Then and Now: Dmitry Afanasenkov

By Craig F
Posted on 12/26/2012 at 9:00 am

Late in December of 2006, the Philadelphia Flyers claimed forward Dmitry Afanasenkov off of waivers from the Tampa Bay Lightning. Impressed with his three goals and three assists in 33 games, Philly decided to dress the winger for 41 games in their lowly 2006-2007 campaign. For only playing half the season for the Orange and Black, Afanasenkov’s 15 points sounds pretty impressive. However, when you consider that Randy Robitaille finished two points ahead of him with 13 less games to work with and that Scottie Upshall produced just two points less than him in 23 fewer tilts, the Russian winger’s …

Then and Now: Ossi Vaananen

By Craig F
Posted on 11/07/2012 at 9:00 am

After playing the 2007-2008 season in the Elitserien, defenseman Ossi Vaananen returned to the NHL to play for the Philadelphia Flyers. The Finn signed a one-year contract worth $1 million for the 2008-2009 campaign. Vaananen participated in a total of 46 games for Philly. He registered nine assists and ten points overall. The blue liner also deposited his final goal in the NHL (go to :55), which came in the first period of the Flyers’ 5-4 shootout win over the Anaheim Ducks on January 2nd, 2009. The contest also featured Josh Gratton’s lone goal for the Orange and Black, as …

Then and Now: Petr Nedved

By Craig F
Posted on 10/31/2012 at 9:00 am

Dennis Seidenberg has had a respectable career. He has represented his native Germany three times at the Olympics and won the Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins in 2011. In addition to that, Seidenberg helped the Carolina Hurricanes make a deep and unexpected run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2009. The blue liner was snagged by Philly in the 2001 draft and was dealt to the Phoenix Coyotes during the first season back after the last lockout. In exchange for the 24-year-old defenseman the Flyers acquired a 34-year-old center in Petr Nedved. Philly completed the trade with Phoenix in …

Then and Now: Lukas Krajicek

By Craig F
Posted on 09/26/2012 at 9:00 am

In the middle of the 2009-2010 season, it didn’t look likely that Lukas Krajicek would be playing hockey in the NHL anytime soon let alone play in the Stanley Cup Finals. That’s exactly what happened though after the Tampa Bay Lightning terminated his contract in late January of 2010, which allowed him to sign with the Philadelphia Flyers shortly after. In his second season with Tampa Bay’s organization, Krajicek had an assist, 21 PIMs, and a minus-4 rating in 23 games. He also had six assists in 15 games for Tampa’s AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals, before he was dumped by the franchise. …

Then and Now: Sami Kapanen

By Craig F
Posted on 08/22/2012 at 9:00 am

In the middle of the 2002-2003 regular season, the Philadelphia Flyers shipped defenseman Bruno St. Jacques and winger Pavel Brendl to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a pair of players. Ryan Bast was one player Philly acquired in the deal, a defenseman who only played a pair of games in the NHL, both of which were with the Flyers. The other was Sami Kapanen, a veteran left winger in his eighth season in the NHL. After several seasons with the Hartford Whalers’ organization, who became the Hurricanes in his third season with the club, Kapanen became a member of his …

Then and Now: Mika Pyorala

By Craig F
Posted on 07/04/2012 at 9:42 am

Mika Pyorala was signed by the Philadelphia Flyers in June of 2009. Even though the Finn never played a game in the NHL, the Flyers believed Pyorala proved himself enough in the SM-liiga and Elitserien to earn a shot in North America. With a cap hit of $500,000 for the 2009-2010 season, Pekka Rinne’s brother-in-law posted pretty decent numbers for the Flyers and the Phantoms. In his 36 games with the Orange and Black, Pyorala had two goals and two assists. His first goal as a Flyer was important, as he potted one in a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings on November …