The Philadelphia Flyers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers]are on a bit of a heater right now, and everyone is soaking up the good energy. The heavy home ice advantage they've gotten in October has continued rolling, collecting a 5-1-0 record after their 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators on Thursday night. And more than just getting wins as a team, several players shined in the Flyers' display, showcasing just how hot this team is and how well they've been able to gel under head coach Rick Tocchet's system. It's still early in the season, sure, but the hope is already starting to creep back into the hearts of Flyers fans. Dan Vladar: The Flyers’ “Smelling Salt” You could feel it from the first period — Vladar was still hot. Thirty-two saves later, he walked off the ice with a well-earned win and a fresh round of praise from Rick Tocchet, who called him the “difference maker.” “I think he was the difference maker,” Tocchet said postgame. “We were kind of asleep for a couple periods… I called him our smelling salt, like, waking us up a bit. He was really good.” And he was. Vladar hadn’t played in a week — a stretch that can dull any goalie’s rhythm — but he was sharp from puck drop. He tracked everything cleanly, moved with quiet efficiency, and seemed to grow more commanding as the game went on. His glove was confident, his reads were clean, and his rebound control turned dangerous chances into harmless resets. It wasn’t just a performance that kept the Flyers in it. It was one that re-centered them. His calm in net steadied the bench, bought the skaters time to find their rhythm, and ultimately gave them the platform to take over in the third. It’s the kind of game that cements trust — the kind of effort that makes a team believe in its goaltending tandem even more deeply, especially with Sam Ersson still being evaluated day-to-day. Trevor Zegras: The Joy Is Back Trevor Zegras [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/players/how-trevor-zegras-is-rebuilding-his-game-and-his-reputation-with-flyers] didn’t just fill the scoresheet — he filled the room with energy. Two goals and an assist later, the smile on his face said everything you needed to know. Zegras is playing the kind of hockey that fans love to watch: creative, confident, but grounded in purpose. There’s an edge now to the flair, a rhythm to his risks. When he’s flying like this, he’s not just entertaining — he’s driving play. The numbers back it up: 12 points in 10 games, yes, but it’s the texture of those points that tells the story. He’s earning them the hard way — by tracking back, battling in tight spaces, and making smart reads in transition. You can sense how much he’s enjoying this new chapter, surrounded by teammates who trust his instincts and a coach who’s given him the framework to thrive. Jamie Drysdale: The Quiet Fixer While Zegras dazzled and Vladar stole the show, Jamie Drysdale [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/players/jamie-drysdale-on-his-health-growth-what-the-future-holds] did what he’s been quietly doing all season: making the right plays at the right times. He scored his first goal of the year — a clean, confident finish off a smart setup from Matvei Michkov — but what really stood out was everything he did away from the stat sheet. His gaps were tight, his stick positioning was excellent, and he looked more assertive in puck retrievals than he has since arriving in Philadelphia. Drysdale’s defensive game has matured noticeably over the past few weeks. He’s learning how to use his speed not just to attack but to defend, closing plays early and using body positioning to disrupt cycles. For a player whose calling card has always been offense, this version of Drysdale — one who defends with as much conviction as he transitions — is exactly what the Flyers hoped to see. The goal was a bonus. The consistency is the revelation. Matvei Michkov: Subtle Brilliance, Growing Confidence If you blinked, you might’ve missed it — the half-second of hesitation behind the net when Matvei Michkov almost went for that move. The Michigan. You could see the thought flash across his face, the crowd anticipating, the highlight waiting to happen. But instead of forcing it, he waited. He spotted Drysdale in a better position, slipped the puck through traffic, and watched it end up in the back of the net. That’s growth — the kind Tocchet singled out after the game. The flashy play wasn’t gone, it was simply deferred, transformed into a smarter, higher-percentage choice. Michkov finished the night with two assists, but his real win came in the form of maturity. He’s learning that sometimes the smartest play is the simplest one — and when that lesson syncs with his extraordinary skill set, the Flyers’ offense takes on an entirely new level of unpredictability.
