Image courtesy of Getty Images

Then and Now: Mattias Timander

The Philadelphia Flyers acquired defenseman Mattias Timander late in January of 2004 from the New York Islanders in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the 2004 NHL Draft. The Isles used the Flyers’ draft pick, which Philly obtained by swapping a pair of picks with the Tampa Bay Lightning at the 2003 draft, to draft defenseman Chris Campoli, who played in 233 games for New York before also playing for the Ottawa Senators, Chicago Blackhawks, and Montreal Canadiens. Of the 40 games Timander played for the Islanders’ franchise during the 2003-04 campaign, 35 were for the Isles’ AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport …

Image courtesy of Flyers History

Then and Now: Jamie Fritsch

Jamie Fritsch only played one game in the NHL. Unfortunately for Philadelphia Flyers’ fans, his big break could have waited a little bit longer. Similar to this season, the Flyers played the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2009 playoffs, as the Pens held the fourth seed in the East and Philly finished fifth. During the 2008-2009 season, however, Philly had a hold on the fourth seed in the East going down the stretch while the Pens had to hope for a shot at home-ice advantage. Going into their final game of the season, all the Flyers needed to do was register a point …

Image courtesy of bleacherreport.com

Then and Now: Triston Grant

Jannik Hansen hasn’t missed a single game for the Vancouver Canucks since the start of the 2010-2011 campaign. After he posted 16 goals and 23 assists in the 2011-2012 regular season, Hansen notched a goal in Vancouver’s Western Conference Quarterfinals’ match-up with the Los Angeles Kings before they were dismissed in five games. Hansen was picked 287th overall by the Canucks in the ninth round of the 2004 NHL Draft, one slot after the Philadelphia Flyers selected left winger Triston Grant. After his final season with the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League, Grant signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Flyers’ organization …

READ:12