The Offseason

Photo by Amy Irvin/38 Photography

Let's face it, while the Flyers could have beaten the Rangers in their seven game series, it's amazing that they even made it that far.

This is a flawed team with a shaky defense and a bounce back goalie. A team with a rookie head coach that's typically and unfairly defined primarily as a former goon. Craig Berube had to take over a team that was so bad in its first few games that they kicked Peter Laviolette to the curb. Berube somehow got this team to third place in the Metropolitan Division.

So, we come to the offseason. Keep watching hockey. The Stanley Cup Playoffs are the best. You can whine and drone on about parity all day, but that doesn't change the fact that it's more exciting to see a close series than a blowout. The Bruins and Canadiens series is going to be a blast. The Ducks and Kings series has one of the league’s best offenses facing one of its best defenses. The Wild probably don’t have a prayer against the Blackhawks, but who doesn’t love a good underdog? As for the Rangers and Penguins, perhaps, as my friend Joe suggested, Dan Carcillo and James Neal will collide with each other and spontaneously combust.

I highly recommend taking the time to learn more about advanced stats. Corsi and Fenwick might seem scary, but they're all about helping us learn more about the game and appreciate some players that might otherwise not get any love.

The thing about hockey's advanced stats is that they're all about puck possession. We can all agree that if your team is controlling the puck, then they're doing something right.

As hockey fans, we've got some incredible online tools at our disposal. Almost everyone knows about the great Cap Geek, which is going to be your best friend come free agency. I, for one, have been plugging in various top line left wings and dreaming of a killer top line.

Also at your disposal is Extra Skater. You'll be able to find advanced numbers and charts for your team and matchups and all sorts of goodness. It’s an incredible tool that can help you learn more about your team and favorite players.

If you have any questions, just ask someone. Most advanced stats people aren't the standoffish monsters that they're portrayed as. They're fans of the game, like everyone else. No one watches the game from spreadsheets, and no one wants to. Hockey is awesome.

I’d like to personally thank everyone who has pitched in and contributed for us under both Flyers Faithful and Flyerdelphia. There’s some very talented people involved with bright futures. And a big thanks to everyone who has supported us and continued to check out our content. We really appreciate it.

If you have any questions for us, ask away. You can generally find me on Twitter under the @flyers_faithful handle. In the words of our good friend Gene Hart, good night and good hockey.