Flyers must remain focused on one goal: The Cup.


It has been 13 years since the Philadelphia Flyers have last skated in the Stanley Cup Finals, and it’s been even longer since they’ve last hoisted Lord’s Stanley Cup; 35 years to be exact.

So, when the 2010 Cup Finals begin this Saturday night at the United Center in Chicago, the Flyers will take nothing for granted as they know that this could be their last chance ever to win a championship.

Take Simon Gagne for example.

Gagne is the longest tenured Flyer on the roster, and has been to four Conference Finals, no Stanley Cups in nine years with Philadelphia. He wants his younger teammates to know that this is their shot.

“I’m 30 years old now, and I was there when I was 19 [in a conference final],” Gagne said. “I want to tell them what I went through in my 10 years in Philly. This might be the only chance for those guys, too.”

Then you have Chris Pronger, who will be playing in his third Stanley Cup in the past five seasons, but he’s the only guy who has played in June on the Flyers roster.

Take a quick glance at the Flyers, and you’ll see that they’re a very young team. Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, Philly’s two best forwards, are 25 years old while you have Claude Giroux (22) and James van Riemsdyk (21).

For the Flyers youngsters, they have to listen to what Gagne’s preaching.

During the next two weeks, it’s going to be a wild ride for the Flyers from all the media coverage surrounding the Finals to actually playing in the games, it’s important they keep a level head.

It’s easy to get caught up in all the magic, but the Flyers have to keep their focus, they have to take it game-by-game. If they want a parade down Broad Street, they cannot believe that they’re a team of destiny.