Quick Hits: December 2, 2020
1) For most of the first quarter of last season, the Flyers' most effective line -- and the correspondingly least tinkered-with combination -- was the trio of Sean Couturier centering Oskar Lindblom and Travis Konecny. Subsequently, the line got broken up more to help other lines get going than because of a short-term ebb in their own production.
Assuming that Lindblom is back to full strength this offseason after returning from his Ewing Sarcoma chemotherapy and rib removal surgery to play in the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Flyers expect him to step back into the key two-way role he played prior to his cancer diagnosis last December. Going back to a line with the ever-steady Couturier and team regular season scoring leader Konecny (who could use a quick start to next season after unexpectedly failing to score a goal and posting just seven assists in 16 playoff games in the Bubble) could be a good way to jump start both Lindblom and Konecny.
If that's the direction that Alain Vigneault goes, the top six of the forward rotation could be a line of Claude Giroux with Kevin Hayes and Jakub Voracek along with a Lindblom-Couturier-Konecny line. One alternative idea that Jason Myrtetus suggested is to ice a third line with a returning Nolan Patrick centering Lindblom and Morgan Frost at least temporarily moving to a wing in order to play in the NHL lineup. While I don't know if AV and the Flyers would want to move Frost to wing -- the plan appears for him to play at center, even if it means additional AHL time with the Phantoms first -- I am also intrigued by the possibility that Jason suggested.
Lindblom has played with Patrick before, and was arguably the winger with whom Patrick had the most chemistry during the first two seasons of his health issue-interrupted NHL career to date. Patrick also had an emerging two-way game at the NHL level (which was less talked about than his basically stagnant offensive development in year two). We already know that Lindblom is a good two-way forward. Add in Frost's playmaking ability, lighten some of the defensive responsibilities on him and I think it's a combo that could also work.
Of course, these are just two of many possibilities. Right now, I am wondering about how and where James van Riemsdyk will be deployed in the 2020-21 lineup, whether Scott Laughton will play third-line left wing or fourth line center, how much Joel Farabee's role will increase in his second NHL season and where he'll be deployed, and whether any among Tanner Laczynski, Linus Sandin and Wade Allison will make themselves impossible to cut before opening night and grab a spot in the starting 12.
It would be nice to start focusing again on these sorts of issues, rather than when there will actually BE a 2020-21 NHL training camp and regular season schedule, what the exact format will look like, and how many games each team will play. Until there's more clarity on those issues as well as the NHL/NHLPA coming to an agreement on additional deferred compensation and working out arena accessibility in every NHL market, the actual hockey discussions surrounding the Flyers are more of a momentary distraction from the pandemic-related logistics and financial arrangements than something that feels real right now.
I will say this, however. If Lindblom is able to recover his pre-cancer diagnosis form and Patrick stays healthy, I am genuinely optimistic about both the talent and the depth of the Flyers forward corps. The defense corps, however, concerns me. Individually, I like the players. I am, however, concerned about how the pieces will fit together after the retirement of Matt Niskanen this offseason. It will be an absolute must for both Travis Sanheim and the as-yet-unsigned Phil Myers to take a significant step forward in the consistency of their respective all-around games and also for at least one of Erik Gustafsson and/or Shayne Gostisbehere to have a bounceback offensive season.
2) Flyers Hall of Fame week has one article remaining on the team official site; a look at the candidacy of Scott Hartnell. In the meantime, Goalie Week has begun on Flyers Daily and there will also be a series of upcoming Flyers goalie-related articles upcoming on the team's website.
Today, Jason kicked off the Flyers Daily portion of the series as he interviewed Martin Biron. Biron discussed the Flyers portion of his career, his memories of living in the Delaware Valley and playing for Flyers fans, his goaltending philosophies, his friendship with Danny Briere and much more in a 52-minute talk that zooms by from beginning to end.
3) Today in Flyers History: The Barry Cummins Incident
California Seals rookie defenseman Barry Cummins learned a painful lesson about the lengths the Flyers were willing to go to defend one another, especially team captain Bobby Clarke. At 11:32 of the second period of a game between the Flyers and Seals at the Spectrum on December 2, 1973, one of the most notorious moments of the Broad Street Bullies era took place at 11:32 of the second period with the Flyers leading 2-1.
Frustrated by an unpenalized high stick from Clarke, Cummins swung his stick at Clarke's head, opening a bloody 24-stitch gash on Clarke's head. The Flyers' retaliation was immediate and severe. Numerous Flyers players descended upon Cummins all at once, beating him to a pulp and walling off the Seals players who tried to assist Cummins. After the line brawl and another round of fights a few minutes later, the visiting Seals went down meekly, 5-1.
Rick MacLeish, Dave Schultz, Ross Lonsberry, Bill Flett and Simon Nolet scored for the Flyers. Orest Kindrachuk collected three assists. Bernie Parent stopped 28 of 29 shots to earn the win.
4) December 2 Flyers Alumni birthdays: Paul Holmgren (1955), twin brothers Ron and Rich Sutter (1963), "Bruise Brothers" defenseman Daryl Stanley (1962), Czech center Jiri Dopita (1968).