Flyers (29-26-7) vs. Panthers (29-23-10)
7 p.m. on CSN, CSNPhilly.com and the NBC Sports App; Pregame Live at 6:30
The trade deadline has come and gone.
Now, the Flyers get back to their playoff push with 20 games remaining.
That stretch starts Thursday night at the Wells Fargo Center when the Flyers play host to the Florida Panthers, a fellow wild-card contender.
Here are five things to know before puck drop:
1. Valtteri good
You'll see a new number on the ice Thursday night.
That will be No. 51, Valtteri Filppula.
NHL
The Finnish native is set for his Flyers debut after being acquired in the Mark Streit trade Wednesday.
Filppula, 32, is a center with a strong pedigree, one in which general manager Ron Hextall had been eyeing.
"This kid gives us flexibility because centers are really hard to find," Hextall said Wednesday. "Most teams have four or five centermen. This kid gives up depth and options. He is highly competitive and competes on pucks. He makes plays."
"He'll fit in this group and he's an upgrade.”
Filppula will fit with Brayden Schenn and Jakub Voracek Thursday night. In his 11th season, Filppula comes from the Lightning. His current contract includes a modified no-trade clause -- a handpicked list of 16 teams to which he can be dealt, according to CapFriendly.com.
One team was the Flyers.
"Good organization," he said Thursday after an optional morning skate. "Friends who've played here said a lot of good things, so that way, it was an easy pick to put on the list."
2. Mason's situation
Steve Mason will receive a second straight start a day after the Flyers re-signed goalie partner and pending unrestricted free agent Michal Neuvirth to a multi-year extension.
So Mason's future in Philadelphia remains cloudy. He was not traded, turns 29 years old in May and can be a UFA in July.
"[The extension] doesn't suggest we won't sign Mase, but just that the timing," Hextall said Wednesday. "I wanted to get something done before the deadline.
"We're in a lot better position than a day ago. I didn't like having two guys as UFAs. We like Neuvy's deal. It's a fair deal. And when he's playing hockey, he's pretty damn good."
Mason was good last time out, albeit against the NHL-worst Avalanche. He pitched his second shutout of the season in a 4-0 victory Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Center. Mason played just twice in February and the win marked his first since Jan. 25.
3. Getting wild
Every game the rest of the way is critical for the Flyers.
This one, however, will have big implications on the Eastern Conference's wild-card race considering the Panthers are three points ahead of the Flyers and one behind the Maple Leafs, who currently hold the second spot.
If the Flyers want to backdoor into the playoffs like they did last year, they'll have to pass some teams. With 65 points, they trail the Maple Leafs (69), Islanders (68), Panthers (68) and Lightning (66).
Thursday is the Flyers' third and final meeting with Florida this season. The orange and black took the first two -- one in regulation, the other in overtime.
4. Keep an eye on ...
Flyers: We're going to say Schenn, who is riding a five-game point streak and now playing with a new linemate in Filppula. It'll be interesting to see how Schenn and Voracek mesh with the newcomer. Schenn has three goals and three assists in his five-game run.
Panthers: Jonathan Marchessault is playing well, with three goals in his last five games. The center already has career highs in goals (19), assists (18) and points (37). He's also Florida's top power-play producer at 14 points (six goals, eight assists).
5. This and that
• Mason has beaten the Panthers twice this season, making 80 saves on 83 shots faced.
• Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo is 9-10-3 with a 2.83 goals-against average and .918 save percentage in 23 career games against the Flyers.
• Wayne Simmonds has six goals in his last eight games.
• Florida has the NHL's third-best penalty-kill percentage at 85.6.