Phil Sheridan: Decision time for Flyers

If it's true the Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy to win in sports - and it is - then it must also be the toughest trophy to lose.

The proof was in the red eyes and scarred faces of the Flyers after Patrick Kane's stealth overtime goal brought sudden death to their remarkable postseason. For the players and for the fans, there was immediate pain that will be followed by a deeper, longer-lasting gratification for two unforgettable and exhilarating months of hockey.

The one person who can't afford the sentimental view is Paul Holmgren, the general manager whose moves did so much to make this trip to the Finals possible. Holmgren can take pride that the team he assembled, playing for the coach he hired, played so well in April, May, and June. But he has to be merciless and clear-eyed if the Flyers still hope to end their 35-year (going on 36) championship drought.

Holmgren should take a quick look at Ruben Amaro Jr.'s handling of the Phillies after their consecutive trips to the World Series. After winning it all in 2008, especially, Amaro easily could have sat back and let 3 million fans roll through the turnstiles to watch the very same team in 2009. Heck, that team might have gone back to the playoffs as it was.

But Amaro didn't do that. He made the quick and difficult decision to part with Pat Burrell, the team's longest-tenured player and a hero of the title-clinching win. Amaro replaced Burrell with Raul Ibanez, a move that paid immediate dividends in the early part of the 2009 season.

And then, with the team in first place at the trade deadline last summer, Amaro went all-in to upgrade his starting pitching. After trying and failing to land Roy Halladay, Amaro made the trade that delivered Cliff Lee to his postseason destiny.

After the Phillies repeated as National League champions, Amaro flipped Lee to help acquire Halladay, rebuilt the bullpen, tweaked the bench, and brought in Placido Polanco to replace the steady Pedro Feliz at third base.

We don't know yet how it will turn out. We do know that the Phillies have remained the NL team to beat by staying aggressive, being bold, and continuing to make moves during the season as weaknesses reveal themselves.

Holmgren has an extra challenge. Does he evaluate these players based on their postseason odyssey or their regular-season oddities? Are they the Eastern Conference champions or the seventh seed that was one shoot-out goal from missing the entire Stanley Cup tournament?