It was never easy saying goodbye to a soldier in Wayne Simmonds. Ryan Hartman had big shoes to fill when the Flyers moved a beloved player with Simmonds. Flyers fans are now getting to know who Hartman and his family really are! They are genuine people who now love the Flyers and their fans. Check out this tweet to see how they are winning over the fans of Philadelphia:
Mrs. Hartman bought some Flyers fans beers for those who made the trip to the United Center this past Thursday against the Chicago Blackhawks. Hartman and his wife have been grateful for the way that Flyers fans have treated him and his family. The fans have welcomed them with open arms, so this was their way of saying thank you.
Hartman is a 24-year-old winger that hails from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, and was originally drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2013 NHL Draft. He is a hard skater that plays the game to his advantage. Hartman won’t kill you with offensive prowess, but he will draw a penalty or two. As a matter of fact he’s an artist at drawing penalties.
This young man in Hartman will take a beating to score a dirty goal. He knows where to be, and he can make his linemates better. For the season, Hartman has tallied 11 goals, and 13 assists for 23 points in 77 games played. Moreover, as a Flyer this young man in Hartman has tallied one goal, three assists, registered 12 blocks, and has issued out 25 hits. Make no mistake about it he tries to do it all.
One downfall to Hartman’s game is he gets out muscled along the boards. This is an area of his game that he has been trying to improve for the past few seasons. Maybe he will find his niche here in Philadelphia with a change of scenery. However, one area of his game that he isn’t afraid to do is sticking up for his teammates. Hartman will drop the gloves if he has to. He’s a smart hockey player and knows when the time is right to drop the mitts.
Next season I would like to see a fourth line of Hartman, Laughton, and Kase or NAK. Hartman is a restricted free agent at the end of the season, and the Flyers will look to resign him to a one or two-year deal, worth $850,000-$900,00 per year. This new look fourth line could be one of the strongest fourth lines in recent memory for the orange and black, as this line could wreak havoc on opponents on a nightly basis. The Flyers have to roll four lines consistently to keep up with teams like the Washington Capitals, Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Will Hartman end up being like Simmonds? Who knows, but he is a younger version of Simmonds. Simmonds maybe more offensively gifted, especially on the power play. However, Hartman does provide some toughness and grit that was missing with trading Simmonds. Hartman seems to be fitting in just well into the Flyers bottom 9-bottom 12 of the Flyers lineup, and the Hartman’s are slowly winning over the great fans of Philly.
Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
