3 NHL dark horses to make a Stanley Cup run in 2019-20
By Kyle McKenna
2. Philadelphia Flyers
Yes, the Philadelphia Flyers currently own the final wild card spot for the Eastern Conference standings, but that doesn’t mean they’re not in the dark horse category for the Stanley Cup this year. Outside of Philadelphia, the expectations weren’t high for the Flyers to clinch a berth in the playoffs this season.
Entering the 2019-20 campaign, the Metropolitan Division appeared too competitive for a Flyers team that hasn’t advanced past the first round of the playoffs since 2011-12. The big question mark was between the pipes and whether or not youngster Carter Hart and Brian Elliott could offer stability throughout the year.
That’s been a reoccurring “big question” in Philadelphia for the past two decades, though.
The City of Brotherly Love kicked off the 2019-20 campaign on the wrong foot after posting a 6-5-2 record, but has proven it could play the role of the postseason “spoiler” once the playoffs arrive. Head coach Alain Vigneault carries a wealth of not just regular-season success with NHL clubs, but also playoff success.
Vigneault led the Vancouver Canucks to the 2011 Stanley Cup Final and then the New York Rangers to the Final in 2014. While neither of those former Vigneault squads hoisted Lord Stanley, his experience should benefit the Flyers when it matters most.
It seems that the Flyers roster has a commendable mix of veteran and youthful skaters and the timing is right for this team to advance to its seventh Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 1995.
Sadly, with the unfortunate cancer diagnosis to forward Oskar Lindblom, Philadelphia is without a top point-producer for the remainder of the season – but a motivated Flyers squad skating in Lindblom’s honor is still a force to be reckoned with from here on out.