For Those About to Block, We Salute You

Alright, I’ll say it. I’m aroused. 

To start off, I’d like to apologize because I tried to write this earlier and send it to Jim to edit but Robert Hagg kept blocking my signal.

WOW, Flyers fans. HOWWW THE HELL ARE YAAA? As someone who is a big fan and appreciator of bottom six players, I am living in a euphoric paradise watching this Flyers team play. 

The grit, toughness, and tenacity of a player is a lost art in today’s NHL. However, due to such a scarcity of that style play, its easy to detect when a player uses that style of play efficiently, it stands out more than a midget at a Samuel Morin doppelgänger retreat. (Someone has to make this event happen now.) 

“Bottom six guys”

“Role Players”

 “Depth Skaters”

These are terms frequently used to describe guys who play with this aforementioned style. But those terms tend to come with tags of a certain negative connotation, whether it be intentional or unintentional. 

When I’m watching a game, I’m the type of person that doesn’t ultimately look at the end result. I’m more interested in how the initial play developed.

Well what does that mean necessarily? Face-offs, board battles, strong forecheck, BLOCKED SHOTS, timely hits that force separation, overall physicality, and energy. 

The truth of the matter is, whether you like it or not, those type of plays and players create and cause more goals than a 10-bell play or Sportscenter Top 10 snipe (ha, that’s a joke, Sportcenter doesn’t know what hockey is).

The guys that have stood out to me on this Flyers team in the postseason aren’t the ones that get paid the most, they aren’t the ones that get the most coverage, and they aren’t the ones that get nearly as much recognition as they deserve.

My favorite players to watch this postseason have been NAK, Pitlick, Bobby Hagg and Bunnaman.

Thompson has also been noticeable too when he’s been out there.

All of 5 of them have been working their ass off, especially with physicality and grind work on the boards.

— Johnny (Flyers) Hockey (@FlyersJohnny) August 18, 2020

-Nicolas Aube- “I’m gonna hit you in the face and take you to church” -Kubel.

-Michael “The Austrian Piss Missle” Raffl.

-Nate “NATAN” Thompson.

-Connor “Dont call me HoneyBUNZ” Bunnaman.

-BOBBY “THE FLYERS ARE UNDEFEATED IN THE PLAYOFFS WHENEVER I PLAY” HAGG (Scream this for all the Swedish Kids back in the homeland!!)

RE-SIGN HIM (no, not JT).

Robert Hagg. @NHLFlyers

Not even a question whether this man is a part of the future of this blueline.

Its okay for defenseman to be created differently, folks. The “stay at home” defensive defenseman is just as valuable as a two-way dman. Wake up.

— Johnny (Flyers) Hockey (@FlyersJohnny) August 17, 2020

…And last but not least:

-TYLER “I NEVER DO ANYTHING WRONG” PITLICK, BABY.

Tyler Pitlick is one of those guys that doesn’t get a lot of ice time but you notice him EVERY time he’s out there.

Always a strong first man in on the forecheck, plays the game extremely fast/hard and always does what’s asked of him.

He deserves to be re-signed.

— Johnny (Flyers) Hockey (@FlyersJohnny) July 5, 2020

These are your unsung heroes, Flyers fans. They do the job. They’ve done the job. 

They deserve recognition that they’re never going to get because they don’t *score*, they don’t get *points*, they don’t get *highlights*. Boo freaking hoo, and laddy freaking da. Go cry in your cereal and jump in a river because these guys create more goals than any $10,000,000 superstar out there not named McMuffin (F, I mean McDavid). 

Endless stick taps and one big SALUTE for these grinders, these warriors, and these key contributors who slingshot the Flyers in pursuit of victory.

Keep an eye out and pay special attention to 12, 44, 62, 82, 18 and 8 on Wednesday night when the Flyers beat the bricks off Montreal and win the series. I guarantee you they’ll all play a big part of it.

Follow me on Twitter @FlyersJohnny

Photo Credit: AP Photo/ Tom Mihalek