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Preview: Flyers Host Oilers After 2025 NHL 4 Nations Faceoff

Flyers' Sam Ersson (Heather Cattai/Heather Barry Images, LLC)
(Heather Cattai/Heather Barry Images, LLC)

The NHL regular season resumes with the Philadelphia Flyers (24-26-7) hosting the Edmonton Oilers (34-17-4) at 1:00pm/ET.

In total, the Flyers had five representatives make the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Faceoff clubs. Rasmus Ristolainen (upper body) was the only representative not to participate, but he made roster for Finland. Sam Ersson minded the net for Sweden to hand John Tortorella, an assistant coach, and the United States their first loss of the entire tournament. Canada got their win back against the United States in the championship game, making Travis Sanheim and Travis Konecny two NHL 4 Nations champions.

Throughout the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Faceoff, the back-and-forth between Canada and the United States, whether on the ice or the atmosphere in the arena, made the tournament feel like more than a replacement for the NHL All-Star Game. These fans were booing national anthems. Could some of that tension carry over into the NHL regular season as Philadelphia hosts the Oilers?

On the season, the Flyers are 0-0-1 against Edmonton. A win tonight would split the season series.

Per DraftKings Sportsbook, the Oilers (-192) are favored to win. Philadelphia must be the more disciplined team and win the faceoff duel. Those are the two areas where the Flyers can closely compete or perhaps better Edmonton. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl command the sixth-best powerplay (25%) in the NHL. Giving them extra shifts, with a man advantage, is a losing recipe.

When: 2/22/2025; 1:00pm/ET
Where: Wells Fargo Center; Philadelphia, PA
Broadcast Info: NBC Sports Philadelphia; Flyers Radio 24/7
Last Game PHI: 2/8/2025; 3-2 W; vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
Last Game EDM: 2/7/2025; 5-4 L; vs. Colorado Avalanche

Philadelphia Flyers

Ersson (16-10-3, 2.81GAA, 89.6%SV) is the probable starter. Every representative from Philadelphia who participated in the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Faceoff is available. Speaking of the NHL 4 Nations Faceoff, Ersson finished 1-0-0 with 1GA and a 97%SV. He should return to the NHL regular season with all-time confidence, which will be tested immediately.

Sanheim (47.1%FF, -6, 126BLK, 51HIT, 36TK:83GV) evolved from a seventh defensemen into a solid top-four pair for Canada throughout the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Faceoff. He filled in for Shea Theodore of the Vegas Golden Knights. Riding a wave of momentum, it’ll be worth noting whether Sanheim remains consistent in a return to the Wells Fargo Center. During the NHL 4 Nations Faceoff (17:22ATOI, 1A, -1, 2BLK, 1TK:4GV), Sanheim earned more minutes because he surfed and cleared zones, which Tortorella emphasized on numerous occasions throughout the Flyers’ season.

Konecny (52.5%CF, 22G, 39A, -3) was a healthy scratch for Canada in the 2025 NHL 4 Nations championship. When he did play, however, Canada never lost. His stat line (11:31ATOI, -3) reads like he was an overall detriment to Canada, but he brought a physicality lacking in the initial meeting versus the United States. Nonetheless, he is an NHL 4 Nations Faceoff champion with Sanheim.

Projected Lineup: Philadelphia Flyers

#96 Andrei Kuzmenko – #21 Scott Laughton – #11 Travis Konecny
#71 Tyson Foerster – #27 Noah Cates – #10 Bobby Brink
#74 Owen Tippett – #25 Ryan Poehling – #39 Matvei Michkov
#22 Jakob Pelletier – #14 Sean Couturier – #19 Garnet Hathaway

#8 Cam York – #6 Travis Sanheim
#24 Nick Seeler – #9 Jamie Drysdale
#5 Egor Zamula – #55 Rasmus Ristolainen

#33 Sam Ersson
(#82 Ivan Fedotov)

Projected Lineup: Edmonton Oilers

#93 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – #97 Connor McDavid – #18 Zach Hyman
#92 Vasily Podkolzin – #29 Leon Draisaitl – #22 Matthew Savoie
#53 Jeff Skinner – #19 Adam Henrique – #28 Connor Brown
#42 Kasperi Kapanen – #13 Mattias Janmark – #90 Corey Perry

#14 Mattias Ekholm – #2 Evan Bouchard
#25 Darnell Nurse – #36 John Klingberg
#27 Brett Kulak – #49 Ty Emberson

#74 Stuart Skinner
(#30 Calvin Pickard)

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