The Philadelphia Flyers played the reigning Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers well in Thursday's loss, perhaps showing that this team can hang with even the league's best. But there will still be growing pains, and one of them will be learning to play disciplined hockey under head coach Rick Tocchet.
And it was on display Thursday, with the Flyers getting hit with 10 penalty minutes. Four for tripping, another four for interference, and two for hooking. Yet, under Tocchet, don't expect this issue to go away soon, given the overall style he instills in his teams.
But that's not a bad thing, as Tocchet insists on his team bringing physical play to the table. That wasn't on display Thursday to the degree it should have been, with the Flyers landing just 17 hits compared to the Panthers' 27. Still, the penalties they took showed that they're not afraid to play a rough brand of hockey.
Playing a disciplined game under Rick Tocchet will take time
At some point, the Flyers will get competitive, and the team won't look so undisciplined under Tocchet. But with such a young group still finding its way with a new coach, it will be a season-long learning curve. So expect the Flyers to put on more than a few penalty-laden games like what you saw against Florida.
But when this learning curve is over, the Flyers will gain a reputation for being one of the toughest teams in the league. It would be a stretch to call them the latest rendition of the "Broad Street Bullies," but they'll be landing some hard hits on opponents and gaining an intimidation factor.
This will also extend into the forecheck, something Tocchet's teams have been known for implementing and maximizing. That said, you will see some more hooking calls, plus holding and high-sticking, this season as the Flyers get acclimated.
The undisciplined Flyers won't last once they're up to speed
The result? A high-motor team with an emphasis on effort. Fans will be glad that Tocchet introduced this style to the Flyers when it works in their favor. It's just the growing pains that are hard to watch at times, especially when it might seem like they're committing senseless penalties.
So, if there is any advice for Flyers fans, it's to expect gradual improvement with this newer style of play as the season progresses. Yeah, mistakes will be made and they could lead to losses in games the Flyers otherwise could have had a chance to win. But that's a common story for young hockey teams acclimating themselves to a new method of play.