Guten Tag Flyers Nitty Girtty friends and family! We are seven days into training camp, and just a few weeks away from the return of Flyers hockey. I am sitting at my local watering hole here in Landstuhl, Germany called The Red Lion Pub having a refreshing beverage and reflecting on this amazingly unique season of hockey. It is incredibly ironic that the 2019-20 NHL season started with a special opportunity for the Philadelphia Flyers to play their season opener against the Chicago Blackhawks at the O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic and would also come to an abrupt halt. The world would see a global pandemic due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus and a pause to what is arguably the most promising season for the Flyers since they made it to the Stanley Cup finals in 2010. The Flyers left the Czech Republic with a win and carried the momentum to a very impressive home record of 25-6-4. There were some early season worries with the road play, but coach Alain Vigneault was able to right the ship and bring the Flyers to an impressive 4th place finish in the Eastern Conference. Do not be concerned Flyers fans this season is no fluke. Take one look at the young talent on this roster and you will see that this team is poised to be contenders for many season’s to come.
The most popular of that young talent is none other than the phenom Carter Hart. Just a month shy of 22-years-old Hart has already placed himself in the ranks of elite netminders across the league. Carter Hart had several spectacular saves this season but his robbery of Taylor Hall during a games against the New Jersey Devils could have earned him the save of the year and a felony charge in most states. It is no secret that Hart struggled on the road but for those fans that are worried, understand that he is young and there were several factors to include the defense and adjustments of a new system. With any young player there will be growing pains but I will bet my next paycheck that Carter Hart will be the winner of several Vezina Trophies in the years ahead. The Flyers also have the very young talent Kirill Ustimenko who played the majority of the 2019-20 season with the Reading Royals and 5 games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Ustimenko may not be as polished as Carter Hart but the potential is there for the 21-year-old from Belarus.
Another bright spot for the Flyers and a core player that will help their star goaltender is the defensive powerhouse, 23-year-old Ivan Provorov, who was locked up to a 6-year $40.5 million contract and solidifying the leadership in their on zone for the foreseeable future. Surrounding Provorov are developing players like Robert Hagg, Philippe Myers, Travis Sanheim, and Mark Friedman who all showed great improvement and played well for the Philadelphia Flyers. A player that I am excited to watch is the left hander Yegor Zamula, putting up 28 total points with the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL he could add to the depth of the already youthful Flyers defense.
Moving into the forwards you have the point produceing and always chirping Travis Konecny who led the Flyers in total points (61) and goals (24) scored for the Flyers while finishing second in assists. Every shift that Konechny is on the ice he is pushing the pace, creating plays and constantly attacking, looking for the finish. He showed that he is a major part of the Flyers offense and is the energy that many believed was lacking in the season’s past. The fountain of youth does not stop here, names like Joel Farabee, Morgan Frost, Connor Bunnaman, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, and Carsen Twarynski all spent time on the Flyers main roster all being under the age of 24-years-old. There is room to grow and progress is needed to be made, but the it is clear to see that the talent acquired by former General Manager Ron Hextall has poised the Philadelphia Flyers to be Stanley Cup contenders for better half of the next decade. Of course, there is more than just a few potential stars in order to bring Lord Stanley back down Broad Street, but the proof is in pudding in that the supporting cast is there and the players are there to take over for the already proven veterans on this team.
I believe the Flyers could benefit from moving Shayne Gostisbehere and James Van Riemsdyk while re-signing the trade deadline acquisition of Derek Grant. If the rumors out of Boston are true a move for Torey Krug could be exactly what the Flyers need. The largest question facing the Flyers’ future is that of Nolan Patrick and Oskar Lindblom, Lindblom recently completed his treatment for Ewing’s sarcoma and Patrick was sidelined all season with chronic migraines, however if both of these players could return to action during the 2020-21 season Philadelphia Flyers fans will be looking at one of the best rosters to ever wear the orange and black.
Semper Fi
The Gunny
