Photo Credit: Katelynn Reiss
Alain Vigneault embarks his third season as Flyers Head Coach. He holds his stars accountable, for instance, benching JvR and Scott Laughton in the playoffs in 2019-20. Vigneault also wanted Kevin Hayes, Claude Giroux, Sean Couturier and JvR to put their “Big Boy pants” on during that playoff run.
He is a good coach, but apparently he’s an even better person with giving Tyson Foerster his red carpet moment on the first day of camp, since Foerster did not have this moment at the draft due to the Covid protocols that the NHL put in place for the draft:
“I wanted to see some of our younger guys right away with some of the veteran guys. I have what I believe was my sensitive moment of the season. I talked to Chuck a couple of days ago about Tyson Foerster, who’s our first round pick this year. I said to him, the young man, first round pick to Philly, we want him to be a big part of this organization. He never got to come out on the stage with all of us, put his Flyer jersey and take a team picture with the group on the stage. I think it’d be great for him the first time he steps on the ice to practice and to scrimmage, to be with two former first-round players, Sean Couturier and James van Riemsdyk, two guys that were on that stage. I threw that at Chuck and he thought it was a good idea. It was a sensitive moment for me in the sense that I thought the young man obviously missed out on that day. That was sort of our way, and my way, the Flyer organization to welcome to our group and hope that he’s a big part of our future moving forward at some point.”– Alain Vigneault on the first day of camp
It became quite shocking this past weekend to learn of Robin Lehner accusing Vigneault of doping players with ambien pills in particular:
Most people believed it was Nolan Patrick that may have said this to Lehner, but Vigneault does not believe and denies the allegations, “I know Patty wouldn’t say that I’m pushing pills,” Vigneault said following practice today. Vigneault vehemently denies the allegations made by Robin Lehner of pushing pills, especially to Nolan Patrick. I ask this: Why would Keith Yandle sign with Philadelphia, and say it had a lot to do with Vigneault if he was doping his players? Moreover, why would Nate Thompson return to Philly, and play under Vigneault again if this was the case? The whole thing is weird to me, unless I am missing something.
It’s quite odd as he gave Patrick plenty of ice time, and he had this to say of Patrick last season as he defended him time and time again, “Obviously last year I saw bits and pieces a few times with our group,” Vigneault said of Nolan Patrick, “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.”
This past year Vigneault referred to Oskar Lindblom as a ray of “Sunshine.” For good reason, anytime Lindblom was around the locker room he inspired the team and made the locker room a joyful one. Vigneault commented many times of his smile and his personality.
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In the end let’s see where this goes, as the NHL has reached out to Lehner in parts of conducting an investigation.
Pay no attention to Robin learner. He’s an anti-vaccine, anti science, guy. He’s spent the last year and a half bitching about the COVID-19 protocol. Even his teammates are tiring of his nonsense.