You’ve heard the expression before:
Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
Peter Laviolette experienced that. So did Craig Berube.
Yet unless the Flyers have indeed learned from their gosh-awful October starts that have plagued them the past three seasons, then new coach Dave Hakstol’s club is doomed to repeat it.
Here’s the history:
In January 2013, coming out of the lockout-shortened season, the Flyers began 2-6-0. They didn’t make the playoffs.
They began the 2013-14 season 1-7-0. Laviolette was fired after three games and Berube replaced him. Incredibly, the Flyers recovered by amassing 28 points over their final 22 games to earn a playoff berth.
NHL
Last season, they started 1-3-2 and finished 14 points out of a playoff spot.
Obviously, a poor start again under a new coach with virtually the same roster is a recipe for disaster in October for the Flyers.
General manager Ron Hextall said before training camp even began that the single, most important element for success this coming season was a quick start.
Given the flat coat of paint over the roster, this weekend’s start is not something to gloss over, as the Flyers open Thursday night in Tampa Bay.
“It’s happened [three] times in a row and we just gotta make sure it doesn’t happen this year,” Jakub Voracek said. “It takes a lot of energy and stress to make the playoffs.
“We did it two years ago and it cost us a lot of energy just to get in. What to do? I can’t give you that answer. But every guy will give 100 percent that it doesn’t happen again.”
The truth is, only one Flyer seems really prepped to start the season strong and that’s goalie Steve Mason, whose game was miles ahead of the rest of the roster in preseason (see story).
Mason understands quick starts.
“It has definitely plagued us,” he said. “The first few games this season are absolutely critical. You can’t wade into the season hoping to win hockey games.
“You have to go into each and every game with the mindset you are going to win. You have to have that confidence.”
The Flyers have not won in Tampa since Feb. 15, 2011, when Kimmo Timonen scored in the shootout for a 4-3 victory and James van Riemsdyk had a Gordie Howe hat trick.
Since then, the Flyers have lost six consecutive games there.
Wayne Simmonds says the record against the Lightning doesn’t mean anything. It’s about the Flyers' attitude.
Asked why this team has started so sluggishly the past three seasons, Simmonds replied it’s attitude.
“I think we were a little bit complacent,” he said. “We didn’t do some of the basic stuff the right way. Chip in and chip out, take care of the puck in the neutral zone.
“Trying to make too many offensive plays just as we step inside the blue line and then other teams counter and it hurts a lot. They go down your end and score a goal. We have to be smarter in the way we play hockey. Keep is simple for lack of a better term.”
From Tampa, the Flyers head to Sunrise, Florida, to complete their two-game trip to start the season.
“You have to be a good team to start off and win games on the road,” Hakstol said. “There are a lot of things that go into winning games. Having that cohesion, having each other backs and going in and battling together is a huge part of it.”
So what’s the reason to believe the Flyers can start quick, not slow?
“We are one year older, more experienced and we have been in the situation before and know how to get better,” Voracek said. “Have a good first game, play good hockey and go from there. That’s the best reason to give someone.”
Loose pucks
After going the entire camp with Luke Schenn as his eighth and then the seventh defenseman, Hakstol will open with Schenn — not Radko Gudas — paired with Evgeny Medvedev against the speedy Lightning. “Pretty much all week long, Luke has been in that position,” Hakstol said. “He’s the guy who has been rock solid all camp, done a good job and competed hard. He’ll be the guy in that spot. It’s a good pair.” Incidentally, Schenn was not in that spot until a day ago. He was with Andrew MacDonald. Gudas thought he was starting. … Wayne Simmonds said he wants to hit someone and take a hit immediately to get himself into the game. “That normally wakes you up pretty quickly,” he said. … The Flyers worked mostly special teams Wednesday.