A lot is said this time of year about family turmoil and tensions during the holiday season. There are a lot of things that can turn a wonderful dinner into an all-out kerfuffle.
Instead of getting upset about things like politics, the state of the world, economics, or "how things were better in my day...", let's find something safe to argue about. If you and your family and friends are Flyers fans, here are some things you can argue about and still be ok afterward.
Forget the Prospects...Sign Dan Vladar!
First of all, he needs a nickname. I'd like to propose "Darth Vladar". That would be an awesome nickname with an equally awesome helmet. Mr. Vladar, you can have that one for free.
Seriously, though, he's outplayed expectations. While the Flyers have a bunch of prospects down below that look promising, he could stymie them for a bit. Perhaps signing him to an extension after this season is the right move. Better to stick with the devil you know than the one you don't. Prospects don't always pan out. Just ask how the Penguins have been in net since they traded away Marc-Andre Fleury.
Cutter Gauthier Would've Sucked Here
Yes, he's having a good season. Yes, he's playing better than Jamie Drysdale. Blah blah blah. It's time to get over it. Heck, Phillies fans didn't dwell on JD Drew this long, nor did Eagles fans on Terrell Owens, or Sixers fans on Ben Simmons.
Yes, he's playing well on a team in a bad division. However, there is a toughness needed to play in Philly. I don't think he has it. You gotta have a different mental state to succeed here. You have to play well, but more importantly, be a grinder. It's why fans here love players like Nick Seeler, Rick Tocchet, and Rod Brind'Amour. You have to be able to play hard, play well, and block out the boos. Feed off of it. I'm not sure Gauthier could handle that.
Trade Michkov While He is Valuable
If you really want to throw a grenade into a Flyers' fan house, suggest that Mickhov could be traded. Here is a guy who was supposed to be the cornerstone of this franchise moving forward. He's played well, but not up to expectations. How much of that is on us and how much of that is on him?
So if you want to start some fun, make the suggestion that he should be moved now. Talk about his inability to learn and adapt to the NHL style of hockey. And while he will be good, he'll never be the superstar that we've hoped. The best thing to do is trade him for a bevy of picks or some other team's top prospects/young players.
Could you land a young star like Connor Bedard or Macklin Celebrini for him? Would he be worth an Alex Tuch, Rasmus Andersson? Not sure. Most likely not. It would make for an interesting conversation at the dinner table.
Flyers Should've Drafted Marchand Instead of Giroux
One of the most unfair things that fans/sports writers will blame a star player for is the fact that they "never won a championship". To become a champion takes the whole team, not one player. But great players from Eric Lindros to Dan Marino to Patrick Ewing to Barry Bonds were always criticized for never being able to deliver a championship home. You already are hearing complaints about Bryce Harper with that now.
Claude Giroux, an all-time great and likely future Hall of Famer, never won a championship in Philly. You know who has? Brad Marchand. He's won a pair of them. Maybe the Flyers should've selected him at 22nd overall instead of Giroux (Marchand went in the third round). I guarantee that if you were to say this, every fork would drop at your dinner table.
The Flyers Should Dump Gritty
Gritty is probably the most well-known mascot in the NHL. He debuted in 2018 and took the internet and Philadelphia by storm. He is probably the most beloved mascot in the league and the second most in Philly behind the Phanatic. He's a lot of fun, and kids love him. He has a great edge to him that fits this team.
However, the argument to be made is that the Flyers never had a mascot, and they played well. Since Gritty came on the scene in 2018-19, the Flyers have made the playoffs just one time (the COVID bubble playoffs). They have missed the playoffs in six of the seven seasons he's been here, including the last five in a row.
Gritty is the curse of this team. It wasn't Ron Hextall or Chuck Fletcher making bad moves and terrible draft picks. It wasn't Alain Vigneault or John Tortorella turning the players against the coach. It's been Gritty all along. He's like our Jar-Jar Binks. Leave a trail of cheesesteaks into the bowels of the Xfinity Mobile Arena, probably somewhere where they still have signs saying Corestates Center, and lock him away!