Remember when the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins rivalry was arguably the best in the NHL, matching hated cross-state rivals who were usually among the league’s elite?
Well, now the Pennsylvania teams are near the bottom of the Eastern Conference and in the middle of rebuilds.
Unsurprisingly, Flyers and Penguins fans are getting restless.
Entering Thursday, the aging Penguins were 26-31-10 (.463 points percentage), and they figure to miss the playoffs for the third-straight season, the first time that has happened in two decades.
The Flyers were 27-31-8 (.470 points percentage) and should miss the playoffs for the fifth-straight year, matching an unwanted franchise record. Out of the 16 Eastern Conference teams, only Buffalo has a worse points percentage (.444) than the Flyers and Penguins.
So, which Pennsylvania team will rebuild more quickly and become a Stanley Cup contender again?
It will probably come down to which team makes better selections in the next few drafts.
Both teams are loaded with several high draft picks, and both have similar needs: adding a quality center and upgrading their defense and goaltending.
Both teams appear at least two or three years away from challenging for a Cup. Maybe longer.
Both teams have a decent amount of projected cap space for 2025-26. According to PuckPedia, the Flyers will have $27.54 million in cap room based on contracts committed to 17 players, while the Pens will have $25.56 million available based on contracts to 17 players. Theoretically, both could speed up their rebuilds by adding a key piece in free agency. As for how the teams currently look, Philly has an advantage over the Penguins in that it has more core players on the younger side.
The Flyers’ cornerstones are Matvei Michkov (20 years old), Travis Konecny (28), Owen Tippett (26), Tyson Foerster (23), Noah Cates (26) and Travis Sanheim (28). Cam York (24) and Jamie Drysdale (22) have been slow to develop but could be key players at some point. The jury is still out on goalie Samuel Ersson (25), and Sean Couturier (32) is now more of an expensive role player.
Pittsburgh’s core revolves around veterans Sidney Crosby (37), Rickard Rakell (31), Bryan Rust (32), Erik Karlsson (34), Evgeni Malkin (38) and Kris Letang (37). One or two of those vets could be moved in the off-season.
So, the Flyers have much more NHL-ready youth than the Penguins and are in a better position in the upcoming draft.
Penguins Top Prospect McGroarty On Tear In AHLThere are several Pittsburgh Penguins prospects making some noise at the AHL level this season.
The draft, which takes place June 27 and 28, will be critical for both teams.
The Flyers have a staggering seven picks in the first two rounds, including three in Round 1. The Penguins could have six picks in the first three rounds – two in the first (though one could slide to next year), one in the second and three in the third. They also could have six picks in the opening three rounds in 2026 and 2027.
The Flyers have lost five straight, all at home, and their fans seem to want them to continue to lose and get a higher draft selection. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh both figure to draft in the top seven and could climb into the top five. With the lottery, they could climb even higher – or not.
Philadelphia will also pick around 22nd overall
(from Edmonton) and 25th (from Colorado), thanks to trades. The
Penguins could have a second first-rounder, originally owned by the New York Rangers. It
is top-13 protected and could slide to 2026.
The Penguins, which have some promising AHL prospects and own more draft picks in the next three years (30) than any NHL team, should get a marquee player with their initial pick. Ditto the Flyers.
2025 NHL Draft Rankings: Ferrari's Mid-Season Top 64It's 2025 NHL draft rankings time again as we're about to see the class playing some of its highest-level hockey.
Below are the players expected to go in the top 10, based on a study of numerous draft experts. Keep in mind that the player ranked in a particular spot may not get drafted there because of teams’ needs.
Top 10 Draft Hopefuls
1. Matthew Schaefer, D, Erie (OHL)
2. James Hagens, C, Boston College (NCAA)
3. Michael Misa, C/LW, Saginaw
(OHL)
4. Porter Martone, RW, Brampton
(OHL)
5. Anton Frondell, C/RW, Djurgarden (Sweden)
6. Victor Eklund, LW, Djurgarden
(Sweden)
7. Roger McQueen, C, Brandon (WHL)
8. Caleb Desnoyers, C, Moncton (QMJHL)
9. Jackson Smith, D, Tri-City (WHL)
10. Carter Bear, C/LW, Everett (WHL)
Bottom line: The Flyers and Penguins are far from being
relevant again, but Philadelphia’s future looks brighter because of this year’s
draft, making it imperative they strike gold with their three first-round
selections.
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