Tuesday was break-up day for the Flyers as they made one last visit to Voorhees for exit interviews and their final meeting with the media.
Essentially all players spoke throughout the day. Here are the highlights.
Notes
- Ron Hextall is speaking to the media on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. He will address injuries at that time. At exit interviews on Tuesday, Sean Couturier confirmed a shoulder separation that ended his season and Scott Laughton noted his recovery progress was good after spending the night in the hospital following Game 4. Jake Voracek, Michal Neuvirth and Mark Streit noted injuries or overall wear and tear that will see them focusing on rest more than additional playing over the summer in World Championships.
- Brayden Schenn expressed an interest to return on a long-term contract. The restricted free agent had not yet learned of his fate from a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday afternoon, which resulted in a three-game suspension that will start at the beginning of the 2016-17 regular season.
- Shayne Gostisbehere noted the intensity of the playoffs and the value of the experience this season. When discussing the possibility of being a Calder Trophy finalist, Gostisbehere said he would be honored, but credited his teammates for his success.
- Goaltenders Michal Neuvirth and Steve Mason both expressed desire to be the No. 1 goalie next season, but also noted the ease of mind having the other was during this season. The figurative platoon between the two made a difference down the stretch to them and helped both of them remain focused and sharp, they said.
- Pierre-Edouard Bellemare vouched for linemate Ryan White, saying that the fourth line had developed a solid chemistry and cohesiveness over the season. White, an unrestricted free agent, expressed a desire to return next season.
- Matt Read expressed a greater comfort level last season than in this season, focusing on the constant change in lines and roles for him individually, which weighed on his confidence.
- For two players, there was a sense that this was their last time seeing some of their teammates. R.J. Umberger said he expects to be bought out during the offseason and Sam Gagner, while saying he hoped to be back next season, showed signs of doubt, noting that GM Ron Hextall has "a lot to sort through."
- Overall, the general themes of the day were a lot of praise for Dave Hakstol in his first season, notably for his calm demeanor behind the bench and his ability to get his message across to the team, with sternness when he had to be.
- There was also a great sense of lack of satisfaction in the end result. A lot of Flyers expressed remorse for the way the season ended and vowed to get better. This focus seemed less on things within the playoff series and more about the push they had to make to get into the playoffs as a result of another poor start to the season.
Quotes
- Scott Laughton spoke about his injury suffered in Game 4 – "I was conscious the whole time. It was just a tough play, a really weird play. I really appreciate all the support from all the people that did reach out. That really did mean the world to me."
- Shayne Gostisbehere spoke about his first season in the NHL – "It is a grind. Just the way you have to treat your body through this whole process, you really got to act like a professional on and off the ice. It's almost more mental, I feel. You've got to stick with it every day and keep pushing."
- Gostisbehere on the playoff experience – "It was a great experience just to get all those games in. They're definitely a little different than regular-season games. You really need to prepare for it. Game 1 was a little bit of a shock to me. It was a totally different brand of hockey. It makes you a better player as you experience it and prepares you for the future."
- Brayden Schenn on his season in review – "I finally felt this year that I had to be one of our go-to guys, one of our guys that tried to get the job done each night. I think that's part of the reason guys like Simmer, Jake or G try to hold me accountable each night to perform. I was lucky enough to get a good opportunity with Hak. He just let me play and gave me the opportunity to play with good players and I feel like I had a good year."
- Schenn on his free-agent status and a new contract – "I like it here. Moving forward, if you look at what's coming up and what we did this year, to feel that playoff rush, I think next year we're going to be even better. I think year-by-year you're going to see a better Flyers team."
- Wayne Simmonds on Dave Hakstol – "I think he had a huge impact on us. The way he handles himself, his calmness behind the bench, I think that went down the line. I think we fed off that and it helped us a lot."
- Claude Giroux on the season in review – "I think everybody, first day of camp, we understood it was going to be a process that might take a while for us to start playing the way we want to play, our identity. I think it only got better. Every week, we were learning, we were excited to play those games. I think guys did a good job staying motivated."
Kevin Durso is managing editor for Flyerdelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Durso.
