Luca Sbisa (D) was selected by the Flyers in the first round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and has become a star at the age of 18.
The Philadelphia Flyers have become the epitome of underappreciated as the NHL hands out its mid-season honors to the players it feels have exemplified the best of the best out on the ice. It’s not unlike the league to ignore some of its more talented players in favor of bigger names, but this year it seems that the Flyers have lost out in far too many ways.
The success of the previous All-Star Game in 2008 had the NHL brimming with excitement about what could be acheived in Montreal for the 2009 All-Star Game. In 2008 the Flyers had both Mike Richards (C) and Kimmo Timonen (D) attend the game as NHL All-Stars. Unfortunately this season only the incredible revamped Jeff Carter (C) with his league leading 29 goals will be attending the game. This comes in light of the fact that Simon Gagne (LW), Mike Richards, and Kimmo Timonen, all players on the ballot, were not given the nod. Daniel Briere’s (C) injury issues clearly sidelined him for the game, and with the outstanding play of other goalies in the Eastern Conference it’s understandable that Martin Biron (G) was not able to attend. Unlike Carter, those 5 Flyers were on the ballot to join in the All-Star festivities. This marks the first time in history that not a single Flyers’ player from the starting lineup ballot has made the game. Instead Carter makes the squad in the same fashion that Mike Richards made it last season; as a write-in. Many blame the stuffing of the ballot for the game’s starters by Montreal fans pushing to get their slumping fan-favorites into the game on home ice. Because of this even the Capitals’ great Alexander Ovechkin (LW) did not get to attend the game as a starter but instead a 2nd line player.
This is not the only instance where the Flyers have been forgotten. The NHL has focused its media coverage on teams like the slumping Pittsburgh Penguins who have a more nationwide audience even though the Flyers’ attendence is in the top 5 in the NHL once again this season. The Flyers, now 3rd in the Conference and 1st in the Atlantic Division, are still 7 places above the 10th seed Penguins in the East and 3 places above the in the division. The general understanding of the situation in the locker room seems to be a lack of regard for the situation. The Flyers are winning games quietly, but they are still winning. That is the only thing that matters to them at this halfway juncture of the regular season.
The lack of recognition does cause problems with the fan base though as a group restless about the NHL’s chosen players for important events becomes ever frustrated. Recently with the NHL’s Young Stars Game taking place as part of the festivities for the All-Star Game there was a hope that 18 year old defenseman taken 19th overall in this past year’s draft would be able to show the NHL his skill. Instead the League didn’t go with the smooth skating Flyers blueliner Luca Sbisa (D) instead opting for a more widely known 2008 draftee at defense in Luke Schenn (D) from the Toronto Maple Leafs. While both have a +/- of -4 at the moment Sbisa has accounted for 4 more points than the young future star of Toronto who only has accounted for 3 assists while getting a lot more ice time with his struggling team. While the two play clearly different styles Sbisa is very talented for his size. His smooth skating is well-known, but many often forget that at the age of 18 he is willing to hit even the biggest NHL bullies should they cross the blueline. Young Star or not the Flyers are very happy with Sbisa’s progress as a solid defensive option.
