With this young and talented core and Homer's ability and willingness to make moves to shore up perceived weaknesses... and assuming the goaltending situation straightens out after a year in the woods and Bryz looks more like the March NHL player of the month than he does as Hansel did with Gretel... and the fact that the NHL has no powerhouses lording over it... I say the next five years will return the Cup to Philly and end the drought.
Something the 2010 dream run proved to me is the Flyers can actually win... and average goaltending in the SCFs that year would have done it. And this season's magical Kings romp shows me that such a team as they are, and the 2010 Flyers were, can make a long run once they fight their way into the Dance.
With some good D and goaltending we have all the chances in the world. Now Homer, give us an offseason to be excited about, and then we'll get going in Oct!
1997 - I would have said yes
2002 - I would have said yes
2007 - I would have said yes
2012 - I say yes.
1982 - I would have said yes
1987 - I would have said yes
1992 - I probably would have said no
For what that's worth...
I really think a lot depends on Bryz and what Homer does with the D. If Bryz doesn't become something close to what Homer expected when he signed him then that's a crippling contract...and they really need to add a top pairing type D-man to fill the hole created by the loss of Pronger and the aging and eventual departure of Kimmo. And signing Matt Carle long-term is NOT the answer.
They haven't won it in 37 years and every year it's high hopes that aren't met. I see no reason why that will change.....but I will root for them every damn game.
I said yes but the question is pretty much impossible to answer. Two years from now this team could look completely different (in a good or bad way). Things can change quickly. With the way different teams have been getting to the finals in recent years, this league is anyone's game.
I'm sure we will. We have probably the best forward group in the league, solid D (hopefully Pronger will come back), but we do need to work on our goaltending.
Well I personally have been waiting 26 years..I think they are going in the right direction but doesn't take much to go backwards. I will say that if they do win it in the next five which I think they have a good chance...it will be with a different coach.
I'm just starting to wonder if this trend of firing the old coach and hiring a new one in the second half of the season isn't such a bad idea after about 3-4 years of the old coach. I mean the shelf life on coaches all around the league isn't long anyway...
the thing that sucks is it'll happen when we least except it. its rare that teams that are the number 1 picks of the general media or fans win. its always that team that sorta has the ammo and players to do it but your not positive about them because of either holes in the lineup or their record. we looked that way this year but then we beat pittsburgh and everyone jumped on us as the favorite by far. we need to fly in under the radar with no pressure. i'm sure my theory makes no sense but it does seem like thats what happens. theres no reason we can't win a cup without a few tweaks to the defense. bryzgalov has to be confident and on his game and ready for the insane grind that comes with this thing. It's by far the hardest thing to win in all of sports. thats why i want it so bad. that parade will be the bomb. i also know that i will cry when i finally witness this thing happen. too much emotion invested. i'll force myself to cry if i have to.
Our personnel on D is actually pretty decent. Our team defense is definitely the issue.
EXACTLY. And until we start playing defense like 99% of the Cup winners in recent memory, we won't win a cup. Pond Hockey sells tickets and jerseys, but look no further than most every playoff year, low and behold, teams playing defense first systems are much tougher outs and almost always hoisting the cup. Defense is a bad word around these parts.
