In an honor of the UFC coming to Philadelphia in August, the Flyers up-coming bout with the Pittsburgh Penguins and being a fight fan in general, I thought it’d be fun to break down the up-coming battle of Pennsylvania in a prize fight kind of way. Here’s your Flyers, Penguins Tale of the Tape; let’s get it on!
Offensively, Pittsburgh Paces the Field
Penguins
Goals Per Game: 3.54 (3rd in NHL)
Powerplay Percentage: 24.1 (7th in NHL)
Expected Goals For (all situations): 272.39 (6th in NHL)
The Skinny: Led by the incomparable Sidney Crosby, the Penguins return to the postseason for the first time since 2022 with a potent offensive attack. The aforementioned Crosby paced Pittsburgh this season with 74 points (29 goals, 45 assists) in 68 games, but he is not alone. Linemate Bryan Rust matched a career-high in points this season with 65 (29 goals, 36 assists) in 72 games and is a weapon on the powerplay. He registered a gaudy, career-high in powerplay points with eight goals, 16 assists for 24 points on the Penguin man-advantage this season.
The Pens also received 60-point campaigns from Evgeni Malkin and Anthony Mantha in 2025-2026 as well. The Penguins forward core is rounded out by veterans Rickard Rakell, Tommy Novak, Yegor Chinakhov and 2025 11th overall draft pick Ben Kindel. Kindel, 18, was a welcomed surprise in Pittsburgh this year, settling in as the club’s 3rd line pivot and scoring 17 goals.
This is not the kind of team you’d want to trade goals with in a playoff game; they can score with the best of them.
Flyers
Goals For: 220 (all situations) (21st in NHL)
Powerplay Percentage: 15.7 (Last in NHL)
Expected Goals For (all situations): 241.58 (25th in NHL)
The Skinny: Like their cross-state adversary, the Flyers surprised many with their post-Olympic push to the playoffs. Led offensively by two 60 plus-point seasons from Travis Konecny and Trevor Zegras, Philadelphia is a sum of their parts offensively, but do have some talent here. Their wingers are their strength, highlighted by the speedy Owen Tippett, Matvei Michkov, a healthy Tyson Foerster and rookie wunderkind Porter Martone.
Comparatively, the orange and black also received career campaigns from Christian Dvorak and Noah Cates at the center position this season as well. The center position, of course, isn’t necessarily a strength for this club, but to get 51 points from Dvorak (18 goals, 31 assists) and 47 from Cates (18 goals, 29 assists, team leading +/- plus 26) was a big development for the Flyers this season.
Advantage: Pittsburgh. The Pens hold an edge over the Flyers in every major offensive category. They’ll be tough to slow down in a best of seven series for even the stingiest of teams.
On Defense, Step Up or Step Aside
Penguins
Goals Against Per Game: (3.15, 9th most in NHL)
Shots Against Per Game: (27.4, 21st most in NHL)
Expected Goals Against Per 60: (2.55, 20th in NHL)
The Skinny: As shown above, the Penguins are quite good offensively. Given that, Pittsburgh can also create offense from their blueline as well. Erik Karlsson remains as offensively dynamic as he’s always is, turning in his best season in black and gold since his arrival in the Steel City. Longtime defender Kris Letang is a functional second pair defender at this stage of his career, despite dealing with an injury this season too.
Perhaps the most interesting is the production the Penguins have received from Ryan Shea and Parker Wotherspoon. Both could be considered NHL/AHL journeymen to this point of their careers, but each logged 30 point seasons with Pittsburgh. In fact, Wotherspoon even worked his way up the lineup and onto the top-pair alongside Karlsson.
It isn’t just Philly that enjoys an underdog story.
Flyers
Goals Against Per Game: (2.91, 24th most in NHL)
Shots Against Per Game: (25.5, 29th most in NHL)
Expected Goals Against Per 60: (2.19, tied 3rd in NHL)
The Skinny: The Flyers shaved 44 goals off their total goals against number from a year ago. While there’s a few reasons as to why, they can thank their defense core for settling into their roles this season. Travis Sanheim and Rasmus Ristolainen operate as the club’s de facto first pairing and complement one another’s games well. Ristolaninen, in particular, has never in his career played in an NHL Playoff, despite possessing the type of game to thrive in that kind of environment. Cam York, despite having some occasional off nights, is at worst a quiet top four defender as well.
However, the most notable development this season has been Jamie Drysdale’s progression. The 24-year-old defensemen matched a career high in points, but notably improved his play away from the puck and defending attacking players in one-on-one situations. Additionally, Drysdale won the Pelle Lindbergh Memorial Trophy, given to the Flyers Most Improved Player this season.
Advantage: Flyers by a narrow margin. While Pittsburgh’s defense can certainly create offense, there’s more to the position than that. Philadelphia can be solid in its own end and knows how to suppress shots.
Could Skinner v. Vladar Decided Series?
Penguins
Probable Starter: Stuart Skinner
27 GP with Pittsburgh
Save Percentage: .885
Goals Against Average: 2.99
The Skinny: Stuart Skinner was traded to Pittsburgh for goalie Tristan Jarry on Dec. 12, 2025 and appeared in 27 games this season with the Pens. During the regular season he spilt time with Arturs Silovs, but one would have to imagine that Pittsburgh would favor Skinner as the starter here given his experience. Skinner, 27, appeared in the Stanley Cup Final in the last two seasons with the Edmonton Oilers so he certainly knows what it takes to make a deep playoff run.
Flyers
Probable Starter: Dan Vladar
51 GP with Philadelphia (Career High)
Save Percentage: .906
Goals Against Average: 2.42
The Skinny: Few thought the Flyers found a legitimate starting goaltender in Dan Vladar when he inked a two-year, $6.7 million contract with Philadelphia last July, but that’s exactly what happened. The 28-year-old Czech goalie registered career highs in starts (51) and wins (29) with the orange and black this season. He also ended up matching his best single season save percentage as well.
Advantage: Flyers. Vladar has put together a great regular season, despite never having been a playoff starter in his career to date. Both Skinner and Silvos have posted sub .900 save percentages this year and should they struggle, that could make life harder on the Penguins high-end offense.
