The Philadelphia Flyers return home with two priorities: bank another win before the schedule tightens again, and continue shaping a lineup that has seen injuries, call-ups, and experimentation force constant adjustments.
Tonight’s meeting with the San Jose Sharks isn’t as straightforward as the records suggest. The Sharks have stabilized after a chaotic start, and Macklin Celebrini—already playing like he’s on a speedrun toward superstardom—changes the entire tenor of any matchup he’s in.
For the Flyers, the game is as much about self-management as it is about opponent scouting. A game against the Sharks might not stand out too much on the calendar—but tonight, it feels like a window into where the Flyers are headed and how they handle transition points inside their own roster.
Ty Murchison’s Debut: Opportunity, Nerves, and the Tocchet Philosophy
Murchison will make his NHL debut tonight. The past few days have been, through Murchison’s own admission, “extremely emotional,” and the weight of such an occasion is certainly not lost on head coach Rick Tocchet.
“It’s a huge moment in people’s lives,” Tocchet said. “He’s really worked hard, so I just want him to enjoy and go play and have fun… You don’t want to overload them with all this stuff.”
That last point is a recurring theme with Tocchet. He’s been very open about how much information young players get on a daily basis, and how careful the coaching staff is to not bury them under systems talk. Murchison will get instructions, but not an overload of noise. Responsibility, but not existential weight.
And he’ll have a good guide to ease him through it.
The Juulsen-Murchison Pairing: Communication First, Simplicity Second
Murchison will skate alongside Noah Juulsen, who has been very communicative and helpful with the 22-year-old since he got called up. The Flyers want communication to become a defining characteristic of their defense—an area Tocchet has said multiple times needs to improve across the roster.
“He’ll definitely talk a lot,” Tocchet said of Juulsen. “It’s important that we’re talking even with our veterans—we’ve got to talk more.”
The goal isn’t to micromanage Murchison during every shift, but to make sure he never feels alone with the puck. Talk through reads. Call out options. Make the game small and visible.
Tocchet was straightforward about what the staff wants to evaluate:
1. Handling the puck under pressure:
“Make those 12-foot passes, knowing where to go.”
2. “Squashing plays” along the walls:
This is a big one. Tocchet is adamant—with good reason—about the need to kill plays early so his defensemen don’t have to read and react through multilayered sequences. Murchison’s debut isn’t about big hits or highlight moments; it’s about whether he can end possessions quickly and reliably.
A debuting defenseman has no tougher test than being thrown into board battles and retrievals. The Flyers want to find out if that can become an NHL skill for him right away.
Grebenkin In, Deslauriers Out: More Skill on the Wings
Tonight’s decision to bring Nikita Grebenkin back into the lineup in place of Nic Deslauriers shows that the Flyers are looking to add a bit of pace and playmaking to the fourth line. Grebenkin has been assertive when he plays—he forechecks with intent, protects pucks well, and has a knack for smart touch passes off the cycle.
With the Flyers still searching for scoring depth in their bottom six, getting Grebenkin more reps makes sense. Tocchet hasn’t been shy about expecting more out of the fourth line, but he’s also made it clear he believes in giving them opportunity and consistency rather than overreacting to droughts. Grebenkin’s insertion is a tweak, not a complete shake-up.
Dan Vladar Gets the Start
Dan Vladar will start against San Jose, giving Sam Ersson a night off after back-to-back starts against Buffalo and Colorado.
Vladar has also been good behind a defense that’s learning to adjust its zone exits and retrieval patterns to each goalie’s tendencies. With a young Sharks roster that generates chances through aggressive pacing and fast transition touches, the Flyers will lean on Vladar’s calmness to settle things early.
Containing Macklin Celebrini: The Flyers’ Most Serious Assignment
There’s no beating around the bush here: Celebrini is the real deal, and the Flyers are treating him like one.
Tocchet didn’t mince words when asked where Celebrini stands among players the Flyers prepare for.
“[He’s] a hell of a player,” Tocchet acknowledged. “He’s not just an offensive guy… He’s conscientious, he’s trying to play without the puck… He’s elevated himself.”
Tocchet went further, clarifying that Celebrini isn’t being treated like a typical second-year player—he’s being game-planned the way you game-plan for the league’s elite, saying, “He’s not just a second-year player—no, he’s a star player, and we’ve got to be aware of him just like Mackinnon, just like Crosby.”
The Flyers’ primary focus will be on puck management, especially for whichever line draws Celebrini the most. If you feed transitions, you’re giving the Sharks the environment where they can consistently hurt you. If you stay above pucks and restrict the middle of the ice, San Jose’s offense becomes far more predictable.
What the Flyers Need Tonight
1. A steady debut from Murchison—nothing heroic, just efficient.
Exit cleanly, defend early, avoid chaos.
2. Fourth-line pressure—and ideally, momentum shifts.
With Grebenkin back in, the Flyers want possession from that group, not just energy.
3. Vladar staying in control during San Jose’s fast surges.
The Sharks can attack in waves; Vladar’s early saves will matter.
4. A clean plan against Celebrini.
Not fear—just discipline. If the Flyers force him outside and deny speed through the middle, they’ve already done half the w
Projected Lines
Philadelphia Flyers
Forwards:
Trevor Zegras – Christian Dvorak – Travis Konecny
Matvei Michkov – Sean Couturier – Owen Tippett
Nikita Grebenkin – Noah Cates – Bobby Brink
Carl Grundstrom – Rodrigo Abols – Garnet Hathaway
Defense:
Nick Seeler – Travis Sanheim
Emil Andrae – Jamie Drysdale
Ty Murchison – Noah Juulsen
Goalies:
Dan Vladar
Sam Ersson
San Jose Sharks
Forwards:
Collin Graf – Macklin Celebrini – Will Smith
William Eklund – Alexander Wennberg – Tyler Toffoli
Adam Gaudette – Ty Dellandrea – Philipp Kurashev
Ryan Reaves – Zack Ostapchuk – Barclay Goodrow
Defense:
Dmitry Orlov – Timothy Liljegren
Mario Ferraro – John Klingberg
Sam Dickinson – Nick Leddy
Goalies:
Yaroslav Askarov
Alex Nedeljkovic
