The Philadelphia Flyers are once again on home ice tonight and looking to build on the momentum of Saturday’s 2–1 overtime win against Minnesota—a game that showed both their growing composure and their willingness to grind out results.
They’ll host the Seattle Kraken, a team whose identity has been defined by structure, patience, and opportunism—all traits that make them a useful litmus test for where this Flyers group stands early in the season.
Philadelphia’s play over the last week has trended in the right direction: the defensive zone coverage has tightened, transition movement is cleaner, and the forward lines are starting to click in meaningful ways. The challenge now lies in sustaining that rhythm against a team that excels at forcing mistakes and capitalizing on them quickly.
- Dan Vladar gets the start in net.
- Nikita Grebenkin and Jett Luchanko draw into the lineup.
- Nic Deslauriers and Rodrigo Abols will bow out.
It’s spooky season in Philadelphia, and the Flyers have their own brand of fear factor between the pipes.
Dan Vladar—or, as he should be known, “Vlad the Impaler” (the nickname fits his style—sharp, reactive, precise. When Vladar’s locked in, it’s like he’s impaling every rebound that dares to escape the blue paint) is back in net for a second straight start, becoming the first Flyers goalie this season to get the nod on consecutive nights.
And honestly, it’s hard to argue with that choice.
Vladar has been every bit as commanding as the ominous nickname suggests. Calm, efficient, and increasingly confident, he’s made a case that the Flyers’ goaltending tandem might not be a tandem for much longer if he keeps playing at this level.
Against a Seattle Kraken team that thrives on volume shooting and layered forechecks, Vladar’s positional poise and rebound control will be put to the test—but he’s been the backbone of a Flyers team that’s starting to look sharper with each game.
The Flyers’ last few outings have been quiet in terms of shot totals, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Low-event hockey doesn’t mean dull—it means disciplined. What’s emerging instead is an offense that’s learning when to pounce and when to pause, when to cycle and when to stretch.
That evolution has been especially visible in the play of Owen Tippett, who’s been one of the Flyers’ most dynamic forwards through the first couple weeks of the season. Rick Tocchet’s faith in him has only grown, not just because Tippett’s speed can tilt the ice, but because of the maturity he’s showing away from the puck.
“Whatever line I put him on, he’s really helped that line,” Tocchet said on Monday morning. “He’s driving play. He’s really an intelligent guy. I think there’s still more at net-front…I think he can get a little bit more in that sort, but off the rush, coming up with loose pucks, creating—he’s excellent.”
Tocchet added that Tippett’s progress has been as much mental as physical.
“He’s been really attentive. I’ve noticed that in camp. When you tell them something, players either get the information and are like, ‘Okay, we get it,’ and leave, but he hangs around. He’s been asking a lot of questions. He’s emotionally invested this year; I’ve seen him. There’s a long way to go, but I felt he’s really emotionally invested in the group.”
That kind of buy-in is contagious—and it’s starting to show in the way the Flyers attack. The lines are moving in sync, particularly with young players like Matvei Michkov and Tyson Foerster finding chemistry within their trios. Against Seattle, maintaining that structured energy will be essential; the Kraken may not have overwhelming star power, but they can grind teams down by forcing disorganized play.
Rick Tocchet will inject some new energy into the lineup tonight with Nikita Grebenkin and Jett Luchanko drawing back in, while Rodrigo Ābols and Nic Deslauriers come out. Both Grebenkin and Luchanko bring pace and creativity—qualities that can help the Flyers counter Seattle’s heavy, possession-oriented style.
It’s also a statement about internal competition. Tocchet has been clear that roster spots must be earned, and with players rotating in and out, there’s a sense that every shift matters. The Flyers’ depth has quietly become one of their strengths—a group that can roll four lines without much drop-off in tempo or effort.
On defense, Egor Zamula remains on the third pairing alongside Noah Juulsen. Tocchet wants to get that pair—and the third pairing in general—more ice time to avoid overworking the top four of Travis Sanheim, Jamie Drysdale, Cam York, and Nick Seeler. It’s part of a larger strategy to develop consistency and sustainability across the lineup.
“I think we have three or four guys where I think it’s good to rotate,” Tocchet said. “It could be, down the road, [Emil] Andrae gets called up and he could be in that. When you’re trying to stay in the league, the hardest part for those guys is consistency.
“I thought Ginning in the last game against Florida—the consistency wasn’t there. Is it unfair? But just the way you have people breathing down your neck, right? There’s guys that want to play. So I’ve always felt that having guys…where you kind of rotate them [can] get some juice out of certain guys.”
Zamula, whose confidence has wavered at times, will have an opportunity to reestablish himself tonight. The Kraken like to attack off the cycle, which will test his decision-making and physical engagement. Juulsen, meanwhile, continues to bring a bit more grit and simplicity—qualities Tocchet values in defensive depth.
The Kraken aren’t an easy team to play against—they’re layered, structured, and patient—but neither are these Flyers. Tocchet’s group is learning to balance aggression with poise, and the early returns suggest a team beginning to understand its own identity.
And with Dan Vladar—Vlad the Impaler—back in net on Halloween night, it feels fitting that Philadelphia’s biggest scare factor might just come from their own crease. If the Flyers bring the same balance of bite and control that’s defined their last few games, they’ll have a good chance to turn this spooky-season matchup into another step forward.
Philadelphia Flyers
Forwards:
Travis Konecny – Sean Couturier – Owen Tippett
Tyson Foerster – Noah Cates – Bobby Brink
Trevor Zegras – Christian Dvorak – Matvei Michkov
Nikita Grebenkin – Jett Luchanko – Garnet Hathaway
Defense:
Cam York – Travis Sanheim
Nick Seeler – Jamie Drysdale
Egor Zamula – Noah Juulsen
Goalies:
Dan Vladar
Sam Ersson
Seattle Kraken
Forwards:
Jani Nyman – Matty Beniers – Jordan Eberle
Jaden Schwartz – Chandler Stephenson – Eeli Tolvanen
Mason Marchment – Shane Wright – Ryan Winterton
Tye Kartye – Berkly Catton – John Hayden
Defense:
Vince Dunn – Adam Larsson
Ryan Lindgren – Jamie Oleksiak
Josh Mahura – Cale Fleury
Goalies:
Joey Daccord
Philipp Grubauer
