The curtain falls after the final buzzer on Thursday evening, as interim head coach Brad Shaw’s Philadelphia Flyers (33-38-10) are on the road to play Lindy Ruff’s Buffalo Sabres (35-39-7) in the final game of the 2024-25 schedule. Game time at KeyBank Center is 7:00 p.m. EDT.

The game will be televised on NBCSP. The radio broadcast is on 97.5 The Fanatic with an online simulcast on Flyers Radio 24/7.

Entering Thursday’s game, the Flyers are 2-0-0 against the Sabres this season: a 5-2 home victory on Nov. 16 and a 7-4 home win on March 29. It took until the season’s final night for the Flyers to make their lone visit to Buffalo this season after playing in each of the NHL’s other 31 buildings at least once in 2024-25.

The Flyers finished the home portion of their schedule this season with a 20-20-1 record. Entering the road finale, the Flyers are 13-18-9 in away games. The Sabres were 13-24-4 on the road but have been a winning team at home (22-15-3).

Draft lottery positioning is not a matter of concern to the players or coaching on either team. Their job and their focus is on trying to win. However, where the Flyers (76 points, 21 regulation wins) finish in the final NHL regular season standings relative to the Sabres (77 points, 28 regulation wins), Boston Bruins (76 points, 26 regulation wins in their now-finished schedule) and Seattle Kraken (76 points, 28 RW) will determine default draft spots and lottery odds.

If the Flyers win in regulation on Thursday, Philly will finish 26th in the league standings (default 7th draft spot/ highest lottery odds for winning the first or second overall pick). A regulation loss to Buffalo means the Flyers will finish 29th (default 4th draft spot/ lottery odds). If the game is decided beyond regulation, the Flyers will finish in their current spot whether they win or lose in overtime or by shootout (27th overall, sixth in default draft spot/ lottery odds).

Here are the RAV4 Things to watch on Thursday plus an x-factor heading into the game,

1. Possible NHL debut for Devin Kaplan

On Tuesday, the Flyers signed 21-year-old winger Devin Kaplan to a three-year entry level contract per the rules of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the National Hockey League and the NHL Players Association. He was originally drafted by the Flyers in the third round (69th overall) of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft from the US National Team Development Program.

Kaplan played the last three seasons at Boston University, with whom he reached the NCAA championship game against Western Michigan in the 2025 Frozen Four tournament game. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound winger recorded an assist in the final game.

Kaplan played up and down the lineup over the course of his three collegiate seasons, sometimes in more of a checking-oriented role but also being deployed at times on scoring lines and the power play. This season, he posted 18 points (10 goals, eight assist) in 38 regular season games. Overally, he dressed in 115 games for the Terriers.

Kaplan plays a straightforward north-south style of hockey. He’s always been a good skater in a straight line but has had to work on his edges. Likewise, he has underrated hands but he’s not one to display fancy stickhanding. He’s at his best in the offensive zone when he gets in the forecheck, uses his size effectively and gets to the “greasy” areas for scoring chances. He can also dish to an open linemate after fending off a defender.

The Bridgewater, New Jersey native has not had the benefit of a practice with his new NHL teammates after signing his entry-level contract on Tuesday. The Flyers did not practice on Wednesday. The team will hold a final morning skate on Thursday morning (11:30 a.m. EDT) at KeyBank Center.

If Kaplan makes his NHL debut in the 2024-25 season finale, it remains to be seen which forward comes out of the lineup for Philadelphia.

2. Michkov watch

Flyers’ 20-year-old rookie winger Matvei Michkov (24g, 36a, 60 points) is second in goals and third in points among first-year NHL players this season. He is one tally behind San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini for the rookie goal-scoring lead.

Currently tied with the late Peter Zezel’s 1984-85 season for ninth on the Flyers’ rookie points list, here’s what Michkov would need to do in the final game to move up in various categories:

• Points: Michkov would need a four-point game against the Sabres to tie Hockey Hall of Famer Bill Barber’s 64 points (69 games) in 1972-73 for eighth on the franchise rookie points list.
• Goals: Michkov is currently tied with Matt Read (2011-12) for eighth on the franchise all-time list for goals by a rookie. Both accomplished the feat in 79 games. Dressing in his 80th game of the 2024-25 season, Michkov needs one tally to become the eighth rookie in team history to score 25-plus goals. Note: Michkov would be just the fourth Flyers rookie player who was age 20 or younger on NHL opening night who went on to score 25-plus his rookie season. The others: Eric Lindros, Brian Propp and Bill Barber.
• Power Play Goals: Michkov has seven power play goals this year, tied with Barber and defenseman Tom “Bomber” Bladon for 10th in team history. One power play goal in Buffalo would move into a tie for 5th (Lindros, Simon Gagne, Eklund, Zezel, Shayne Gostisbehere).
• Assists: Michkov is tied with defenseman Behn Wilson (1978-79) for 11th on the rookie assist list. It would take a four-assist game in Buffalo to catch the 40-assist rookie seasons of Andre Lacrox (1968-69) and Janne Niinimaa (1996-97) for a spot in the top 10.

3. Power play

Entering the final game of the season, the Flyers rank 30th in the NHL on the power play (14.6 percent). The Sabres rank in a tie for 23rd (18.9 percent).

The Flyers have yielded nine shorthanded goals this season (fourth most in the NHL). The Sabres have allowed eight (tied for the fifth most).

4. Penalty kill

The Flyers’ penalty kill ranks 20th in the NHL this season (77.2 percent). Buffalo ranks 23rd (76.6 percent).

The Flyers have scored four shorthanded goals this season (tied for 21st). Buffalo has tallied nine (tied for fifth).

X-Factor: Shot suppression

In a game with no playoff implications for either team, it can be tough for either side to stay focused on playing with discipline and structure. Additionally, no one wants to incur an injury on an awkward hit or a blocked shot that catches the player in the wrong spot.

However, once the game begins, players’ instincts kick in and coaches Shaw and Ruff need their respective players to stay as tuned in as possible.

Shot blocking is a prime example. It should be noted that the Flyers lead the NHL in blocked shots, both in volume (1,438) and frequency (17.48 per 60 minutes of game play). Moving ahead to next season and beyond, the Flyers need to become a better team in terms of puck possession. Nevertheless, being willing to pay the price to block opposing shot attempts is important situationally and has not been a problem for the Flyers.