The Flyers Way: Season Two Premiere Highlights

The puck drops on Wednesday night for the start of the Philadelphia Flyers' 2026-27 regular season journey. Coming off a 98-point season and a first-round playoff win last season, the young Flyers club faces heightened expectations this year.

In the debut episode of season two of The Flyers Way docuseries, viewers take a whirlwind trip through the abbreviated training camp. With just two weeks and four preseason games (down from six exhibition matches in previous years), the Flyers and all NHL clubs had little time to spare in getting their systems, rosters and skating legs in order.

"The offseason training doesn't really change, but you have to get things in order fast in camp. That's a challenge we all need to be ready for," Flyers captain Sean Couturier said.

Here are four memorable quotes from Episode 1:

1. "Reality is, we have to get better."

The Flyers took a big step forward last season, finishing third in the Metro Division and defeating the archrival Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal round. Now the team is expected not only to match what they did last season but to exceed it.

Flyers general manager Daniel Briere has been on record for years saying the aim is perennial playoff status, not sporadic appearances. From 2011-12 through 2020-21, the Flyers alternated between making the playoffs (2011-12, 2013-14, 2015-16, 2017-18, 2019-20) and missing the postseason (2012-13, 2014-15, 2016-17, 2018-19, 2020-21) in successive seasons.

Briere has said that true progress won't be a return to that pattern. Rather, it will mean making the playoffs year after year and working toward true contention for the Stanley Cup.

As exciting as the 2025-26 campaign turned out to be, Briere does not pretend that the club has "arrived" because of one season of improvement.

"Reality is, we have to get better," Briere said to the players gathered for the start of training camp. That means improvements in areas such as puck possession, playing from ahead and winning in regulation. It certainly entails power-play improvement.

The general manager, head coach Rick Tocchet -- and more importantly, the locker room leadership core -- have their eyes open to the tasks ahead.

2. "We have to find our edge"

Tocchet discussed how players stay motivated and focused. Complacency is the enemy and cannot be acceptable. To Tocchet, that means everyone affiliated with the team needs to hyper-focus on attainable goals they can work on every single day.

For example, during his own playing days, Tocchet set a daily goal of working on his shot. That's where he found his edge and advanced from being a checking-line role player to a top NHL power forward. Likewise, as a coach, Tocchet has things he sets out to work toward each day.

Both individually and as a team, these goals help people find -- and maintain -- their edge. It's a motivating force.

3. "We do bold stuff. We're not afraid."

When all was said and done, the Flyers were unsuccessful in landing rising star center Leo Carlsson from the Anaheim Ducks. The Swedish standout signed Philadelphia's offer sheet -- choosing Philly's over other offers. Ultimately, Anaheim exercised its right to match the offer sheet for the restricted free agent. Thereby, the Ducks retained his services for the next five years.

However, on a leaguewide basis, the Flyers sent a loud and clear message recognized by players (their own and others), agents, fans and other clubs: If the Flyers identify something they think would help both immediately and for the long term, they'll go for it.

National hockey commentator Elliotte Friedman said that the Carlsson offer sheet matched well with the legacy Ed Snider created for the organization. Outside opinions matter little. The goal is to do what it takes to compete.

"We do bold stuff. We're not afraid," Friedman said in describing the long-term message, even if the offer sheet got matched in this instance.

4. "You start wondering how far you can go."

The Flyers' perennial top point-getter in recent years, Travis Konecny, talked about the need for the team to take the excitement from last season and channel it into keeping its eye on richer prizes. Tocchet added that, while the team took the Carolina Hurricanes to overtime in two of the four games in their second-round series, Philly still lost the series in four matches.

Making the playoffs after being absent for five years was a nice stepping stone. But it means nothing if that's the stopping point.

"Make the playoffs and you start wondering how far you can go," Konecny said.

The team will start to find its answer from September 30 to next spring.