image from mobilwi.typepad.comGagne holding the cup with Flyers West teammates Mike Richards and Jeff Carter

THE FLYERS ARE LIKE A BAD METAPHOR FOR GODDAMN AMERICA– send their strongest warriors away during their prime, and then welcome them back as old, broken down shells of their former selves and roll them out for public appearances once they're of no use to society.

The Flyers have made a trade with their West Conference affiliate, the LA Kings, sending them a conditional fourth round pick in exchange for Simon Gagne, who is 32 and has only played in 45 games over the past two seasons in LA, where he won a Stanley Cup.

I love this organization.