THE JOURNEY AND THE DESTINATION
Much of people's perceptions of how a team performs is based on whether it peaks at the right time (the stretch drive and playoffs) or too early (the first half). In assisting Jay Greenberg on his 50th Anniversary Season book project, I have gotten to relieve in detail every season from 1996-97 through 2015-16.
It has struck me just what a long and winding road every season truly can be: the hot streaks where it seems like the team can't lose and no comeback is impossible, the losing skids where it feels like the team may never win again, the long spells with no injuries and the waves of injuries that can suddenly pile up in a hurry, the controversies of past years that you'd forgotten about but come rushing back when recounted, the maligned trades and draft picks that ended up working out just fine and the excitements that turned into disappointment.
For example, let's look at the period of 2009-10 to 2011-12.
That first year, with its final day shootout win to squeak into the playoffs, the three-games-to-zero and Game Seven recovery from a 3-0 deficit against Boston in the second round, the three shutout wins in the Eastern Conference Final and the ultimate Game 6 OT heartbreak in a wild Stanley Cup Final stand out as an iconic (if gut-wrenching in the end) season. For much of that year's regular season, though, the Flyers were frustrating underachievers, which was they needed a final-day win to reach the playoffs in the first place. If that shootout to the Rangers had been lost, the season would have been remembered as a disaster.
What does anyone really remember about 2010-11? It's probably the playoff goaltending carousel and the lopsided second-round playoff sweep by eventual champion Boston. But there was a lot of good hockey played that season until the Flyers fell off a cliff in stretch drive and never truly recovered. I had almost forgotten about just how good -- even downright dominant -- the Flyers had often been in the first half (to the tune of 22-7-5 at one point, and not just beating but often obliterating teams). For various reasons, that team eventually hit the wall and never really got going again. If the playoffs had been earlier, the club may have had much different results. We'll never know.
The 2011-12 season is kind of in the middle. Winning that season's war with the Penguins and downing Pittsburgh (who had been all but handed the Cup by the pundits before the playoffs began) in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals provided some solace. But that was also the year of getting swept by the Rangers in the regular season series, and the Devils knocking the Flyers out in five games in the second round of the playoffs. The Winter Classic was a wonderful, bizarre and ultimately heartbreaking experience as well.
What I have really found is that while most folks hyper-focus on the destination ("how did the season end? Did you win the Cup?"), it is really the year-to-year journeys that make for the more compelling sagas.
**********
2016 FLYERS ALUMNI GOLF INVITATIONAL
The 2016 Flyers Alumni Golf Invitational will be held today at the Philadelphia Cricket Club in Flourtown, PA. The event will raise money for the Flyers Alumni Association, Flyers Charities and BLOCS.
The Golf Invitational will offer a round of golf, lunch, cocktail reception and dinner program. The schedule is as follows:
11:30 a.m. – Alumni team photo/player availability
12 p.m. – Golf begins
6 p.m. – Dinner reception including remarks and auctions
Subject to changes and additions, the following Flyers Alumni -- widely representing every decade of team history -- will be attending: Ray Allison, Bill Barber, Frank Bathe, Craig Berube, Brian Boucher, Jesse Boulerice, Danny Briere, Terry Carkner, Lindsay Carson, Jeff Chychrun, Bob Clarke, Bill Clement, Steve Coates, Riley Cote, Doug Crossman, Barry Dean, Eric Desjardins, Andre "Moose" Dupont, Doug Favell, Todd Fedoruk, Ross Fitzpatrick, Mark Freer, Larry Goodenough, Paul Holmgren, Ed Hospodar, Mark Howe, Kerry Huffman, Bob "the Hound" Kelly, Tim Kerr, Orest Kindrachuk, Mike Knuble, Ian Laperriere, Mitch Lamoureaux, Neil Little, Brad Marsh, Phil Myre, Bernie Parent, Dave Poulin, Brian Propp, Chris Pronger, Luke Richardson, Don Saleski, Dave "the Hammer" Schultz (attending but not golfing), Ilkka Sinisalo, Derrick Smith, Chris Therien and Joe Watson. Also slated to be on hand are the likes of Lou Nolan, Steve Coates, Dave "Sudsy" Settlemyre and Al Morganti.
For more information,
click here.
*********
TODAY IN FLYERS HISTORY FROM FlyersAlumni.org
1996: The Flyers sign restricted free agent
Trent Klatt to a contract extension. The team also acquired minor league tough guy
Frank "the Animal" Bialowas from the Washington Capitals for future considerations.
1999: The Flyers re-sign
Keith Jones to a three-year contract extension.
2000: The Flyers re-sign
Valeri Zelepukin to a one-year contract.
2001: The Flyers sign free agent minor league tough guy
Peter Vandermeeer; the brother of defense prospect
Jim Vandermeer.
2009: The Flyers sign
Jason Ward as a free agent.
2011; The Flyers re-sign
Jon Kalinski to a one-year, two-way contract. The same day, they sign
Marcel Noebels to an entry-level contract.
FLYERS ALUMNI BIRTHDAYS
A long-time NHL player and later an NHL head coach, defenseman
Ted Harris finished his playing career as a member of the Flyers' 1974-75 Stanley Cup winning team after playing two of his early-career seasons with the minor league Philadelphia Ramblers.
The 1974-75 season was the fifth Stanley Cup ring Harris earned in his career after winning four championships during a six-plus season stint with the Montreal Canadiens. He settled permanently in New Jersey after leaving hockey, where he owned a hardware store for many years before retiring.
Harris was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on July 18, 1936.
Longtime NHL defenseman
Dennis Seidenbergwas the first German-born and trained player to be drafted by and break into the NHL with the Flyers. Born July 18, 1981 in Schwenningen, West Germany, Seidenberg switched from forward to defense as a junior player in Germany and was drafted by the Flyers in the sixth round of the 2001 NHL Draft.
Seidenberg showed promise after joining
Ken Hitchcock's Flyers in 2002-03 (posting a plus-eight rating and 13 points in 54 games). However, he hit some growing pains as a developing young player and was later set back by a broken leg. Seidenberg was a key member of the Philadelphia Phantoms team that won the 2004-05 Calder Cup during the NHL lockout.
Traded to the Phoenix Coyotes in January 2006 in the deal that brought veteran center
Petr Nedved to Philadelphia, Seidenberg went on to enjoy a lengthy NHL career, most noted for his time with the Boston Bruins.
************
Be sure to "like" Hockeybuzz on Facebook!
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
Join the Discussion:
»