As bad as the Flyers played in the second period against Pittsburgh on Thursday, I got the feeling it could have been much worse.
We all kept waiting for a game of pond hockey to break out and in the end what we saw was the Pens box the Flyers into their end and just pepper away with shots on Steve Mason.
I think Pittsburgh seemed a bit disinterested, at times, at turning up the tempo in the game. Did you see them work the puck around the zone? They had the Flyers running around in helter-skelter style the entire time.
Were it not for Mason, it would have been a blowout.
Right now, we're looking at the worst start by a Flyers club in their entire 47-year history.
The Flyers have miles to go. I am a bit concerned with team captain Claude Giruox's comments today that it's "not just" him in the room doing the talking, there are others.
I had a long discussion with Hal Gill about the lack of a strong personality in the Flyers room right now. I think they could use one. There is no Mark Recchi, no Rick Tocchet, no Craig Berube, no Derian Hatcher, no Chris Pronger ...
Gill said to me that "doesn't work anymore," with guys with tempers getting into people's faces. I think there is a time and place for this. Gill says that era of hockey is long gone.
I don't know. I do know that when Bob Clarke was Bobby Clarke the captain, he would go around and pull guys to the side and confront them in private and motivate them without going on in front of everyone else.
I don't see Giruox having that kind of personality, either. There are other former captains here - Vinny Lecavalier, Kimmo Timonen and Mark Streit.
The point is, right now, the leadership group on this club leads MUCH to be desired. It has to get better.
Six days between games. I feel there will be a trade by the time the Rangers come to town next Thursday.
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