After a great deal of change over the last 11 months the only thing that anyone can really be sure about in Philadelphia is that this is a new era of Flyers hockey. Just how much success that era happens to lead to remains to be seen.
This season is surrounded by questions for the Flyers. With a whole new group of veteran leadership in the dressing room, the state of the captaincy is one of the more popular ones. With Daniel Briere, Kimmo Timonen and Jason Smith--all former captains--aboard in addition to a handful of key returning veterans, who will be wearing the "C" come October 4th is anybody's guess. Head Coach John Stevens and company have kept rather hushed on the matter, simply giving the same generic answers any time a member of the media asks them about the club's future captain.
It makes perfect sense that fans, media, etc. would be asking about the captaincy as long as the position is vacant, but to me there only seems to be one correct answer. The Flyers would be fools not to pile this team on the back of Simon Gagne.
It isn't just because he deserves it, or because he's the team's best player, but the way things have been going lately, it seems like Gagne actually wants to be captain. He has stated publicly that if the responsibility were offered to him this year he would accept it. Players don't generally come out and say they'll accept the weight of the team on their shoulders on a whim. When Gagne tells reporters that he would accept the captaincy if it were offered to him, that's hockey speak for "I want to be captain."
And really there is no better candidate on the team. Sure, Briere, Timonen and Smith have the know-how and the experience, but the fact is that this is Gagne's team. He was drafted by the Flyers and has played every single NHL game of his career as a Flyer. He has grown up and matured as a Flyer. He's been a part of this team through the good and the bad and has earned the affection of some of the hardest fans to please in hockey and sports in general.
He was a part of the team when Eric Lindros turned his back on Philadelphia. He was there when this team fell just short of a trip to the finals in 2000 and 2004. And Gagne was there when Keith Primeau lifted the club on his back and carried a beaten and battered team as far as it could go before succumbing to post-concussion syndrome just months later. Simon Gagne knows the aches and pains of Philadelphia, as well as what it truly means to be a Flyer.
As good as some of the other veterans are, they just don't qualify as well for the position as Gagne does. Jason Smith is a gritty, nasty defenseman that was a great leader for the Oilers, but he can't tell you how the Flyers felt when they blew a 3-1 advantage in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2000. Kimmo Timonen is an outstanding offensive defenseman, but he doesn't know how it felt for the Flyers when Primeau soared the game winner over Ron Tugnutt's shoulder that same year in the Eastern Conference Semis. And Daniel Briere was only helping the Sabres pile on over the Flyers just less than a year ago in a 9-1 blowout that lead to the firing of then-coach Ken Hitchcock and resignation of former GM Bob Clarke.
And though returning veterans like Sami Kapanen and Mike Knuble have proved themselves to be valuable heart and soul type players, it just means something more when the go-to-guy on the ice not only steps up his own game, but leads the team as well. Gagne is already the face of the franchise, he might as well be its heart too.
It has all been building up to this for Gagne. From being a young player on some good teams to the collapse and retooling of the club over the last year while he was one of the few players still having success on the ice, he has been through it all. He has earned the opportunity. Now it's up to the Flyers to give it to him.
I think the "c" is way overrated. Good players lead by example whether they have it or not and young players develop solid work ethics because they have character and desire, not because some guy with a "c" on his jersey tells them to. Anyway, I hope to see a resurgent Flyer team on the ice this year.
I don't think that any of the new players who came over during the summer should wear the "C".If I had a vote it would go Mike Richards,he's not afraid to stick his neck out,defend another player.Drop the gloves if needed.I can count the number's of fight's the Gange has gotten into one hand.It takes courage and alot of responsibilty and I think Richards can handle it.My second chice would be Gange just for the length of time spent with the Flyers,but does he have the guts to get in the face of a team mate,only time can tell.It will be interesting to see who wears it openning night.Please don't have 3 assitant captains like last yeart!
im not a flyers fan but Eric Lindros didnt turn his back on philadelphia u #### whom wrote this article. the man nearly died with a collapsed lung in a bath tub an bobby "the lowlife" clarke comes on national tv an media an says he couldve played he was fine. when the fact was lindros if keith jones didnt call the hospital in the hotel that nite, lindros was dead. he had every single right to say im dissappointed in whats happened here with the flyers management, the chances of a human being playing for a team that didnt seem to care that he was on his death bed were slim to none. he didnt his back the on the flyers the flyers turned there backs on him. the entire philadelphia sports world is no better in management in the 3 other major sports as well, an there well documented at being cheap skates an not signing top tier free agents as well. this year is the only exception with the flyers saying we need scorers an went out an got them.
BigBlueFan80 your not a flyers fan but you be whom the #### is. #1 Learn to spell! #2 Don't defend something you have no idea about, your boy Lindros was a descent player but he chumped his way right out of philly, with more than that incident! Flyers have been cheap? No way! Eagles cheap? Not really. Sixers Cheap? Not cheap, just bad decisions & detrimental contracts; Matt Geiger, Chris Webber. Phillies cheap! Definitely, please get a descent pitcher for the love of ...
I agree with Gagne having the "c".He has proven himself,so why not? As far as #88? I think his parents had alot to do with how all the whole situation went, maybe an outside agent would of
been a good thing. but than again who loves you more than "MOM".Ah well what do i know about hockey,i'm just a Canadian!
Not a bad choice. I think the best part of this situation IS the fact of having a handful of solid leaders to choose from. I'm really looking forward to this year, just please STAY HEALTHY! : )
I think that Downie clearly crossed the line a bit and a fine or short suspension might be warranted. However, the Canadian media has really blown it out of proportion. TSN was using all sorts of biased language in their descriptions of the hit. Unfortunately, I think had that been one of the Flyers' players it would have just been called an "unfortunate incident" and TSN wouldn't have been huffing and puffing the way they were. Interestingly enough, during the highlights of the game when a Senators player went very low at Scottie Upshall's knees, TSN called it a "beautiful hip check."
A first-offense type punishment is warranted, but anything further would simply been caving in to media scrutiny.
My understanding was that Lindros was poison to that team. The rumor was he slept with someone's wife and the when it came out they decided to trade the other popular player to Carolina. Supposedly most of the other players sided with the traded player and went against Lindros and management. That was the beginning of the end of the Lindros era - or so I thought.
I'm a Flyers Season Ticket Holder And BIG BLUE FAN IS EXACTLY RIGHT! The #### who wrote this doesn't have a clue. Eric Lindros did not turn his back on Philly. With concussions being more and more prevelent I don't think he would have even been allowed to come back as quick as he did half the time. AND BIG BLUES STORY ABOUT KEITH JONES IS CORRECT! Bob Clarke didn't give us Rod BrindAmour Mark Recchi or Eric Lindros they were already here. Clarke did nothing with an open salary cap and admitted such last fall that he hadn't been doing his job for years! Lindros never had a supporting cast never a goalie. Ron Hextall was a joke (except for his rookie year) Lindros gave it all when he was here. Keep buying into Philly management. Do you see any rings cups or Bowls here. We just blame our stars instead of getting them decent help. Examples, Barkley, Schilling, Iverson, BrindAmour, Lindros, Rolen, McNabb, Owens, keep listening to management and we'll continue our run all of the above just wanted additional players (help) to win a championship and half them now have their rings. Could have been here.
hardcorefilly, I'll comment on the hit he left his skates so now we can expect Chris Neil or MCGRatton to land a nice elbow to the temple of Gagne and Briere later in the season since the penalty is only one game. Better resign Forsberg now, I'd like to see him back anyway as a point a game guy as a second line center.
so if i'm reading between the lines correctly then lindros ####ed brind amour's wife and then they traded brind amour. huh, i hadn't heard that one but it doesn't surprise me. i always thought lindros was a d-o-u-c-h-e bag and they should have traded him after elvis stojko kicked his #### at a post game party during the world cup!!
Last edited by heywoodjablome on September 27th at 12:36 PM.
oh, and for all of you people whining about lindros' concussions check out this video on tsn from '98 of lindros delivering a concussion to dackle.
http://broadband.tsn.ca/tsn/?vid=17 990
never thought i'd see the day when broad street bully fans would be so worried about their prima donas that they don't want to see a crushing check. after all, this is the team that once had the russian red army team too afraid to come out for the second period of a exhibition game against them. wtf happened to philly fans??
Last edited by heywoodjablome on September 27th at 12:38 PM.
Boy you really know your stuff the lindros stojko rumor was one of the biggest hoaxes on the net back in the day you really do believe everything you read and buy into everything Philly management tells you. Try forming your own opinions about things don't listen to what the writers and management feeding you. Lindros and Stojko are best friends! So you'll be one of the first ones to be calling for Briere or Gagne to leave town if things don't start well. Your the same guy who booed Curt Schilling, Rod Brind Amour and Scott Rolen right of town because they were crying about winning. Lindros played tough while he was here and his heart out so I'm missing your point.
i didn't read about lindros v stojko. jim rome had chelios on his show during that world cup and asked him about it because chelios was at the party. chelios chuckled and said no comment. i took that as a yes it did happen given the context of the interview. but i'm glad to hear that erica and elvis have made up. i'm sure they make a lovely couple. btw, i'm only a flyer fan, can't stand the iggles, or careless about your other teams. i grew up a flyers fan in the early '70's because they were #### kickers, loved watching them bring the pain to the canadiens, bruins and the russian team when they would come across the pond. sorry to see a panty waste like yourself has become the new breed of flyers fan.
dude, I miss that to, I agree with you completely on that. The 70's bone crushing mentality was great we don't have a disagreement there. Continued into the 80's with Dave Brown Rick Tocchet Boxcar and the rest of them and that was the one reason I liked Hextall as well. What I don't get is why we are argueing over Eric Lindros. When healthy he crushed everyone in sight won every fight took on the McSorley's everyone. MANAGEMENT "Bob Clarke" failed to continue that mentalality talent wise and kick #### wise. I'm all for bringing the glory days back I can't stand to watch Fedoruk get knocked out twice in one year. Something has to be done. I just disagree with the whole Lindros thing he was an #### Kicker as you would say. We have been getting our #### kicked for 10 years now. And your right now that Holmgren is in there things maybe will change. I am not a new age Flyers fan I can't handle getting tuned up everynight. Lindros never got tuned up and that mentality completely has left since he has left. Bob Clarke was a great player he just couldn't GM and it #### this city out of a cup and he made Lindros look like an azzhole.
So Gagne wasnt ready to be the captains last season, but now he is? Ummm...no thank you.
A true captains DOES NOT turn down the captaincy, as Gagne did last season. It was the worst season in franchise history, and the time when leadership was needed most, and he turned it down. And dont give me this "I wasnt ready to be captain" excuse either. A REAL captain does not turn down the "C". A REAL captain takes charge when they are asked, and Gagne did not.
Gagne had his chance and didnt want it. The Flyers should take note and find a REAL captain.
you are exactly right shadowck,couldnt take the bad,so dont give it to him when the goin is good,im a sabres fan,but i look forward to watchin some pilly games they look really good,should b fun for philly fans,so forget the clark an lindros junk an enjoy your team !!!!!!
Now that they've chosen their captains, I think the choices were well thought out. Anyone who watched Smith in Edmonton saw what a good leader he is, and he showed in the pre-season that he's brought that fire to Philly. Gagne deserves the 'A' as a long time Flyer and Richie is a great choice for the future.
This is going to be great year for the orange and black.
I'm from South Jersey and recently graduated from college with a degree in Radio/TV/Film and Journalism. I'm hoping to get into sports journalism since I was a sportswriter for my college newspaper and really enjoyed it. I'm a huge Philly sports fan and still hoping that one of my teams will finally win a championship within my lifetime.
