After any game as humiliating and surprising as the Flyers' Game 6 8-0 loss to the Sabres, it's normal for the fans and media alike to go into full panic mode. Columnists are already calling for heads--fire Clarke (like we haven't heard that before!), trade so-and-so, do this, do that. Now that we've all had a few days to recover, let's think a little more rationally about what went wrong.
First, let's remember that the series was close for Games 1-5. No team turned in a truly dominant effort until Buffalo in Game 6. A little more luck, and the Flyers could be prepping to play the Pens right now.
On the other hand, it's also worth noting that good teams get lucky. That's because good teams put themselves in a position to have good things happen. They stand in front of the goaltender...and pucks bounce off them and into the net. One reason the Flyers never got that extra break is that they didn't play well enough to deserve it.
The Sabres revealed several weaknesses in the Flyers line-up. First, a disappointing effort by the defensemen. Dan McGillis followed an excellent regular season with a terrible playoff series. Eric Desjardins looked slow and old. Andy Delmore and Chris McAllister were so terrible that Bill Barber ultimately resorted to dressing only five dmen. In the games that I watched, however, I feel that the defense's major weakness was not their lack of speed. While their slowness was a factor, I think the real backbreaker was their mental lapses. They just couldn't play smart. Time and time again, this led to odd-man rushes or Sabres left all alone in the crease--and the Flyers paid.
The Sabres also showed the Flyers' general lack of depth among their forwards. The second and third lines are far too thin for the Flyers, a club who has plenty of money. P. J. Stock, Derek Plante, and Peter White should all be career minor leaguers. Justin Williams and Ruslan Fedotenko show promise, but they're rough around the edges; Williams hit a wall halfway through the season and was scratched throughout the series. Daymond Langkow is a quality centerman, but he doesn't belong on the top two lines of an elite NHL team. The checking line of Hull, Manderville, and Ranheim was a bit inconsistent. They aren't expected to score tons, but they need to score more. Rich Tocchet showed his age. Ultimately, the Flyers showed themselves to still be a one line team. Either the top line produced, or the the Flyers lost.
Roman Cechmanek was disappointing in the playoffs, though few people would blame him for the Flyers' ouster. The games were close enough that a goaltender could have stolen them; Cechmanek could not do that.
Finally, Bill Barber was seriously outcoached by Lindy Ruff at times. He has to take some of the blame for the Flyers' inability to capitalize on home ice in Games 1 and 2.
The Flyers overachieved during the regular season. Despite constant injuries and the usual media distractions, the Flyers stayed in the hunt in the Atlantic Division for a good while and finished the season with 100 points.
Keith Primeau seems finally to be fulfilling the potential that led the Red Wings to draft him before some guy named Jaromir Jagr.
There also a good chance that the Flyers' coaching carousel may stop spinning for a good while. Bill Barber's fiery attitude got good responses from the team after he took over from Craig Ramsey in December. Furthermore, his friendship with Ed Snider gives him job security that Terry Murray, Wayne Cashman, Roger Neilson, and Craig Ramsey never had. The Flyers should do better next year when Barber has a full season to work with the team.
The youth movement on the Flyers should continue to pay dividends. Fedotenko and Williams should improve next season, and Gagne's poised to be one of the league's next superstars. If Gagne avoids injury, he could crack the top ten in league scoring next season. Brian Boucher still has a huge upside. Either he'll find his game with the Flyers or become a valuable trading chip.
Of course, the Flyers still have another trading chip, Eric Lindros, who should bring something of value in return.
Finally, the Flyers have a lot of money, and they're willing to spend it. There's an elite crop of free agents this year, such as Joe Sakic and Rob Blake.
The Flyers' core is getting older. Of the veteran stars, only Primeau had an exceptional year. Mark Recchi struggled with injuries and was unable to produce without Primeau. John LeClair missed almost all of the season, and his back is still suspect. Eric Desjardins has lost a step. He can no longer cover for a weaker partner on d. For an elite team, he should be nothing more than a number 2 defenseman--but he's still playing the minutes of a number 1.
John LeClair's probably going to test free agency. Most insiders think there's no chance he'll resign with the Flyers.
Eric Lindros is stil Flyers property.
The Flyers may have money, but it'll be hard to lure stars like Sakic and Blake away from better teams like the Avs.
Bob Clarke has already declared his intention to be active on the free-agent market. The Flyers' needs are clear: another top centre, who can take some of the burden off Keith Primeau, and a top defenseman. There'll be a lot of competition for those kinds of players. Even if Clarke works hard, he may be unable to sign anyone or he may be forced to overpay for second rate talent.
The Flyers need to resolve the Lindros situation as soon as possible. The players deserve an end to the media circus, and the team could use the resources a trade could bring. I hate to say it, but Antropov and Markov look damn good right now. So does Turgeon.
Unlike certain columnists, I don't think this team needs to be entirely scrapped. They have good locker room chemistry and they (almost) always give good effort. Still, management needs to drastically raise the talent level in the Flyers locker room over the summer, or Flyers fans will be dissecting another early playoff exit next spring.
(3/1/01) March is month when most of the country becomes (if possible) even more apathetic towards the wonderful sport of ice hockey as the NCAA takes over sports sections, SportsCenter, and Sports Illustrated. Basketball rules. It's also the month of the too-little heralded Frozen Four--the kind of tournament that (gasp!) an Ivy League team can actually win. This year, it's a month when the Flyers will have to put their money where their mouths are.
Let's face it: The Flyers can be pretty glib when they talk about adversity? Aren't they a good team sans John LeClair? Without that baby Lindros? Haven't they stuck together through a previous spring of chaos? Several coaches? 5 overtimes?
It's entirely possible, however, that the loss of Simon Gagné will prove the greatest challenge. He isn't the baby with the insane family. He isn't the superstar with a balky back rejecting sweetheart deals. He's the youngster on the edge of stardom, who's still humble and occasionally overwhelmed by his own talent. The vets talk like he's the greatest thing since sliced bread. This year, Gagné has added an extra spark to any line he plays on. First Langkow and Tocchet benefited from his burst of speed down the wing and his finishing skills. Then Recchi and Primeau took off. Now everyone will have to compensate for his absence.
By the end of March, a lot will be different for the Flyers. In the next month, Gagné, Williams, and LeClair should all make very welcome returns to the Flyers lineup. What kind of Flyers team will they return to? First place in the Atlantic or struggling for home ice? In 2001, March Madness will really show what this team's got.
(2/21/01) Hi, folks. I wrote my last editorial in March 2000, when the appointment of Eric Desjardins as the Flyers 14th captain inspired to give my take on the Lindros saga. Now, 11 months later, I'm stuck on the same topic. Bob Clarke's war with Eric Lindros is old news--and I speak for many in Philadelphia when I say that I'm sick of it.
Still, it's a topic that needs to be addressed. The resolution of this standoff will undoubtedly have deep implications for the long term future of the Flyers. It's quite possible that we could receive in exchange of #88's rights a player who will help us win that elusive cup. It's quite possible that we could put another team over the top--maybe at our expense. So Lindros is tired news--but still important.
So here's my take on the mess:
First, Eric Lindros himself. Let me recap my opinion of this very controversial figure. Even when I first started following the Flyers intently (see my LeClair tribute for an account of this event), Lindros was never my favorite player. I remember thinking about Lindros way back when we acquired his rights from Quebec for that notorious package: Ron Hextall, Steve Duchense, Mike Ricci, Peter Forsberg, two #1 draft picks, and $15 million. I thought it was too much then--and I didn't really care about hockey or the Flyers at the time. In retrospect, it's ridiculous. The loss of Forsberg alone makes me wince.
But there's no rewriting of history. If we hadn't had Lindros, would we have ever traded for LeClair and Desjardins? Would LeClair's career have blossomed in such an extraordinary manner? Would we have our glossy new First Union Center? Would we consistently be one of the top teams in the league. It's impossible to say. Since Lindros's arrival in Philadelphia, no hockey decision has been unaffected by his presence.
During Lindros's better years with the Flyers, I was entirely satisfied with his performance. I didn't join the early ranks of the Lindros bashers. In fact, it's safe to say that the great majority of any negative opinions that I had of Lindros date from last season. The moment that Lindros publically put himself before his teammates was the moment that he lost my support. Up to that moment, I had some sympathy for him. There was probably some basis for his quibbles with Clarkie. But he showed himself unworthy to wear the C and unworthy to wear the orange and black. I firmly believe that the distraction he posed is directly related to the Flyers' collapse agains the Devils in last year's conference finals.
The last straw, however, was his demand to be traded to the Leafs. I can understand why Lindros would request to be traded. Yet his very specific demand not only unfairly limited the Flyers, it also seriously disrupted the Leafs themselves. They've plummeted to 7th in the Eastern Conference since that time. One can't help wondering how welcome "Big E" will be in the home locker room of the Air Canada Center. Lindros's request reeks of selfishness and self-centeredness.
Now for Clarkie. I agree in theory with most of the actions that Clarke has taken regarding Lindros in the past year. I disagree intensely with his manner. His overly aggressive public statements have been a media disaster. If anyone wonders why journalists who have proven themselves quite hostile to Lindros suddenly protect him, look at Clarke's comments for a reason. He's made himself into the bad person--when he's only a good GM with bad manners.
Clarke's actions regarding the rumored trade with the Leafs (which is now officially off) perfectly sum up this situation. He was right to turn down a trade--the last thing the Flyers need is another player with a balky back. His public naming of players (namely Antropov, Markov, and Kaberle) veers dangerously towards tampering and is a serious violation of etiquette. Moreover, it's quite possible that he was not bargaining with the Leafs in good faith. That we cannot know, not being Bob Clarke or Pat Quinn.
I suppose my overall reaction to the ongoing Lindros story is simply exhaustion. End, please! I would like to focus my sole attention on the 20 guys who are giving their hearts and soul in every game since Bill Barber became coach. Let's talk about Keith Primeau's emergence as a true leader on the ice and in the locker room--the kind of leader that Lindros never seemed to be. Let's talk about Simon Gagné's quick ascension to the elite of the NHL. Let's talk about Mark Recchi's recovery from his early season concussion or Dan McGillis's career year. Let's discuss the Flyers' longterm goaltending question: Cechmanek? Boucher? Ouellet? Niitymaki?
There are lots of good stories surrounding the Philadelphia Flyers these days. I'm afraid Eric Lindros, his ego, his family and Bob Clarke's big mouth aren't among them.
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