Philadelphia Flyers Captain's Offense Is Down, He's Still Leading Way
It’s been almost five long years since ex-coach Peter Laviolett proclaimed his Captain the best player in the world.
A dubious honor from which Giroux, I think has never recovered from. Five long years of ups and mostly downs that have been pinned alone to the back of our Captain. With over forty years of Flyer hockey under my belt, I can tell you this, whether you have the best player in the world or not, he needs a team around him. ( See-Eric Lindros files:) Seems pretty oblivious doesn’t it? Yet we tend to forget this and focus on ” He’s not the best”, funny though that the primary stats tell us he is one of the best the past six seasons.
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Shall we compare him to the popular names that come up during this debate?
We know where McDavid is at and Mr. Crosby stands, what about L.A.’s Mr. Kopitar, Boston’s Bergeron and Chicago’s Captain serious (Toews). All having below their standards of production for the season. Somehow they avoid the criticism for the most part from their fan base, and the media without fail. Is it because they’ve all won cups?
Does that alone admonish them from criticism? Did we get a list on how much money they make per pt a game. Really though, as far as the game is played these days, nobody is earning their money on points alone or they all would be way over paid.
Giroux has turned into one of the top faceoff men in the league and when he has that jump in his step and fierceness to his fore-check he is one of the hardest to stop. Unfortunately he hasn’t had that often enough this year, even at the beginning of the season and on the ten game winning streak, when he was his usual point a game himself, I wasn’t seeing the fire in his eye.
The trip to Florida was the topper as I had never seen him so disengaged in a game in his career. He didn’t look hurt, but I knew something was wrong and sure enough the next day he’s getting engaged. Yes he is human, abundantly.
This past five game home stand however was some of his hungriest hockey all year, but just no puck luck .
Plain and simple, he’s below his career shooting percentage, it will pick up. He will lead this team by example to the playoffs without much doubt in my mind.
Scott Hartnell once said he and the team would follow “G” off a cliff…or bridge, can’t remember which but the outcomes from either weren’t very appealing. Point is Harts was a season vet who acknowledged how important our Captain is to this team, and the lengths anybody would go to for the man they call “G”. Since ’73 I’ve been with this team and I’ve never seen anything like the “Shift” from anybody in a Flyer uniform or any other uniform for that matter.( except maybe a couple Orr, Lemieux, Gretzky moments, counted on one hand).
When was the last time anybody other then “G” told the media in the middle of their worst slump in their career that, ” We’ll make the playoffs” ’13/14 season. We’re talking a “Messieresque” like quote that he made happen as the team followed him into the fire.
Then go on to record 79 points in 67 games, more then anybody in that final 67. Still was snubbed by Hockey Canada from the Olympics, and embarrassed by the World Cup scratches, this kid keeps ticking. If he was a comedian he’d have to be the new Rodney Dangerfield “No res….” Do I really have to finish that one? Ye of little faith, you must believe…
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