Commentary: Flyers could learn something from Florida's successful blueprint

Trends come and go in the National Hockey League but taking a few lessons from a potential Stanley Cup champion usually stands the test of time. The Panthers had a chance to become the first team in 26 years to sweep a final title and lot of their success had to do with fundamentals, something the Flyers should have been keeping an eye on. For starters, the Panthers have a good mix of size, veteran leadership, effective special teams play and an ability to hang onto leads once they get one, especially late in games. Here's one statistic which caught our eye: Of the starting 19 Florida players in Game 3 against the Oilers, only three were former draft picks.