The Flyers Are So Back Thanks To Their New 'Fight Coaches'

Every hockey fan knows that some of the most feared teams in NHL history were the Philadelphia Flyers' "Broad Street Bullies" of the 1970s, which won a pair of Stanley Cups, sent the Soviets home crying, and gave countless opponents cases of the "Philly Flu."

While the organization has always embraced varying degrees of grit, some people think that the team might be looking to go back in time after a couple of players and Flyers brass took a photo with Philly locals Andre Petroski and Johnny Garbarino.

According to The Hockey News, Petroski is a UFC fighter, while Garbarino is an MMA fighter and boxer, and the two were recently seen in a photo on Garbarino's Instagram page that was taken at the Flyers' training facility in Voorhees, New Jersey.

You've got GM Danny Briere in that photo, along with president Keith Jones, D-man Hunter McDonald, and Tyson Foerster, who had a breakout year last season.

Petroski later talked about why the team invited him in to work with the team's young, burgeoning superstar, Matvei Mikhkov.

"Michkov... they were saying he needs to learn how to fight, he can't fight. I watch, and he fights a decent amount. He seems a little smaller, but he was in a couple of the fights," Petroski said during an appearance on the Tapout or Cashout podcast.

Truthfully, Michkov never actually had a legitimate fight, but there were plenty of times in his rookie campaign when he made it clear that he's not going to get pushed around.

Petroski also said that the Flyers' most experienced pugilist, forward Nicholas Deslauriers, is also looking to get some training (which is the last thing every other fighter in the league wants to hear, because he can throw 'em already).

"Deslauriers, he's the one big fighter. He's hurt right now, but we're going to train him, too. They said he's interested," Petroski said.

There's been a lot of talk about how fighting is slowly dying in hockey, but I think the Florida Panthers have showed everyone these last two seasons that there's still value in playing the game with a lot of grit and physicality, and it sounds like the Flyers might have more of that this fall.