Date Published: 11-17-2022
Photo Credit: NBC.com
Time is flying by, and before you even blank the holiday season will have come and gone. It’s hard to believe the Flyers have already played 16 games of the 2022-23 season already. It feels just like yesterday the season opened. It feels just like yesterday the season opened with the best anthemist in the NHL, Lauren Hart, bringing down the house with the “Star Bangled Banner”.
Surprisingly enough, the Flyers sit with with a respectable record of 7-6-3. Of course, this isn’t the best record in the NHL, but under Flyers new Head Coach John Tortorella this isn’t that bad. Could it be better? Sure, the problem herein lies a talent tissue, not an effort issue.
“You can boo us; you can talk shit about us. I will back those guys because they are trying. I’m very pleased with the effort. I don’t give a shit what people think about effort.” – John Tortorella
For the most part, the Flyers are providing effort, with the lone exception beings the first period against the Columbus Blue Jackets where John Tortorella premptuvely said “We suck…we haven’t done anything.” Travis Konecny, Kevin Hayes, Ivan Provorov, Tony DeAngelo, and Carter Hart can only do so much. They need more star power, and I wrote an article on this exact topic two weeks ago.
It’s tough playing without some stars like Sean Couturier and Cam Atkinson night after night, but these are the cards that have been dealt for this young Flyers team. This is not an excuse, rather Flyers’ General Manager Chuck Fletcher should have filled this void throughout the lineup. However, this young Flyers team are really doing the best they can with what they have been given.
They are more enjoyable to watch this season as the orange and black hustle, battle for loose pucks, forecheck, and just give their all shift after shift. If a player doesn’t, then they find their way to the bench (Travis Konecny (One period), Kevin Hayes (One period), Rasmus Ristolainen (Two games).
Effort and hustling was a major focus during Training Camp, hence the reason why Tortorella conditioned and skated the team a lot during those sessions. He was preparing them for what was to come and that is never giving up, just give your all. His team may not be the most talented, but they are well conditioned to give 100% effort night after night. And people just have to except that for who they are.
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