3 turning points that derailed Philadelphia Flyers' 2024-25 season ft. March losses

The Philadelphia Flyers missed the playoffs for the fifth straight season as the year didn't go as expected.

Philadelphia wasn't expected to make the playoffs entering the season, but the Flyers finished with a record of 33-39-10 which was fourth-worst in the league.

After the disappointing season, here are three turning points that derailed the season.

3 turning points that derailed Philadelphia Flyers season

#1, March losses

The Flyers' season really ended in the month of March.

Philadelphia was already out of a playoff spot in March, but the Flyers had the worst record of any month in March. Philadelphia ended up going 5-10-1, which really ended any hopes of having a good season.

The month of March included going 1-6 in a seven-game homestand.

#2, Goaltending issues

Throughout the entire 2024-25 NHL season, Philadelphia struggled to get good goaltending or consistent goaltending.

The Flyers were rotating Samuel Ersson, Ivan Fedotov, and Aleksei Kolosov. Yet, no matter who started in the net, Philadelphia seemed to always have the worst goalie in the game.

Philadelphia ended the season with a .872 SV%, which was league-worst and was 28th in the NHL in goals allowed.

#3, Torotella scratched Michkov

Philadelphia's season got off the rails in November when then-coach, John Tortorella, decided to healthy scratch star rookie Matvei Michkov.

Michkov was one of the top rookies in the NHL, but Tortorella didn't like his flashy style and had benched and then scratched him. Tortorella claimed that it was because he wanted Michkov to see the game from above and work on his defense.

"I just wanted him to sit (on the bench), relax, (and) think about what I said to him," the head coach said, per The Athletic's Kevin Kurz of the benching. "I think it was two or three rotations, we put him back out there. He may miss games, who knows? I don't know what's going to happen. But that’s part of the development of a 19-year-old kid."

After being scratched, Tortorella said it was all part of the process.

"It's part of the process," Tortorella told reporters after repeating the phrase numerous times. "I told you guys. With young guys, they can watch games too, as far as development. So it's trying to help them."

Scratching Michkov was a bad message to send to the Flyers and the rookie phenom, as it derailed their season.

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Edited by Cole Shelton