While the New York Rangers look to be basement dwellers in the 2018-19 season, the Philadelphia Flyers are trending upward. They finished third in the Metropolitan Division last year, amassing 98 points before losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the opening round of the playoffs.
The Flyers were led by Hart-candidate Claude Giroux, whose move to the wing sparked him to break the 100-point mark for the first time in his career. Sean Couturier enjoyed a tremendous breakout, scoring 76 points and cementing himself as an elite defensive center. On defense, Shayne Gostisbehere and Ivan Provorov blazed the trail.