The Philadelphia Flyers wrap up their West Coast road trip with one of the most demanding tests in the league: a visit to Edmonton to face an Oilers team that can turn games on a single shift.
This isn’t about narrative resets or emotional responses after a rough night in Calgary. It’s about managing elite skill, limiting self-inflicted damage, and surviving long enough at five-on-five to give themselves a chance to take points out of a building where mistakes are punished quickly and repeatedly.
1. Dan Vladar vs. Edmonton’s Offensive Reality.
Dan Vladar gets the start in a matchup that is as much about workload and sequencing as it is about raw shot volume. Edmonton doesn’t overwhelm teams with sheer shot totals as much as it does with the quality and speed of those shots—often arriving off movement, cross-ice passes, or broken coverage created by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl forcing defensemen into impossible choices.
For Vladar, the primary challenge will be lateral movement and recovery. Edmonton’s best looks don’t come from point shots or slow-cycle pressure; they come from east-west play, quick slips into the slot, and passes that force a goalie to change his angle in a fraction of a second. McDavid in particular excels at attacking with speed wide before cutting inside, drawing defenders toward him and opening space for trailers or backside options. Draisaitl, meanwhile, thrives below the dots—using patience, strength, and passing deception to freeze goaltenders before releasing or feeding a teammate into a high-danger area.
Vladar will need clean sightlines and decisive puck movement in front of him. Rebounds against Edmonton are dangerous not because of volume, but because the Oilers are excellent at turning second chances into tap-ins. This places a premium on defensive box-outs and on Vladar steering pucks into safe areas when possible. He doesn’t need to steal the game—but he does need to survive the stretches where Edmonton inevitably tilts the ice.
2. Edmonton’s Power Play: The Line Flyers Cannot Cross.
Edmonton’s power play is the best in hockey for a reason. Operating at 33.3%, it’s less a special teams unit and more a high-end offensive line with a numerical advantage. It can orchestrate from multiple angles, constantly shifting positions and forcing penalty killers to choose between taking away lanes or bodies—often unsuccessfully.
For the Flyers, the most important penalty kill strategy may simply be avoidance. Against a unit this lethal, even a solid kill can break down due to one missed read or one lost stick. The Oilers don’t need sustained zone time; they need one clean entry and one rotation to generate a prime chance.
If penalties do occur, discipline within the structure becomes critical. Edmonton feasts on over-aggression—penalty killers chasing McDavid high in the zone or collapsing too hard on Draisaitl, leaving Bouchard open for one-timers at the top. The Flyers will need compact lanes, active sticks, and quick clears when opportunities arise. Anything less invites a long night.
3. Emil Andrae Returns to the Lineup.
Emil Andrae returns to the lineup after a one-game scratch, and this matchup will immediately test the balance he’s been trying to strike all season.
Against Edmonton, puck decisions matter more than creativity. The Oilers are ruthless in transition; turnovers at either blue line can become odd-man rushes before a defense pair has time to reset.
For Andrae, the challenge will be choosing when to activate and when to simplify. His skating and poise can help the Flyers exit pressure cleanly, but Edmonton’s forecheck is opportunistic rather than heavy—it waits for mistakes. Quick outlets, short support passes, and avoiding east-west plays inside the defensive zone will be essential.
The Flyers don’t need Andrae to generate offense in this game as much as they need him to help stabilize possession and reduce the number of times Edmonton attacks against a broken structure.
4. Garnet Hathaway’s Return and Why It Matters Here.
Garnet Hathaway’s return after missing time since Dec. 18 adds a layer of edge and predictability to the bottom six—something that matters against a team like Edmonton. The Oilers aren’t a heavy team, but they can be worn down by consistent pressure below the goal line and by forcing their defense to defend longer shifts.
Hathaway’s value in this matchup isn’t about intimidation or momentum swings. It’s about extending offensive-zone time when the Flyers get it, finishing checks legally, and making Edmonton’s depth lines defend rather than attack.
Hathaway hasn't producing at the level the Flyers know he's capable of this season, and an extended run of healthy scratches reflects that. After time to recoup and reset, putting him back in against the Oilers shows a level of trust that the 34-year-old can handle the task at hand and keep the momentum of a currently-red-hot bottom-six going.
Garnet Hathaway (19). (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News)Projected Lines
Philadelphia Flyers
Forwards:
Trevor Zegras - Christian Dvorak - Travis Konecny
Denver Barkey - Sean Couturier - Owen Tippett
Matvei Michkov - Noah Cates - Bobby Brink
Carl Grundstrom - Rodrigo Abols - Garnet Hathaway
Defense:
Cam York - Travis Sanheim
Emil Andrae - Jamie Drysdale
Nick Seeler - Rasmus Ristolainen
Goalies:
Dan Vladar
Sam Ersson
Edmonton Oilers
Forwards:
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Connor McDavid - Zach Hyman
Vasily Podkolzin - Leon Draisaitl - Jack Roslovic
Quinn Hutson - Adam Henrique - Trent Frederic
Isaac Howard - Curtis Lazar - Matthew Savoie
Defense:
Mattias Ekholm - Evan Bouchard
Darnell Nurse - Alec Regula
Spencer Stastney - Ty Emberson
Goalies:
Calvin Pickard
Connor Ingram