Though Philadelphia hasn't witnessed a Stanley Cup parade in four decades and this year's Flyers have been lifeless, the Wells Fargo Center was filled and alive for a recent game with San Jose.
Many of the fans had been going since they were youngsters. They proudly wore team gear and followed the action as knowingly as they might a football game. And while the home team lost again, its loyal supporters will return.
Two years from now, the Flyers will celebrate their 50th anniversary. By almost any marketing measure, they've been an NHL success story.
Who could have envisioned that when the league awarded Philadelphia an expansion franchise in 1966?