About two months ago the Philadelphia Flyers season was over as they were at the bottom of the Eastern conference. The Flyers were closer to the first pick in the upcoming draft than they were a playoff spot.
However, that all changed when they decided to bring up goaltender Carter Hart from the minor league. The 20-year-old goalie had the best statistical minor league career in the history of the league. Hart was the number one goalie prospect and he has looked like it in his first couple months of professional play.
Hart has brought the Flyers from the bottom of the conference to only six points out of a playoff spot. The Flyers as a unit have played amazing in front of a consistent goaltender in Hart. The trade deadline is quickly approaching and these next stretch of games is going to determine whether the Flyers are buyers or sellers.
The stadium series game against the Pittsburgh Penguins is the last game prior to the trade deadline. The Flyers could be playing postseason hockey this year if they keep playing with the confidence they have been as of late.
The players who struggled earlier in the season, such as defensemen Ivan Provorov and Shayne Gostisbehere and forward Nolan Patrick, are now playing well with confidence. Patrick was the second overall in the 2017 draft.
In his sophomore season, expectations were high for Patrick coming into the season, and he has been delivering as of late. The Flyers need a late season push to put them in the second wildcard spot. The Flyers are more than capable of making the playoffs, but it will all come down to what they do at the trade deadline.
