Fans in Philadelphia are ecstatic about the team’s current unbeaten streak, which moved to ten games on Sunday, but many are looking on with interest as the future gets a little bit closer.
A confusing and somewhat obvious statement in some regards, but one that is true nonetheless in the City of Brotherly Love. The Philadelphia Flyers, one of the best teams in the OTHL, may be getting better in the coming weeks because of some strong showings from one of their young players.
Young Mike Richards, a gritty, under-sized centre who captained arguably the best World Junior team in tournament history last year, is on the verge of making the big club. He has played in the minors this year and, in his first professional season, is showing signs of offensive upside that few predicted.
Team officials are staying quiet on the issue, but insiders indicate that Richards will be playing with the team within six weeks. The team most likely will not call him up as soon as he becomes available, but when he eventually makes the grade, could see himself elevated immediately to the second line, taking the place of Steve Yzerman who has struggled offensively since having a dynamic pre-season.
“I’m excited about the possibility of playing in the NHL, but until I get the call, and I step onto the ice, I’m not even going to think about,” says the likeable future captain, Mike Richards. “And if they come knocking, it doesn’t matter what role I play. Maybe I’ll play five minutes a game on the fourth line, but that’s okay. If they put me on a scoring line, I’ll just have to see if I can handle the increased responsibility.”
The only people who aren’t happy with the potential newcomer are depth centres Jim Dowd and Claude Lapointe, who both see it as a threat to their minutes.
“Well, it’s a tough situation. I mean, I came here to win a Cup and be an important cog in the wheel, so it would be hard for me to sit in the press box,” says Jim Dowd.
“They’ve gotta do what they gotta do to make this team the best. And if they think he (Richards) can do a better job than me, then I guess I’ll be on the sidelines. It’s about doing what is necessary to win, I understand that,” comments Lapointe, who sat out much of last season.
Either way, the arrival of this young gun is still weeks away, and the Flyers hope that their winning ways continue in the interim.