In their final preseason game before the 2025-26 NHL regular season, the Philadelphia Flyers will face off against the New Jersey Devils at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Saturday. The matchup is set for 12:30 p.m. EDT and will be broadcast on NBCSP+.
Rick Tocchet, head coach of the Flyers, has guided his team to a 2-4-0 record through six exhibition games. Sheldon Keefe’s Devils are their last test before the regular season opener scheduled for October 9.
Goaltender Dan Vladar, recently acquired by the Flyers, is expected to play his second full game of the preseason. Vladar has already played four regulation periods in addition to overtime and a shootout during a recent victory over the Boston Bruins. He “looked sharp in the Boston game.”
Tocchet continues to emphasize improved puck management as players transition from offseason habits to regular-season readiness. “One habit that Tocchet has harped on throughout training camp: decision making with the puck. He wants the Flyers to have more puck possession time and recognize the difference between a low-percentage gamble and a legitimate opportunity to make a play with the puck.”
Defensively, Tocchet’s system relies on a box + 1 zone defense designed to protect the middle of the ice and force opponents outside. While there have been improvements, turnovers and odd-man rushes remain concerns. “Those aspects still need to be cleaned up. But D zone play itself at 5-on-5 has slowly started to trend the right way in the latter half of training camp.”
Special teams have also been an area of focus for Philadelphia. In their previous outing against the New York Islanders, they scored once on their only power play but allowed a shorthanded goal before Noah Cates responded with another goal for Philadelphia. On penalty kills, they stopped two out of three chances and added a shorthanded goal by Travis Sanheim assisted by Christian Dvorak.
The coaching staff is using preseason games as an opportunity to give balanced ice time across all lines and defensive pairs—a strategy less common during regular season play when line combinations tend to stabilize based on performance or matchups.
The outcome of Saturday’s game will help determine final roster decisions as both teams prepare for opening night next week.
