Week 17 of NHL 2005-6

Carolina won the Doug Weight Derby this week. Even he figured that he wouldn’t be traded until the Olympics were over. Never underestimate a cash-strapped franchise and its desperation! With the losing skid the Flyers finally snapped against the NY Rangers, I would preferred they passed on Nedved and threw their hat in the ring for Weight. There’s a center with a future still ahead of him, like the excitement everyone had when Roenick joined. If the Flyers didn’t score him, I wish he would’ve gone with one of the Western Conference contenders instead (Red Wings, Predators, Flames, Stars or Kings). Now we’ll be on the business end of his talent with the final regular-season game against the ‘canes which isn’t bad, it’s the playoffs I’m fretting over. As if the regular season really matters once the playoffs start anyway? 
 
Anyway, the losing skid really took its toll on the Flyers. It’s pretty sad when the bulk of their losses happen at home. Philly fans are merciless when they feel they’re being ripped off. Remember, this is the city that boo’d Santa at an Eagles game. Currently the Cheesesteak of Suffering widget has Philly at 8290 days without a championship and all all current hopes are with the Flyers too. Well, at least until Spring Training and I have no idea what the scouting report is for the Phillies. Admittedly, the recent losing skid isn’t truly a complete skid. It was interrupted by back-to-back victories over the Penguins, the worst team in the East. If you can’t beat them, with or without Super Mario, then you need trade some talent, change lines and/or get another coach. It was the other losses to teams who stink that stung; Bruins and Canadiens. The 6-0 shutout at the hands of the defending Cup-champion Lightning, who aren’t playing well this season, was the final straw. I mean, c’mon, they’ll be lucky to be in the playoffs this year and yet they’ve lost all three meetings. Seems like the mental block the Flyers had with beating the Devils and Senators shifted to the Lightning and Hurricanes. 
 
Now the organization feels they’ve done something by naming Derian Hatcher as interim Captain, until Primeau returns. Sure he wore the C for Dallas for years but I don’t know if he’s the right fit for the Flyers. Then again, they say wearing the C is a curse ever since Lindros. I’m willing to give Hatcher a chance because I’ve watched this team closely for several years and I’m stumped for a successor to Primeau. They let long-term A wearers LeClair and Recchi go without thinking the leadership issues through. My reluctance with Hatcher is that this is his first season with the team and he doesn’t have a long-term contract. I can only hope they’re grooming the “kids” on the team step up next season for I fear this concussion will be the end of Primeau’s career. 
 
Lastly, my annoyance with Dish over OLN was fuelled even more with yet another nail-biting, OT victory for the Flyers I was deprived from watching. This time, I tolerated all the flaws of Internet radio via Windows Media Player for Mac OS X (blech!). I would’ve preferred to see this game recorded on my DVR. No such luck because the deal OLN has made with the NHL includes a nationwide blackout if they cover the game. Once again I missed Joni Pitkanen be the hero in OT as they managed to come from a 2-0 deficit in the third period thanks to Joni scoring goal #1, then Mike Richards with 90 seconds left to force the sudden death. Definitely makes me want to consider dumping Dish’s ass for DirecTV despite the ties to News Corp.