Dating back to the 2014-2015 NHL season with head coach Craig Berube, the Flyers have a fun family tradition. The tradition of getting smoked for Christmas every year during the West Coast road trip. With a combined record of 3-20-4 during the past seven Christmas road trips, things haven’t been very Merry. The team will face five western teams in a row on the road once more, hoping to come away with a better record. Eighths times the charm?
This year we begin the tradition against Detroit on the 22nd, followed by a five day break so the players can spend time with family. They pick things back up on the 28th against Vancouver, head to Seattle 29th, and Calgary on the 31st. Lastly, the team will round out the trip against the shockingly bad Edmonton Oilers on January 2nd of the new year. Getting through this road trip with even two out of five wins would be an improvement on the past seven years or they have been held winless multiple times. Obviously, with the opportunity to continue climbing in the standings against out of conference teams, the more wins would be better. Although doing so could be counter productive during a “rebuild” if it is one?
Now as of today November 28th 2023 the Flyers are currently third in the Metropolitan division with 23 points. The Metro has proven once again to be the most jam packed tight race for the playoffs. While the Flyers are by no means, thought to be actual contenders for the playoffs, it will still be very interesting to see where they are a month from now as we begin this dreaded road trip. The aforementioned Edmonton Oilers at that point might have finally begun to write their ship and try to make the playoffs who knows!
Personally, I am looking for this team to finally get one more curse off their back. By no means am I expecting them to go on a run and make the playoffs. Truthfully I don’t think they’re built for it just yet. It would sure be a nice step in the right direction to see them not lose five straight games again on the road again on this road trip. I know this is a bit of a niche problem to hone in on as it’s only ever a five game stretch. For some reason this team cannot win after Santa has come and gotten presents for all the Good boys and girls. I remind you once more they are 3-20-4 in the last 7 seasons during this Christmas Road Trip.
With a little bit of a month ago, the Flyers find themselves on the upper end of the metro division. Somehow still scratching along towards a potential playoff push? In a year of a promised rebuild, no one expects them to continue to win games at this pace. That typically runs out right around the time of this road trip at the turn of the year. We shall see how this all plays out!
By: Anthony Spotts (SpottsonGoal
brotherlypuck.com 