Image courtesy of Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images

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

By Craig F
Posted on 03/27/2013 at 11:00 am

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 …

The Gagarin Cup Playoffs: KHL Postseason Starts Today

By Craig F
Posted on 02/20/2013 at 3:17 pm

The KHL playoffs start today, as 16 of the league’s 26 clubs compete for the Gagarin Cup. Since the NHL and KHL are huge competitors, it’s interesting to look at the players on the current KHL playoff teams to see just how many are former Philadelphia Flyers or NHLers. On top of that, some clubs’ prospects are in the 16-team field. It’s also worth noting some of the teams that received help from current NHL players who played a good chunk of the season with a certain KHL season before the lockout concluded. With that being said, here are the previews …

Flight Plan 01.14.2013

By Nick D
Posted on 01/14/2013 at 11:00 am

Now Boarding: Finally the National Hockey League’s brand of professional ice hockey will be back where it belongs: on the ice, in the arenas, in front of the fans in those buildings and at home. The Philadelphia Flyers opened training camp officially yesterday and will have a free open session at the Wells Fargo Center on Thursday at 6 p.m. This week there will be back-to-back games for the Orange and Black, and they will surely be high energy and intensity games. The regular season opener will surely be a classic as the Flyers host the Pittsburgh Penguins at …

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: Lasse Kukkonen

By Craig F
Posted on 10/03/2012 at 9:00 am

One of the many trades Paul Holmgren made during the 2006-2007 season was one that resulted in Lasse Kukkonen coming to Philadelphia from the Chicago Blackhawks. In exchange for Kyle Calder, the Flyers acquired Kukkonen and Chicago’s third-round draft pick in the 2007 NHL Draft, with which Philly picked Garrett Klotz. After he posted five goals and nine assists in 54 games for the Hawks, Kukkonen went pointless in his first 20 regular season games for his second different NHL team. In May of 2007, Kukkonen signed a two-year contract to stay with the Flyers. The blue liner cost Philly a cap hit of $875,000 for both of the seasons …

Then and Now: Josh Gratton

By Craig F
Posted on 06/27/2012 at 9:00 am

Tim Ramholt never played a game for the Philadelphia Flyers. In fact, the only NHL game Ramholt ever took part in was as a member of the Calgary Flames in the club’s 4-1 defeat to the Anaheim Ducks on November 29, 2007. In the 2008-09 season, Ramholt was a member of the Philadelphia Flyers organization, taking part in seven games for the Philadelphia Phantoms before being shipped to the Nashville Predators in exchange for Chris Gratton’s cousin, winger Josh Gratton. Potting two goals and three assists in seven contests to start that season with the Milwaukee Admirals, Gratton split time between …

Then and Now: Niko Dimitrakos

By Craig F
Posted on 06/13/2012 at 9:00 am

Before suffering a groin injury in the middle of February this season, Tom Sestito had played in 14 games for the Philadelphia Flyers posting an assist and 83 PIMs. The Orange and Black obtained Sestito in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets in February of 2011, where the Flyers shipped Greg Moore and Michael Chaput to Ohio in exchange for the hulking forward. Columbus was able to draft Sestito with the third-round pick they acquired in a draft-day deal with the San Jose Sharks in 2004, which sent a fourth-rounder in 2006 and a second-rounder in 2007 San Jose’s …