VOORHEES, N.J. – One thing is certain: If the Flyers’ power play doesn’t get better in a hurry, you can pretty much make it five years without postseason action.
The Flyers were in agreement on Monday that last year’s last-place finish with the manpower advantage simply won’t cut it in today’s NHL.
In fact, general manager Daniel Briere suggested the Flyers may have to be looking at a rise from 32nd to maybe 22nd place to stay in contention.
A repeat of a paltry 12.2 percent simply won’t cut it.
Adding Russian prospect Matvei Michkov to the mix can only help. The Flyers need faster puck movement and a better set of hands around the net.
Coach John Tortorella has already said he’s doing the power play more by committee this season, listening to the opinions of special advisors John LeClair and Patrick Sharp, along with pro scout Dany Heatley.
Briere said he’s also been involved in these discussions and while he wouldn’t discuss particulars, he made it clear there will be some changes.
“They all played different positions when talking about the power play,” Briere said regarding power-play meetings during Monday’s press conference at the Flyers Training Center. “So ‘Torts’ and (assistant coach) Rocky (Thompson) had a lot to listen to when listening to different views from different players on how to approach the power play.”
That’s where Michkov figures to factor in.
“Adding Matvei who’s always been kind of a power play specialist wherever he’s been and (defenseman) Jamie Drysdale, those are all positive things,” Briere said. “I certainly don’t expect our power play to go from 32nd to top 10 in the league.
“But what I’m hoping for is improvement.”
It’s tough to make a big gain in one year.
“I think middle of the pack is a little bit much to ask for right away,” Briere said. “We’re hoping for improvement. Maybe a power play in 22nd place last year probably gets us in the playoffs.”
>Kolosov outlook
After a brief holdout from training camp, goaltender Alexei Kolosov returned to the United States last week and managed to get into some preseason action.
It’s the Flyers’ hope Kolosov, a third-round draft pick in 2021, will be willing to play for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms to get a little more experience before challenging for a position on the Flyers.
If not the Phantoms, Kolosov might lobby at some point to return to play in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League, which was the cause for the goaltender’s late arrival at Flyers’ training camp.
Kolosov did not exactly make Flyers officials happy by letting it be known he’s thinking he’s ready for the NHL. Basically, it was NHL or KHL but no AHL.
“We told him all along we wanted to see him,” Briere said. “We wanted to see where he was at. He believed he needed another year in the KHL and we told him we really didn’t agree with that. We wanted to see him, wanted to see where he was at in his development.”
So it became a little bit of a battle of wills and the Flyers apparently won out.
Kolosov had not participated in July’s development camp and then became a no-show for the team’s regular training camp. That didn’t go over too well in Voorhees.
“It put us in a tough position,” Briere said. “I get it. He thought he needed another year (in the KHL) or he thought he was ready for the NHL.”
When the Flyers trimmed their roster by 14 players last Friday and basically finalized their lineup for opening night, Kolosov found himself back in Allentown with the Phantoms.
“There’s nothing set in stone as far as where he’s going to be,” Briere said. “Is he going to be in Lehigh the whole year, is he going to play some games with the Flyers? There could be injuries, there could be changes.
“It’s something we’re going to evaluate on pretty much a weekly basis. We’re excited that he’s here. I saw him play in Lehigh Valley on Saturday, he had a great game. But we need to see more of him. Then we’ll make the right decision.”
>Short shots
Briere said Michkov’s training camp “exceeded my expectations. Got a little worried with all the skating. But he found a way to make plays (in games) and his skating was great.” . . .The GM was more than satisfied with how training camp in general went. “Every single one, to a man, showed up in great shape. They put in the work in the summer. They all did well in the skating tests. I just didn’t like some of the games from our veterans. But it’s games that really don’t matter.”
