Claude Giroux is awesome, even with a creeper 'stache

Even with lockout, 2012 a headline-packed year for Flyers

Admit it, even with a mustache, Claude Giroux is awesome but coming into his own was just one of the many big stories coming out of the Flyers’ organization this year. (N.B. Leaving Mark Howe’s overdue number retirement out of this post was a complete oversight on my part.) 10. Flyers lend a hand with Operation Hat Trick and Team Pennsylvania 2003 “We want to be playing,” said Scott Hartnell in a Puck Daddy article. “It’s unfortunate that we’re not playing right now.” Fortunately, former Flyer, Joe Watson, had the idea to help out the victims of Superstorm Sandy and suggested …

Danny Moloshok/Reuters

Flyers West Update: Kings of the League At Last

The Los Angeles Kings are Stanley Cup Champions. Take that all in. Absorb it. They were the Cinderella story of these playoffs as the eighth seed in the Western Conference. One by one, they took down the top teams in the conference, and did so in stunning fashion. Thanks to absolutely phenomenal goaltending from Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Quick and outstanding performances from captain Dustin Brown and alternate Anze Kopitar, the Kings were a dominant team throughout the playoffs. And in the Stanley Cup Final against the New Jersey Devils, behind near-hat tricks from Brown, Jeff Carter, and Matt …

Image Courtesy of BroadStreetHockey.com

Why I’m Rooting for the Kings, and Why You Should, Too

Image Courtesy of BroadStreetHockey.com I am a Flyers fan. I bleed orange and black. My two favorite players of all time are Rod Brind’Amour and Kevin Dineen. I hope that one day, my Flyers will hoist the Stanley Cup. Regardless of that fact, I have been on the Los Angeles Kings train all playoffs long. Whether you listen to our podcast or not (free plug!), I not only picked the Kings to upset the Canucks and Blues, but I chose them as my favorite to win it all. So, the natural question is, why do I root for the Kings …

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Carter and Richards, together again

It wasn’t that long ago — May 24, 2010 to be exact — that Jeff Carter and Mike Richards simultaneously reached the zenith of their respective careers. It was the night the Flyers finally dispatched the Montreal Canadiens in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals here. But 13 months later, it all exploded on a day which will live in infamy, as Carter and his monster multi-year deal was shuttled to Columbus, and Richards and his mega contract was sent off to Los Angeles. Eight months to the day we saw a visibly shaken Paul Holmgren discuss why those …

Five Reasons I Love The Flyers: Kevin Keating

Kevin Keating is a knowledgable hockey fan who I had the pleasure of meeting at development camp. He runs the site What the puck? and you can also follow him on Twitter. He’s a huge fan of the Flyers. Below, he gives up the top five reasons why he loves the organization. 1.  The History I’ve found this to be the most intriguing recently.  While other teams have a rich and historic back catalogue (see:  Canadiens, Maple Leafs etc etc), no one else in this league is still defined by a nickname they earned 40 years ago.  Just a few …

Flight Plan Week of 10.23.2011

The Philadelphia Flyers started out of the gate as one of the hottest teams in the National Hockey League, winning four of their first five games and getting points in all five of them. Since then, they have suffered two embarrassing (though in different ways) back-to-back losses on home ice at the hands of the Washington Capitals and the St. Louis Blues. To lose to the Capitals by a score of 5-2 when they’re one of the hotter teams in the NHL at the beginning of the season, and just about every bounce goes the way of the opposition, well …

Blues Over Flyers in a Lackluster Effort

Okay, so maybe that headline is a little harsh, but the Flyers played rather poorly in this game.  The whole team came out of the locker room slow, got down early, and were not able to make up the difference.  The Flyers ultimately lost this game, 4-2, to a suddenly resurgent St. Louis Blues. The Blues, despite getting into town late after an overtime win against Carolina the night before, came out strong right from the drop of the puck.  They controlled play early and were skating well.  After the Flyers iced it early in the first period, the Blues won the ensuing face-off and …

A constant in post-lockout Flyerville

In the book, Hockey Dad, Bob McKenzie discusses a concept he calls the “Hard Work Fairy”. “I only know I have an unwavering faith that if an individual works hard enough long enough at anything, good things will happen and there will be a reward,” writes McKenzie. “But the problem with the philosophy is that every hockey player of any age or ability always thinks he’s working hard, and most of them aren’t. Not even close.” McKenzie admits that the term is comical but the concept is a solid one. Work hard and your efforts will pay off eventually. No …

Spectrum Memories: Sometimes They Come Back

To celebrate my 25th year of hockey fandom, I will occasionally step into the way-back machine and write about events in the Flyers’ past. For the balance of the season, I will be dipping into the well to ruminate about some things related to my love of the Philadelphia Flyers, and in general about the fan experience as a youngster. This is the sixth in the series of Spectrum Memories. Losing a family member or a friend to relocations, sickness or death is never a good experience, and the emotions are very raw and fresh when you’re a kid. Thankfully, my rather small family …

Flyers’ best defense still needs more offense

It’s mid-January. The Philadelphia Flyers are in first place in the Atlantic Division and tops in the Eastern Conference, and are challenging for the best overall record in the NHL. The Devils are struggling to rise above the flames of their own personal Hades. The Islanders are sinking. The Rangers are good but not good enough, gasping for air and cramping up in the 21st mile. The Penguins are still hanging about in the rear view, still furiously waddling and flapping but unable to take off. Doesn’t matter though. Things can’t be totally perfect. I know it’s really nitpicking at this …