The Philadelphia Flyers' season may not have resulted in a Stanley Cup title, but there is plenty of reason for the fans to be excited about the future. When this team was not even meant to contend for the playoffs, they clinched third place in the Metropolitan Division. Not only that, but they won their first playoff series since 2020 when they defeated the rival Pittsburgh Penguins in six games. Even after their season ended in the second round in four games, Flyers fans gave them a standing ovation afterwards. It goes to show that the fans can appreciate the effort that the team exuded all year, and that the future looks much brighter in Philadelphia.
While the Flyers fanbase are undoubtedly focused on what the team will do in the offseason, there is still playoff hockey being played. When your team gets eliminated, there is a tendency to look at the remaining teams and which players are on said rosters and decide "I'm going to root for them for the rest of the playoffs."
For the Flyers, there is one player that stands out in terms of rooting interest, and that's former defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, who currently plays for the Hurricanes.
Flyers fans should cheer for the Shayne Gostisbehere for rest of playoffs
Yes, it's not ideal to cheer for a division rival, especially one that eliminated you from the playoffs. But when looking at the remaining former Flyers left in the playoffs, Gostisbehere stands out, especially considering the promising start to his career in Philadelphia.
Gostisbehere was drafted by the Flyers back in 2012 as a third-round pick. In 2015-16, Gostisbehere played in his first full season, where he made the All-Rookie Team after recording 17 goals and 29 assists in 64 games. That season, Gostisbehere broke the record for most consecutive games with a point or more recorded by a rookie defenseman at 15 games. Besides his rookie year, in the 2017-18 season, Gostisbehere put up 65 points (13 goals, 52 assists) in 78 games.
Unfortunately, after that season, Gostisbehere never replicated that production, whether it was due to injury or poor play. It resulted in him being benched multiple times in the remainder of his tenure. After the 2020-21 season, Gostisbehere, a 2022 second-rounder, and a 2022 seventh-round pick were traded to the Arizona Coyotes for nothing in return. It was a decision that confused and frustrated Flyers fans. The general manager at the time, Chuck Fletcher, said that was the deal that was agreed upon due to their salary cap constraints.
"This was a difficult decision but one we thought was necessary given the reality of the salary cap," said Fletcher, h/t ESPN. "Shayne has been a quality player for this organization since the moment he arrived in Philadelphia and has been a part of many special moments in his seven seasons as a Flyer."
Gostisbehere would spend less than two seasons with the Coyotes before being shipped off to Carolina for his first stint. After signing a one-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings for the 2023-24 season, Gostisbehere ended up back in Carolina on a three-year contract.
In the 2024-25 season, Gostisbehere recorded 45 points (seven goals, 38 assists) in 70 games. During that playoff run, the defenseman scored three goals and recorded six assists in 15 games. This season, Gostisbehere put up 50 points in 55 games.
Now, Gostisbehere has probably his best shot at winning a Stanley Cup, as the Hurricanes are undefeated through eight playoff games. During this stretch, Gostisbehere has two assists to his credit.
Look, it will be difficult for Flyers fans to cheer for the team that eliminated them for the remainder of these playoffs. But seeing Gostisbehere, a player that most of the fanbase wanted no part of trading a few years ago, have a legitimate chance to win the Stanley Cup for the first time in his career, actually win it? That would be a cool moment for the former Flyers defenseman.
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