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TABLE TALK: The Flyers’ Window Is Opening - But How Wide? · The Philadelphia Sports Table | Philly Sports News & Views

• 0:29
  Speaker 1: Welcome to Table Talk here at the Philadelphia Sports Table
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: Podcast show, the longest running weekly Philly sports podcast show
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: in the world. Over 13 and a half years strong.
• 0:37
  Speaker 1: We had a great show coming for you this week
• 0:40
  Speaker 1: on Table Talk. We love our interviews here. And I
• 0:42
  Speaker 1: got to tell you, I love our guests this week.
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: We have not talked about the Philadelphia.
• 0:46
  Speaker 2: Flyers in many, many weeks.
• 0:49
  Speaker 1: It's been a little quiet here and there, but he's
• 0:52
  Speaker 1: doing some great work. doing some writing of words every
• 0:55
  Speaker 1: now and again over at broadstreethockey.com.
• 0:57
  Speaker 2: Our good friend, Ryan Quigley.
• 0:59
  Speaker 1: My friend, thanks so much for taking the time to
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: jump on here, man.
• 1:01
  Speaker 2: How things going?
• 1:03
  Speaker 3: Jeff, thanks so much for having me. It's a pleasure
• 1:04
  Speaker 3: to be here as always. Things are going very, very good.
• 1:07
  Speaker 4: The summer is, is quickly. disintegrating in front.
• 1:10
  Speaker 1: Of yes absolutely it is i i have to say
• 1:14
  Speaker 1: though um football season's right around the corner all is
• 1:17
  Speaker 1: my favorite season i don't mind this muggy garbage outside
• 1:21
  Speaker 1: not a fan i could.
• 1:23
  Speaker 3: Do without that but you know what we're getting to
• 1:26
  Speaker 3: the point of the year where like the day's getting
• 1:28
  Speaker 3: shorter now yeah and that's when i start to kind
• 1:31
  Speaker 3: of panic so yeah i don't like that But so
• 1:35
  Speaker 3: I'm just kind of, you know, soaking.
• 1:37
  Speaker 4: Up as much of the summer or of what's left
• 1:40
  Speaker 4: of the summer. Right.
• 1:41
  Speaker 1: Right.
• 1:42
  Speaker 4: While we still have it. Yeah.
• 1:43
  Speaker 1: Well, speaking of the word panic, us Flyers fans, as
• 1:46
  Speaker 1: we are looking towards this upcoming 2026, 2027 season, I
• 1:53
  Speaker 1: don't know if people are going to be panicking.
• 1:55
  Speaker 2: We don't know yet.
• 1:55
  Speaker 1: We don't have a crystal ball, but I think it's
• 1:57
  Speaker 1: fun to talk about what this team may look like.
• 1:59
  Speaker 1: what certain talent on this team may look like, where
• 2:02
  Speaker 1: they could potentially go in terms of development. So I
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: guess the first topic I wanted to dive into here
• 2:08
  Speaker 1: with you, Ryan, is the quote, rebuild here. And last
• 2:12
  Speaker 1: year's playoff presence, of course, I think was pretty much
• 2:15
  Speaker 1: of a surprise to all of us and.
• 2:17
  Speaker 2: What they did within the playoffs. So I'm wondering, do
• 2:20
  Speaker 2: you think the Flyers are quote on track.
• 2:23
  Speaker 1: With the rebuild or are they possibly ahead of schedule?
• 2:28
  Speaker 2: What are your thoughts here with regard to this narrative
• 2:29
  Speaker 2: and where they are with this rebuild?
• 2:32
  Speaker 3: Yeah. You know, I think the Flyers right now are
• 2:34
  Speaker 3: pretty much about where they're supposed to be. I wouldn't
• 2:38
  Speaker 3: quite say they're ahead of schedule, but, To me, ahead
• 2:41
  Speaker 3: of schedule means like, oh, yeah, they're a bona fide
• 2:43
  Speaker 3: playoff team that better make it to at least the
• 2:46
  Speaker 3: second round or something like that.
• 2:48
  Speaker 2: Right.
• 2:48
  Speaker 4: Right. To me, that's what ahead of schedule would look
• 2:50
  Speaker 4: like right now.
• 2:51
  Speaker 3: I think the Flyers, you know, I think any rational
• 2:55
  Speaker 3: fan would come into this season thinking, OK, they made
• 2:58
  Speaker 3: the playoffs last year. Let's do it again. Like I
• 3:02
  Speaker 3: think expectation this season, because going into last season, the
• 3:05
  Speaker 3: expectation was perfect. maybe get close to the playoffs and
• 3:09
  Speaker 3: we'll see what happens. They surpass those expectations. Now the
• 3:13
  Speaker 3: expectation is make the playoffs. Like you got to make
• 3:17
  Speaker 3: the playoffs and then we'll go from there. So yeah,
• 3:20
  Speaker 3: I think, you know, it's a reasonable expectation to kind
• 3:23
  Speaker 3: of look at the season as like, yes, playoffs are bust,
• 3:27
  Speaker 3: but that doesn't necessarily mean, oh, you got to win
• 3:30
  Speaker 3: a series. You got to do this. You got to
• 3:31
  Speaker 3: do that. Like, I don't, I just don't think they're
• 3:33
  Speaker 3: at that point yet. So yeah, All this to say,
• 3:37
  Speaker 3: I think they're roughly where they're supposed to be.
• 3:41
  Speaker 4: And, you know, if they surprise us again this year,
• 3:43
  Speaker 4: that would be great.
• 3:44
  Speaker 3: But I think overall the overall kind of expectation of
• 3:48
  Speaker 3: the team. from at least the rational subsect of the
• 3:52
  Speaker 3: fan base is pretty reasonable.
• 3:53
  Speaker 1: Yeah. And I think it was a pretty decent off
• 3:55
  Speaker 1: season too, just in terms of guys that they needed
• 3:57
  Speaker 1: to sign for the future, especially with regard to Dan Vladar,
• 4:01
  Speaker 1: him being in front of the net.
• 4:03
  Speaker 2: And it's, I, dude, I don't know what to think.
• 4:05
  Speaker 1: And listen, I wasn't actually expecting us to talk about
• 4:08
  Speaker 1: this just popped in my head, but some of the,
• 4:10
  Speaker 1: some of the online commentary about Dan Vladar and not be,
• 4:15
  Speaker 1: not being a, that not being a great signing from a,
• 4:17
  Speaker 1: from a long-term perspective, uh, kind of, kind of mind
• 4:20
  Speaker 1: boggling considering what he did last year.
• 4:22
  Speaker 2: I don't know what your thoughts there.
• 4:23
  Speaker 3: I don't know where that came from because I know
• 4:26
  Speaker 3: literally worshiping him three months ago in the playoffs. Now,
• 4:29
  Speaker 3: all of a sudden people are coming out of the
• 4:31
  Speaker 3: woodwork acting like he's not that like, what are you talking?
• 4:33
  Speaker 2: Exactly.
• 4:34
  Speaker 4: I don't know. I don't know where that came from,
• 4:36
  Speaker 4: but yeah. Yeah.
• 4:37
  Speaker 2: Just crazy.
• 4:39
  Speaker 1: But the one guy we're going to be keeping our
• 4:41
  Speaker 1: eyes on, of course, and we're certainly going to be
• 4:44
  Speaker 1: talking about him a lot more, even before the season
• 4:46
  Speaker 1: starts is Matt.
• 4:47
  Speaker 2: They meet cough.
• 4:48
  Speaker 1: And yeah, I think he's, of course, going to be
• 4:50
  Speaker 1: one of the biggest storylines heading into this season, during
• 4:54
  Speaker 1: the course of the season, how he's continuing to develop,
• 4:57
  Speaker 1: of course, because of what he means to this rebuild,
• 5:00
  Speaker 1: what he means to this franchise as well. You know,
• 5:04
  Speaker 1: last season, he left us wanting more, of course, and
• 5:08
  Speaker 1: perhaps rightfully so. And I believe he still is going
• 5:11
  Speaker 1: to develop, Ryan. But I wonder if Michkov is the
• 5:15
  Speaker 1: player who is going to determine whether how high this flyer.
• 5:19
  Speaker 2: Season is going to go this year.
• 5:21
  Speaker 1: Is that a narrative that you think is fair or
• 5:24
  Speaker 1: is that putting too much on a young guy?
• 5:27
  Speaker 3: Well, I do kind of like the way that you
• 5:29
  Speaker 3: phrased that question because to me, I don't think Matt
• 5:34
  Speaker 3: Bay Mishkov is the kind of player that like, Oh,
• 5:36
  Speaker 3: the flyers are going to live and die by how
• 5:39
  Speaker 3: Matt Bay Mishkov performs this.
• 5:40
  Speaker 2: Right.
• 5:41
  Speaker 1: Yep.
• 5:42
  Speaker 3: Let's pretend let's, I feel like Matt Vamishkov could come
• 5:45
  Speaker 3: back this season and be the exact same player that
• 5:48
  Speaker 3: he was last season. And the Flyers still move forward.
• 5:52
  Speaker 3: They still take another step as a team. Now, obviously
• 5:55
  Speaker 3: no one wants that. People want like Matt Vamishkov, even
• 5:58
  Speaker 3: though last season 50 plus point player, that is objectively good.
• 6:03
  Speaker 3: People still expected more. And I know that Mishkov expects
• 6:06
  Speaker 3: more of himself too. So, no one wants to see
• 6:10
  Speaker 3: him come back and be the same player he was
• 6:11
  Speaker 3: last season.
• 6:12
  Speaker 2: Yeah.
• 6:13
  Speaker 3: So I don't want to say that he is the
• 6:16
  Speaker 3: Flyers live and die with Matt, Matt Bay Mishkov's progression.
• 6:20
  Speaker 3: But what I like about the way you phrase it is,
• 6:23
  Speaker 3: is he who's going to determine how high they go.
• 6:25
  Speaker 3: And honestly, I could see Matt Bay Mishkov coming in.
• 6:30
  Speaker 3: And if he does take that next step in year three,
• 6:34
  Speaker 3: and he does look like that superstar player that everyone
• 6:37
  Speaker 3: thought he was going to be after his rookie season.
• 6:40
  Speaker 3: I feel like that could be enough to catapult the
• 6:43
  Speaker 3: Flyers to that, to beyond a next level, you know?
• 6:46
  Speaker 3: So I, I, I would agree with that sentiment. I
• 6:50
  Speaker 3: do think he is maybe not the player, but I
• 6:54
  Speaker 3: think he is a player who's going to determine how,
• 6:57
  Speaker 3: how the Flyers season goes next year. So I don't
• 6:58
  Speaker 3: want to put all that pressure on him because I
• 7:00
  Speaker 3: do think it's more of It's this is not the the,
• 7:05
  Speaker 3: you know, Philadelphia, Matt, they meet guys like the Flyers
• 7:08
  Speaker 3: have a lot of great depth right now.
• 7:10
  Speaker 4: And that's kind of their that's kind of their M.O.
• 7:13
  Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm glad you phrased it the way you just
• 7:15
  Speaker 1: did right there, Ryan, because, you know, I think Flyers
• 7:18
  Speaker 1: fans in general kind of tend to put some of
• 7:20
  Speaker 1: these guys and some of this talent in a box.
• 7:22
  Speaker 2: And it's a black and white type of thing.
• 7:24
  Speaker 1: They either do this or they don't do this. And
• 7:26
  Speaker 1: as a result, they're going to fail or they're going
• 7:28
  Speaker 1: to succeed. And it's not always like that. We know
• 7:30
  Speaker 1: there's so many different moving pieces, but with Michkov and
• 7:33
  Speaker 1: that expectation that's there.
• 7:36
  Speaker 2: That's why I asked the question the way that I did.
• 7:38
  Speaker 1: And I think your answer was great because there are
• 7:41
  Speaker 1: so many other moving parts and components of this team.
• 7:45
  Speaker 1: And I really think Danny Breer has done a very
• 7:47
  Speaker 1: good job in this front office, has been very strategic
• 7:51
  Speaker 1: in terms of what talent would be available, when it
• 7:55
  Speaker 1: would be available with trades. And next on the list
• 7:58
  Speaker 1: here is Trevor Zegers. And so glad that he was
• 8:01
  Speaker 1: able to sign that extension during the course of the offseason.
• 8:05
  Speaker 2: He is so key to this team.
• 8:08
  Speaker 1: And again, we're talking about expectations are going to be
• 8:10
  Speaker 1: high given his recent contract extension here. When it does
• 8:14
  Speaker 1: come to Trevor Zegers, does he have another offensive level
• 8:19
  Speaker 1: to reach?
• 8:20
  Speaker 2: Do you think? Because if he does, then then.
• 8:24
  Speaker 1: There's not just only less pressure on other folks, but
• 8:26
  Speaker 1: it gives other, other players and talent on this team,
• 8:31
  Speaker 1: the ability to kind of move outside of the boxes
• 8:33
  Speaker 1: that we've all put them in, you know, you know
• 8:34
  Speaker 1: what I mean?
• 8:35
  Speaker 3: Yeah, no, I, so I think he absolutely has another
• 8:39
  Speaker 3: level here.
• 8:40
  Speaker 4: I really do.
• 8:40
  Speaker 3: I know.
• 8:41
  Speaker 4: Here's the thing. He's still, he's only 25. He's still
• 8:44
  Speaker 4: a young guy.
• 8:45
  Speaker 3: You know, a lot of people say, you know, around
• 8:47
  Speaker 3: this time, they should be playing the best hockey of
• 8:49
  Speaker 3: their career in terms of young players, but yeah, You know,
• 8:52
  Speaker 3: everyone moves at their own pace.
• 8:54
  Speaker 4: I think he absolutely has another level.
• 8:57
  Speaker 3: Personally, I 1 million percent believe that Trevor's egress is,
• 9:02
  Speaker 3: has 70.
• 9:03
  Speaker 4: Point per season potential.
• 9:05
  Speaker 3: I really, and just, just seeing how great he was
• 9:10
  Speaker 3: for the flyers last season. I see no reason why
• 9:13
  Speaker 3: he can't expand on that this year, especially as he's
• 9:16
  Speaker 3: getting more comfortable in his city. He's more comfortable with,
• 9:19
  Speaker 3: I mean, I never, I, thought that getting comfortable with
• 9:23
  Speaker 3: his teammates would be an issue. Cause he just seems
• 9:24
  Speaker 3: like a golden retriever of a person, but he's used
• 9:29
  Speaker 3: to the teammates. He's used to the city. He's used
• 9:31
  Speaker 3: to talk it.
• 9:32
  Speaker 4: He and Rick talk.
• 9:33
  Speaker 3: It seems to have a very strong relationship player coach relationship. So, um,
• 9:38
  Speaker 3: I absolutely think that there is some untapped potential there
• 9:42
  Speaker 3: was egress. And I think, I think, you know, 70
• 9:45
  Speaker 3: points for him going into this season. I think that
• 9:47
  Speaker 3: is absolutely a realistic, realistic benchmark. Um, Um, and maybe
• 9:51
  Speaker 3: he could even surpass that.
• 9:52
  Speaker 4: I don't know, but I.
• 9:54
  Speaker 3: I'm really excited about Zegras and I love the idea
• 9:57
  Speaker 3: of him being the team's, at least for now, their
• 10:00
  Speaker 3: one C. I know they have played him. They tested
• 10:03
  Speaker 3: him out at center a lot last season. And for
• 10:07
  Speaker 3: the most part. he was pretty good. He obviously, you know,
• 10:10
  Speaker 3: face-offs are a huge area that he's going to need
• 10:13
  Speaker 3: to work on because he was so bad at face-offs.
• 10:16
  Speaker 2: Not good.
• 10:17
  Speaker 4: Very bad.
• 10:18
  Speaker 3: But if he can really hone in on that and,
• 10:21
  Speaker 3: and just kind of expand that part of his game,
• 10:24
  Speaker 3: I think it'll be great because we saw him expand
• 10:27
  Speaker 3: his defensive side of the game. He improved defensively considerably
• 10:31
  Speaker 3: last season. If he can do the same thing with face-offs,
• 10:33
  Speaker 3: I mean, all of a sudden, I mean, this is
• 10:35
  Speaker 3: a bonafide, no doubt about it. Center top six center.
• 10:38
  Speaker 3: And I just I really am just very, very bullish
• 10:42
  Speaker 3: about Trevor's egress. I think he he wants it. And
• 10:45
  Speaker 3: I think the Flyers want him to be it. So
• 10:48
  Speaker 3: it's very exciting.
• 10:50
  Speaker 2: It really is. Absolutely.
• 10:51
  Speaker 1: Folks, again, we're talking to Brian Quigley, Broad Street Hockey
• 10:55
  Speaker 1: dot com. He's writing some words over there every now
• 10:57
  Speaker 1: and again. You got anything else you want to promo, buddy,
• 10:59
  Speaker 1: before we go to break real quick? And then when
• 11:01
  Speaker 1: we come back, we're going to get into more Flyers talk.
• 11:03
  Speaker 1: But feel free to promo some stuff.
• 11:05
  Speaker 3: I will say the Broad Street Hockey Top 25 Under
• 11:08
  Speaker 3: 25 series has concluded. I bet you won't guess who
• 11:12
  Speaker 3: number one is, Jeff. But you can take a look
• 11:16
  Speaker 3: at those rankings. You can take a look at who
• 11:18
  Speaker 3: came in at number one, who came in at number seven,
• 11:21
  Speaker 3: who came in at number.
• 11:22
  Speaker 4: Six or 16. I don't know. Take a look.
• 11:25
  Speaker 3: So really good series that we do every year. I
• 11:27
  Speaker 3: always look forward to reading it and taking part in it.
• 11:31
  Speaker 1: Always a good read. I am a subscriber over at BroadStreetHockey.com.
• 11:35
  Speaker 1: It's $ 5 level, but still want to support my friends
• 11:38
  Speaker 1: over there who are doing some good work. And we
• 11:42
  Speaker 1: really enjoy our friend Kelly Hinkle over there who's helping
• 11:45
  Speaker 1: to run the ship.
• 11:47
  Speaker 4: The queen. Yes. The BSH queen.
• 11:50
  Speaker 2: Absolutely.
• 11:50
  Speaker 4: We really appreciate your support, Jeff, as always.
• 11:52
  Speaker 2: You got it, buddy. You got it.
• 11:53
  Speaker 1: And we appreciate you if you're watching on YouTube, if
• 11:56
  Speaker 1: you are listening on an audio podcast platform. we thank
• 12:00
  Speaker 1: you as well. We're going to take a break. And
• 12:02
  Speaker 1: when we get back more flyers talk coming your way.
• 12:08
  Speaker 1: All right. We're back with our good buddy, Ryan Quigley
• 12:10
  Speaker 1: from broad street hockey.com. And as we continue with this
• 12:13
  Speaker 1: flyers talk here, as you know, the season's going.
• 12:17
  Speaker 2: To be here before we know it.
• 12:19
  Speaker 1: And for me and so many other flyers fans, it's
• 12:22
  Speaker 1: really watching the young guys, Ryan, who are going to
• 12:24
  Speaker 1: be trying to, make their way up and just solidify
• 12:27
  Speaker 1: their role, perhaps in some way, shape or form, taking
• 12:31
  Speaker 1: that next step. Guys like Porter Martone, Denver Barkey, Alex Bump,
• 12:36
  Speaker 1: just to name a few. And I'm wondering which of
• 12:39
  Speaker 1: these really young guys, these really young players, do you
• 12:42
  Speaker 1: think may actually really surprise us this coming season in
• 12:45
  Speaker 1: terms of their development and where that may go?
• 12:48
  Speaker 4: Yeah.
• 12:48
  Speaker 3: You know, I mean, the guys you just mentioned of
• 12:52
  Speaker 3: those three, I think without question, and I think, I'm
• 12:55
  Speaker 3: not alone in this.
• 12:58
  Speaker 4: Porter Martone, man.
• 12:59
  Speaker 3: I'm very bullish on Porter Martone. Just after everything we
• 13:03
  Speaker 3: saw from him, and granted, I really, really cannot stress
• 13:07
  Speaker 3: enough how small a sample size it was that we
• 13:09
  Speaker 3: got from him. But I am very excited about Porter
• 13:14
  Speaker 3: Martone and what he could be for the Flyers. He
• 13:19
  Speaker 3: seems to have that character to him. He seems to
• 13:22
  Speaker 3: have those intangibles. And then on the ice, he's just
• 13:27
  Speaker 3: I mean, he's he made some insane plays last year
• 13:30
  Speaker 3: just as a child, as a boy. And he really
• 13:33
  Speaker 3: looks like he belonged in the NHL. And he was
• 13:36
  Speaker 3: making some plays that like someone his age would have
• 13:38
  Speaker 3: no business making. So I'm really, really excited for Porter Martone.
• 13:43
  Speaker 3: I know he's one of the top candidates, you know.
• 13:46
  Speaker 3: odds on favorites for the Calder this year, I would
• 13:50
  Speaker 3: put your money down on, on Porter Martone. I think
• 13:52
  Speaker 3: that's a pretty safe bet. I think he's going to be.
• 13:55
  Speaker 4: Very, very, very, very good.
• 13:56
  Speaker 3: Not just the season, but for many, many years for
• 14:00
  Speaker 3: the Flyers. I truly believe that. And I truly believe
• 14:03
  Speaker 3: that he could be a future captain for this team.
• 14:05
  Speaker 3: I just, I can't say enough good things about Porter Martone. Now,
• 14:08
  Speaker 3: aside from him, cause that is a little bit of
• 14:11
  Speaker 3: a cop out to that question. I I'm also very
• 14:13
  Speaker 3: excited about Denver Barky. I mean, he's very different from
• 14:18
  Speaker 3: Porter Martone. Like he doesn't have the size. He doesn't
• 14:21
  Speaker 3: have the, quite the draft pedigree, but you know, he
• 14:25
  Speaker 3: is coming from London. He played for the London Knights,
• 14:28
  Speaker 3: which the Flyers of course love having that kind of
• 14:31
  Speaker 3: connection there. to the London Knights and Denver Barkey was,
• 14:36
  Speaker 3: I mean, he, I don't want to say he came
• 14:38
  Speaker 3: out of nowhere because there were, there were whispers about
• 14:41
  Speaker 3: his potential in junior before he, you know, made his
• 14:45
  Speaker 3: NHL debut, but I'm really excited to see him take
• 14:49
  Speaker 3: another step because just watching him play, you can see
• 14:53
  Speaker 3: why the Flyers are so excited about this kid.
• 14:56
  Speaker 4: He's tenacious.
• 14:57
  Speaker 3: He plays with so much heart. And for a little guy, grit.
• 15:01
  Speaker 3: He really, really throws his body into it. And I'm
• 15:05
  Speaker 3: really excited about Denver Barkey. And, you know, I wouldn't
• 15:08
  Speaker 3: be surprised if he ends up being something of a
• 15:12
  Speaker 3: fan favorite for the Flyers for some time. And when
• 15:15
  Speaker 3: I say fan favorite, I'm not saying like one of
• 15:17
  Speaker 3: their top players, but I'm saying someone who, you know,
• 15:20
  Speaker 3: the fans show up and they always love Denver Barkey
• 15:23
  Speaker 3: because he's always– unquestionably giving 100% every shift. He's just
• 15:30
  Speaker 3: that kind of player. So I'm really excited about him
• 15:32
  Speaker 3: as well. Alex bump, you know, he, he is an
• 15:35
  Speaker 3: interesting player. I'm not quite as, as bullish on him
• 15:39
  Speaker 3: as some other folks in the, in the flyers sphere.
• 15:43
  Speaker 3: But I do think he's an intriguing player. I would
• 15:46
  Speaker 3: like to see some more from him.
• 15:48
  Speaker 2: Yeah.
• 15:49
  Speaker 4: But I mean, for God's sake, this is really just
• 15:51
  Speaker 4: a second year. So, right.
• 15:53
  Speaker 3: He has plenty of time to do that. So, yeah,
• 15:56
  Speaker 3: I think that's the fun and exciting thing about the
• 15:58
  Speaker 3: Flyers is just how young they are. And just seeing
• 16:02
  Speaker 3: all these kids coming up, Oliver Bonk, you know, we
• 16:05
  Speaker 3: could see Oliver Bonk this season.
• 16:07
  Speaker 2: Yeah.
• 16:08
  Speaker 3: He kind of has to make the team because he's
• 16:10
  Speaker 3: not waiver exempt. So he's another exciting guy. Just so
• 16:13
  Speaker 3: much good youth on this team. But I'm very excited
• 16:16
  Speaker 3: to see how they develop.
• 16:19
  Speaker 1: With Denver Barkey, really quick, going back to him, his
• 16:22
  Speaker 1: chemistry potentially with Mijkov, I think, is a fascinating storyline
• 16:25
  Speaker 1: that we may be possibly watching. But at the end
• 16:29
  Speaker 1: of the day, when this season, this upcoming season is over,
• 16:33
  Speaker 1: if he gets some looks at center, finishes maybe with
• 16:36
  Speaker 1: around 35, 40 points, I think that is strong consideration
• 16:42
  Speaker 1: as part of their long-term middle six, top six group.
• 16:45
  Speaker 2: For the, for the future.
• 16:47
  Speaker 1: And if he were to get, hypothetically speaking, 45 plus
• 16:51
  Speaker 1: points this year, Ryan, I think we've got a potentially
• 16:56
  Speaker 1: bigger story there. Him and possibly emerging as another major,
• 17:01
  Speaker 1: major piece, as we're saying, you know, and, and it seriously,
• 17:06
  Speaker 1: I'm going right around that like 40, 45 point Mark,
• 17:09
  Speaker 1: where that happens.
• 17:10
  Speaker 2: It's like, Ooh, man, this is really freaking sweet. Yeah.
• 17:14
  Speaker 4: Absolutely. No, 100%. And I don't think that's out of
• 17:16
  Speaker 4: the realm of possibility either.
• 17:17
  Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah.
• 17:19
  Speaker 3: He really does seem to have that potential in him.
• 17:21
  Speaker 4: He's only 21.
• 17:21
  Speaker 1: Right.
• 17:22
  Speaker 4: I mean, it's, it's not like, you know, it's not
• 17:26
  Speaker 4: like he's.
• 17:26
  Speaker 3: A Noah Cates when he came into the NHL, he
• 17:29
  Speaker 3: was a bit older. Like, you know, he's a very,
• 17:31
  Speaker 3: very young player. And if he achieves that, you know, 40,
• 17:36
  Speaker 3: 45 point mark. But yeah, I do think you have
• 17:40
  Speaker 3: to seriously consider him as, as a top six player.
• 17:44
  Speaker 4: Uh, you know, cog really, you.
• 17:47
  Speaker 3: Know, you could, you could be making that argument about
• 17:48
  Speaker 3: this season, you know, who's to say that he doesn't
• 17:51
  Speaker 3: work his way up the lineup more this, this season. So, um, yeah,
• 17:55
  Speaker 3: I'm excited about Denver. I really, really am excited about
• 17:58
  Speaker 3: what he could potentially be for the flyers.
• 18:00
  Speaker 4: And again, I do want to temper expectations.
• 18:02
  Speaker 3: I'm not saying he's going to be some sort of,
• 18:04
  Speaker 3: but I do think he could be 100%.
• 18:08
  Speaker 4: A top six player. I think he has that potential.
• 18:11
  Speaker 2: Yep, absolutely.
• 18:12
  Speaker 1: But look, as we're moving on here, I want to
• 18:16
  Speaker 1: get into the defensive guys and talent on this team.
• 18:20
  Speaker 1: Last season, I think the defense basically shocked us right
• 18:24
  Speaker 1: out of the gate and we're like, oh my gosh,
• 18:25
  Speaker 1: how are these guys playing the way that they're playing
• 18:28
  Speaker 1: right now? But when we look at the defenders here
• 18:32
  Speaker 1: on this team, Jamie Drysdale, Travis Sanheim, Rasmus Ristolainen, Cam York,
• 18:37
  Speaker 1: Oliver Bonk, I wonder, can these defensive players, as some
• 18:42
  Speaker 1: are growing, some are still developing here, can they actually win.
• 18:47
  Speaker 2: Three or four playoff rounds here?
• 18:49
  Speaker 1: And I wonder if certain guys, if they're able to
• 18:52
  Speaker 1: take that next step, if that can be done, possibly
• 18:55
  Speaker 1: surprise us like the defensive guys ended up surprising us
• 18:59
  Speaker 1: this past season when they came out strong right.
• 19:01
  Speaker 2: Out of the gate. I don't know.
• 19:02
  Speaker 1: What are your thoughts on this storyline here?
• 19:05
  Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean, it's interesting. I do like.
• 19:08
  Speaker 3: A lot of the Flyers decor. I mean, I'm no question.
• 19:12
  Speaker 3: Is there a number one? And, you know, Rasmus Ristolainen
• 19:16
  Speaker 3: power to him.
• 19:17
  Speaker 4: I mean, he.
• 19:18
  Speaker 3: Really he really has completely turned his entire life around.
• 19:23
  Speaker 2: Yes. His entire narrative has done a 180. It's really incredible, actually.
• 19:28
  Speaker 4: Total flip.
• 19:29
  Speaker 3: And, you know, I I know that a lot of
• 19:31
  Speaker 3: people were disappointed that he didn't get traded. And I
• 19:35
  Speaker 3: understand that. I truly do, because I I do think
• 19:38
  Speaker 3: that there was some value there for the Flyers to
• 19:41
  Speaker 3: take on. But, hey, if no one was meeting the
• 19:44
  Speaker 3: Flyers' asking price, then why trade? He's a good player.
• 19:48
  Speaker 3: But yeah, listen, I like the decor. I still think
• 19:53
  Speaker 3: that is an area that needs addressing. Again, Sannheim, big fan. Ristolainen,
• 20:01
  Speaker 3: really excited about how he's turned out. Jamie Drysdale, I'm
• 20:04
  Speaker 3: very excited about because again, he's still young too. Um,
• 20:08
  Speaker 3: and I think he really has that kind of go-getter mentality.
• 20:11
  Speaker 3: I think he's really trying to improve and, and, and
• 20:14
  Speaker 3: really make Philadelphia his own. So, um, yeah, I like
• 20:19
  Speaker 3: those three guys a lot. Um, you know, Oliver Bonk,
• 20:22
  Speaker 3: it's hard to say, cause we haven't, we don't know
• 20:25
  Speaker 3: him yet. He hasn't really, like, I know he had
• 20:27
  Speaker 3: that one game and he, I think he recorded a
• 20:30
  Speaker 3: couple of points, which is great, but Let's let's see
• 20:33
  Speaker 3: that over an 84 game season, almost 82 game season.
• 20:39
  Speaker 3: But and then, you know, with Cam York, I know
• 20:42
  Speaker 3: he's kind of become the the kind of the scapegoat.
• 20:47
  Speaker 3: I feel like a lot of people look at him
• 20:49
  Speaker 3: and they think, oh, well, he's the one to be
• 20:52
  Speaker 3: upset with. Yeah. Um, so I don't know, I don't know.
• 20:56
  Speaker 3: Like I like the decor. I don't love the decor.
• 20:59
  Speaker 3: I'll just put it that way. I would really, I
• 21:02
  Speaker 3: really think the flyers need to just as much as
• 21:05
  Speaker 3: they need to keep their eyes out for one C
• 21:08
  Speaker 3: they got to keep their eye out for one D two,
• 21:10
  Speaker 3: because as great as Sanheim.
• 21:11
  Speaker 4: Is, you know, he's not Miro Heiskanen.
• 21:15
  Speaker 2: Right. Right.
• 21:16
  Speaker 4: Right. uh, kale McCall.
• 21:18
  Speaker 3: I mean, no one's camera car, but I mean, they
• 21:20
  Speaker 3: just don't have that, that bonafide unquestioned number one defenseman. Um,
• 21:26
  Speaker 3: and I really think that's something that they could use.
• 21:28
  Speaker 3: And that's not to say that they need one to compete.
• 21:31
  Speaker 3: That's not what I'm saying, but you know, I just,
• 21:35
  Speaker 3: if they're going to win a Stanley cup and you know,
• 21:38
  Speaker 3: they're going to go deep into a playoff run, I
• 21:41
  Speaker 3: think they need a little bit more depth defensively.
• 21:44
  Speaker 4: And I think they do need something of a game
• 21:46
  Speaker 4: breaker on the back end.
• 21:47
  Speaker 3: And right now, again, love Travis and I, but I
• 21:51
  Speaker 3: wouldn't consider him a game breaker.
• 21:53
  Speaker 2: Right. Absolutely. I think it's fair. I really do.
• 21:56
  Speaker 1: And I wanted to ask that question because there are
• 21:58
  Speaker 1: those in Flyers Nation that think this defensive core is
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: good enough.
• 22:03
  Speaker 2: To help this team win, you know, through three or
• 22:05
  Speaker 2: four rounds. And, and I don't know, I don't think
• 22:07
  Speaker 2: that's necessarily the case. I'm with you.
• 22:10
  Speaker 1: There needs to be more talent brought in. There needs
• 22:12
  Speaker 1: to be some more exceptional defensive talent and who knows?
• 22:15
  Speaker 2: Yes. Maybe some of these guys do develop. Maybe they
• 22:17
  Speaker 2: do surprise us.
• 22:18
  Speaker 1: But in the meantime, here is we're kind of like
• 22:21
  Speaker 1: in this lull and I know we're in this off
• 22:22
  Speaker 1: season and the God season can't get here soon enough.
• 22:27
  Speaker 1: You know, you think to yourself, you know, what could
• 22:30
  Speaker 1: Danny Breer possibly do even at the trade deadline, maybe
• 22:33
  Speaker 1: this year, perhaps to bring in a, that stalwart defensive player.
• 22:37
  Speaker 1: I just don't necessarily know if this defensive unit, these
• 22:41
  Speaker 1: defensive units are really going to be able to get
• 22:44
  Speaker 1: it done. But buddy, I'm going to really quick. I'm
• 22:47
  Speaker 1: going to take a break. And then when we get back,
• 22:48
  Speaker 1: if you don't mind, we're going to talk about the
• 22:50
  Speaker 1: power play. If that's all right, we're going to end
• 22:52
  Speaker 1: things on the power.
• 22:52
  Speaker 4: Are you sure we have to, we have to talk
• 22:55
  Speaker 4: about the power play.
• 22:55
  Speaker 2: Oh, we're talking about it, man. We're talking about it.
• 22:59
  Speaker 1: Folks.
• 23:00
  Speaker 2: We're going to take a break. We'll be right back.
• 23:04
  Speaker 2: All right. We are back.
• 23:06
  Speaker 1: And as I mentioned before the break, we're going to
• 23:08
  Speaker 1: end things here and talking about the flyers power play.
• 23:11
  Speaker 1: Now listeners of this podcast are probably tired of me.
• 23:15
  Speaker 1: saying this particular phrase because I say it a lot
• 23:17
  Speaker 1: when it comes to the sports world, and especially in
• 23:19
  Speaker 1: the Philadelphia sports world.
• 23:21
  Speaker 2: But you can't fall out of a basement window. And
• 23:23
  Speaker 2: when we talk about.
• 23:24
  Speaker 1: This Philadelphia Flyers power play that has not been great
• 23:28
  Speaker 1: by any stretch of the imagination, of course we know
• 23:31
  Speaker 1: it needs dramatic improvement, and that's what we want to
• 23:34
  Speaker 1: see this coming season. Special teams really needs to make
• 23:37
  Speaker 1: a difference, and especially during the postseason if this team
• 23:40
  Speaker 1: ends up getting there. Ryan, do you think the power
• 23:44
  Speaker 1: play can actually see some significant improvement this coming season?
• 23:48
  Speaker 1: It's a general question, but my God, like I said,
• 23:51
  Speaker 1: you can't really fall out of a basement window.
• 23:54
  Speaker 2: So what are your thoughts here on this storyline?
• 23:56
  Speaker 4: I love that. I've never heard that phrase.
• 23:58
  Speaker 2: Oh, really?
• 23:59
  Speaker 4: Okay. It's great. It's really good.
• 24:03
  Speaker 3: You know, I want to say yes, that we'll see improvement,
• 24:05
  Speaker 3: but I've been wanting to say yes for years now
• 24:08
  Speaker 3: because my whole ideology has been, well, it can't get worse,
• 24:12
  Speaker 3: but you know what it can do Jeff is it
• 24:14
  Speaker 3: can just stay exactly as bad as it was before.
• 24:18
  Speaker 3: So I'm hoping that that's not the case with this,
• 24:21
  Speaker 3: this Flyers team. I I'm hoping my hope going into
• 24:25
  Speaker 3: this season is again, lots of good young talent here. Um,
• 24:32
  Speaker 3: my hope is that Trevor, a power play of Trevor's
• 24:37
  Speaker 3: egress and Matt Bay, Mishkov Porter Martone, I think is
• 24:42
  Speaker 3: going to be a pretty significant addition to the power play.
• 24:47
  Speaker 3: And now I know that he played some games for
• 24:49
  Speaker 3: the flyers, um, the regular season. Um, and it's not
• 24:53
  Speaker 3: like he made some sort of, it's not like the
• 24:56
  Speaker 3: power play immediately.
• 24:57
  Speaker 4: It was just incredible. As soon as Porter Martone showed up,
• 24:59
  Speaker 4: it was pretty much what it was, but.
• 25:02
  Speaker 3: I am curious to see what it'll look like and
• 25:05
  Speaker 3: how it will perform, you know, with a full season
• 25:09
  Speaker 3: with Porter Martone, just because he is that big body
• 25:12
  Speaker 3: guy who can park his ass right in front of
• 25:15
  Speaker 3: the net and kind of kind of. And I don't
• 25:18
  Speaker 3: want to make I don't want to compare him to
• 25:20
  Speaker 3: Wayne Simmons because they're very, very different players. But I
• 25:25
  Speaker 3: feel like they haven't had that really, really big guy
• 25:29
  Speaker 3: who's just a menace around the net. uh since simmons
• 25:33
  Speaker 3: and you know you could argue about james van reams
• 25:35
  Speaker 3: dyke but he wasn't quite as physical yeah tone welcomes
• 25:38
  Speaker 3: that physicality um and i think he has the skill
• 25:41
  Speaker 3: to really be a total weapon on the power play
• 25:46
  Speaker 3: uh down low around the net area so um i
• 25:49
  Speaker 3: think he will be helpful The one thing I'll say
• 25:54
  Speaker 3: is this. I think this is one of the reasons
• 25:56
  Speaker 3: why I was a little sad that the Flyers were
• 25:59
  Speaker 3: unable to acquire Claude Giroux in free agency.
• 26:03
  Speaker 2: Yeah.
• 26:04
  Speaker 3: Because I do think bringing back Giroux, you know, let's
• 26:07
  Speaker 3: just call it, say it for what it is. Giroux
• 26:10
  Speaker 3: is well past his prime now.
• 26:11
  Speaker 2: Right.
• 26:12
  Speaker 3: He's not the player he was, but what he is
• 26:15
  Speaker 3: still is a very good power play contributor. Um, I mean,
• 26:19
  Speaker 3: he can run a power play still along the half wall.
• 26:22
  Speaker 3: He can, he can run a power play. He's a
• 26:24
  Speaker 3: feared passer still to this day. And, um, I, I
• 26:28
  Speaker 3: wish the flyers had done that.
• 26:31
  Speaker 4: That's one.
• 26:31
  Speaker 3: If I had to criticize Danny Breer's off season, I
• 26:34
  Speaker 3: would say it would have been nice to just get
• 26:37
  Speaker 3: one guy to come in, even for just one season,
• 26:40
  Speaker 3: put them on someone who can help out the power.
• 26:43
  Speaker 4: Play because they just need something.
• 26:45
  Speaker 1: Yep.
• 26:45
  Speaker 3: Maybe Porter Martone could be that thing that helps the
• 26:48
  Speaker 3: power play. And granted he's a kid, so it's hard.
• 26:50
  Speaker 3: You don't want to put all that pressure on him,
• 26:52
  Speaker 3: but I hope Rick talk.
• 26:53
  Speaker 2: It actually tries. You know what I mean? Just give
• 26:56
  Speaker 2: it a try.
• 26:57
  Speaker 1: Right.
• 26:58
  Speaker 3: I mean, you, you have to just try everything at
• 27:01
  Speaker 3: this point, but I'm going to look at the glass
• 27:05
  Speaker 3: half full here and I'm going to say, yeah, I, I,
• 27:09
  Speaker 3: I'll make a bold prediction right now, Jeff, just for everyone.
• 27:12
  Speaker 2: All right.
• 27:13
  Speaker 4: We'll finish.
• 27:14
  Speaker 3: Within the top 25 in the NHL in power play.
• 27:20
  Speaker 3: That's my prediction. And honestly, you know, what's sad, Jeff,
• 27:24
  Speaker 3: that is a bold prediction. It is top 25.
• 27:27
  Speaker 1: Cause it hasn't been there in how long that.
• 27:30
  Speaker 3: Is a top, that is a very bold prediction and
• 27:34
  Speaker 3: I'm sticking with it.
• 27:35
  Speaker 4: All right. I think that they could be a top
• 27:37
  Speaker 4: 25 power. Um, is it, It's baby steps from here.
• 27:44
  Speaker 3: You know, something as horrible as this and for as
• 27:48
  Speaker 3: historically bad. I mean, the Flyers power play has been
• 27:51
  Speaker 3: the worst in the NHL for over half a decade now.
• 27:55
  Speaker 4: Yes, it's awful. And you just have to. you have to.
• 28:00
  Speaker 3: Imagine that at some point the tides are going to turn.
• 28:03
  Speaker 3: And I'm just choosing to believe that this is the
• 28:05
  Speaker 3: year that that's going to happen. Why they'll, they'll turn
• 28:08
  Speaker 3: who's to say, maybe it's Porter Martone that helps get
• 28:10
  Speaker 3: them in the right way. Maybe, maybe Matt, maybe, you know,
• 28:14
  Speaker 3: like we were talking about earlier, maybe he just totally
• 28:17
  Speaker 3: explodes this year has 90 points and he's just a
• 28:21
  Speaker 3: total menace on the power play.
• 28:22
  Speaker 4: Maybe Trevor's egress.
• 28:23
  Speaker 3: He has a 70 plus point season and, He's ripping
• 28:27
  Speaker 3: one timers on the power play left and right. Like
• 28:29
  Speaker 3: maybe all those things come together and there's a perfect storm.
• 28:32
  Speaker 3: And all of a sudden the flyers go from last where,
• 28:34
  Speaker 3: you know, worth power play in the league to, Oh.
• 28:36
  Speaker 4: My God, now they're top 10. Right. Right.
• 28:39
  Speaker 3: Like something like that could happen, but imagine like that
• 28:44
  Speaker 3: it seems unrealistic, but it could happen. I'm just choosing
• 28:47
  Speaker 3: to take it as conservatively as possible. And I'm just
• 28:50
  Speaker 3: going to say, yeah, maybe I say there'll be top 25. Um,
• 28:55
  Speaker 3: and we'll see what, you know, what the reason is.
• 28:58
  Speaker 3: Maybe it's the young guys.
• 29:00
  Speaker 2: He is Ryan Quigley folks.
• 29:02
  Speaker 1: And the, and the glass is half full when it
• 29:04
  Speaker 1: comes to the flyers power play with Ryan for sure.
• 29:07
  Speaker 4: It's a full glass. It's almost overflowing there.
• 29:10
  Speaker 1: Yes.
• 29:10
  Speaker 2: There you go.
• 29:13
  Speaker 1: Broad street donkey.com. Check out everything they have gone over there.
• 29:17
  Speaker 1: And I think you're on blue sky too, if I'm
• 29:19
  Speaker 1: not mistaken. Right.
• 29:20
  Speaker 3: It's true. The rumors are true. I am on Blue Sky.
• 29:24
  Speaker 3: You can follow me there. You can follow me on Twitter. Yeah,
• 29:28
  Speaker 3: all that stuff. I'm there at this point. I'm mostly
• 29:30
  Speaker 3: posting photos of Spunky the window cat.
• 29:33
  Speaker 2: Okay.
• 29:34
  Speaker 3: Off Gerard in uh fishtown uh but uh yeah no
• 29:38
  Speaker 3: during the hockey season there'll be many more flyers.
• 29:42
  Speaker 1: Thoughts i appreciate you my friend thanks so much for
• 29:44
  Speaker 1: taking the time to jump on here and uh let's
• 29:46
  Speaker 1: talk at some other point down the road love to
• 29:48
  Speaker 1: have you back on.
• 29:49
  Speaker 4: Always a pleasure jeff thank you so much for having
• 29:51
  Speaker 4: me on it's always.
• 29:51
  Speaker 1: A blast That's going to do it for us here
• 29:54
  Speaker 1: on Table Talk this week. Please share our podcast with
• 29:57
  Speaker 1: your friends and family members who are Philly sports fans
• 30:00
  Speaker 1: or sports fans in general. We thank you, our listeners,
• 30:04
  Speaker 1: for being part of this online community with us and
• 30:07
  Speaker 1: within this space.
• 30:09
  Speaker 2: Please make sure.
• 30:10
  Speaker 1: To check out our website, PhiladelphiaSportsTable.com for all of our
• 30:13
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• 30:17
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• 30:22
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• 30:25
  Speaker 1: you next time.