals-against average is not good enough (and that's excluding playoff totals, out of generosity); to be fair, injuries factored into the poor play.
Of course, Flyer fans have their eyes on one man as the answer: highly touted prospect Carter Hart. The 19-year-old appears as good as advertised, and after finishing last season in the WHL, should turn pro next season. But being an NHL starter in 2018-19 might be a jump; he'll need some seasoning in the AHL. Plus, GM Ron Hextall is conservative when it comes to prospect development. Once again, the Flyers may need to turn to a veteran goalie as a bridge.
2. Consider contract extensions for Travis Konecny and Ivan Provorov.
It's not this summer, but next summer that's shaping up to be a big one for Flyers management. These players -- plus ascendant defenseman Travis Sanheim -- will have their entry-level deals expire at the end of the 2018-19 season, making them restricted free agents.
Provorov is a key to the future of the blue line in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, the 20-year-old Konecny quietly put together a solid campaign in his sophomore outing (24 goals, 23 assists). Konecny and No. 1 pick Nolan Patrick could usher in the next wave of core Flyers forwards. Hextall could alleviate future headaches by prioritizing locking in these youngsters during the next few months.
3. Keep hoarding draft picks.
Hextall has set himself up well for the future, as the Flyers boast one of the league's best prospect pools -- and yes, there's more to be excited about than just Carter Hart. Our prospects expert, Chris Peters, calls 2017 first-round pick Morgan Frost "a special player" -- and he's just 18.
The Flyers have two first-round picks in either 2018 or 2019 (conditional on where St. Louis lands in this year's lottery). Considering Hextall is one of the more patient GMs in terms of development, and his team is already arriving ahead of schedule, it would behoove him to keep collecting talent. Whatever he's been doing has been working.
Realistic expectation for 2018-19
There's no reason the Flyers should regress in 2018-19. Well, there's one thing that could hold them back: goaltending. As long as the situation in net is adequate, the Flyers have all the pieces to put together another run next season.
The core forwards (Giroux, Couturier, Wayne Simmonds and Jakub Voracek) are all 30 years old or younger, while the continued development of young players like Konecny and Patrick is crucial to bridge the gap into the future. Giroux had a renaissance campaign after a two-season stretch; the 30-year-old put up a legitimate MVP case after finishing last season with just 14 goals. Couturier was a first-time Selke finalist. Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere continued his ascent, while Provorov's breakout season proved the blue-line future is bright in Philly. (Throw Travis Sanheim in there, too, as a young defenseman to get excited about).
The Flyers should be contending for a playoff spot again next season -- and they should have enough seasoning not to get blown out next time.