The Flyers have not only entered the season with the fifth-youngest roster in the NHL, they have also relegated the majority of the team’s older players to depth roles. Players like Nic Deslauriers and Erik Johnson won’t factor in much if the team’s health holds up, and that would leave 33-year-old Garnet Hathaway as the oldest “regular” player in the lineup.
This team will sink or swim with young talent; even the goaltending corps is headed up by a 25-year-old, there really is no other option than to give young, and in some cases unproven, players more opportunities to breakout.