Flyers’ playoff hopes may be virtually gone, but their motivation in season’s final six games isn’t

The Flyers’ playoff chances have virtually vanished, but they say it won’t be difficult to find motivation in their final six games of the season.

Some are playing for jobs next year. Some are playing for pride. Some are clinging to the 0.1 percent chance they have to sneak into the playoffs.

The Flyers (36-32-8), losers of five of their last seven games, will host the high-scoring Maple Leafs (45-25-6) on Wednesday night.

“Toronto is one of the best teams in the league, so if you can’t see the challenge in that, I don’t know if you’re in the right sport,” defenseman Robert Hagg said after Flyers practice Tuesday in Voorhees. “I mean, of course it [stinks] that we’re in this position now, but there’s still a possibility. We have to see it like that.”

Added Hagg: “It’s still our job to go out there and do the best we can. Whether we’re out of the playoffs or not, just go out and do your job. Playing for a job next season, too, so there are a lot of things that should motivate you.”

“You still have to play the same way, regardless of what’s going on, standings-wise,” said right winger Travis Konecny, who will try to end an eight-game goal-scoring drought Wednesday. “There are still a lot of guys in here that are trying to prove ourselves. And there’s still an opportunity for us to get in, and we’re not going to shut it down until they mathematically tell us we’re out of it.”

Toronto, which is second in the NHL in goals per game (3.57), has defeated the Flyers this season, 6-0, and 7-6, and has fired a combined 92 shots in those wins.

“There’s a team coming in that feels pretty good about their game,” captain Claude Giroux said, “so we have to be ready here. They have a lot of depth and move the puck well and have a lot of forwards that are dangerous offensively.”

Hagg said maybe the Flyers need to play more “boring hockey” to slow down the Leafs.

“Sometimes you just have to chip it out or chip it in, and if we have to collapse five guys low in the D-zone, then we have to do it,” he said. “I feel that sometimes we play better hockey on the road than at home. We play a boring type of hockey style on the road, but as soon as we get home, we want to show our fans and we [open it up] and play a style we’re not capable of playing right now.”

Interim coach Scott Gordon said the Flyers have to do a better job of exiting their zone and creating opportunities down the other end.

“We’ve been rimming everything the last few weeks,” he said. “Sometimes, it’s the only option, but there are usually other options. Otherwise, you’re just feeding the other team’s forecheck.”

Carter Hart will face the Maple Leafs for the first time in his young career. … Gordon said he hasn’t decided yet if defenseman Samuel Morin will play Wednesday, but he would like to get him into the lineup in five of the last six games. Gordon said goalie Cam Talbot, who has had just one start since he was acquired from Edmonton because Hart and Brian Elliott have played well, will probably play in two or three of the remaining games. … Elliott and Talbot, potential unrestricted free agents on July 1, both said they would like to be with the Flyers next season. … Gordon had a long talk with Talbot to explain the circumstances that prevented him from playing more. Gordon said when he was a goalie, his coaches didn’t explain why he wasn’t playing: “My coaches were pretty clear: ‘You’re the backup and I can’t understand why they signed you,’ ” he cracked. … Troops from Fort Dix visited practice and mingled with the players in the locker room. ... Toronto has six 20-goal scorers, including Mitch Marner (90 points), John Tavares (45 goals, 86 points), and Auston Matthews (35 goals).