Wait did the Philadelphia Flyers score in overtime???? Were waiting…the proud orange clad fans had their hopes up for a run for the Metropolitan Division. Now the fans are just hoping the orange and black make the playoffs. Thank God the orange and black won a gritty 2-1 match up over the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night. Unfortunately, the victory came with a loss, as Michal Neuvirth apparently re-aggravated a previous lower body injury. For real now againnn….hold on maybe I’m dreaming.
It’s been a roller coaster season of all sorts for the Flyers. Unfortunately, here as of late it’s been up and down, like we’re riding the Kingda Ka roller coaster at Six Flags in the great state of New Jersey. If the orange and black want to make one last push to stay in playoff contention, then they have to get back to the basics. A good defense leads to success. Solid goaltending can carry a team to the promise land. Depth scoring can go a far way. Let’s keep it simple Fly Guys for God’s sake. Without further delay, here are our answers to your questions.
Jody Boyer- What is the best match up the Flyers can hope for in the first round. I think it would be best for them to run into the Caps. I don’t want the Pens.
Jody it’s a pleasure to hear from you my friend. You believed in me from day one, and your one of the most dedicated Flyers fans there is. You took the words right out of my gosh darn it mouth. The best match up in the playoffs for the Flyers are the Washington Capitals. Fortunately, the orange and black won the season series against them 3-1. Hopefully, we’re able to avoid the Pittsburgh Penguins, who managed to sweep the season series against the Flyers 4-0. Unfortunately, the Flyers are not in the same realm as the Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Boston Bruins…just yet. Next year the orange and black will become true contenders, make no mistake about it.
Greg Coughenour- With another expansion draft coming up in 2 years, who would you protect? 7 forwards, 3 D-men & a goalie or 8 skaters & a goalie.
Greg your one of the most passionate Flyers fans, and it shows in this post as your thinking ahead to the 2020 expansion draft. The Flyers will most likely use the protection of seven Forwards, three Defenseman, and one Goalie.
The Flyers may be faced with a conundrum starting next season. I could very well see Morgan Frost being sent back to juniors, so the Flyers wouldn’t have to protect him in the expansion draft (2 years or under as a professional are exempt from being protected). Frost will be the ripe age of 19 to start the season next year. The age requirement of the AHL is 20 years old, thus making Frost ineligible to play for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms next season.
In the event Frost returns to juniors. Mikhail Vorobyev is able, and capable of filling the void that will be left from Valtteri Filppula’s departure via free agency. Vorobyev was going to make a run to make the big club next season anyways. He apparently has become accustomed to the North American ice, and has put together a really solid second half of the season for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
My protection list would be as follows:
Forwards:
Claude Giroux
Sean Couturier
Travis Konecny
Oskar Lindblom
Nolan Patrick
Mikhail Vorobyev
Wayne Simmonds/Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Defenseman:
Travis Sanheim
Shayne Gostisbehere
Ivan Provorov
Goalie:
Carter Hart
Herb Sanabria- When are we getting a Stanley Cup championship goalie.
Herb the passion of the orange black goes through your veins. I feel it I really do. Next year, Carter Hart will be the starter of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms next season…make no mistake about it. Moreover, the 2019-20 season is when we will finally see a Stanley Cup caliber goaltender in Hart. In the meantime we have to wait, and pray that Brian Elliott can take us to the promised land.
If you would like to see your questions submitted in our weekly mailbag. Just submit your question on our Facebook page or on Twitter using the #Flyersmail. Thanks to all the fans for another great mailbag, and Let’s go Flyers. Without your support we wouldn’t be here today.
Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
