TWO THINGS are always discussed when the Flyers end their season prematurely. One is goaltending, of course, the eternal quest for the next Martin Brodeur even as we watch other teams advance and excel with lesser models. The other is the captaincy, a role emphasized, rightly or wrongly, inside of hockey more than it is in other sports.
The Flyers have struggled with that title more than most teams, both in choosing the right player and in emphasizing its importance. When he slipped out a back door rather than face the media the day after the Flyers fell into an 0-3 hole in the 1997 Stanley Cup Finals, Eric Lindros confirmed that the letter on his sweater was more about ability than leadership.