Photo by Darryl Webb | Courtesy of AP
Yesterday the City of Philadelphia granted the Flyers some good news in a time when things are slowly starting to get back to normal due to global pandemic novelty the Coronavirus.
The Flyers proud faithful are allowed to return to the Wells Fargo Center, well 3,100 fans to be exact. Tickets will first be afforded to Inside Edge members or premium seating members. If there are some remaining tickets fans can sign up and get on a list to be selected at random for a game.
March 7, 2021, Sunday, will mark the first time Flyers fans are allowed back into the arena. The 3,100 fans that are lucky enough to be in attendance do not forget that Oskar Lindblom and Nolan Patrick have not had a proper introduction from the proud faithful following their unfortunate situations over a year ago.
“Once we found out the severity of the cancer that Oskar had and the amount of fight that he would have to put himself through to be able to beat this, there’s no doubt this will be a morale boost,” Vigneault said last August, “Seeing him every other week come in in between treatments and being the positive individual that he could be, that had a huge effect on our group and our focus on supporting. When it came time for hockey, staying in the moment and doing what we were supposed to do. This was obviously a different year for all of us, but it’s not over. We still have a lot of work to do. We’re all very fortunate that Oskar came out on the winning side for us.”
Vigneault and Lindblom developed a good relationship. He would call Lindblom “Sunshine” and state that it was the best part of his day to see Lindblom last year around the team, “Coaches were almost in tears,” Vigneault said when Oskar Lindblom participated in practice for the first time last year before the playoffs began, “When you think about everything Oskar has been through and everything our team has been through – showing all the support and going through all the different stages. Today was all about Oskar and the excitement to have him back with our group.’’
There is a special bond that Vigneault has with Lindblom and Patrick, for good reason as both missed significant time last year and are still working through some kinks, most notably the conditioning aspects of the game, “Obviously last year I saw bits and pieces a few times with our group,” Vigneault says of Nolan Patrick back in January, “I don’t remember or recall him ever being with the whole team at any specific time. This is really the first practice. I did see him play his first year in the league. As far as getting to know him and getting to know what type of young man he is and what type of player, this is really my first introduction. He wasn’t really around our team very much last year. I have been around him now for a couple of weeks. I really like what I see on the ice but really like what I see off the ice. His demeanor, he’s got a beautiful smile. It’s taking it a day at a time. Obviously it’s a very exciting time for him I believe and I’m confident that he’s going to do fine.”
“There is just too much talent there,” Vigneault said in regards to Oskar Lindblom and Nolan Patrick last week following practice, “Placing Patrick with Hayes is to get him going. They are very close. Putting him to wing might be a one and done thing, but it’s to get him going. They (Lindblom and Patrick) need patience.”
Flyers fans remember these quotes, they remember everything that both Patrick and Lindblom have gone through. This is their first time they will see both of these great young men in well over a year, a year that they fought so hard to play and overcome their unfortunate situations. I can guarantee that Flyers fans will have tears of joy seeing these two as they are introduced to the proud faithful. There will also be cheering, whistling, and they will cheer so much and loud it will bring the roof off the Wells Fargo Center making it feel like a sellout of close to 20,000 people in attendance.
The proud faithful have not forgotten everything that both of these young men went through as most would tell you they fought with them. Finally Sunday these two players will get the introduction Philly has been waiting for.
Again the Nolan Patrick over hype. Great story that he is healthy enough to play a sport he loves. On that I agree. But he has been THE worse forward on this team this year. He is completely lost physically and mentally on almost every shift. It is embarrassing watching him get pounded and face washed with impunity. He has the worse plus minus on the team, and really needs to sit. At least Kubel brings a physical game and should start over Patrick. Personally I like Patrick, but he is a total bust as the second overall pick and AV needs to sit him or send him down to get his act together.