Since the bottom line won’t change for the Stanley Cup runner-up Flyers, there’s no choice but to move. For now, that means focusing on the short term.
“The season’s so long, 82 games,” said forward Claude Giroux, who scored 21 playoff points. “You can’t be looking at the big picture. Just go game by game and try to make the playoffs.’’
Giroux’s shootout goal in the regular-season finale got the Flyers into the postseason party. The goal is to avoid such a close call.
“We can’t expect this year to be like last year,’’ said second-year winger James Van Riemsdyk. “There will be new challenges. So, it’s up to us to come together as a team, start off strong and go from there.’’
What will be different is having Peter Laviolette, who took over from John Stevens last December, in command from the start.
“There’s absolutely no comparison,’’ said Laviolette. “Coming in midstream, you’re dropped in with all new faces and all new places. The games are fast and furious.
There’s not a lot of time to work on things. This is a different pace.”
But since this is September, rather than May and June, the Flyers are ready to begin the grind.
