Inside look at Philadelphia Flyers

NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, the Philadelphia Flyers.

Rick Tocchet understands what it's like to play winning hockey in Philadelphia from his time playing for the Flyers, including trips to the Stanley Cup Final in 1985 and 1987.

He hopes to bring that feeling back in his first season as their coach.

Tocchet was hired May 14 with the task of helping end Philadelphia's five-season Stanley Cup Playoff drought, matching the longest in team history (1989-94). He played 11 of his 18 NHL seasons for the Flyers after they chose him in the sixth round (No. 121) of the 1983 NHL Draft.

"I remember as a young guy coming over the Walt Whitman Bridge, driving in, and I'm like, I don't feel great, my legs feel (bad)," Tocchet said. "You're at the rink, you're trying to prepare yourself, you're trying to be that pro. Then you're on for warmup and you're skating around, and all of a sudden fans are screaming and yelling, and the National Anthem plays, fans are screaming and yelling. It's like, all of a sudden, man, my legs came back.

"I really believe the fans in Philadelphia really help players. ... Can we use the fans this year as juice? That's something that we want -- to get them on our side."

One way to do that is to continue Matvei Michkov's growth. As a rookie last season, the 20-year-old forward led the Flyers with 26 goals and was second with 63 points.

"He thinks the game two steps ahead," Tocchet said. "It's like chess. I think before he gets the puck, he knows what his options are. I think that's one of his special talents. His hands around the net, his ability to make those plays around the net, those are tough guys to find. Being able to score in tight or whether to thread a needle pass. To me, we can really help him out.

"I really believe that for a guy like him, you know he's going to get special attention. When players make a name for themselves, other teams scout them and other teams game plan against them, or they have certain defenses against them. So, we feel we can help him combat some of that stuff that teams will do against him, that we can help free him up a little bit in other areas."

Finding Michkov the right center to play with will be key. He had 12 points (six goals, six assists) in his final nine games last season, mostly on a line with Sean Couturier. He could also play with Trevor Zegras, who was acquired in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks on June 23 for forward Ryan Poehling and two draft picks.

Zegras had back-to-back 20-goal, 60-point seasons playing center from 2021-23 but struggled defensively and was a combined minus-45. He played mostly the wing the past two seasons until injuries led to a dip in production, including 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) in 57 games last season.

The Flyers haven't had a center with at least 60 points since Couturier had 76 (33 goals, 43 assists) in 80 games in 2018-19.

"We hope he can help in the center position, because that's obviously an area that we could improve," general manager Daniel Briere said. "But at the same time, if (Tocchet) decides that he's better suited on the wing and there's other guys that play better in the middle, he's going to decide. But we certainly hope that he can help fill the void in the middle."

Tocchet said he and Zegras had a "very transparent" conversation about what it would take for the 24-year-old to play center this season.

"I said I've coached games where you have played center and I understand the reason why (the Ducks) put him on the wing," Tocchet said. "I know his strengths. Through the neutral zone he can pass on his backhand and his forehand, he's got great hands, he can make a play. We know that. He said to me, I had some problems down low, some coverages and boxing out some people. And I said that's the stuff we'll work on with video and practice. We're going to work on that stuff."

Zegras also could boost a power play that finished 30th in the NHL last season (15.0 percent), along with defenseman Cam York, a restricted free agent who signed a five-year, $25.75 million contract ($5.15 million average annual value) July 7.

York had 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) in 66 games last season, down from the 30 points (10 goals, 20 assists) he had in 82 games in 2023-24. He played a total of 9:36 on the power play, a number he hopes rises significantly.

"I feel offensively I have so much more to give," he said. "I feel like I have a lot of skill that other defensemen don't have."

The 24-year-old was a big offensive producer during his junior hockey days. His 65 points (14 goals, 51 assists) in 63 games in 2018-19 set a single-season record for defensemen with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program.

"From talking to 'Jonesy' (Flyers president Keith Jones) and Danny and certain people in the organization, they feel Cam York has got a really high hockey IQ," Tocchet said. "Anytime you have somebody who's got a high hockey IQ, you can do a lot of different things on the ice."

To get those things to lead to positive results for the Flyers as a whole will require a lot, but Tocchet remembers how it feels to be embraced by Philadelphia fans for a winning effort.

"My job is to make sure these guys are ready to go from Day 1 and bring enthusiasm," Tocchet said. "Because that Flyer fan base, if they believe in you, and they believe in the identity, and they believe every night you are working your (rear end) off, they'll support you."