 Let’s get something straight. We are in this for the long haul. That’s what happens when you go for broke. At a certain point you make a decision and there’s no going back. The deal: For some teams there’s a silver lining to not making the playoffs. For most, actually. Your short term failures can result in players like Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, or Patrick Kane
Photo: 
View original blog post here: Flyers Goal Scored By… – A Philadelphia Flyers NHL Blog
I have a diffrent perspective than most as to what is wrong with the Philadelphia Flyers. Two words…..David Booth.
Does anyone remember how well the Flyers were playing before Mike Richards destroyed Booth? Do you remember how Richards was flying and playing “Mike Richards” hockey? Richie is at his best playing a hard-nosed almost on the edge game. He creates space through intimidation. He puts a pounding on the other team……classic battles with Ovechkin and Crosby should be easily remembered. However, since he put Booth in the hospital and has become the “example” of how you are not supposed to hit players in the NHL, he is a shell of his former self.
The same thing happened to Randy Jones after he destroyed Patrice Bergeron. Lets not forget these guys are human. They are not out looking to end a guys career, they want to win the game and sometimes push the limits. In Richards case, I think he has seen what can happen if you play on the edge and has therefore STOPPED!
If Richards gets back to his fiesty self, destroying guys with deadly “legal” hits……the rest will come for him. Then the dominoes start to fall. Richie becomes the go to guy with Gagne and Briere going (or Carcillo, etc). Next the team feeds off his energy and on-ice leadership.
Could it be that simple? Why can’t it be.
Well the Flyers won 7 of the next 10 games after Richards hit Booth.
Something happened in mid November. After November 19, the Flyers won 2 out of their next 10.
Injuries, to Emery, Gagne, Powe, Betts.
The Flyers top 2 lines have not been playing well enough to carry the team. With Powe and Betts back the 3rd and 4th lines are better, and tonight that comes with a win.