Looking ahead for the Philadelphia Flyers: How they take the next big step

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 2018-19, along with three keys to its offseason, impact prospects for 2019-20 and a way-too-early prediction on what next season will hold.

What went wrong

It was a disastrous start for the Philadelphia Flyers, a team that had legitimate Stanley Cup playoff aspirations. General manager Ron Hextall was the first casualty, fired in late November after four-plus seasons on the job. (The impetus for the firing was a 6-0 thrashing by the Tampa Bay Lightning in which the Flyers didn't commit a single penalty, a cause of concern for many fans accustomed to a tougher brand of hockey.)

Then coach Dave Hakstol was let go. For the first two months of the season (through Jan. 13), the Flyers had the worst record in the NHL, at 16-23-6, allowing the third-most goals while scoring the fourth-fewest. It didn't help that the franchise's decades-long goalie carousel became almost a parody of itself. Philadelphia would set the NHL record by using eight different netminders in one season.

By the end of the season, things started to shape up. Touted goalie prospect Carter Hart, 20, finally was called up and (despite an injury hiatus) proved he is the real deal; Hart is poised to begin next season as the eventual end stop to the carousel. Interim coach Scott Gordon eventually reconfigured the defense into a much more effective unit. James van Riemsdyk, the big free-agent signing who got injured in the second game of the season, finished the season producing at an elite point-per-game level.

If the Flyers hadn't started the season in such sluggish fashion, they might have been able to make up ground and sneak in the playoffs. But that start was dreadful. The recovery was too little, too late.

Keys to the offseason

Hire a coach. Gordon did an admirable job as interim coach, almost getting this team into playoff shape by the end of the season.

And yet, it's not a guarantee he gets the interim tag removed. Some sources suggest to ESPN that new GM Chuck Fletcher might want the opportunity to hire his own guy, sending Gordon back to the minors (where he has done a very good job with the Flyers' AHL affiliate). Philadelphia was rumored to be in on Joel Quenneville during the season, and there's no doubt management will do its due diligence before naming a permanent coach.

Use that cap space. The Flyers should have plenty of cap space to play with this summer -- a gift from Hextall to Fletcher -- and Philly has already hinted it will spend.

The priorities here are getting a veteran defenseman and a middle-six center, as well as a scorer. It's a relatively thin unrestricted free-agent crop for blueliners; Toronto's Jake Gardiner could be a target, or perhaps Anton Stralman, who might be too expensive for Tampa Bay to keep. As for centers, Philadelphia can kick the tires on the bigger available names, such as Kevin Hayes or Matt Duchene. Top prospect Morgan Frost might be able to make the jump as an internal candidate.

Settle up with the RFAs. The Flyers have ample cap space but will need to allocate some for restricted free agents, and they have quite a few who present interesting dilemmas. The biggest question is Ivan Provorov, who looked stellar in 2017-18 but took a step back this season; they'll want to work out a long-term deal at a reasonable rate. Ditto for breakout blue-line star Travis Sanheim. Forwards Scott Laughton, Travis Konecny and Ryan Hartman all need new contracts as well.

Impact prospects for 2019-20

Carter Hart, G, age 20: Hart's recent appearance in a win over the Chicago Blackhawks (in which he had 40 saves) put him over the top in terms of rookie status. So he won't be eligible for the Calder Trophy next season, but he should be the Flyers' No. 1 for the duration of the NHL campaign.

With a .920 save percentage through 28 appearances in the NHL, Hart is performing well above the league average. Some had questioned the Flyers putting him in this position this early in his career, especially when the team was floundering, but Hart has continually risen to the occasion in his career. The brighter the lights, the better he seems to be. He also has better players in front of him than he did during an AHL stint that saw him post a .902 save percentage in 18 appearances.

The big question for next season is how much the Flyers can play him, in hopes he doesn't hit a wall or get worn down by the grind of a full NHL season. Be excited about his play now, Flyers fans, but understand that there are bound to be peaks and valleys in his first full campaign.

Philippe Myers, D, age 22: Myers has often been a perplexing prospect because there has never been a doubt about his physical abilities. Fans have been wanting to see a little more consistency in his game, and for much of this season, they've seen it. He took some significant steps in his ability to play at the pro pace. He sees the ice well and has the skating and the size to be a factor in both ends of the ice. The Flyers have had him up for an extended look this season, and he has a shot to be a full-timer out of the gates in 2019-20.

Morgan Frost, C, age 19: Flyers fans are salivating over Frost due to his immense production in the junior ranks, including 109 points in 58 games for Sault Ste. Marie in the OHL this season. He should have an opportunity to sneak into a role next season, but the Flyers should probably be a little cautious. There is little doubting Frost's skill and vision, but there have been concerns about his ability to make plays under pressure and at pace. In fact, one scout told ESPN he felt a lot of Frost's offense would not translate to the NHL. Frost has played well enough to expect him to earn an extended look at the start of next season, but he's an important prospect and the Flyers have to do what is right for his development. That might mean he still needs some seasoning in the AHL.

Realistic expectation for 2019-20

Now that a No. 1 goaltender is finally in place, things are looking up for the Flyers, who have an excellent pipeline of prospects waiting in the wings. If they manage to land one or two decent free agents, this should be a playoff team next season.