Replacing Ian Laperriere on the Philadelphia Flyers: The Darroll Powe Project

Donald Wood Jr.

The Task of Replacing Ian Laperriere

This was going to be another year of stellar defensive play from the Philadelphia Flyers forward Ian Laperriere before post concussion symptoms were diagnosed.  These symptoms could keep him sidelined for the rest of this year and possibly his career.  The doctors that diagnosed the symptoms have recommended that Laperriere retire and not do any more damage to his brain.

Laperriere has been an amazing fore checker and would do anything to keep the puck out of his own net.  He was an agitator when he had to be, but was smart enough to not take a ton of bad penalties.  He was a force on the penalty kill, helping the Flyers to be ranked 10^th in the league at 83 percent last year.

Lappy has always been known for his toughness and willingness to fight, but he has never been unprofessional.  He would fight you and shake your hand all in the same night and he has always been a class act.  He had a blue collar approach to his game and that is why the fans in Philadelphia really clung to him.  Laperriere is the perfect team player, as to say he would take a slap shot to his face, lose seven teeth, require more than 100 stitches, and bruise his brain just to make sure a shot doesn’t get to the net.

With all of the kindness we are pouring over Lappy, the hardest part is saying goodbye. I believe that if the seriousness of the concussions and brain contusions are enough to make the doctors advise retirement, then the warning should be heeded.  He needs to comprehend and understand the seriousness of the situation and take a step away if for nothing else but for his family.

Philadelphia loves Ian Laperriere and his style and hiring him on with the team in a coaching capacity would be good in the development of strong willed and strong minded athletes.

The Darroll Powe Project

Ian Laperriere was such a dynamic player from the defensive point of view and replacing him will be extremely hard.  Thank your lucky stars Flyers fans, I have the solution.  His name is Darroll Powe.

Powe is a Princeton graduate who has excellent hockey intelligence and a knack for being in the right position.  Powe has quick hands which can allow him to poke check a puck away from a rushing forward or stick handle out of traffic to clear the puck out of his own zone in penalty kill situations. 

As smart as he is, Powe doesn’t mind taking the body and sacrificing his body for the good of the team.  In 20 less games than Laperriere last year, he managed 12 more hits and just 30 less blocked shots in far less minutes.  If given the opportunity, the projected stats for this year would be about 250 hits (Chris Neal from the Ottawa Senators had 245 hits last year) and 60 blocked shots (Mike Richards had 64 blocked shots last year), making for a very solid year and cementing him as a penalty killing machine.

Our shorthanded lines are already offensively gifted but with the addition of Powe, his speed and quick hands could produce many more shorthanded goals this year.  Imagine a reliable passer in Darroll Powe hitting a streaking Mike Richards while Scott Hartnell sits in the box!  When a team can produce shorthanded and off of solid defensive play, that team almost always wins.

I don’t know if we will see a lot of Darroll Powe on the penalty kills but as long as I have Mr. Laperriere under contract, I would be advising Powe to study with him and learn as much as he can while he still has the opportunity.  

As sad as it will be to see Ian Laperriere retire, I find solace in knowing that waiting in the wings is a spectacular young prospect who could pan out to be just as good as Lappy.  We can only hope.

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