Stop me if you’ve heard this already: The Flyers were never supposed to be competitive, and so the fact that they didn’t make the playoffs is not particularly disappointing. Chances are you’ve seen or heard it somewhere if you’ve been paying attention. It’s a major talking point amongst the fan base and media.
Then there’s the other side, comprising of those who are unhappy with the team’s untimely demise at their own hands. After all, the Flyers had close to a 90% chance of making the playoffs at one point but managed to ruin that good fortune in just a few weeks’ span.
Whose side you take largely depends on your penchant for optimism, and whether you value a high draft pick over playoff experience for a young team, or vice versa. It’s easy to understand both arguments. Who doesn’t love playoff hockey? But who can deny the importance of high-value draft assets for a team in the middle of a rebuild?
In any event, the collapse happened, and for the fourth straight year, the Flyers will not be playing postseason hockey. Perhaps though, for reasons other than draft positioning, it’s a blessing in disguise.
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