Earlier this month, my colleague Ed Barkowitz made what should have been a simple request. The Flyers were about to announce their team awards, and Eddie got the idea to have those Inquirer writers who regularly cover the team cast their own "ballots" for each award. Who did we think deserved the Barry Ashbee Trophy as best defenseman? Who deserved the Pelle Lindbergh Trophy as most improved player? Eddie would compile our votes and post them on Inquirer.com and print them in the paper. Again, it should have been simple, and it was. For everyone else.
I breezed through the assignment without much thought. Of course Ivan Provorov was the Flyers' best defenseman. Of course Scott Laughton's emergence as a top-six forward made him a surefire choice for the Lindbergh. Let me get this finished. I have other work to do. Top three choices as the Flyers' MVP? Carter Hart's presence and play made a huge difference. Travis Konecny led the team in scoring. Claude Giroux was Claude Giroux. Is there someone else I'm forgetting? Nah. Type. Send. Done.
Oops.
