#BringBedardToBroad Campaign Begins Tonight
Well, the day is officially here as the Philadelphia Flyers open their season tonight against the New Jersey Devils.
Not gonna lie this is probably the least excited I have ever been for a Flyers season to start. But that’s not my fault, there really isn’t anything to get excited about with this team. This is definitely going to be one of those “Our expectations were low, but holy fuck.” Type of season.
The team is already hit with even more injuries than they started with. Ryan Ellis has been out for the last year plus and probably is never playing again. Sean Couturier is out with a back injury and is currently week-to-week. We see how that’s gone with Ellis so don’t expect him back anytime soon. Now, Cam Atkinson is likely missing the opener tonight and yesterday Rasmus Ristolainen left practice early and may also be out tonight.
Sooo if your expectations were low before, please kindly adjust them and make them even lower at this point.
The John Tortorella era is going to get off to a rough start and that’s okay. If there is any positive to look at right now is that Torts is at least being up front about expectations and honestly I respect it much more than the bullshit that Chuck Fletcher has been putting out there.
If you haven’t yet go check out this interview that Torts does with John Clark it is well worth the watch. Torts knows this isn’t going to be something that turns around quickly. But if there is anything that he can do this year it is establish an identity for the group of guys that are going to be here long term. Wins aren’t going to come as frequent as we would like but if they can at least show something to give us some sort of hope for the future this season won’t be a complete loss.
That is really all I am hoping for this season, just give me a reason to want to stay as attached to this team as I am. I know they aren’t going to be good, but for the love of god please don’t be average. I want this team to be Coyotes level bad this year, I don’t want them to win a game until like the middle of November. If there was ever a year to not half ass a tank job it is this year. Do the right thing and increase your chances with the lottery balls, there is going to be an absolute superstar sitting there at the first overall pick in Connor Bedard.
The only way me sitting through this season watching every game is going to be worth it is if we end up landing that first overall pick. I know damn well I am setting myself up for disappointment when it comes to this because you just know even if they are the worst team in the league they are still gonna end up getting the 2nd or 3rd overall pick and its going to be a Patrick Kane/JVR situation again. I can’t go through that again, I just can’t do it. So please for the love of god bring in Sam Hinkie if you have to but get this tank job done correctly and get the first overall pick.
I mean the kid already looks great in Orange and Black so why not let him keep rocking it for the rest of his life?
Anyway, on the other side the Devils come in as one of those young and upcoming teams that could take the next step this season. I am not fully sold on them but a lot of people have them as being their dark horse team to make the playoffs. I do think this is the year Jack Hughes really makes a name for himself and if Blackwood can be a legit number one goaltender then the Devils could be a dangerous team.
I’ll be in attendance for tonights game strictly to make sure that the tanking is happening. I will make sure to start some Fire Fletcher chants and even a few sell the team chants.
One positive thing about the Flyers not being good this season is that I will truly be able to enjoy the rest of the NHL because I won’t be as locked in on the Flyers as I typically am.
-Walsh