For the better part of his three NHL seasons, we've been told that Mike Richards is a future captain, and that he's the second coming of the greatest Flyer ever, Bobby Clarke. The Flyers opened camp on Saturday with the 23-year old Richards installed as the 17th captain in team history.
An alternate captain last season, Richards led the team in scoring (75 points) and was the unquestioned leader during the Flyers' surprise run to the Eastern Conference finals. He's perhaps the most complete player on the roster, blending offensive skill with defensive awareness. He plays the point on the power play, matches up against the opposing team's top line, and he isn't afraid to scrap it up if the situation warrants. In short, he commands the respect of everyone in the locker room.
While there are other worthy candidates on the team, including former NHL captains (Kimmo Timonen, Danny Briere) and longer-tenured Flyers (Simon Gagne), Richards is the perfect choice to take the reigns, because he personifies what it means to be a Philadelphia Flyer.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
.JPG)
No comments:
Post a Comment