Though 2020 hasn’t quite been the best — and hopefully there’s hope around the corner — there’s still a whole lot to be thankful for out there Flyers fans.
We’re still waiting on a concrete plan for the 2020-21 NHL season, but there’s plenty of optimism around that soon enough we’ll be headed for puck drop. We don’t quite know what it’ll look like, but at least the dreaded “L” word isn’t an issue.
And whenever the season does start up — whether that’s the first of January or later — the Flyers give us plenty to be thankful for.
None more than Oskar Lindblom, who beat cancer this year — who beat freaking Ewing’s carcoma.
Not only did he beat cancer, but he returned to play in the playoffs for the Flyers after battling for his life.
With the season paused and then restarted with chaos and confusion in between, Lindblom gave the Flyers a constant source of hope and determination.
We’re thankful that Lindblom is healthy, that cancer won’t define him, and he’ll be able to resume his promising career. The Flyers were right to lock up their emerging winger with a contract extension, and one greatly deserved for his on-ice accomplishments.
And it’s hard not to be thankful for Carter Hart, 22-year-old who’s a beacon of light for the franchise between the pipes following what has seemed like an eternity of darkness. It’s pretty freaking cool to have a goalie you can count on, and there’s no doubt that he’ll do great things in Orange and Black and we’ll continue to be thankful for him for years to come.
There’s Sean Couturier, the Selke Trophy winner with the sweetest of contracts for the next two seasons. And Claude Giroux, the heart and soul. The young guns on defense like Ivan Provorov, Philippe Myers, and Travis Sanheim.
We’re thankful that Kevin Hayes used to ref, that GM Chuck Fletcher isn’t Howie Roseman, and Travis Konecny is on our side.
But while it’s easy to get caught up in the things that we’re currently thankful for, it’s just as easy to forgot those that we’ve been thankful for.
Like Jack McIlhargey, the former Flyers defenseman and longtime scout who passed away this year in July at the age of 68. McIlhargey embodied what it meant to be a Flyer in every sense of the term, working tirelessly throughout the 2019 NHL Draft in Vancouver last year despite battling cancer.
And who could ever forget Gritty, our equally lovable and totally ridiculous mascot that provides us with countless moments of joy, laugher, and utter chaos.
We’re streaking towards a new season, folks. And even though we don’t have any idea when that might be — and we’re not out of the woods by any means — there’s still a whole lot to be thankful for.
From all of us here at BSH, wishing you and your families a healthy and happy Thanksgiving. Eat much, video call often, and as always — go the hockey team, the Flyers.
Drop a comment below with what you’re thankful for this year — Flyers related or not — we’re all friends here (kinda).
