The Philadelphia Flyers (5-3-1) host the Nashville Predators (4-5-2) at the Xfinity Mobile Arena. The opening faceoff is scheduled for 7pm/ET.
After a shootout victory, 3-2, against their intrastate rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins, it would seem as if the Flyers have a renewed swagger about them. Admittedly, their schedule isn’t as tough as it originally appeared. They’re 1-1-0 against current top-10 NHL teams. What looked like a murderers’ row at the start of the season has subsided when you review the NHL Standings.
However, Philadelphia has work to do. They’ve relied on their defense, a top-10 unit in the NHL. On the other hand, their offense would rank in the bottom half of the NHL. The Predators (26th) have the edge in goals scored (27; 29th), shots on goal per game played (26.7; 22nd), and penalty kill (90%; 3rd). The Flyers have an advantage in goals scored per game played (2.67; 27th), power play (17.2%; 24th), goals against (23; 2nd), goals against per game played (2.56; 7th), shots against per game played (26.4; 11th), and faceoff win percentage (52.2%; 10th).
It’s rare that Philadelphia, on the attack, looks better on paper than the opposition. That doesn’t suggest that Nashville is a pushover. The parity in the NHL is too significant; for example, not many would’ve guessed the Flyers would be 5-3-1 to begin the 2025-2026 NHL Regular Season before opening night, especially against a schedule featuring the Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, Winnipeg Jets, Minnesota Wild, and Ottawa Senators.
“I think we’re trying to find a sweet spot. We want to control the puck and hold onto pucks, but we also want to deliver pucks. I thought [the] last game [was] better. Our defense are getting better at delivering pucks at the net, not getting them blocked. Sometimes, around the net, those wrap-arounds; you get a multiple of those kind of shots. We can take a page out of some teams when they do that a lot. It was nice to see.” – Rick Tocchet; 10/30/2025
If Philadelphia can string together another win tonight, they’ll officially be on their first winning streak of the 2025-2026 NHL Regular Season.
Injury Report: Philadelphia Flyers
Injury Report: Nashville Predators
- Adam Wilsby (lower body)
- Roman Josi (upper body)
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena; Philadelphia, PA
When: 10/30/2025; 7pm/ET
TV Broadcast: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Last Game PHI: 10/28/25; 3-2 W/SO; vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
Last Game NSH: 10/28/25; 5-2 L; vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
Philadelphia Flyers
Dan Vladař (3-2-0; 1.81GAA; 93.2%SV) will start. Recalled from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms to back up is Alexei Kolosov. Yesterday, Ersson tweaked his lower body at practice. Last season, Ersson missed time after tweaking his lower body, too. Before landing on the injury report, Ersson won consecutive games in a shootout, starting with the New York Islanders last Saturday.
“He [Sam Ersson] won’t be backing up. He had a minor thing yesterday. It wasn’t from the game; it was yesterday. So, Kolosov [Alexei Kolosov] will come up. It’s a day-to-day thing. They’re still evaluating, but it’s nothing. I don’t think it’s anything serious.” – Rick Tocchet; 10/30/2025
Emil Andrae will enter the lineup. He was recalled from the Phantoms once Jett Luchanko returned to the OHL. Tonight presents another opportunity for Andrae to etch his name on the bottom pair next to Noah Juulsen (1A). Egor Zamula (1A) comes out of the lineup.
“Like I said last time he [Emil Andrae] played, he did some really good things. We’re looking for somebody to solidify that deep position. I think competition is good. A guy like him moves the puck well. When you have the puck a lot, or you make plays, you’re defending because you have the puck or you’re making a good play. If you’re always in your end [and] you have to defend all the time, it’s tough. I think he can add that fourth layer coming up in the rush, and also, can he get back quick enough to wheel the net, make one play, and get it out? Those are the best breakouts, if he can do that, and he has that ability.” – Rick Tocchet; 10/30/2025
Bobby Brink (3G, 4A) had his fingerprints on every scoring play on Tuesday. The second power play unit continues to be the hotter of the two groups, to which Brink scored on the man advantage. He added an assist when Travis Konecny (2G, 3A) scored his 200th career NHL goal. Finally, Brink finished his multi-point performance with a shootout game-winner to help the Flyers string together consecutive victories for the second time this season.
“You can tell that he [Bobby Brink] wants it more for himself, and he’s played that way. [In] the Carolina [Hurricanes] game, he was outstanding. I remember that game, where he really took off, and then obviously yesterday, being an impact player. He wants to be an impact player, and I told him today, he’s playing against the top lines. I don’t really see his size being a problem because he’s quick, he’s winning his battles, and that power play goal, he attacks, and then goes right to the net and scores. He did that the other night, too. That doesn’t matter the size. It’s really the attack mentality he has.” – Rick Tocchet; 10/29/2025
Jamie Drysdale (3A) is efficient at even-strength, raising the bar on his second pair with Nick Seeler (2A). At times, Drysdale seems like the best defenseman on the ice for Philadelphia. However, the Flyers haven’t broken through on the power play with the first team over the last five games. The Predators have an elite penalty kill at the moment, presenting a tall task for the first power play unit. As Drysdale excels in other areas on the ice, a conversion with his efforts on the power play would raise the bar even higher.
Starting Lineup: Philadelphia Flyers
Tippett-Couturier-Konecny
Foerster-Cates-Brink
Zegras-Dvorak-Michkov
Deslauriers-Ābols-Hathaway
York-Sanheim
Seeler-Drysdale
Andrae-Juulsen
Vladař
(Kolosov)
Starting Lineup: Nashville Predators
Forsberg-O’Reilly-Evangelista
Haula-Stamkos-Marchessault
Bunting-Svechkov-Wood
Smith-McCarron-Wiesblatt
Skjei-Perbix
Hague-Barron
Stastney-Blankenburg
Saros
(Annunen)
