Doodle Credit: FNG’s Rob Windfelder
Ok, let’s beat this dead horse into the ground one last time so we can bury it and be done with it. There is not one person on this Flyers team or behind the bench who is even considering the idea of tanking. The evidence could not be more clear yet some people are still talking about it.
This is not the same team who lost a seemingly endless streak of close games this past Fall. That team was missing most of the top half of its lineup, and they still showed up every single night and gave it everything that they had. They don’t give up. They don’t roll over. This team works harder and is more dedicated as a unit than any Flyers team we have seen in years. And now that they have the meat of their roster back all their hard work is starting to pay off. It is not a new attitude or a different game plan, it is literally a different team. On top of that does anyone really think for one minute that John Tortorella would accept the idea of tanking for the sake of a spot in a lottery for the draft? A guy who has had some of his best players riding the pines for entire periods over basic mistakes? Are you are trying to convince me that tanking is even a remote possibility? You may as well be telling me to spend my lunch money on a scratch-off ticket. IT AIN’T HAPPENING! …Ok, now hand me the shovel and help me drop the dead horse in the hole.
The Evidence
This current semi-healthy Flyers team is now the same line-up that was full of surprises at the very beginning of the season before the injuries started. They have won 6 of their last 7 games. Less than a month ago climbing to a 500 record seemed so far out of reach. Today they are 17-18-7. Still around the water coolers of Philly they are getting way more grief than they deserve. Then again this is Philly where the glass is never half full and as soon as we suspect it may be half empty we down the contents and throw the empty glass into the fire. We all know what we do here.
The Flyers have scored 42 goals in their last 10 games. They currently lead the league in short-handed goals. Travis Konecny is absolutely on fire by anyone’s standards. The guy is a perpetual motion machine and he’s currently enjoying a ten game point streak during which he has 12 goals and 8 assists. The veterans coming off of the injured list are filling in all the holes that were so apparent during their absence. Carter Hart is having a really strong year, and when he was injured Sam Ersson stepped up and performed way above expectations in the Flyers net.
What’s Next?
This current winning stretch was very rudely interrupted by a visit from the mighty Toronto Maple Leafs. The Flyers were riding high after just conquering the State of California and returning home to destroy the lowly Coyotes. The Leafs game was going to be a big test for the Flyers’ new confidence and success. …It was a disaster. They were sloppy and disjointed. They were their own worst enemy all night long. It was their chance to prove that this rejuvenated squad is not a flash in the pan and they crumbled under the pressure. The very next night they bounced right back and shutout the Sabres.
Which brings us to their most recent game against the Washington Capitals. This was kind of a “make-up test” for the Leafs game. The Caps are not the Leafs but they are one of the better teams in the NHL. The Flyers beat them 5-3. It wasn’t a perfect game but it was pretty darn awesome. Red hot Travis Konecny capped off the win with his 2nd career hat trick. The Flyers next game is tonight. It is the second half of the home-and-home series with Washington. So the big question is this, can the Flyers beat a solid team like the Caps two games in a row? I don’t know the answer to that one. I do know they’ll most likely give it everything they’ve got and we all should be rooting for them to win it. – Flyers vs Capitals Saturday January 14th 7PM –
Sure, let’s talk tanking. You are right they are not doing it. Its completely the wrong way at this point. After 2 failed rebuilds 20 years of mediocre hockey and 1 fluke cup run you rebuild. Now we are looking at another decade of garbage and no end in site.i want more than a fringe playoff team that will lose in the first round. The flyers need to swallow their pride and do the right thing. Tank and fire fletcher
Trust me I do share the frustration. In my opinion hiring Tortorella was a great move. I have been following the team for 40 years and at the end of last season I could not find one thing about the team that offered any hope. I wish he was handed the line up that AV had no idea what to do with. Tortz should be in charge of any moves that are made until Fletcher is replaced. …just my opinion. Thanks for your comment.