We have 25 days until free agency and I’m sure each and every one of those days will be rumor laden until July 1 arrives. Paul Holmgren was fairly active last season, adding Andrej Meszaros, Sean O’Donnell, Jody Shelley and Nikolay Zherdev, while retaining Darroll Powe and Daniel Carcillo. However all of that activity caused casualties of the cap. Arron Asham signed with Pittsburgh as a free agent and Simon Gagne, the longest- tenured Flyer at the time, waived his no-trade clause in a much maligned deal with Tampa Bay, while we took on Matt Walker — or more precisely, his two hip surgeries. …
The Flyers need to rebuild the fourth line
The fourth line needs new wingers. We’ve heard it over and over again from pundits and fans alike, although they may not have realized they were saying it at the time. So, let’s take a look at some of the common themes we have seen this off-season in regards to the needs of the Flyers: They need more heart The forward crop is small and needs to get bigger The team needs more grit The Flyers are really missing a guy like Ian Laperriere The Flyers really miss Arron Asham Jody Shelley and Dan Carcillo have been unable to contribute …
Carcillo suspended for off-ice incident
File this one under WTF…the National Hockey League issued a two-game suspension for Flyers forward Dan Carcillo for actions between periods in Philly’s season-ending Game 4. Here’s the official release from the NHL: “Philadelphia Flyers’ forward Daniel Carcillo has been suspended for the period covering two regular season games, without pay, for his actions off the ice following the first period of Game #4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Boston Bruins on May 6, the National Hockey League announced today. National Hockey League Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations Mike Murphy reached the decision following a hearing into …
RICE & MICE: The sports hernia
Danny Briere has had a couple, Mike Richards has had at least one, Dan Carcillo had one last offseason and now, Kris Versteeg is the latest Flyer to undergo surgery to repair a sports hernia. A sports hernia is different from a traditional inguinal hernia that occurs when there is a significant area of the abdominal wall in the area of the inguinal canal that allows a pouch of herniated tissue to bulge through and cause pain. The inguinal canal is created by several abdominal muscles and ligaments and through the canal passes the spermatic cord and the ilioinguinal nerve …
Thomas Saves 52 In Bruins 3-2 OT Win
A goal 31 seconds into the game and 54 shots on net weren’t enough for the Flyers to win tonight as the Bruins grabbed a 2-0 series lead heading into Boston. Tim Thomas had 52 saves on the night including 32 in the third period and overtime. David Krejci scored his third goal of the series 14 minutes into overtime while James van Riemsdyk had a two-goal night as the Flyers look to win both games in Boston to even the series at two. A strong start was something the Flyers lacked last game. This game the Flyers dictated play …
Refs And Sabres Beat Flyers 1-0 To Tie Series At Two
It’s hard enough to beat the other team in the playoffs, but it’s really hard to beat the refs as well. Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller turned in another perfect performance and rookie official Francois St. Laurent helped Buffalo eke out a 1-0 win in Game 4. Miller had a 32 save shutout and Jason Pominville picked up the lone goal in the first period as the Sabres tied the series at 2-2. The Sabres came out strong and their work eventually paid off as they netted the first and only goal of the game. As Danny Syvret went into the corner, Rob Niedermayer walked to the …
Philly Ties Series In Hectic Game 2
Six first period goals, 54 penalty minutes, and one goalie change were all elements of the Flyers’ 5-4 win in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals matchup with the Sabres. Brian Boucher made 20 saves on 21 shots in a relief appearance for Sergei Bobrovsky as five different Flyers scored to tie the series at one. Claude Giroux had a goal and an assist while Matt Carle, Andrej Meszaros, and Kimmo Timonen all had two assists in the crucial win for Philly, whose power play was more spirited than in Game 1 but still ended up just 1-for-10. The …
Can Zherdev be this year’s Leino?
Snubbed by coach Pater Laviolette, Nikolay Zherdev found himself sitting as a healthy scratch for game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Buffalo Sabres. Laviolette apparently wants more defense from his team and the Ukranian winger is, well, not exactly known for his backchecking prowess. However, Zherdev, who cannot escape the “enigmatic” tag, does have a few things going for him. He is a supremely talented scorer who can be just as dazzling as he is frustrating to watch. In short stretches, he can perform at peak levels, like he did during the preseason (6 points in 6 games) …
Looking ahead: A few thoughts on the offseason
Numbers Current Projected Cap Space for 2012: $1,980,845 [source] Projected Cap Increase for 2012: $3,000,000 [source] Total Projected Cap Space for 2012: $4,980,845 Notable Pending UFA forwards: VIlle Leino, Nikolay Zherdev Notable Pending RFA forwards: Andreas Nodl, Darroll Powe, Dan Carcillo Notable Pending UFA defensemen: Sean O’Donnell, Nick Boynton Notable Pending RFA defensemen: Danny Syvret Notable Pending UFA goaltenders: Brian Boucher Thoughts Defense It’s likely the Flyers won’t need anything more than a third pairing defensemen. They have a number of options available to them: Re-sign O’Donnell or Boynton, play Matt Walker, promote Erik Gustafsson, or re-up Danny Syvret and …
JVR’s Hat-Trick Leads Flyers To 100 Points
James van Riemsdyk helped the Flyers end a two-game skid tonight by recording his first career hat-trick as Philly rolled to a 4-1 win over the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum. In addition to JVR’s three-goal night, both Jeff Carter and Claude Giroux had two points on Saturday. Scoring the opening goal, Carter assisted on JVR’s hat-trick tally in the third while Giroux posted two assists. Sergei Bobrovsky notched his second straight one-goal game, saving 36 of 37 on the night. The win pushed the Flyers over the 100-point mark on the season as their record sits at 45-19-10. The Orange and Black head home Sunday to face Northeast-leading Boston …