Flyers Files Observations: Homestand Wrap, Next 5, Fourth Line

The Flyers finally put a wrap on a season-long six-game homestand over the weekend and hit the road for the start of nine of 10 games away from Xfinity Mobile Arena, a stretch that will carry into the new year.

At this point in the season, it’s a good time for reflection, a look ahead, and taking stock in certain parts of the roster.

Here’s this week’s Flyers Files Observations.

Wrapping Up the Homestand

The final game of the six-game homestand for the Flyers was already their 19th of the season at Xfinity Mobile Arena, nearly half of the schedule complete. They will play one more game on home ice next Monday night. That means there will be plenty of travel ahead, but how did the Flyers fare with the extended time at home?

All in all, not bad, but there were plenty of missed opportunities along the way.

The Flyers had a 2-2-2 record on the six-game homestand. It started with the most lopsided loss of the stretch, a 5-1 loss to Pittsburgh that was more about the loss of Tyson Foerster than the game's result.

The Flyers bounced back with a convincing win over Buffalo, took league-leading Colorado down to the wire in a regulation loss, defeated San Jose, then dropped back-to-back decisions beyond regulation to Vegas and Carolina, both ranked in the Top 5 in the NHL.

So based on the schedule and quality of opponents, it wasn’t a poor homestand by any means. But the games that have gone to overtime definitely leave a little meat on the bone. Consistently gaining points keeps the Flyers in the playoff picture. Getting the second point and winning those games could eventually place them firmly in a playoff spot.

Why the Next Five Matter

So with the homestand complete, time for a look ahead for the Flyers. The next five games in particular could tell us a lot about how serious the Flyers may be in playoff conversation for the rest of the season.

The Flyers have played 31 games this season. Between now and the end of December, they will have reached 39 games, two shy of the halfway point on the season. But it’s the opponents they will be facing that could make this stretch one that defines the remaining season ahead.

The Flyers just completed a stretch where they faced three Top-5 teams in the league. In the five games before the holiday break, the Flyers have the following on the schedule:

• Montreal - 17-11-4 - 38 points
• Buffalo - 14-14-4 - 32 points
• New York Rangers - 16-13-4 record - 36 points
• Vancouver - 12-17-3 record - 27 points
• Chicago - 13-13-6 record - 32 points

Simply considering the Flyers overall record and point total, there is a powerhouse like Colorado, Vegas, or Carolina waiting. These should all be competitive games for the Flyers. So there will be points up for grabs.

The Flyers already handled business against Buffalo earlier this month. Montreal is rebounding from a rough stretch after a solid start. The Rangers have struggled on home ice. Vancouver just traded its top player, a clear indication that it will be near the bottom of the standings. Chicago had a modest start, but is just 3-5-2 in its last 10 games.

This five-game stretch takes the Flyers into the holiday break. When they return, they have three games before New Year’s: Dec. 28 at Seattle, Dec. 30 at Vancouver, and Dec. 31 at Calgary. The Flyers will already have faced Vancouver on this stretch, Calgary has been at the bottom of the standings all season, and Seattle has come to join them, going 2-7-1 in their last 10 games as of Monday morning.

What the Flyers do with these eight games ahead, many against favorable opponents, could very well define their place in the playoff race as things turn to 2026.

Could Grundstrom, Grebenkin Swap Places?

It wasn’t too long ago that the topic of Nikita Grebenkin’s minutes was among the hottest for Flyers fans. Grebenkin has seen his chance to play regularly now, in the absence of Tyson Foerster. However, it appears another player is emerging as the more noticeable option to take those minutes.

Carl Grundstrom had a particularly strong week. Grundstrom was called up to be the 13th forward, and didn’t get into a game until Tuesday night against San Jose. He scored against his former team, added an assist against Vegas, then scored again in Saturday’s game against Carolina.

Meanwhile, it’s been a struggle for Grebenkin, as it has been for most of the fourth line all season, and it’s fair to wonder if and when the Flyers start to consider other options to continue to manage Foerster’s absence.

Alex Bump appears to be waiting in the wings. Now two weeks out from Foerster’s injury, Grundstrom has filled the void solidly and in more of an all-purpose role. Grebenkin has been far less noticeable. At first, it seemed more likely that Grundstrom was a placeholder and Grebenkin was the replacement for Foerster. Grundstrom’s role could stay the same, but could Grebenkin go down to the minors and Alex Bump get the next chance? That is certainly a discussion to be had.

The Flyers are going to have decisions to make on defense soon. Cam York’s return on Sunday will likely end the brief call-up for Ty Murchison, which was to be expected. But Rasmus Ristolainen is nearing a return as well.

York, Travis Sanheim, and Jamie Drysdale are firmly in the top two pairings on defense. Nick Seeler has been a mainstay. Emil Andrae seems to have won a more permanent spot in the lineup. That leaves Noah Juulsen and Egor Zamula. Lately, Zamula has been the seventh defenseman, and Juulsen has played. It appears we could be reaching the point where Zamula is placed on waivers, and Juulsen drops into a seventh defenseman role.

The Flyers are still trying to find that perfect mix while simultaneously trying to fill Foerster’s void. They will have more decisions to make to try to do so as the holidays approach.

Kevin Durso is Flyers insider for 97.3 ESPN. Follow him on social media @Kevin_Durso.