The scoreboard told one story. The ice told another. In the box score, the Philadelphia Flyers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers] dropped a 4–3 decision to the Boston Bruins, a result that will quietly fade into the archive of September preseason games. But between the whistles, the Flyers showed a blend of promise and frustration that spoke volumes about where this team is—and where it might be headed. There were flashes of a functional power play, the spark of a line combination that might stick, a young goaltender steadying himself under fire, and the growing confidence of a prospect pushing toward an NHL roster spot. For a—lack of a better term—meaningless game, it had meaning. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE POWER PLAY: A GLIMMER OF HOPE It wasn’t long ago that a Flyers power play [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/players/attempting-to-fix-the-flyers-power-play-who-should-be-trusted-with-the-man-advantage] inspired dread—but not for the opponent. Against Boston, it looked different. Productive. Dangerous. Alive. Philadelphia cashed in twice with the man advantage, not with fluky bounces but with structured, confident puck movement. It’s early, and Tocchet was quick to temper expectations, but there’s no denying that “not terrible” is progress. “We had some good looks,” Tocchet said. “There’s still some stuff we have to clean up, but there were some good things that we discussed. We haven’t had a lot of time, haven’t had a lot of meetings on it. Yogi [Svejkovsky] and Jay [Varady] had a couple of times in practice where we did some plays. So, yeah, it was pretty good.” Pretty good, in September, is a starting point. For a power play that’s been a chronic weakness, it’s also a relief. Cam York (8). (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/a4d954ff-1bf9-4258-8239-2b2fea2ef139.jpeg] Cam York (8). (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DVORAK, ZEGRAS, AND MICHKOV: A LINE WITH CHEMISTRY Sometimes you see a line click [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/players/why-depth-matters-more-than-stars-for-the-flyers] before the numbers even back it up. Christian Dvorak between Trevor Zegras and Matvei Michkov looked, in a word, natural. Zegras danced into seams and Michkov’s timing on the puck was impeccable, while Dvorak’s steady presence down the middle balanced the flair with responsibility. The trio cycled well, broke cleanly through the neutral zone, and created multiple dangerous sequences in Boston’s end. They were, as the kids say, "cooking," but the heat was noticeable. Tocchet hasn't been shy about saying that he's still experimenting, and this experiment might just stick around. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ERSSON SOLID DESPITE DEFENSIVE WOBBLES Sam Ersson’s return to the crease [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/latest-news/what-does-the-flyers-goaltending-picture-look-like-after-fedotov-trade] was about more than numbers. For a first preseason outing, he looked sharp—poised in traffic, controlled in his movements, and unbothered by the occasional screen. The goals he allowed had more to do with what unraveled in front of him than what he did wrong. A behind-the-net turnover by Alex Bump led directly to one Boston strike. Later, Adam Ginning pinched too aggressively, got stranded, and lacked the wheels to recover as the Bruins cashed in again. “It’s my first [preseason] game,” Ersson said afterward. “Obviously it takes some time, in games, getting the reads and everything like that…You’ve got to get some game time to get used to it. There’s things that are hard, like traffic and stuff like that. It doesn’t matter in, like, a practice scrimmage. It’s different in games…I think it’s good—I get to see those and get some game time under me and get going.” Tocchet agreed, saying that a couple of the goals were ones Ersson couldn't really do anything about. What matters most: Ersson looked the part. He can’t control what happens when the skaters in front of him hand the opponent breakaways. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GREBENKIN’S STAR KEEPS RISING The Flyers knew what they were getting when they acquired Nikita Grebenkin from Toronto [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/players/get-to-know-new-flyers-winger-nikita-grebenkin] in March—a relentless, entertaining player and fun personality that has overwhelmingly endeared him to the Philadelphia fanbase. Grebenkin didn’t just show up against Boston; he asserted himself. His legs were quick, his reads were sharp, and no matter who he played with, he seemed to tilt the ice in the right direction. He skated with three different lines, handled the shuffle without missing a beat, and stood out for all the right reasons. “This is my first game not after [traveling on a bus],” he explained with a grin. “After a bus game, I feel not great, but today, I did morning skate and I sleep, and feel good today.” Matvei Michkov (39) and Nikita Grebenkin (29). (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/51aa00c1-a491-4959-a30a-167bbe13e2c4.jpeg] Matvei Michkov (39) and Nikita Grebenkin (29). (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News) He added: “Maybe today was a different plan, but the coach picked me and said, ‘Don’t worry who your line mates are.’ You understand what the coach wants for you. I played a tough game today and my legs feel good today. I enjoyed my first time skating [at Xfinity Mobile Arena]. Today we lost, but it’s a preseason game. The team gets better and better every day. The coach understands what lines work.” Camp has largely been framed as a toss-up between Grebenkin and Alex Bump for a potential roster spot. Nights like this make it clear: Grebenkin might be seizing that edge. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A TOUGH NIGHT FOR BUMP While Grebenkin climbed, Bump stumbled. His neutral-zone turnover stung, his body language betrayed his frustration, and overall it was a night where things simply didn’t click. That happens, especially for young players trying to find their footing under the weight of expectation. One rough outing won’t define him, but in a competition this tight, it makes every shift matter a little more. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE BIG PICTURE The Flyers didn’t get the win. They did get signs of growth. A power play that’s showing life. A line combination that could carry real staying power. A goalie shaking off rust with promise. A prospect pushing himself to the front of the roster conversation. It's not the result anyone wanted, especially for their first home preseason game. There were some pitfalls that need to, and surely will be, addressed. There were positives that should be, and likely will be, acknowledged and built on. Such is preseason!
