Week 28 of NHL 2005-6

I decided to wait until the regular season was officially over last night to post my diatribe over hockey, plus I’m still under the weather (can’t seem to shake the coughing part, but I do feel somewhat better today). 
 
The Atlantic Division was finally decided and it didn’t go according to my predicitions yet the Flyers still managed to set themselves up for a one-round only appearance this season. The three teams vying for first place all had games last night and here’s what I predicted their outcome to be: Senators v. Rangers, Rangers would lose, thus losing first place and they did; Devils v. Canadiens, Devils would win and probably take first (jerks); Flyers v. Islanders, Flyers would lose because they’d “show up” sometime in the second period with a two-goal deficit, oddly, they won 4-1 (but there were two empty net goals at the end). It would’ve been wiser to lose, let the Rangers take fifth spot, wear down the Sabres while they’d have better odds winning the series against the Devils. Even so, with the Flyers winning over the Islanders and the Senators clobbering the Rangers, I figured my team had surprised me by winning first place in the Atlantic and why not, while I was toggling between the channels, the Canadiens were beating the Devils 3-1 when the Flyers’ game ended. Not so, those damned Devils kicked it into gear to win 4-3 yet I did predict the outcome correctly with them. 
 
I have no idea how Ken Hitchcock will motivate these guys since they still have a problem of showing up for the game one period too late, too often. The Flyers could’ve and should’ve ruled the Atlantic Division since the Devils are aging, Rangers only have one offensive line, Penguins are rebuilding and up for sale and the Islanders are in disarray despite having Satan on their team (I know it looks funny but he’s from Eastern Europe and it’s pronounced SHUH-tan). My hopes for the postseason would be this. Clarke won’t be out of a job as GM, thus I also hope Hitchcock will not be fired as head coach because I feel Ken knows what he’s talking about. He’s no Scotty Bowman but he did turn the Stars around into a winning club before they fired him. The Flyers have a newer, younger foundation ready to go with those guys from the Phantoms, they’ll be okay. Older players will be the ones on the bubble, especially the ones who lack speed: Rathje, Hatcher, Stevenson, Savage and Desjardins. I also have to agree about the lack of Keith Primeau making a difference. Primeau isn’t the player he was 10 years ago yet the guy is definitely captain material. With the dumping of LeClair, Recchi and Roenick, no one remained to fill his skates when he was injured. Hatcher doesn’t cut it even as interim captain. I also feel dumping Forsberg won’t upset me. He only appeared in 50-some games, his contract is only for two years (on remains) and the team has this dependency on him. The Flyers are the number seven franchise in wins and goals which would put them in first for the Class of ‘67, something they achieved before he joined. They will continue being a winning team long after he leaves. Someone has to remove that mental block on the team’s collective consciousness. 
 
How many weeks will this section go on? Haven’t decided. It may be until the Flyers are eliminated or until the Stanley Cup winner hoists up the trophy. We’ll see.