Forgotten moments from an unmemorable season

The 2022-23 Philadelphia Flyers season is, at long last, over. There were highs, some lows (including yet another 10-game losing streak), a lot of mediocrity, and a few things that have been collectively forgotten.

Until now! Today, we’d like to reflect on a few moments from the season that were either overshadowed by other events, didn’t even register against the backdrop of lousy Flyers hockey and the chaos in the front office, or simply got washed away by the news cycle. Let us know your favorites in the comments.

Torts got kicked in the face by a horse

How this didn’t come up more often during the season, I have no idea. Not only was Tortorella kicked in the face by a horse, but it happened right before a game in Columbus against his old team the Blue Jackets–a game the Flyers lost. That game also had this gem of an interview:

Forecheck, baby. Forecheck.

Lukas Sedlak: Chuck Fletcher’s greatest acquisition?

The Flyers picked Sedlak up off waivers from the Colorado Avalanche, and the move made sense: Sedlak had played with Torts during his tenure as head coach in Columbus. Sedlak played 27 games for the Flyers, good for three goals, eight points, and a +3 rating. Pretty good for a depth player! Unfortunately, Sedlak only came to America because of the allure of winning a Stanley Cup with the Avs–a feat the Flyers definitely weren’t going to achieve this year–and he called it quits just before Christmas. We hardly knew ye, Sedsy Cat.

A successful Disney on Ice trip…when it didn’t matter

Since the 2014-15 season, the Flyers have gone 3-20-4 when the Wells Fargo Center is taken over by various Disney characters on ice skates; their last successful trip was the 2013-14 season. This year? They won all three away games against the San Jose Sharks, LA Kings, and Anaheim Ducks, then came home and smashed the Arizona Coyotes 6-2. In years past, when those points would’ve mattered for playoff seeding, the Flyers instead took themselves right out of the Bedard sweepstakes by beating three of the four worst teams in the league.

Morgan Frost is a toilet seat

I’ve spent all season trying to puzzle out this analogy, and I still haven’t figured it out. Is the toilet seat being up a good thing? Or is down the preferred position? In which case, is Frost being down like a toilet seat the ideal? Magnets–how do they work?

Funnily enough, Frost’s scoring started trending upward a week or so after those comments–so much so that he became one of the Flyers’ leading point producers from December onwards, beginning with a four-point outing against the Coyotes. We may not be able to understand the inner machinations of John Tortorella’s mind, but I guess the toilet seat comments got through to Frost.

Rasmus Ristolainen’s shorthanded goal

Presented without further comment:

Yep, that sure happened.

Nick Seeler scored the prettiest goal of the year

On the subject of surprise goal scorers, this remarkable puck work by one Nick Seeler deserves another moment in the spotlight.

If you had Nick Seeler for best Flyers goal of the year on your bingo card, I’d like a word with you and whatever psychic powers you may possess.

Hayes now, you’re an All-Star?

It’s easy to forget that Kevin Hayes was selected to represent the Flyers at the All-Star Game in February–easy to forget because he scored a whopping nine points in the 30 odd games after the break. What was looking to be a career year completely fizzled in the spring; perhaps playing wing had something to do with that. The selection was a surprise, considering Travis Konecny ended the season with 31 goals and 61 points in 60 games. Maybe next year.

Honorable mentions

Sam Ersson’s 6-0-0 start, which only a handful of other goaltenders have accomplished; TK’s point streak and scoring pace; rotisserie chicken guy banging the drum; Tony DeAngelo spears Corey Perry, gets mugged by the Lightning, and the Flyers players are slow to help him out.

What a year, huh? Let us know if we missed any major moments in the comments!