The Philadelphia Flyers are fully in offseason mode after their exit from the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The team exceeded national expectations, making it to the playoffs and winning their first-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Once they advanced to the second-round, they couldn't pick up a single win against the Carolina Hurricanes, who made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final.
The work head coach Rick Tocchet has done with the Flyers has been great, considering the turnaround they had. As it turns out, one player still in the playoffs sought out his advice.
During Sportsnet's broadcast of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, Friedman reveal that Vegas Golden Knights star Jack Eichel ran into Tocchet and Ottawa Senators head coach Travis Green while he was going out for dinner in Vegas after winning the Western Conference Finals. Friedman said Eichel asked Tocchet and Green for some advice on how to play the Hurricanes, considering they both faced off against them in these playoffs.
.@FriedgeHNIC tells the story of how Jack Eichel ran into Travis Green and Rick Tocchet while out for dinner in Vegas.
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 5, 2026
Both coaches had lost to Carolina earlier in the playoffs, and Eichel asked them for a scouting report on the Canes 👀 pic.twitter.com/kSPiYnMk1m
Golden Knights star Jack Eichel sought advice from Rick Tocchet on how to beat Hurricanes in Stanley Cup Final
"...Eichel took a couple of minutes out of his time, and he went over to them and he asked them, 'Tell me something about the Hurricanes, give me a little intel on the Hurricanes.' He wouldn't tell me what it was, but he did confirm the story happened and he did confirm it was beneficial," said Friedman. "First of all, it just shows you funny timing, and secondly, it says Eichel will never miss an opportunity to get as much intel as he can, and that's why he's one of the best players in the league."
You can't blame Eichel for getting some advice from some coaches who played against the Hurricanes in these playoffs. Yes, neither team was able to pick up a win over the Hurricanes, but they did face them and knows what they are capable of. Let's not forget, the Flyers played the Hurricanes in overtime twice in their four-game series.
The advice Tocchet gave Eichel must have worked in Game 1, as they overcame an early 2-0 deficit by scoring three unanswered goals. But entering the third period with a 3-3 tie, the Golden Knights took a 4-3 lead on a Brett Howden goal. While the Hurricanes tied the game with over eight minutes left in regulation, the Golden Knights secured the win in the final three minutes on a goal from Tomas Hertl. In that game, Eichel tallied one assist.
Game 2 didn't fare too well for the Golden Knights, as they blew a 2-0 lead in the third period, allowing three unanswered goals. Even though Mark Stone tied the game to force overtime in the final minute, the Hurricanes picked up the 4-3 win on a goal from Seth Jarvis. Now, the Stanley Cup Final is tied at one game apiece.
Flyers fans are certainly hoping that it would be Tocchet seeking out some advice for their opponents in next year's Stanley Cup Final. The Flyers showed promise this year, especially with their offseason moves in Trevor Zegras and Dan Vladar hitting and their young core making an impact to help their late season push for the playoffs. The hope is that the team can use this playoff experience to take that next step to ensure the Flyers pick up their first Stanley Cup title since 1975. Given the landscape of the Metropolitan Division, they should have a good chance of doing so.
We'll see if Tocchet's advice does tilt the scales to the Golden Knights' favor by the time this Stanley Cup Final ahs concluded.
