Rafael Diaz

Five Questions: Fixing the Flyers

Flyers Faithful revisited a former recurring feature, Five Questions, to address some current hot and important topics, including the draft, prospects, and the future of the Flyers. For this edition of Five Questions, we asked John Saquella, Jim Butler, James Centifonti, Joshua Janet, and our very own Jared Abbott to participate. Below, you will find their answers to today’s question. If you were currently the General Manager of the Flyers, how would you go about fixing the defense without decimating the core of the team? John Saquella: I feel, rather strongly, that a lot of the team’s defensive issues are due …

Grossmann out 2-3 weeks with concussion

The Season of Wither for the Flyers defense corps continues, with the revelation that Nicklas Grossmann will miss an additional 2-to-3 weeks with a concussion. The news is not new, nor has it been released by the club officially, but multiple reports have stated the case along with the updated timetable on Wednesday. Grossmann has been out since March 18 — a 4-2 road loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning — with what has been called an upper-body injury. The 28-year-old Swede enjoyed a good run in his first “full” season with Philadelphia, with a goal and four points along …

Come tomorrow, tomorrow I'll be gone

Looking forward: Who goes?

Prior to curating your opinions last week, I ran down a list of the players that the Flyers should keep heading into next season. This week, I will take a different approach, stating not what should happen but what may actually happen. Throughout yesterday’s trade deadline, the team remained relatively quiet, surfacing only to claim Adam Hall off of waivers to fill Max Talbot’s spot and to swap backup goalies. The front office openly acknowledges there are many holes to fill but the restraint shown today is an indicator that Paul Holmgren is not going to overpay for players just for the sake of …

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Atlantic Watch: Flyers add Huskins and Rosehill, Pens’ streak ends, Islanders sit in eighth, Rangers add Clowe

The Philadelphia Flyers fought hard this week to stay in the playoff hunt, but a laundry list of injuries is only going to make things more difficult for the Orange and Black to reach the postseason. With a depleted defense and the loss of a key energy forward, Philly will need to grab a handful of points against three teams in the playoff picture and one looking to crack the Eastern Conference’s top eight. The Flyers started the week with a 4-3 shootout loss to the New York Islanders in Philly on Thursday. Josh Bailey beat Ilya Bryzgalov on the …

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Flight Plan: North and South East

The Philadelphia Flyers are feeling a little bit better about themselves today as they beat the Boston Bruins yesterday by a score of 3-1. Despite losing three of their last four games, they gained a point in two of them and are currently just four points out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. This week will see them host the Washington Capitals and Montreal Canadiens, before travelling north to visit the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Winnipeg Jets. You can purchase tickets to all Philadelphia Flyers games here: http://www.tiqiq.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers-tickets/?publisherid=1260333 Unfortunately for the Flyers, they got hit …

Oh my God, we're not having a fire... sale (yet)!

Looking forward: Who stays?

Planning for next season. It’s the phrase you have heard in recent days and will continue to hear after each excruciating loss and lackluster performance. It is a way of saying that season is beyond repair and that the organization will make no knee-jerk moves or hasty decisions. Take, for instance, Peter Laviolette. Whether he is a fall guy or responsible for the poor play of the team is irrelevant at this point. As Chris Therien said on the radio last night, “Each coach has an expiration date. You get hired to get fired.” It’s an inevitability, a foregone conclusion. Lavy is merely …

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Atlantic Watch: Flyers keep slipping, Penguins keep winning, Rangers and Devils hanging on to playoff spots, Islanders within reach of postseason

The Philadelphia Flyers were the only team in the Atlantic Division not to win a game this week, as they went 0-1-1 against the Pens and Rangers. Things don’t get any easier for the Flyers over the next week, as they take on a division leader and two teams fighting to make the postseason. After a six-day break, the Flyers dropped a 2-1 overtime decision to the Pittsburgh Penguins at the CONSOL Energy Center on Sunday. Tyler Kennedy, who missed the Pens’ game against the New York Islanders due to being sick, ripped one over Ilya Bryzgalov’s right shoulder with 2:27 left …

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Kennedy scores winner in overtime, Flyers lose 2-1 in Pittsburgh

Unfortunately for the Philadelphia Flyers they couldn’t continue their annual tradition of ending a lengthy Pittsburgh Penguins’ winning streak, as the Pens squeaked out a 2-1 overtime win at the CONSOL Energy Center tonight. Tyler Kennedy’s fifth goal of this shortened season beat Ilya Bryzgalov 2:33 into overtime, as Pittsburgh extended their winning streak to 12 games. Claude Giroux was the lone Flyer to beat Marc-Andre Fleury in the loss, while Sidney Crosby took advantage off a 5-on-3 power play late in the contest to send it past regulation. Fleury had 27 saves to Bryzgalov’s 33 to earn the win this …

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It’s time to say goodbye to dump and chase and emphasize puck possession

I’ve always been the kind of person to ask “why”. I tend to not just accept things as they are presented to me, but rather, I’d like to understand the nuances behind whatever it may be. I apply this same questioning to the game of hockey; and of late, particularly why the Flyers, and the game of ice hockey in general, can’t seem to rid itself of dump and chase and strongly emphasize puck possession. If you know me personally, you know that I’ve played roller hockey my entire life, into my young adulthood. I played ECRHA and AIHL hockey, …

Flyers blow three-goal lead, lose 5-4 to Penguins

The Philadelphia Flyers had the Pittsburgh Penguins right where they wanted them after the first period, but the visitors responded with four unanswered goals to pull off the 5-4 win tonight at the Wells Fargo Center. Chris Kunitz had the game-winner on a night where he had two goals and an assist, while Sidney Crosby posted a three-assist performance. Tomas Vokoun earned the win after he relieved Marc-Andre Fleury, as he denied all 14 of the shots he faced. With the game tied 4-4 after 40 minutes, Kunitz beat Brian Boucher, who had five saves on six shots in 22:53 …

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