The Flyers are BACK Baby!
After many, many, long and excruciating months, Flyers hockey is finally back this week!
The COVID-19 pandemic stripped hockey fans of seeing the completion of the 2019-20 NHL season, the Entry Draft, Free Agent frenzy period, the NHL Awards Ceremony, the list goes on and on.
All that FINALLY changes this week! While NHL teams have been practicing the last couple of weeks, teams will start having exhibition games this week.
For the Philadelphia Flyers, it all starts on Tuesday, July 28th with their first exhibition game as they face off against the rival Pittsburgh Penguins.
It will be the Flyers’ first game action in 140 days.
Time for our boys to shake off the rust, get their timing back, and live up to the massive expectations all Flyers fans have for their team. And why not?
After all, the Flyers were the hottest team in the NHL when the season was halted due to the pandemic, going 9-1 in their last 10 games. There is absolutely no reason that the Flyers cannot pick up right where they left off.
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There are tons of great storylines on the Flyers that just make it seem like this is their year to do something special. Ivan “Drago” Provorov is just in phenomenal physical shape and absolutely ready to lead this mixed group of young, super talented defensemen like Sanheim, Myers, Ghost, and experienced calming veterans like Braun and Niskanen. Veterans like captain Claude Giroux, JVR, and Jake Voracek are just salivating at the chance to get that Stanley Cup ring, so I’m expecting great things from them in these playoffs. Sean Couturier’s incredible Selke nominated season and Kevin Hayes proving that his contract was a steal for the Flyers.
How about Carter Hart trying to become the youngest goalie in Flyers history with a playoff win at just 21 years old?
But best of all, how about Oskar Lindblom kicking cancer’s butt and joining the team in Toronto. Will he play? It hasn’t been ruled out, but it’s a longshot. But Oskar’s presence around the team alone must be one of the biggest motivators I can think of.
People often are quick to point out the negativity around the league, the commissioner, or players association, but let’s give credit where credit is due. Commissioner Gary Bettman, Bill Daly, and the NHL players association have done a tremendous job in bringing NHL hockey back.
They’ve had the players in the bubble, restricted travel, testing everything that needed to be done they did and as a result, we are inches away from having hockey back.
Featured Image: Dilip Vishwanat
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