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Eklund on the Flyers: To Tank or NOT to Tank? Not even close. |
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We wish the absolute best to Bill Meltzer with PhiladelphiaFlyers.com. And we will be adding a new Flyers writer soon..and it could be YOU...The Flyers community here is so strong that I do believe someone here could be taking over..I have had some great luck before finding new writers from within. So, if you are interested in covering the Flyers for hockeybuzz, email me a sample story to eklund@hockeybuzz.com. Put "Flyers" in the subject. As I have in the past I will post the best here for the Flyers community to consider. Just give me your overall thoughts on something...th team, Michkov, the Goaltending....Hint...I love unique voices. That means well, thought-out opinions along with game stories... Anyone can tell you who scores....We want opinions. Philly opinions.
So there has been alot of discussion lately regarding the Flyers winning too much. It is pretty obvious that this team is not quite ready for primetime....They have two and a half NHL lines, they have I believe 4 NHL defensemen, and, so far, they essentially have three backup goalies. Nothing against Ersoon, who is starting to show he may be a legit #1, but he isnt in the elite "win you a Cup" level that team need...yet..
But you do have a coach who at once admits other teams are better than them....but also has them competing hard night after night, stealing points and sticking around NHL 500...which puts you just outside the playoffs, but also nowhere near the top 3 in the draft. They remind me alot of Columbus with Torts. They are almost impossible to dislike, and they are getting that rep that you are in for a battle...So why not enjoy them for what they are?
Because THAT is "Flyers hockey" as Jonesy and Danny strive for. They are doing EXACTLY😭 what they set out to do....are they on schedule? Maybe Michkov makes them a bit ahead of schedule...And Sandheim and Konecny have taken major steps forward with both being looked at for Team Canada. That makes them more compelling than Columbus was..
It is interesting reading all the stuff about the Bruins..How the Bruins fans don't accept losing even though they are in the playoffs currently.... it is not good enough. They look soft which is completely unacceptable....
I grew up in the 80s and 90s and those same words of the highest standards were once echoed about the Flyers and the Bruins...somewhere after 2010 that went away. And with it our expectations of what to expect from this team when you head to the rink or turn on the game was slowly changing...
So no, tanking is not an option. Just look to Toronto to see how hard it is to win in the playoffs after a decade-long culture of tanking hangs in the rafters. The Flyers need to keep the pedal down. Gain Confidence. And not look behind them. And we need to expect that....and push them forward....not backwards..
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