CLINCHED: Flyers Clinch Playoff Berth for First Time in Since 2020

Kyle Ross-Imagn ImagesKyle Ross-Imagn Images

The drought is over.

For the first time since the 2019-20 season, the Philadelphia Flyers are Stanley Cup Playoff-bound. With their 3-2 shootout win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday, the Flyers have officially punched their ticket to the 2026 postseason.

Before the trade deadline, the thought of the Flyers making the playoffs seemed silly. They were far away from the fight, and the team looked to be headed for a franchise-worst 6th straight postseason.

In January, the team went on multiple four-plus-game losing streaks, including a six-game streak at one point, and lost four of their last five games before the Olympic break.

After the break, the Flyers lost their first game, and the season looked bleak.

Then, things took a turn for the better.

Philly won four of its five games leading up to the trade deadline, but there were still questions.

After the deadline, the team began taking steps forward, but momentum stalled after a gut-wrenching shootout loss to the Blue Jackets. That led to the return of the doubt. Philly looked destined to miss its sixth-straight postseason, but a sweep of the California road trip in its following three games changed the momentum for the better.

Including the games in California, the Flyers went on an 11-4-0 run in their latest 15 games. Since the deadline, they have gone 13-5-1. That was the red-hot surge they needed. Now, their ticket is punched.

Only Sean Couturier, Travis Konecny, and Travis Sanheim are still with the Flyers since their last playoff appearance.

The Flyers will take on the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Read More: Flyers Announce “Orange Out” for Regular Season Finale

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