A Message To The Other 100,000 Philadelphia Flyers Head Coaches:
Hey you. Yeah, YOU. No, not you, move over, YOU in the back. Yeah, YOU. You know you’ve done it. You know you’re guilty. Yeah, that’s right. I’m talking about YOU. You know you’re guilty of questioning Alain Vigneault. You ole sailor, you.
Oh, Flyers fans. Boy, we really stepped in it this time. How many times will it take for us to learn? How many times will it take for Alain Vigneault to prove us wrong? Admittedly, I’m guilty of it too.
It’s crazy to think that an actual Jack Adams Award finalist might actually know more about his team than the thousands of Flyers fans on Twitter! It’s BLASPHEMOUS! You say that he’s been nominated for the award on 5 separate occasions too? Shut up, no way! You’re telling me that a guy who’s led two different franchises to the Stanley Cup Finals in the past decade knows more than the typical diehard Flyers fan? Nope, that can’t be right. Hmmm alright, well how about a guy that has 689 wins in the National Hockey League? Oh cmon, no way that can compare to the 5 hot dogs and 8 bud lights that you crushed after recording your Men’s League hat trick at the local Rec Center!
Flyers fans. As I said before, I’m guilty of it, too. Like benching Joel Farabee for Nate (NATAN) Thompson? I mean, HATH ALAIN VIGNEAULT LOST HIS MIND?! There’s no way that was going to work out, right?
If Joel Farabee gets benched for Nate Thompson, I will hit myself with my own car.
— Johnny (Flyers) Hockey (@FlyersJohnny) July 31, 2020
Well, at approximately 10:29 of the second period against the Boston Bruins last Sunday, Nate Thompson registered a goal. Immediately after, Alain Vigneault slammed his twig and berries on the table, stared right into the eyes of every Flyers fan that doubted him (including myself) and said “WHATCHU THINK?!”
Im going to hit myself with my own car because I deserve it now. Well done, Nate. https://t.co/T90Ol5yt9w
— Johnny (Flyers) Hockey (@FlyersJohnny) August 2, 2020
But alright alright alright, you might be thinking MAYBE he got one right with Nate Thompson, but what about benching JVR? What is Alain even thinking benching a guy who had a combined 1 shot in the previous two games against the Penguins and Bruins? Oh wow, I’M FLABBERGASTED. I mean, really? If it weren’t for the box score telling me otherwise, I’d believe it if you told me that JVR and his $7.5mil/year were still back in Philadelphia, sipping on a daiquiri while playing NHL20 because he has NOT been noticeable at all on the ice since coming to the bubble (As I’m typing this, I’m realizing that JVR will somehow find a way to get 3 points next game and shove it in my face).
It’s time to face the music folks, Alain Vigneault has been doing this all year. Not only has his starting lineups and line combinations been effective, but the way he’s able to create favorable in-game match-ups has been unreal to watch. Against the Capitals, specifically in the 3rd period, Vigneault was able to double shift lines and create match-ups that would keep the pressure in the Washington end. Specifically the NAK-Grant-Beezer line and the hottest line in all of hockey, the Laughts-Hayes-TK line (we need nicknames for this line ASAP, folks).
After 10 years of Dave Hakstol *checks paper* no wait, 3.5 years (it just felt like 10 years), it’s refreshing to see a Flyers Head Coach get the most out of his players, have their back, and to continuously prove us, the fans, wrong. Also, as an added bonus, it’s always fun to see Dave Hakstol on the Toronto Maple Leafs bench and watch them blow 3-0 leads, but that’s none of my business.
Listen, Flyers fans. I’m sorry to break your heart, I’m sure you were once that sniper in PeeWee hockey that scored 5 goals in one game. Or maybe that guy that tore up the local YMCA in street hockey. Maybe you never even played hockey, but swear you’ve watched it enough to coach in the NHL. This might be tough to hear but a guy who’s coached over 1,300 National Hockey League games knows more than you.
Trust Alain Vigneault, folks. If you haven’t already (I’d be concerned), it’s time to buy in to what this guy is preaching. The Flyers are looking to take over the #1 seed on Saturday versus the Lighting (Yes, that’s right, the #1 seed). TRUST IN ALAIN.
Follow me on Twitter @FlyersJohnny
Photo Credit: Matt Slocum/The AP
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Hi I would like to say and believe me it’s hard: LETS GO FLYERS!! I have been a Pittsburgh Penquins fan forever! I went to the games I had season tickets for a long time and I got to be friends with a few of my favorites . I have always liked Alain Vigneault as a coach. I felt bad he got fired from the Rangers. But he has made the Flyers team fast and skilled and I’m a believer. For the record I’m 57 and a girl who played Hockey with guys before.