The Philadelphia Flyers entered the 2024-25 seasons with moderate expectations. The club came close to making the playoffs the year before. But they fell short in the end despite a strong finish. That strong finish fueled hopes surrounding this year’s team.
Those hopes came crashing down as the season unfolded. The campaign hit a low point following John Tortorella’s dismissal in late March.
So, here’s a deep dive into the five most disappointing Philadelphia Flyers members following their elimination from 2025 NHL playoff contention.
5 most disappointing Philadelphia Flyers members after elimination from 2025 NHL playoffs contention
#5 Sean Couturier
The Philadelphia Flyers captain often found himself in the doghouse this season. The veteran finished third in the team in scoring with 15 goals and 43 points. Unfortunately for Couturier, those totals weren’t enough to make a difference for the team.
Couturier was under fire throughout the bulk of the season. The pressure mostly stemmed from his purported lack of effort. Whether justified or not, Couturier played 77 games, averaging over 17 minutes a night.
Age has been creeping up on Couturier, most likely diminishing his role further on the team.
#4 Noah Cates
The Philadelphia Flyers had high hopes for 26-year-old Minnesota Native this season. He registered 13 goals and 38 points in 2022-23. He had a tough season last year, notching just 18 points in 59 games.
The Flyers hoped he would rebound this season and take the next step for the club. That step never materialized as he put up virtually the same numbers from 2022-23.
#3 Samuel Ersson
The Flyers lacked a true number-one goalie this season. The club rolled with Samuel Ersson as their number-one. But that situation quickly backfired. While Ersson did his best to hold the fort, things didn’t work out as intended.
Ersson posted a 3.14 GAA and an .882 SV%. Those numbers should be taken with a grain of salt as the defense in front of him was dreadful on most nights. So, Ersson, Ivan Fedotov, and Aleksei Kolosov get a bit of a pass.
#2 Rasmus Ristolainen
Rasmus Ristolainen did not live up to expectations this season. In 63 games, he scored just four goals and 15 assists for 19 points.
Ristolainen was the subject of trade rumors all season long. But his underwhelming performance made it nearly impossible to trade him. That is why Flyers’ GM Daniel Briere held on to him. There were simply no serious takers.
The Flyers will need to figure out what to do with Ristolainen moving forward as the Finnish blue liner suffered a season-ending upper-body injury.
#1 John Tortorella
John Tortorella ended up becoming the scapegoat for the Philadelphia Flyers lost season. He wore out his welcome this season, getting the axe in late March. The final nail in Tortorella’s coffin was a blowout loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Following the game, Tortorella had no explanation for his team’s poor showing. After team management realized Tortorella had lost the clubhouse, they let the veteran coach go.
It’s easy to pin the entire season on Tortorella at first glance. But Tortorella was just one of the reasons why the Flyers failed to make the 2025 NHL playoffs.
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Edited by Nestor Quixtan
