Just over a decade ago, Patrick Kane put the dagger into the heart of Flyers fans everywhere. The collective emotions of Flyers fans have not been quelled since. Since that goal, the Flyers have not made it close to the cup. Finally, after a decade of retooling and rebuilding, the Flyers finally have the answer(s).
The answer is not one player, one coach, or one General Manager. It’s much more abstract than just the stars producing or getting an experienced coach. While those things do help, the answer is a combination of all the pieces of this team. From top to bottom, the Flyers are finally what the late Ed Snider always wanted them to be – A world class organization built on dedication, hard work, and respect.
This began to take shape on December 3rd 2018, with the signing of general manager Chuck Fletcher. Fletcher has been an integral part in growing the team that Ron Hextall left him. To Hextalls credit, Fletcher was given a great deal of prospects along with a core of hungry vets. Most people saw the potential coming, but for some reason the team just could not put it together. For the rest of the 18-19 season, the Flyers struggled with mediocrity, even after Phantoms head coach Scott Gordon took over for Dave Hakstol.
The next large move came on April 15th 2019, with the signing of Veteran Coach Alain Vigneault. Vigneault’s resume commands respect by every player that plays for him, and the results of the team this year really speak to that. Vigneault’s fast paced style of play mixes well with the young players Fletcher has at his disposal, and the trust both Fletcher and Vigneualt have shown in their young players has paid off tenfold. This year we’ve seen the emergence of Joel Farabee, Travis Konecny, Phil Myers and Carter Hart.
There lies the next piece of the puzzle, the emergence of young talent. The NHL is an ever changing league, new players come in and old players go out. The current trends show that fast, young, and hungry teams tend to be good. Vegas, Colorado, and even to a lesser extent Vancouver have all worked within this theory and shown that it works. The Flyers have an abundance of speedy young talent that is just chomping at the bit to win games and prove to the world that they are all they were hyped up to be. They also have a strong backstop in Carter Hart. Hart’s consistent lights-out play has reinforced the young players’ will to succeed. This bodes well for a team on the rise, but without proper leadership they are destined to fall apart. There lies the next piece of the answer.
On June 19th 2019, Chuck Fletcher performed his magnum opus, the signing of Kevin Hayes. Hayes added to the strong leadership core the Flyers already had. Stars like Jake Voracek, Sean Couturier, and captain Claude Giroux complimented Hayes’ skills and leadership abilities well. The puzzle is starting to come together and we’re starting to see a clear image, but without strong depth the team is destined to burn out in the late months of the season.
The final piece of the answer lies with glue guys like Scott Laughton, Micheal Raffl, Nate Thompson, and Derek Grant. These hardworking players have added an incredible amount of depth to the team, solidifying the Flyers as true contenders for Lord Stanley’s cup. These glue guys add scoring, defense, and grit to the bottom six that most teams lack.
Finally, after 10 years and a worldwide pandemic, the Flyers are contenders for the Stanley Cup. The answer is here, and it’s a great feeling as a Flyers fan to watch it unfold on the ice. The Flyers are contenders now, and will be for years to come.
