The Detroit Red Wings were struggling as well entering Thursday night’s game. But they’re off to a normal bad start to the 2026-27 season. The Philadelphia Flyers, on the other hand, are off to a historically bad start.
Historic beats normal any day.
Despite jumping out to an early 1-0 first period lead, the Flyers proved totally unable to build upon that edge and fell 2-1 to the Red Wings, as Andrew Copp broke the tie with 4:22 left in the third period. The Flyers, who are still winless on the season, fell to 0-6-3.
Matvei Michkov — who now leads the team in goals with three — scored the Flyers’ only tally, batting a loose puck out of the air and past Daniil Tarasov (17 saves) to give his club a rare lead. Joseph Woll took the loss in net, making 24 saves on 26 shots.
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20 Comments (17 conversations)
Matthew
The longer they go without making a change behind the bench the harder it will be for them to justify a change in the future. If letting this team start the season with the nine worst games I have ever seen since I started watching this team in 2003 doesn’t do it, I don’t know what will.
Michael Perez
The only start i remember being as close to this awful was 13-14 and that time we good coach after 3 games.
Michael Sheahan
Charlie, as always you bring uncommon insight into what is going on with this team. With that insight, particularly Tocchet’s questionable decision making coupled with some of his answers to the questions posed by the team’s writers, such as: “What is wrong with the team” answer “I don’t know”, or how about (paraphrased) “The forwards get horny”. First I thought he might make it to Christmas if he keeps losing. Now, it looks like the losing shows no sign of letting up along with no indication of any corrective action by anybody in the organization, so now I think the new betting date should be moved up to Thanksgiving or sooner. What is really scary is that we have to assign blame right on up to Briere, Jones and Hilferty. Where in the world do we go from here?
Warren Broudy
It seems odd that we keep blaming the coaches but Tocchet appears to have lost his mojo . That being said there needs to be a change in player usage and also changes in personnel . This organization needs to be better …
superunoriginal
I don’t know if the Flyers ever had a coach who was actually good at developing young talent. It’s a broad comment, but in recent memory, I guess we have to go back to Laviolette. Felt like he wanted the best players playing regardless of age or experience. Since then? It’s been pretty consistent–play seasoned underachievers and force younger guys to watch and just get frustrated. Ageism?
By comparison, the Canadiens brought in Martin St. Louis, who helped Caufield regain his game. It’s a young, talented team that has climbed in the ranks to be a future contender akin to the Hurricanes. Flyers philosophy is such that a guy like St. Louis would never be considered for a coaching gig here–and the results show.
Matt
Imagine that, getting an ex player who used to play how you want your team to play now in the current game. St Louis would have been even more dominant now since he would have been protected. He’s an excellent example to coach his style of play.
Instead we hire Tochett, because that’s how management wanted our team to play. Like a checking meathead. It’s insane.
We do have Leclair in house now but I’m strictly against hiring another ex-flyer for anything at this point. Even having Jonesy involved seems like a way to reign in Briere.
Randy
I feel your pain, man, but if you think Tocchet the player was “a checking meathead,” then you either never saw him play in his prime or need a memory test. He scored 440 goals and almost 1000 points over 1144 games.
However, totally agree with the Tocchet the coach assesment. Please fire him and bring in a new, fresh, young coach. Please.
Matt
I can’t comprehend what he’s even trying to do. Was he thinking that if he got through that shift he could unleash a (very) rested Cates/Michov/Martone line on their 4th line? I have to come up with these explanations because the easy explanation, that Taco is just that bad of a coach and absolutely refuses to change and admit he’s wrong, seems so impossible to me.
Maybe there will be more leaks about what players the team is disappointed in (like the cheap shot on Konecny while he’s hurt) to distract the parts of the fan base that think everything would be fine if they just hit people more or threw some cheap shots like it’s 1975.
Charlie – can you please indulge us, the psychos still following this train wreck, with an analysis of who you think would be a good replacement if Tochett was fired. I’m sure there are some good experienced coaches hanging around waiting for a job ( like Cassidy) but I’m interested in someone I don’t know.
James Donovan
This is legit that maddest I’ve ever seen a Charlie column be. Completely justified anger to be clear, just wanted to say way to go
MarioD
Not as scathing as the article he wrote after Fletcher gave a press conference about how it was too hard to trade JVR.
westcoastflyersfan
Michkov also saved a shorthanded goal with a great back check as the Flyers were dicking around in their own zone during the PP. His low minutes is baffling
trebor
Anyone supporting Tocchet at this point is truly an idiot. Fire Danny, Tocch, Jonesy and Hilf. This team is an embarassment.
jonas
I like how our coach watched the best player on the ice score a goal, then effectively benched that player for large parts of the rest of the game.
Wesley Rusk
Thank you for not sugarcoating this losing streak. Hopefully somebody from Flyers management is reading your articles. They are well written and factual. Cheers, W
mw20
Charlie we need “Stupidity or treasonous”shirt with the silhouette of Toch and his stupid glasses
Richard
Briere should probably replace Jaroslav Svejkovsky before moving on from Tocchet. Since Svejkovsky is supposed to be the offensive and PP coach, and the offense sucks, this would be a signal to Tocchet that things need to change.
Ira Smith
Remember he also had two chances to pull the goalie with a little over 2 minutes left puck deep in Wings zone and Woll never moved. THIS IS 80% a Tocchet disaster, team was not ready to start the season, so disorganized and he has no idea how to give out ice time. HORRIBLE
Bob MCH
This may be the best way, perhaps only way, to ever land a young elite 1-C. Lose ’em all, tank into a top five pick, given we are now seeing a rising cap environment, which means FA and trades are not likely to get it done. Tanking is tough, but has to happen, should have happened three or four years ago. Then, go get a top shelf coach. Not now, he may win to many for the necessary tanking. Hire him after the tank and the 1-C acquisition. All we can hope for as fans at this dreadful point. GM work has failed, acquiring middling talents for “depth” and drafting / trading around the fringes of the roster (wings, third line talent, reject reclamation projects). Failed to start the build with two pillars, three actually, a 1-C, 1-D, and a 1-G. Roster building strategy was wrong. But this is what happens when you hire two inexperienced execs to run the team.
David LaVeck
Great job highlighting the main reason that the Flyers lost or better yet didn’t win the game or have a chance to. Tocchet plays this 4th line like he is coaching a beer league team and wants to give everyone an equal share of the opportunities. How can he be so blind as to what is going on out there. He deserved to lose the game and make no mistake he was responsible for this loss along with his buddies on the 4th line.
Bob MCH
Its amazing what can happen when you give your two best players ice time. What a concept T. Ready to learn now?