Will the Flyers survive the Metro Division chaos?

btMajor playoff implications lie ahead for the Philadelphia Flyers, with the team holding the last playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division. The Flyers face off against the New Jersey Devils Tuesday night in a Metro Division showdown.

The Flyers find themselves in the playoff picture, winning eight of their last 11 games. The team is coming off a 2-1 overtime win over the Boston Bruins that saw Porter Martone score his first-ever NHL goal to seal the win.

Multiple teams in the Metro have struggled as of late, and the Flyers have taken full advantage. The New York Islanders and Columbus Blue Jackets are both 3-7 in their last 10 games. The Islanders also announced the firing of head coach Patrick Roy on Sunday.

Head coach Rick Tocchet, has done an outstanding job in his first year as head coach of the Flyers. Tocchet won the Jack Adams NHL coach of the year award with the Vancouver Canucks in 2024. The team has 90 points so far this season with five games to go. The Flyers have not had 90-plus points in a season since 2017-18. They have also not made the playoffs since 2019-20.

The Flyers are also getting their scoring from an abundance of players. Owen Tippett, Trevor Zegras, and Travis Konecny all have 20-plus goals on the season. Goalie Daniel Vladar has done well in net in his first year with the team, putting up a career high of 26 wins and tying his career best with a .906 save percentage.

However, the Flyers final five games won’t come easy. They will be facing off against the Devils, Red Wings, Jets, Hurricanes, and Canadiens. The Devils are on the verge of getting eliminated, and just fired GM Tom Fitzgerald. The Red Wings and Jets are on their last legs and are looking to squeak into the playoffs. The Hurricanes and Canadiens already clinched a postseason spot, but will look to compete for the No. 1 overall seed in the Eastern Conference.

With the Islanders and Blue Jackets knocking on the Flyers door, the team needs to take it one game at a time. One mistake could cost the team a playoff spot, and it could be another long offseason ahead.

About the Author Published Apr 7, 2026

CAMERON JOYCE

Cameron Joyce is an NCAAF, NFL, NHL, and MLB beat writer for Ball Exclusives. Cameron also previously worked at The University of Alabama's newspaper, "The Crimson White," covering volleyball and baseball.