Saturday, July 10, 2010

Chemistry Be Damned

So, I'm looking at this year's off-season moves made by the Flyers. I look back at this last season, where we had a team that took till, pretty much, the playoffs to gel, and it seems like the Flyers' ownership/management is intentionally trying to create a team with no interest in winning.

First, we take a team that was 1 OT and one game away from getting a Stanley Cup, and make wholesale changes.

While I understand that we got to and through the playoffs on the backs of non "elite" goaltending, the effort to improve the team by way of goaltending was conspicuous in its absence. Still, the moves to create a 3-pair deep defensive core was understandable. Keep the pucks away from the goal tender and field a defensive grouping that opposing coaches can't juggle lines around is a sound strategy.

However, what I don't get is the moves that seem to be aimed at destroying any chemistry the team had.
Jody Shelly, by himself, isn't a horrible pickup. Paying Jody Shelly the kind of money they've chosen to - exacerbating their already tight cap space in the process - seems like a deliberate slap in the face of team members that produce more, have more heart and are paid considerably less. Carcillo's already gone to arbitration (almost assuredly) because of the Shelly "deal". Given the Flyers' track record, Carcillo's, now, not long for the Orange and Black.

The moves with respect to Gagne send the message that, no matter what agreements you have in place with a guy, no matter how much a player puts into being a team-guy, it means nothing. I understand pro sports are "a business", but there needs to be a certain level of respect shown, even in business. This shit's made a lie of the whole "team as family" thing that the Flyers have at least, previously, given lip-service to.

I have great fear that I'm going to be paying for another regular season of half-assed play. I don't, yet, see indications that I'm going to have a 2-month playoff run or Cup to make up for another half-assed season.

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