It’s hard to be positive right now as a Flyers fan. The team has lost a lot of games since November 1st and the schedule is not getting easier. It seems like every other game, we can add another name to the injured reserve list. Even with all of the problems this team has, there are some positive things to look at. So, what can the Flyers be thankful for?
Carter Hart
I don’t care what the scores have been lately. He’s been playing lights out hockey. This is the goalie we’ve been waiting for since Ron Hextall retired. He is the player we hoped he’d become when he started killing it the minors.
He is the ONLY reason that these games have been close. And if he isn’t being a brick wall, imagine how much more lopsided the losses would be right now. In the victories, he’s been solid, with his 48 save win over Florida early in the year.
He could be the only all-star the Flyers have this year and it is well deserved. Hopefully it is the first of many. But if the team can start to score in front of him, they can start to pile on some wins.
John Tortorella
But wait? Didn’t he say the team sucks? Yes, he did. But this is also the same person that said, a few games before, that the players are trying hard. Yes, the team isn’t playing good, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a lack of effort.
And when you look at that, that in itself is a big deal. The coach is coming to their defense in saying why they are not very good. It’s not that they aren’t trying or giving up. That’s the culture he was trying to change left over from last year. You watch this team play, there is no third period where they just stop playing. They are giving their all. They are losing, but they are giving all that they have.
This will pay dividends when everyone gets healthy and/or the team makes some big free agent signing/trade in the offseason. This year will stink, but next year will be better and they got the coach who can turn this thing around.
Farabee and Hayes are Healthy
At the beginning of the year, it was unclear if and when Joel Farabee could/would play again. Kevin Hayes, who’s had a multitude of injuries over the last few years, was also under a cloud.
In a season where a whole host of all-star level talent has been injured, they have been healthy. They are playing well for a team that sorely needs it. If they can stay healthy as the other guys come back, it will go a long way into helping this team move forward and play competitive hockey. Likewise, they are both great role models for the younger guys who are learning how to play and fight through adversity.