Did Pope Leo bless the Flyers and put them on the path to the playoffs? We investigate.
Call it a coincidence. Call it a miracle. But something’s been happening with the Flyers ever since Pop Leo was gifted an Orange and Black sweater.
If someone told Flyers fans at the beginning of the season that the team had a chance of making the playoffs, it probably would’ve sounded like nothing short of a miracle.
And it just might be.
In December, Pope Leo XIV was gifted a Flyers jersey, and now it seems like the Flyers are benefiting from some divine intervention.
With just four games left in the regular season heading into Thursday’s game at the Detroit Red Wings, the Flyers sit in playoff position after an overtime win against the Bruins. A win that came on Easter Sunday.
» READ MORE: Five things to know if you are just jumping aboard the Flyers’ playoff bandwagon
So the question is, how much does the Pope really have to do with it?
The original photo of the Pope with his new sweater was posted on Dec. 18, the day the Flyers lost 5-3 to the Buffalo Sabres. Their next game, against the Rangers, they lost 5-4 in a shootout.
They remained streaky before hitting a major bump in the road in the last 15 games before the Olympic break, going 3-8-4.
Returning after the break is when things really changed for the Flyers, turning the page on a New Testament of sorts.
The Flyers have become one of the hottest — or maybe holiest — teams in hockey, going 15-6-1 since the Olympic break. The only team with a better record is the Buffalo Sabres, who have gone 16-4-2.
» READ MORE: Four reasons to be optimistic about the Flyers as they close in on a playoff spot
And while only the Lord saves more than Bernie Parent, it’s Dan Vladař and Sam Ersson who have played a large part in saving the Flyers season and making the late Flyer proud.
Ersson was 8-10-5 with a .856 save percentage before the break. He is 5-1 with a .913 save percentage since returning.
Vladař, who has been reliable for the Flyers all season, entering into the break 17-8-6 with a .905 save percentage, has also seen a boost with a 10-5-1 record and .911 save percentage.
The Pope was then given a second Flyers jersey in a video posted to TikTok on April 6.
@chris_gennett Philly x Vatican. crossover of the year. @Flyers Nation @Christine Culin @Philadelphia Flyers #flyers #philly #pope #nhl #fyp ♬ original sound - chris_gennett
The next day, the Flyers went on to eliminate the New Jersey Devils from playoff contention with a 5-1 rout. And there certainly seems to be some religious undertones to banishing the Devils from the playoffs this season.
In that game, Trevor Zegras notched two goals for his 24th and 25th of the season, setting a new career record for the 25-year-old forward. Tyson Foerster also added two in that game, after rising from injury on Holy Thursday.
It’s unclear where the Pope’s hockey allegiance lies, but it definitely looks like the Flyers have found favor with some higher power.
» READ MORE: Porter Martone tossed the puck to a 16-year-old goalie after his first goal. She wouldn’t trade it for the world.
The Holy Father’s ties to the Philly area extend back to the 1970s, when he attended Villanova University, graduating in 1977. That means back when he was Robert Provost, the math major, the Flyers won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1974 and 1975.
Still, while the Pope might reside in Vatican City now, his original home was Chicago, which means he might be a Blackhawks fan. But with a degree in mathematics, he can easily figure out that a 28-36-14 record requires way more than a miracle.
As for the Flyers, call it a miracle or call it coincidence, you just can’t call the Flyers out of the chase yet.