1. Improve with the puck
In 2025-26, the Flyers greatly improved their defensive structure. Both in the neutral zone and the defensive zone, Philly became a much tougher team to play against. Some defensive adjustments in locking down the neutral zone and allowing their goalies to track plays and predict where shots would come proved to be a huge difference maker. The Flyers shaved half a goal per game off their team goals against average.
That greatly improved structure was the foundational piece for longer-term success. The next step in the process: being more consistent in possessing the puck and generating more sustained attack time.
"How do you score goals? We don't have a Connor McDavid or a Nathan MacKinnon. We've talked about puck possession. We've also got to get better in wall and corner work; a very underrated thing when it comes to hockey. If you watch the teams that go far, you watch their inside game. That's some we need to work on. Finishing. Improvement of your shot. There's some guys -- I'm not going to name them -- who've got to get a harder shot. You can do that. I coached Quinn Hughes. In one summer, his shot went up 12 miles an hour," Tocchet said.
"Systematically, it's the same thing. Do you want to carry the puck in more? Yes. Be more calculated? Of course. Puck possession and wall work are something we're going to really concentrate on this [next] year."
Tocchet said that his systems will not be dramatically different in year two of his tenure. However, he has some tweaks that he plans to implement from the start of training camp through the 2026-27 campaign. These will start with some changes in how and what the team practices between games.
"To give confidence, you have to stay in games. I think having a lot of tight games, overtime games, that helped our team. Losing 6-4 and just playing run-and-gun, I disagree. For young players, you get no confidence. I think staying in games really helped our team this year. But, that being said, I do think we need to (push} the envelope a little bit," the coach said.
2. Improve the power play (significantly)
It's no secret that the Flyers long-time struggle on the power play remains an unsolved problem heading into the 2026 offseason. The team ranked last (32nd) in the NHL during the regular season and went 3-for-36 during the playoffs. This directly figured into why the Flyers were unable to win any games against Carolina in the Eastern Conference Semifinal. Whether through internal improvements, roster adjustment or (more likely) a combination of both, the Flyers need dramatic improvement in this area in order to earn more regulation wins in the next regular season and potentially go further in the playoffs.
"It's been a five-year, six-year problem. It's a talking point every year here. So right away, we didn't want to make it such a focal point that it took away from other (systems) areas. But it IS a focal point. It's a mental thing and a physical thing, to me. ... We just have guys who are nervous. As soon as we hit the ice, I could feel tension from some guys. That's my job. Different scheming. Different ways to practice. We're going to dive deep into it," Tocchet said.
From the mental aspect, Tocchet wants to see the team become less tentative about making plays and shooting the puck; more decisive and less prone to struggling on entries and setups.
The process has to start with how the team enters the attack zone and gets set up.
"I didn't like our retrievals at all. A lot of times we had three (forecheckers) against their two (defenders) and somehow we never came away with those pucks. That has to be an improvement," Tocchet said.
3. Continued progress from young players
The Flyers had an exceptionally high number of players who made their NHL playoff debuts in 2025-26, including various rookies. Tocchet addressed several specific players -- most extensively, Matvei Michkov and Martone -- but also players ranging from young defenseman Oliver Bonk to rookie forward Denver Barkey -- and what the next steps may look like for each one.
Tocchet said that he's especially encouraged that the team has various "self-starters" among the youngsters on the roster: players who proactively seek out feedback from the coaches and are unafraid to ask questions or request clarification of an instruction.
Tocchet said that he and his staff welcome such dialogue. He saw development over the course of the year where players took the initiative to approach him or one of the assistant coaches to review video together or ask for clarification of an instruction or recommendation.
"That's a huge thing. We can't be afraid of that. It's how players improve but also how we improve as coaches," Tocchet said. "I don't want players to be nervous about coming in and asking. I want them to know the door is always open. Because we're not always right."
Tocchet spent considerable time discussing Michkov's challenging second season in the NHL and first Stanley Cup playoff run. There is more attention -- and pressure -- on Michkov than any other young player on the team. There are still adjustments that Michkov has to make in terms of playing faster and making decisions with and without the puck but the will to reach his full potential is there with the 21-year-old winger.
"We've got to let this kid breathe, because I think he made a lot of strides." Tocchet said. "It's almost like a vengeance tour. It's something I think every player should have that kind of motivation in their head."
4. Leadership growth
The Flyers have developed a very strong leadership group in the dressing room. It goes beyond what team captain Couturier demonstrates by example on a daily basis. It's also reflected in how Travis Sanheim and Travis Konecny have evolved continuously. They've stayed true to their natural personalities and playing styles but also have gained maturity and perspective.
Tocchet said the Olympic experience was especially helpful for Sanheim. He is a very self-aware hockey player but also has gained the poise and confidence to take change when he needs to do so.
"There's just a motivation with him and you can tell it from everything about him. I was with him for Team Canada. You could tell that carried over in his confidence coming back here for the Flyers," the coach added.
