If you have not been counting, we are now just 72 days from the Philadelphia Flyers returning to regular season competition.
After a turbulent 2022-23 campaign, the Flyers have made wholesale changes throughout the organization and are ushering in a “New Era of Orange”.
The new era officially kicks off on October 12th, and we’ll take a look at some important games and dates throughout the Flyers’ 2023-24 season
OCTOBER 12TH AT COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
(Heather Barry Images, LLC)
The 57th season of Flyers hockey and “New Era of Orange” will kick off on October 12th at Nationwide Arena.
It will be exciting to see how Daniel Brière and John Tortorella shape up the roster for game one after the preseason and training camp wrap up.
This will also be Ivan Provorov’s first time playing against the Flyers with his new team after being traded away on June 6th.
OCTOBER 17TH VS. VANCOUVER CANUCKS
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October 17th marks the Flyers’ home opener.
For the second time in three seasons, Vancouver will serve as the Flyers’ first opponent of the season at Wells Fargo Center, and it will be the third consecutive season that the Canucks visit Philadelphia in October.
The Flyers won last season’s home matchup 3-2 after trailing 2-0 as Travis Konecny buried the go-ahead goal with 6:07 remaining in the third period.
THREE UNANSWERED. #VANvsPHI | #FueledByPhilly pic.twitter.com/IAmfcf3t2G
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) October 15, 2022
OCTOBER 24TH AT VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS
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This will be the Flyers’ first opportunity to play the defending Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights this coming season.
Playing the defending champions always means a little more in a game, but playing in their building will put another chip on Philadelphia’s shoulder.
However, the Flyers are 3-1-1 all-time at T-Mobile Arena, so perhaps the “Vegas Flu” won’t affect them this time around.
OCTOBER 30TH VS. CAROLINA HURRICANES
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In the first of multiple homecomings of the season, Tony DeAngelo returns to Philadelphia after spending a single season in Orange and Black.
The South Jersey native’s lone season as a Flyer was filled with plenty of up and down moments, but he did lead all Philadelphia defensemen in every offensive category with 11 goals, 31 assists and 42 points last season despite also leading all skaters with a club-worst -27 rating.
DeAngelo will go down as one of the most polarizing players in recent Flyers history, and the welcome he receives in his first game back will be interesting to see.
NOVEMBER 19TH VS. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
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Not only will hometown hero Johnny Gaudreau return to Philadelphia for this one, but Ivan Provorov returns to Wells Fargo Center in the second meeting between these two clubs on November 19th after spending the last seven seasons with the Flyers.
Provorov, among the club’s all-time blueliners, left Philadelphia fourth in goals (65), 6th in points (217), and was a four-time recipient of the Barry Ashbee Trophy as the Flyers’ top defenseman during his career from 2016-17 to 2022-23.
Expect a video tribute for Provorov during the contest.
DECEMBER 2ND AT PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
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The first Battle of Pennsylvania will take place at PPG Paints Arena on December 2nd.
Usually one of the fiercest rivalries in all of sports, the Penguins have had the edge over Philadelphia as of late, sweeping all three games last season and have won 7 of the last 8 matchups dating back to the 2021-22 campaign. If you even go back to the 2020-21 season, Pittsburgh has won 10 of their last 15 against the Flyers.
Hopefully, a healthy Flyers squad and some improvement from the team’s young guns can tilt the series back in favor of Philadelphia.
DECEMBER 22ND AT DETROIT RED WINGS
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The Flyers’ lone visit on the 2023-24 calendar to Little Caesars Arena will be their last game before the Christmas break, and then the Flyers will embark on their Pacific Northwest road trip less than a week after facing the Red Wings.
This game begins possibly the toughest stretch of road games the Flyers will go through. Detroit made some improvements and are gunning for a Wild Card berth this season, and after the Flyers’ lengthy holiday layoff, they have to take on Vancouver before playing Dave Hakstol’s very skillful Seattle Kraken before reentering Canada to face the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers.
There are a lot of good players and good teams the Flyers will play in this stretch, and a win against Detroit would do wonders for their confidence as they’ll spend a whopping 14 days away from Wells Fargo Center.
JANUARY 2ND AT EDMONTON OILERS
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January presents itself as the busiest month of the season for the Flyers, and it starts on the 2nd in Edmonton against Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
January 2nd’s road contest at Rogers Place kicks off a grueling stretch of 14 games in 27 days, which includes two back-to-back sets.
The Flyers will have two 4-game homestands in that stretch however, so hopefully that provides some ease and confidence over their most exhausting stretch of games.
JANUARY 21ST VS. OTTAWA SENATORS
(Heather Barry Images, LLC)
Claude Giroux playing in Philadelphia on a different team is still weird to even think about, but he’s still playing at a high level and has not pulled any punches against the Flyers.
He racked up 2 goals and 3 assists for 5 points in the Senators’ 3 matchups against the Flyers last season. All 3 assists came in his November 12th homecoming in a 4-1 Ottawa victory, and he’ll likely have the spotlight on him again at his old stomping grounds.
This contest will also mark Zack MacEwen’s first game back in Philadelphia after being traded at last season’s trade deadline after 121 games with the Flyers across two seasons. MacEwen signed with Ottawa in free agency on July 6th.
JANUARY 27TH VS. BOSTON BRUINS
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James van Riemsdyk will make his return to Wells Fargo Center with the Bruins on January 27th.
A Flyer of 8 total seasons and one-time leading point-scorer for the club in 2021, van Riemsdyk spent the last 5 years consecutively in Philadelphia after a 6-year stint with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
JVR scored his 300th NHL goal with the Flyers on April 11th, 2023 against Columbus, which would be his last goal as a Flyer. This past season, he also moved into 23rd in Flyers history in goals (144) and 32nd in points (297).
That's career goal No. 300 for James van Riemsdyk (@JVReemer21)! 🚨
Not a bad shot either. pic.twitter.com/zxRD7wDBvc
— NHL (@NHL) April 11, 2023
A tribute video and a standing ovation will be in store for a good player and even greater person on January 27th.
Patrick Brown will also play his first game in Philadelphia after being traded at last season’s trade deadline after playing 87 games with the Flyers across two seasons. Brown signed with Boston in free agency on July 1st.
FEBRUARY 17TH AT NEW JERSEY DEVILS
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The Flyers and Devils will take the Battle of the Turnpike outdoors on February 17th for the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
This will be the sixth outdoor game in Flyers history, with the team owning a poor 1-3-1 record in exterior play. Their lone victory outside came in the famous 2019 Stadium Series matchup against the Penguins at Lincoln Financial Field, capped off by Claude Giroux’s overtime winner to finish off a furious Flyers comeback.
For New Jersey, this is their second outdoor contest after previously playing in the 2014 Stadium Series at Yankee Stadium against the New York Rangers, a contest in which the Rangers won 7-3.
FEBRUARY 21ST AT CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
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This will be the Flyers’ first look at top 2023 draft selection and generational talent Connor Bedard when they visit United Center in late February.
Bedard is the most prized and hyped prospect since Connor McDavid, and large expectations are on the horizon for the 18-year-old forward.
We’ll see if the youngster has any tricks up his sleeve against the Flyers when they come to the Windy City.
MARCH 4TH VS. ST. LOUIS BLUES
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In the final homecoming of the season, Kevin Hayes will make his return to Philadelphia as a member of the Blues for the first time after being traded.
Hayes was a Flyers for four seasons from 2019-20 to 2022-23. He led the team in postseason scoring in his first year (13 points in 16 games) as he helped lead Philadelphia to their first playoff series win since 2012 and helped them get to within one game of the 2020 Eastern Conference Finals.
Hayes was also named to the 2023 NHL All-Star Game on behalf of the Flyers, a first-time honor for the Dorchester, Massachusetts native.
Despite not always seeing eye-to-eye with his head coach and catching a little flack from the fanbase, Hayes was a good teammate and helped keep things loose during a rough few seasons of Flyers hockey.
He’ll get a warm welcome back to Wells Fargo Center on March 4th.
APRIL 16TH VS. WASHINGTON CAPITALS
(Heather Barry Images, LLC)
Ah yes, the regular season finale. With playoffs likely out of the question this coming season, this will be the Flyers’ final game of the 2023-24 campaign.
It will mark the end of the first season in this New Era of Orange, and how will it end up? Will the Flyers show massive improvement? Will the prospects take another step forward? Will some of the veterans return to form? Will the Flyers be picking high in the 2024 NHL Draft?
Hopefully, we’ll have the answers to those questions by the end of the year, but this contest will mark the end of the first chapter of the Flyers’ rebuild.
2024 Stadium Series Trip
