We’ve got.. hockey action yo!

The famous words of Jose in Norristown.

Here is the full Flyers schedule:

Alright, so obviously they are doing the divisional realignment this season to be safe during COVID-19 and cut down on unnecessary traveling and cross-pollination. As a result, we’ve got a lot of games against the same teams, in short time frames. The vast majority are in clumps of two, a decent chunk of which are going to be on back-to-back nights.

The common thought seems to be that there’s going to be chippiness through familiarity. They are playing Boston eight times in a little more than three months. Two straight games against the Penguins to open the season. It’s gonna be pretty intense, right out of the gate.

Kevin Hayes talked about that in a recent media session:

“Obviously, the re-alignment of the divisions is weird. Experts are saying it’s the safest route possible. It’s going to make for some interesting games. Playing the same team over and over again, eight times, there’s bound to be bad blood. There’s bound to be some big hits and bit plays. There’s a lot of chance for some bad blood to turn over into the next game. Obviously we’re going to get used to each other, system-wise. Come the third or fourth time we play each other, everyone is going to know every player on the ice and the ins and outs of the systems they run. What I’m excited about is that it’s all going to come down to work ethic and making sure whoever works harder is going to be winning at the end of these games.”

That’s a good point. It’s going to feel more like playoff hockey during this regular season. We’re gonna see who can make the best adjustments and tweaks in tightly packed and cramped schedule.

It’s intriguing. Let’s get hockey going again. Let’s get some jam in the building.