Flyers Second Half, Can They Make a Run at the Playoffs?

I believe that they can, but before I even start I want to run through the first half of the season with the Flyers.

It's been an up and down road for the Broad Street Bullies this season as they've played some tough games, and they've played some soft ones too, but when you look back at where we though we would be at this point, I would say we've shattered expectations.

A shinning Star?

That would be Kevin Hayes I do say. He's been everything and everywhere this season, which for some is a surprise. The 27 year old forward should be in the prime of his career, but after being bounced around last season in a late trade to Winnipeg, he became one of the most underrated guys in the league, and props to Chuck Fletcher for jumping on the opportunity to get him.

Last year with New York (Rangers), Hayes put up 14 goals and 28 assist through his first 50 games. This seasons through 50, he has 14 goals but only the 13 assist, so why has he looked so good out there?

Well, 3 power play goals and 6 power play points isn't the only production he gives on the top line of special team units, he also has two shorthanded goals and Hayes leads the Flyers in penally kill time. Now only that, in late game Hayes has 4 game winning goals to his name. But the most notable thing is the leadership that he brings to the locker room, helping younger guys, especially the AHL 4th line that we've been sporting, consisting of, Bunnaman and Aube Kubel, develop into strong players that are making a case for why they should be in the NHL.

Oh and can we not forget Travis Konecny's impact on the Flyers success. Through the first half of the season he's led the Flyers with 43 points and the lone all star appearance. It's really nice to see from the young 22 year old who was said to be a ticking time bomb for most Flyers fans, just waiting to have a monster year.

And monster year the kid has had, however he doesn't deserve all the credit. His line mate and captain Claude Giroux has been helping the youngster get open all year, which can be a promising sign. To my blind eye I almost had to compare Giroux's impact on Konecny, the impact the Sidney Crosby has on Jake Guentzel.

Yet not to short change Travis, you still must give credit where credit is due, and he deserves most of the credit for his production on the offensive side of the ice. The gritty forward with elite puck handling capabilities has wowed all of this season, and were getting ready to watch a big second half.

The Gauntlet Run

The Flyers, most recently, had to run the gauntlet of some of the best teams in the league, and they actually performed quite well. Coming down the stretch to the All Star break the Flyers had to match up against; Boston, Washington, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, and Pittsburgh. In these games the Flyers went a healthy 5-1 with key overtime wins against St.Louis and Boston.

However great some of these games are, there is still room to improve. Road trips haven't been good to the Flyers lately, going 1-5-1 in the last one which took them out west, and then to Carolina. The Flyers took many key losses against teams that they've beat, sometimes badly, during the year, and this could be the reason that they find themselves 1 point shy of a playoff spot.

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Despite all that I give you here however bad or good, the Flyers find themselves at around a 55-60% chance of making the playoffs based on numbers that are beyond my mathematical capabilities. However I can give you three keys that'll get the Flyers to the big dance.

1: Keep playing some of these fringe teams tough. Carolina, a team that is beating the Flyers in the points standing by one has given up 5 of 6 points to the flyers this season. Columbus, who's two points up on the Flyers have dropped both against the Bullies. Keep beating these teams!

2: Finish in regulation time. Too many times this season the Flyers have won nail bitters. Not only is this taking years off my life, as the stress levels are way too high, the new tiebreaker to make the playoffs is regulation wins, and the Flyers would be lacking in this department if they did find themselves in a tie with someone.

3: Get JVR going. James Van Riemsdyk is the sleeping bear to the stacked offense that needs to wake up and smell the roses. The team is two or three difference makers away from becoming elite, and I believe that JVR can be one of those difference makers. He has the talent to do so, but you can see, on some plays this year he's almost seemed lazy (Not wining puck battles, failing to get to the net, missing passes). If the Flyers can get him going and bring Nolan Patrick back they could be a scary force in the East.

The best way the Flyers could get the second half of the season started, is a win against the rival Penguins, a team they dominated just a little over a week before. Friday night should be a fun game to watch!