Philadelphia Flyers: 5 numbers that defined the 2020-21 season

.877

Honestly, this is the only number you need. Even if everything else looked good with the Flyers in 2020-21 (it didn’t), when you’re getting an .877 save percentage from supposed franchise savior Carter Hart, you’re not going anywhere. It was a crushingly disappointing showing for the young netminder, especially since he showed no real cracks in the armor for two years before this.

Hart didn’t look great early on in the year, but there didn’t seem to be a lot of reason for concern. To me, the turning point sure looked like the team’s awful game at Lake Tahoe against the Bruins, one where Hart allowed six goals on 23 shots and was yanked for the third period. I can’t totally blame him for that one, as he was dealing with weird shadows and an ice surface that was less than ideal. And he even seemed to get over it quickly, posting a shutout in his next start.

But that was immediately followed by a string of ten straight appearances by Hart where he failed to stop even 90 percent of the shots he faced. His confidence was shaken, and it totally sunk the team. Later on, Hart would suffer seven straight losses before playing great in a 2-1 shootout win over the Penguins on April 15. In true Flyers fashion, however, Hart suffered some kind of injury, and that was the end of his season. At least he went out on a high note.

Going forward, Carter Hart finding his game remains the single most important element in telling the story of whether or not the Flyers can rebound from this season or if they’re in deep trouble and facing a lengthy rebuild. Here’s hoping.