The Philadelphia Flyers won the much-anticipated rematch of last June’s Stanley Cup Finals on Sunday by beating the Chicago Blackhawks, 4-1.  Philadelphia, which has now won five of their last six contests, did so in convincing fashion.

Even though there are many new faces donning the Chicago uniforms, the Blackhawks’ core still remains formidable.  Like the New Jersey Devils, who the Flyers lost to yesterday, Chicago was riding a 5-0-1 record in their previous six.  This included an impressive 4-1 victory over their division-rival Detroit Red Wings last night.

By virtue of the win, Philadelphia has once again moved to the top of the league standings with 69 points, so just qualifying for the postseason should not be an issue like it was last year.

There were many positives to take away from Chicago for the Orange-and-Black, and perhaps the most-promising was in the crease.

Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 30 saves in winning his 20th game of the season, as he perhaps played the best game of his young career.  The rookie withstood tremendous amounts of Blackhawk pressure throughout the matinee and only yielded a third period penalty shot goal to Marian Hossa.

Bobrovsky owns a very impressive 20-6-3 mark on the year, and has played his way back into the starting spot after a good run by veteran Brian Boucher saw the first year netminder riding the bench.  Even though Boucher’s play has seen a very nice resurgence, there is no question as to who is the Flyers’ number one goalie.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Up front, Jeff Carter notched two goals and an assist, and was a +4 in earning Star of the Game honors.  Carter now has 22 goals on the year, just three behind team-leader Danny Briere.

NHL All-Star forward Claude Giroux picked up assists on all four Flyer goals, and also finished the afternoon with a +4.

The much-maligned Nikolai Zherdev, who has bounced back and forth between regular shifts and head coach Peter Laviolette’s doghouse for much of this  year, netted the eventual game-winning goal early in the third and added an assist.

It was Zherdev’s 15th goal of the season, not bad for having been a healthy scratch for seven of the team’s 49 games, and sometimes seeing limited ice time due to indifferent play.  He has demonstrated numerous times during the current campaign what a lethal weapon he can be when focused and interested, and today was a perfect example of what he can bring to the team.  His two points today were the first in the past six games, as the previous five were classic pattern of why he gave Ken Hitchcock fits while the two were with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

But the entire forward unit played responsibly in the defensive zone, back-checking ad nauseum in aiding the Flyer defensemen in protecting the Philadelphia net.

The Philadelphia defensive unit played well in front of Bobrovsky.  Kimmo Timonen led the way with a +3, while Chris Pronger and Braydon Coburn were each a +2.  Timonen, Pronger, and Andrej Meszaros all had three blocked shots, as the rear guards held the Blackhawks big four of Hossa (5), Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews (3 each), and ex-Flyer Patrick Sharp (1) to just 12 shots on the afternoon.   As a matter of fact, all members of the Kane-Sharp-Troy Brouwer line were each a -3.

The Flyers peppered Chicago’s starter Corey Crawford with 33 shots.  The 26-year-old netminder was excellent in keeping the Blackhawks in the game, but he suffered his first regulation in his last six decisions.

Another huge positive for the club all season-long has been their play on the road.  While possessing a decent 15-7-2 mark at Wells Fargo Center, the Flyers have posted a blistering 17-5-3 away from home, the best road record in the NHL.

This will no doubt prove invaluable come playoff time.

It was an excellent effort for the Flyers following a Saturday afternoon loss to New Jersey that could only be described as disappointing.  For those who wondered aloud how the team would respond, their performance spoke volumes.

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Taking a Flyer:  James van Riemsdyk was a late scratch with a lower body injury, and is listed as day-to-day…with van Riemsdyk out, Dan Carcillo got into his first game since being a healthy scratch for the past six contests.  He played just under 10 minutes, and had a fight with Chicago’s Jake Dowell.  Carcillo held his own in the bout, but was cut in the tussle and required some stitches in the Flyers’ locker room…both teams were 0-2 on the power play, and Philadelphia outshot the ‘Hawks 34-31 for the game, including 19-9 in the second period.  ..the Flyers return home to play the Montreal Canadiens Tuesday night in their second attempt at recording their 1,000th home win in their illustrious franchise history.  When they do so, they will become the first expansion team to accomplish the feat.

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David Strehle
NHLHS Philadelphia Flyers Correspondent
dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @PhilaDAVEia

After a summer where the Philadelphia Flyers had revamped their defense, the team still had a couple of glaring question marks entering the 2010-11 season.

First, and always foremost in any discussion of a Flyers team over the past two decades, was regarding the goaltending position.  GM Paul Holmgren had re-signed unrestricted free agent Michael Leighton to a two-year pact, and “Leights” would once again form a tandem with Brian Boucher.  But after Philly fell in the Stanley Cup Finals and neither netminder was able to rise to the occasion, would this duo be good enough to ensure that the Flyers would again be a contender this year?

Sometimes the hockey gods have a way of forcing questions to be answered.

As has been well-documented, Leighton suffered a lower back injury in a preseason game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.  Much the same way Leighton had garnered the number one goaltending job after Ray Emery had a number of serious ailments last year, another netminder is taking over the spotlight when given the opportunity in the early stages of this season.

Sergei Bobrovsky, a free agent signing back in May, has been the answer to Philadelphia’s seemingly eternal goaltending woes over the first 10-game stretch.

The 22-year-old, who patrolled the crease for Novokuznetsk Metallurg of the Kontinental Hockey League in Russia for the past two years, has notched a 4-2-0 record with a 2.69 goals-against average and .908 save percentage.  He is 2-2 with a 3.03 GAA and .896 save percentage at home, but is now 2-0 on the road (both in Pittsburgh), with a 2.00 GAA and has stopped 55 of 59 Penguins’ shots at the brand new CONSOL Energy Center.

Perhaps most importantly, Bobrovsky has gone 2-1 in three games played against the Flyers’ Pittsburgh Penguins.  The mental block this team has experienced against the Penguins has been a major obstacle in their success over the course of the past five years.  Bobrovsky’s two wins against Pittsburgh is already more than the team could manage all of last season, as the Orange-and-Black registered a dismal 1-5 mark against their perennial arch-rivals in 2009-10.

Last night, Bobrovsky stopped 26 of 28 Penguins’ shots, many of the difficult variety.  Sidney Crosby only had one shot on goal, but it was a golden opportunity.  Crosby found himself with the puck on his stick in the slot and a good portion of the net with which to shoot.  When it appeared his wrist shot was heading into an open spot Bobrovsky kicked out his right pad, sending the puck harmlessly into the left wing corner.

The Russian rookie was at his best in the first and third periods.  In the opening frame, the Flyers faced three Pittsburgh power plays.  Although Philly was outplayed early and outshot 10-4 in the first, Bobrovsky held them in the game at just a 1-0 deficit.  The team gained its composure and gradually began to control play, scoring three straight goals and holding on for a 3-2 victory.

Bobrovsky was beaten twice on the night, once by defenseman Kris Letang to open the scoring, and by thorn-in-the-Flyers’-side Tyler Kennedy in the game’s final minute.   “Bobs” didn’t have much of a chance on either tally, as both Letang and Kennedy had eluded any Philadelphia coverage and had stationed themselves alone at the far post for easy tap-ins.  On Letang’s goal, Bobrovsky’s countryman Evgeni Malkin carried the puck down the left wing side and as he reached the faceoff circle, found a seam in the Flyers’ defense.  His pass was perfect and Letang, who was stationed to Bobrovsky’s left, made no mistake as he flipped the puck high into the net.  Kennedy’s was much the same, as he set up to Bobrovsky’s right.  With Pittsburgh trailing by two and Marc-Andre Fleury pulled in favor of an extra attacker, Crosby made a pass similar to Malkin’s, just on the reverse side of the ice.  Kennedy went high past a prone Bobrovsky, and the bang-bang play pulled the Pens to within one and made the final 45 seconds an adventure.

Both of the goals had to be executed to perfection, as Bobrovsky possesses an amazing lateral movement.  Any delay in getting the shot off may have resulted in a kick save.

There are some goals that are unstoppable for any goaltender because of a breakdown in the team’s defensive coverage, and these two may have fit into that category.  But the goals also pointed out something that the Russian can work on with goaltending coach Jeff Reese, and that is coverage of the top part of the net on passes across the front of the cage.  Bobrovsky is lightning-quick when going post-to-post, and any one-time shots down low are stoppable with his pads. As Bobrovsky continues to adjust to a North American game on a much different-sized ice surface and style of play by the team in front of him, Reese’s aid with the rookie will be a huge asset.

Although not named as one of the game’s three-star selections, there is no doubt that Bobrovsky’s calm and cool in the face of furious Penguin attacks early and late was one of the biggest difference-makers for the team.

Another game-changer from last night is also the answer to the other biggest question mark coming into the season for Philadelphia.

Holmgren has done a fantastic job of being able to stockpile a dangerous stable of scoring forwards, even though having to part with some because of the NHL’s salary cap.  Many were drafted in the Bob Clarke-era, but Holmgren has had to move forwards R.J. Umberger, Joffrey Lupul, and Scottie Upshall over the past few seasons to keep the Flyers’ salary structure within cap limitations.  After Simon Gagne’s fate was sealed for the same reason this past summer, some hockey experts began to raise questions. Where would the additional scoring come from that is being lost by these subtractions from the roster? Holmgren has held onto such players as Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, Danny Briere, and also brought in Ville Leino and Nikolai Zherdev.  Briere has gotten off to a good start, but the player to have the biggest impact on additional offense output has been Claude Giroux.

Giroux has been a dynamic player at every level, and had shown flashes of what he was capable of doing in Philadelphia.  Coming into this year Giroux had played in 126 regular season games in the NHL, scoring 25 goals and 72 points.  With the puck skills, on-ice vision, and offensive wizardry that he possesses, it seemed that Giroux could be a dominant figure in the game.  But he had looked to pass far too often, giving up some excellent scoring chances of his own in the process.

It appeared as though Giroux came of age during last year’s postseason, as he scored 10 goals and 21 points in 23 games en route to the Finals.  

In the first 10 games of 2010-11, it would seem that the 22-year-old is continuing his development into a possible elite-level star.  He has arguably been the Flyers’ best player this season.

Giroux turned the game around last night with a shorthanded tally against Fleury and the Penguins.  It was his third shorty of the season, and second against Fleury.  Richards spotted Giroux cutting to the net and hit him in full stride.  As he did on opening night Giroux beat Fleury, but this time with the forehand-backhand move.  On opening night Giroux deked to the backhand, then tucked a forehand shot past the Pittsburgh goaltender.  On last night’s goal, Giroux used the exact same move in which he beat Craig Anderson of the Colorado Avalanche for a shorthander in the Flyers’ home-opener.

It’s interesting to note that the Hearst, Ontario native had never scored a shorthanded goal in his NHL career prior to this season.

Giroux scored the eventual game-winning goal midway through the third period on the power play.  He picked up a rebound in front of the Pittsburgh net and went top shelf with a wrister over a sprawled Fleury to give Philly a 3-2 lead.

Giroux has been a godsend for Philly’s special teams, with five of his six goals having been scored either on the power play or shorthanded.

He has scored all three Flyers’ shorthanded goals and has more shorties than 27 NHL teams at this point in the year, and as many as the other two (Penguins and Calgary Flames).

He now has also scored two of Philadelphia’s seven power play goals of the season, as the man advantage unit is beginning to show signs of becoming a weapon after a 3-33 start to the year.

On a team that is still attempting to sort out some of the lesser issues that remain, the efforts of both Bobrovsky and Giroux have gone a long way in providing answers to two of the biggest question marks that the club faced coming into the 2010-11 campaign.

David Strehle
NHLHS Philadelphia Flyers Correspondent
dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @PhilaDAVEia

When checking the box scores for the first few days of the NHL season, the statistics may not show just how many high-quality scoring chances the Flyers’ opposition have come by in the club’s first two games.

Having given up 31 shots on goal in the season-opener Thursday against the Pittsburgh Penguins and 25 versus the Blues in St. Louis Saturday, Philly is giving up an average of 28 shots per game.  While it is still good enough for the eighth best spot in the NHL at this point, there have been far too many second and third chances.

It is still early and defensive anchor Chris Pronger has yet to see game action in the new campaign, but head coach Peter Laviolette and assistants Craig Berube and Joe Mullen have some work to do with the team’s discipline and defensive zone coverage.

Goaltenders Sergei Bobrovsky and Brian Boucher have had to come up with spectacular performances in net to even put the Orange-and-Black in a position to have an opportunity to get the win.  Bobrovsky was successful, making 29 saves in beating the arch-rival Penguins, 3-2.  Boucher deserved a better fate against the Blues, but came out on the wrong end of a 2-1 overtime decision when the puck bounced right onto the stick of Carlo Colaiacovo in the slot, and the defenseman rifled home the game-winner.

The men between the pipes get the credit for the team allowing only a combined three goals in the first two games.  But if Philadelphia expects to have success, there are a couple of things that will need to be adjusted.

The lack of discipline that Laviolette had worked so hard to correct after taking over the helm from John Stevens last November has once again reared its ugly head.  Philadelphia players have racked up 53 penalty minutes in the first two games, while their opponents have a total of 33.  This disparity has resulted in a lopsided number of man-advantage chances for the opposition, who have enjoyed a whopping 15 power plays, which is an NHL high.  Give the penalty-killing unit kudos, as they helped to nullify all but two PP chances against.

As was the case last season Scott Hartnell is one of the chief offenders.  He was responsible for 21 of the 41 PIMs against the Blues, 19 of which came in a skirmish late in the second period.  Having recorded only one shot on goal in the first two games, this is the version of Hartnell that was difficult to watch last year while Laviolette patiently kept him in the lineup, hoping for the turnaround that finally came late in the series against the Boston Bruins.  Hartnell has to play aggressively to be successful, but he needs to employ a controlled aggression.

Another problem is the club’s defensive coverage.  Holmgren spent a great deal of money in revamping the Philly blue line over the summer, and for the most part, the newcomers have fit in well with the system.  The problem seems to be with some of the forwards.  Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, Dan Carcillo, and Nikolai Zherdev have at one time or another looked lax on helping in the defensive zone, and the open man has ended up with a high-quality scoring chance. As I have said it is still early and with the level of play exhibited in the past by these players, and the competency of coaching being employed, I have no doubt that the team will gel into the defensively-sound machine that developed throughout the playoffs. It may just take a few games to get them back into form.

Banner to be raised in home-opener tonight

The Flyers’ Eastern Conference Championship will be hoisted to the rafters prior to the opening faceoff in tonight’s home-opener with the Colorado Avalanche at the Wells Fargo Center.  Rookie netminder Bobrovsky will get the start in goal for Philly, while the team says that Pronger will be a game-time decision as to whether he plays or not.

The Flyers cannot afford to give this young, talented Avalanche team too man-advantage opportunities, because with the likes of Paul Stastny, Matt Duchene, Chris Stewart, Milan Hejduk, and Brandon Yip up front, and John-Michael Liles and Kyle Quincey on the blue line, this Colorado squad can put goals on the board.

Expect Craig Anderson in goal for the Avs.

David Strehle
NHLHS Philadelphia Flyers Correspondent
dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @PhilaDAVEia

The 2009-10 Philadelphia Flyers came within two victories of hoisting Lord Stanley’s cherished chalice for the first time since the mid-70′s, their best finish since losing game seven to the Edmonton Oilers in the 1987 Finals.  After an offseason which saw General Manager Paul Holmgren revamp the club’s defense, the team seems poised to make another run.

After Patrick Kane’s overtime goal in game six clinched the Chicago Blackhawks’ Cup victory, Holmgren vowed there would be changes in Philadelphia.  While Holmgren’s alterations were not as sweeping as many thought would be forthcoming, there were several significant offseason additions and subtractions from the Flyers’ lineup:

Forwards

Out:  Simon Gagne (traded to Tampa Bay Lightning);  Arron Asham (signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins as an UFA)

In:  Nikolai Zherdev (signed as UFA from KHL);  Jody Shelley (signed as UFA, finished last year with New York Rangers)

Gagne had an “oft-injured” tag attached to him that couldn’t be shaken.  Heading into the final year of his contract at a hefty $5.25 million and the probability that he would walk away next year as an UFA, Holmgren thought the time was now to move the popular winger.  At the same time, trading Gagne cleared much-needed cap space to get the team back within the legal limits.

Gagne was very good for many years for the team, scoring 259 goals in 664 regular season games, and another 32 in 90 career playoff contests.  His biggest regular season impacts were his 47 and 41 goal totals in 2005-06 and 2006-07, and will always be remembered for his postseason play in the 2004 Eastern Conference Finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning, as well as his heroics last May in the second round of the playoffs against the Boston Bruins.

But with the addition of Zherdev, Gagne’s scoring touch shouldn’t be as sorely missed as one would think.  The team still has plenty of goal scorers, and Gagne’s always stellar two-way play is the bread and butter of many Flyers forwards.

In Zherdev, Holmgren coralled the type of immensely skilled, game-breaking player that the franchise has lacked for far too long.  And for any lack in defensive awareness that the speedy Russian winger may experience, his linemates will be there to cover for him.

It may seem strange, but Zherdev may actually prove to be an upgrade in this trade off for the Flyers, given the added dimension that he will bring to the team.

It was only preseason, but there seemed to be an instant chemistry between Zherdev and center Claude Giroux.  Zherdev finished the preseason with five goals and six points in six games, and Giroux had five assists in six games, while both ended with a +1 rating.

With the departure of Asham to the team’s rivals from the western part of Pennsylvania, Philly lost the services of a dependable and consistent player.  Asham spent time on the club’s third line with Giroux and James van Riemsdyk, as well as on the fourth line with Blair Betts and Darroll Powe.  “Ash” was always responsible defensively and even chipped in with the occasional timely goal, having potted 10 markers last year.

Asham holds an obvious edge in offensive contribution over Shelley, who has never scored more than three goals in any of his eight full NHL seasons.  But Shelley adds a component that has been missing from Philadelphia’s lineup for the past several years, and that is a true “heavyweight enforcer”.

Asham, Dan Carcillo, and Ian Laperriere handled most of the duties that required fisticuffs last season, and the recently retired and turned AHL coach Riley Cote’ was a regular healthy scratch.  While all are respected for their toughness and grit, none carry the reputation that Shelley has earned through the years.

Shelley’s presence should be a boost to the team in the regular season, but it remains to be seen just how much time he will see in the playoffs, when fighting is almost non-existent.

Defense

Out:  Ryan Parent (traded to the Nashville Predators);  Lukas Krajicek (signed in the Czech Extraliga)

In:  Andrej Meszaros (trade with Tampa Bay);  Sean O’ Donnell (signed as UFA);  Matt Walker (trade with Tampa Bay)

The team couldn’t afford to keep Parent around  for another season and hope he would finally turn the corner in his career.  He was badly exposed in the finals against Chicago and was a healthy scratch for game six while Oskars Bartulis played.

Krajicek was a mid-season waiver wire pick up last year by Holmgren.  In 27 games with the Flyers, the smooth-skating blue liner recorded a goal and two points, but was an abysmal -10.  Even though he had a decent showing in the playoffs, the team felt they needed to strengthen the supporting cast of rear guards, and Krajicek, an UFA, was allowed to seek employment elsewhere (ending up in the Czech Extraliga, the top echelon of hockey competition in the Czech Republic).

At 6′ 2″ and 220 pounds, Meszaros is an interesting project.  After three rock-solid seasons with the Senators in Ottawa, he struggled mightily in an increased role with the Tampa Bay Lightning over the past two campaigns.

Holmgren took a gamble on acquiring the 25-year-old defenseman.  If Meszaros’ play isn’t any better on the third pairing in Philadelphia, the $4 million annual cap hit for the next four seasons will be an albatross with which the Flyers will in all likelihood be unable to unload.

O’ Donnell was an excellent signing.  Even though he will turn 39 years of age next week, the 15-year NHL veteran brings another big body and physical presence to the team’s blue line.

Walker came over from the Lightning in the Gagne deal, and  is set to make $1.7 million for each of the next three seasons.  After a so-so preseason in which he scored a goal, was a -2 and posted 10 PIMs, the jury is still out on just how useful the 30-year-old journeyman defenseman will be for the Orange-and-Black.  Walker may have dropped below Bartulis on the team’s depth chart in the fight for the seventh slot on the club’s defenseman.

Depth chart, lineup, and injuries

Forwards

Carcillo-Mike Richards-Jeff Carter

Scott Hartnell-Danny Briere-Ville Leino

van Riemsdyk-Giroux-Zherdev

Powe-Blair Betts-Shelley

Injured:  Laperriere (Out indefinitely with post-concussion syndrome, will start the season on Long-Term Injured Reserve); Leino (Recently returned to the lineup, recovering from left hip surgery);  Betts (Recently returned to the lineup;  recovering from right shoulder surgery, having issues with left knee presently)

Leino and Betts are recovering from surgeries.  Leino appears ready to go for the season, Betts might be more problematic with the news that he is having knee trouble.  But Betts will begin the season on the roster, as Andreas Nodl was loaned to Adirondack yesterday.

Word of Laperriere’s battle with post-concussion symptoms resulting from his playoff head injury is sad news for any  hockey fan.  “Lappy” became one of the most popular players to ever wear the team’s uniform during the course of last season, and the 36-year-old that was named the “toughest player in the NHL” by The Hockey News will be missed.  Reports yesterday from Anthony SanFilippo of the Delaware County Times is that Laperriere will miss the entire regular season, and may even retire.

UFA Bill Guerin signed a professional tryout contract just prior to training camp, but was released on Monday.

Despite what Holmgren said about not seeing Guerin being able to help the team, he may not be completely done with the Flyers.  Unless another team signs him during the regular season, I could see Holmgren signing Guerin around the trade deadline, especially with Laperriere missing the whole season.

If Guerin signs in March, his cap hit will be prorated from that time until the end of the regular season.  This move would not only save Holmgren a salary cap headache and more roster juggling right now, but it will also give Guerin just enough time to get his game at top level, readying for the playoff run.

Defense

Chris Pronger-Matt Carle

Kimmo Timonen-Braydon Coburn

Meszaros-O’ Donnell

Bartulis-Walker

Injured:  Pronger (Missed all of training camp and preseason with arthroscopic procedure on right knee.  May be ready for opening night)

Pronger’s knee is reportedly getting better, but the team’s number one defenseman missed the entire preseason schedule, and just began skating this past Sunday.  It is unclear if he will play in the season opener tomorrow night against the Pittsburgh Penguins, but one thing is certain - the health of #44 may have the biggest impact of any single player on the success of the 2010-11 edition of the Philadelphia Flyers.

Goaltenders

Brian Boucher-Bobrovsky

Injured:  Michael Leighton (Out indefinitely with buldging disc in lower back, will start season on LTIR)

The team suffered debilitating injuries all throughout the 2009-10 campaign, and no position was ravaged any worse than the Flyers’ crease.  Leighton’s back injury, which may prove more troublesome than what the team is letting on, has paved the way for rookie netminder Sergei Bobrovsky to stay with the club to open the season.

While the team has maintained that he will spend the year as the number one goaltender in Adirondack for Philly’s AHL-affiliate Phantoms and get used to the smaller ice surface and develop his game, Bobrovsky has mentioned in more than one interview that he came here to play in the NHL.

Bobrovsky responded with an excellent camp and posted some pretty decent numbers in the five games that he appeared in:  5 games played, 3-0-1 W-L-OL record, 1.76 goals against average, and made 98 saves on 104 shots for a save percentage of .939.  Again, these are only preseason statistics and one cannot get too excited until he has faced a full roster of NHL-calibre players.  But that should occur in the not-too-distant future.

Is this another twist of fate that will bring a new netminder to the forefront for the Flyers, much the same way that Leighton became the number one last season?  Only time will tell.

Outlook

There is no doubt whatsoever that this Philly club will have three lines that can be absolutely lethal offensively on any given night, while all four should still be rock solid in their defensive responsibilities.

Richards and Carter should be expected to contribute their usual 30-goal seasons, but Carter could score more.  With the right amount of ice time and power play minutes, he could rival his career-high total of 46 he recorded just two seasons ago.  It remains to be seen if Carcillo will stay on the top line with Carter and Richards.

The second line, or perhaps better referred to as line “1A”, was one of the most productive when head coach Peter Laviolette put struggling left winger Hartnell with Briere and Leino during the playoff run.  It was a twist of fate that Leino even got an opportunity to play, as he had been a healthy scratch during the first four games of the New Jersey series.

After Carter and Gagne were injured in game four, Leino got his chance and was put into the lineup, and he certainly made the most of it as he went on to record seven goals and 21 points.

After three disappointing regular seasons, Philadelphia finally got the Briere that was expected when Holmgren signed him prior to the 2007-08 campaign as he led the NHL in postseason scoring with 30 points.

The line combined for a total of 27 goals and 68 points in the playoffs, and Laviolette has an entire season to utilize the production that this line will provide.

The third line of van Riemsdyk, Giroux, and Zherdev spent some time together in the preseason and exhibited instant chemistry, especially between Giroux and Zherdev.  The crafty Giroux and the sniper Zherdev appear to be a match made in heaven.

van Riemsdyk went through a rigorous weight program in the offseason, coming to camp six pounds heavier than he was after the Finals in June, but with a body fat percentage that dropped from 13% to 6%.  This should benefit JVR in handling the grind of a long season, as he seemed to run out of gas last year after a torrid start in his rookie season.

The fourth line will have a different look to it with Shelley replacing Laperriere / Asham.  With Betts centering and Powe on the left wing, this should be another solid season for the checking line.

The acquisition of Meszaros, O’ Donnell, and Walker should not only give the Flyers their best defensive depth in decades, but also will help to spare both Pronger and Timonen from playing ridiculously high amounts of ice time each night.

Late in the regular season and throughout the playoffs, both saw their TOI minutes reach into the upper thirtys.  This would be a rather risky course of action to repeat, as Pronger and Timonen will each turn 36 during the campaign.  The loss of either player for a long period of time would have to be viewed as disasterous, even with the addition of the three new blue liners.

Laviolette has options in changing up his forward lines and defensive pairings, and will probably exercise his preferences during the year.  Both the power play and penalty killing units should be formidable with the lineup Laviolette has at his disposal.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the offseason was the fact that Holmgren did not upgrade the goaltending position.  Obviously annoyed after the Cup-clinching goal scored by Kane in game six, the Flyers’ GM said he still has not watched the video replay.  He made no secret of his displeasure that Leighton had let the soft, bad angle wrister slip through him and into the net.

After Chicago walked away from an arbitrators award to restricted free agent Antti Niemi, coincidentally the netminder that beat Philly in the Finals, making Niemi an unrestricted free agent, rumors abounded that Holmgren was one of the GMs that had been in contact with Niemi’s agent.

But Holmgren denied any interest in Niemi, and the Finnish goaltender signed with the San Jose Sharks.

Conclusion:  Expect this Flyers team not to have to struggle just to get into the postseason like they did last year.  If they can remain relatively healthy and play up to their potential, the Orange-and-Black should be challenging for the Eastern conference crown.

While the 2009-10 edition of the Flyers will forever be remembered for an incredible season of overcoming a disastrous string of injuries, making the playoffs in a last day of the season shootout, the comeback from 0-3 in the series against the Boston Bruins, and coming up just two wins short of winning the Stanley Cup, the team did catch a couple of unbelievable breaks.

Namely, not having to face two of their toughest opponents in their run to the Finals, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals, thanks to the improbable ousting of both by Jaroslav Halak and the underdog Montreal Canadiens.

Philly’s difficulties with Pittsburgh over the past five seasons (just so happens to coincide with the arrival of Sidney Crosby) have been well-documented, and the Flyers were eliminated by the Penguins in the playoffs in both 2008 and 2009.

After defeating Washington 6-5 in overtime in their first meeting of the year, Philadelphia proceeded to lose to the Capitals in their final three contests, and by a combined score of 17-7.  Included in the three losses was a horrific 8-2 shellacking in Philadelphia in Laviolette’s first game behind the bench after John Stevens had been fired as head coach.

One would have to believe that the road to the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals will include a stop in either Pittsburgh or Washington.  The odds against both teams being eradicated prior to a matchup with Philly for a second consecutive year are astronomical, at best.  Laviolette, entering his first full season at the helm, will need to help his Flyers squad overcome the mental block that it seems to experience when playing the Pens, and that can begin tonight in Pittsburgh.

David Strehle
NHLHS Philadelphia Flyers Correspondent
dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @PhilaDAVEia

As reported by Tim Panaccio and CSNPhilly earlier today on Twitter, unrestricted free agent forward Bill Guerin is working out with the Philadelphia Flyers.  Panaccio also reported that Guerin says that he is hoping that he will receive an offer from the team.

But Craig Custance of The Sporting News said otherwise, also via Twitter.  Custance said that he received a text message from Guerin saying he is not hoping for a tryout.  It sounds more like he and his agent, Bob Murray, are hoping that a deal can be worked out with the team.  But Murray also mentioned that he has been in contact with several teams, and that the Flyers are not their only option.

At any rate, General Manager Paul Holmgren already has 13 forwards under contract for the 2010-11 season, with just over $877,000 left to play with under the salary cap ceiling (according to CapGeek). 

Guerin was a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the past two seasons, and was part of the 2008-09 Pen’s squad that won a Stanley Cup championship after being picked up at the trade deadline. 

In 78 games last year in Pittsburgh, the 39-year-old right winger scored  21 goals and recorded 45 points.  But on August 25, he was told by Penguins’ GM Ray Shero that his services were no longer needed in the ‘burgh. 

While Holmgren has made several curious moves in this offseason, Guerin would appear to be a good fit for the Orange-and-Black. 

Over the course of 1,263 games in 17 NHL campaigns, Guerin has netted 429 goals and 856 points.  He is also tough, which always seems to be a key dimension in any Flyers’ player, as Guerin has racked up 1,660 penalty minutes during his career. 

Although not considered to be a premiere power forward in this stage of his career, the soon to be 40-year-old would still seem to have something left in the tank.  

Guerin has scored more than 20 goals in each of the last four seasons, and eight of the past nine years.  His career-high of 41 goals was set during the 2001-02 campaign with the Boston Bruins, and he has scored as many as 36 in 2006-07, when he split the season between the St. Louis Blues and the San Jose Sharks.

On a team loaded with natural centers playing the wings, Guerin would bring the element of another true winger to the team.  His experience and toughness would be invaluable in the playoffs, as he is a proven winner.  Prior to the afore-mentioned Stanley Cup in 2008-09, Guerin also won Lord Stanley with the New Jersey Devils back in 1995.

Still blessed with a howitzer of a slapshot, Guerin could also play minutes on the club’s power play unit. 

With the signing of UFA wingers Nikolai Zherdev and Jody Shelley in July, the wings are beginning to get crowded.  The only issue in inking Guerin may be the possibility that a young gun like Mike Testwuide, who may have had a chance at making the opening night roster the way James van Riemsdyk did last season, may be forced out of the mix. 

With only 16 more days until training camp officially opens, there may be a bit of roster shifting in the interim if the Flyers can see signing Guerin as a possibility.  And I’m sure for Holmgren and head coach Peter Laviolette, a player of Guerin’s calibre would certainly be worth a long look.

Dave Strehle
NHLHS Philadelphia Flyers Correspondent
dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @PhilaDAVEia

After the Philadelphia Flyers’ game six overtime loss clinched the Stanley Cup for the Chicago Blackhawks, GM Paul Holmgren vowed that changes would be made during the course of the offseason.

True to his word, Holmgren added two new faces at forward and three on defense through free agent signings and trades in July.

Here is a breakdown of Homer’s offseason moves:

NEW ARRIVALS:

FORWARDS:  Nikolai Zherdev and Jody Shelley (both free agent signings)

DEFENSEMEN:  Andrej Meszaros (acquired in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning), Matt Walker (acquired in the Simon Gagne deal with Lightning), and Sean O’Donnell (free agent).

Surprisingly, there was no change made in net.  Michael Leighton, an unrestricted free agent at last season’s end, was re-signed to a two-year, $3.1 million pact.  Leighton did a fantastic job for the club last season, but Holmgren appeared a little more than ticked off that Leighton when Leighton failed to stop Patrick Kane’s winner from a poor angle in OT.

Most thought that is was almost a guarantee that Holmgren would sign one of the free agent goaltenders, most notably Marty Turco, Evgeni Nabokov, Chris Mason, Dan Ellis, or Antero Niittymaki.

The crease may not be totally resolved for the 2010-11 season just yet, though.  After Chicago balked at the $2.75 million award from Antti Niemi’s arbitration hearing, they allowed him to become an unrestricted free agent.

While Holmgren’s assurances that the Flyers have no interest in Niemi, the possibility still lingers.  Especially if Niemi remains unsigned after the regular season commences and the team doesn’t perform well in front of Leighton or Brian Boucher.  But of course if Holmgren does reconsider and Niemi becomes a target, the domino effect of salary-induced adjustments to the roster will then occur, as the Flyers are within $327,ooo of the upper cap limit (according to CapGeek.com)

DEPARTURES:

FORWARDS:  Gagne (traded to Tampa Bay) and Arron Asham (allowed to sign elsewhere as an UFA).

DEFENSEMEN:  Ryan Parent (traded to the Nashville Predators), Lukas Krajicek and Danny Syvret (both allowed to sign elsewhere as UFA).

CONCLUSION:  Holmgren’s free agent signings meant that someone had to go, and that ended up being Gagne.  The 30-year-old winger was the longest-tenured player in Philadelphia sports, but his $5.25 million deal, injury history, and pending free agency after the 2010-11 season made him expendable.  And this after his heroics in the Boston Bruins playoff series bolstered a mind-blowing comeback for the Orange-and-Black from 0-3 down.

Taking Gagne’s spot, Zherdev may be just what the team has been lacking.  Gagne is a great, two-way forward, always defensively responsible.  But he fits the same mold as most of the Philly forwards.  Zherdev, in his first year back from the KHL, has the game-breaking speed and offensive talent that has been lacking.  With the continued building of the team’s defense and the forwards responsibility in their own end, Zherdev will have the ability to take the occasional offensive gamble.  Already having seasons of 27 and 26 goals in the NHL, Zherdev may be in the perfect situation to experience a breakout year.

Shelley brings an element that was missing from the Flyers’ roster the past couple of seasons, a true enforcer.  While Asham, Ian Laperriere, Daniel Carcillo can throw ‘em from time-to-time, none of them wear the shield of enforcer.  But Philly will lose some offense in the tradeoff, as Asham scored 18 goals in his two seasons in Philadelphia, while Shelley scored just four over the same span.

The defense should be stronger.  Holmgren has taken a lot of heat for his acquisition of Meszaros and Walker from the Lightning, as the two make nearly $6 million combined and disappointed greatly in Tampa.  And neither will likely be in the top four.  Meszaros, 6′ 2″, 223 pounds, should benefit from not having nearly as much pressure and responsibility thrust upon him as he did on a bad Bolts team.  Meszaros looks to be a number five defenseman, or if Braydon Coburn falters and plays like he did during the regular season last year, Meszaros could find himself as Kimmo Timonen’s partner on the second pairing.

Walker, at 6′ 3″ and 214 pounds, looks to be the sixth or seventh defenseman, possibly paired with Meszaros.  Playing on an up-and-coming Chicago Blackhawks team two seasons ago, Walker had his best NHL season.  But on a weaker Lightning team last year, his play suffered.  He may have found a better situation in Philly.

O’ Donnell will be a welcomed addition.  At 6′ 3″ and 237 pounds, O’ Donnell is another huge body on the Flyers’ blue line.  He is another shut down defenseman, and has a history with Chris Pronger.  The two were teammates on the 2007 Anaheim Ducks Stanley Cup-winning team.  But he will turn 39 in the first couple of weeks of the season, so logging 20 minutes per night during the regular season won’t be in the plans.  A third pairing or even spot use as a seventh may be in the offing.

The average size of a Flyers defenseman is now over 6′ 2″ tall and in excess of 212 pounds.

Right now, the roster is looking like this:

Centers:  Mike Richards, Claude Giroux, Danny Briere, Blair Betts, Darroll Powe

Right Wing:  Zherdev, Jeff Carter, Shelley, Laperriere

Left Wing:  Ville Leino, Scott Hartnell, Carcillo, James van Riemsdyk

Defense Pairings: Pronger-Matt Carle, Timonen-Coburn, Meszaros-O’ Donnell/Walker, O’ Donnell/Walker-Bartulis

Goaltending:  Leighton, Boucher

Extras:  Riley Cote (LW), possibly Mike Testwuide (RW)

David Strehle
NHLHS Flyers Correspondent / NHL Writer
dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @PhilaDAVEia

With youngsters like James van Riemsdyk and Claude Giroux and playoff upstart Ville Leino, the Philadelphia Flyers do not have a shortage of players that could possibly have a breakout season in 2010-11.

But perhaps the player that appears to have the best chance of scoring the biggest breakout season is free agent acquisition Nikolai Zherdev.

While the 25-year-old winger has already had NHL seasons of 27 and 26 goals, it is the general opinion of the hockey world that Zherdev has only scratched the surface of his immense potential.

Drafted fourth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, Zherdev’s work ethic and desire have been questioned over the course of his five NHL seasons.

Fears of GMs were so strong that after his contract expired with the New York Rangers following the 2008-09 campaign, he fielded no legitimate NHL offers for last season.  And this after maybe his most complete year, as he finished with a plus rating (+6) for the first time in his career.

After Zherdev played for Mytishchi Atlant of the Kontinental Hockey League in 2009-10, Philly GM Paul Holmgren rolled the dice and inked the 6′ 2″, 203 pound right winger to a one-year deal.

And it just might be a perfect fit.

The Orange-and-Black are loaded with defensive-minded forwards, so if Zherdev decides to take the occasional offensive gamble, it shouldn’t hurt the team in their own end.

With the opportunity to play with the likes of centers Mike Richards, Giroux, Danny Briere and Jeff Carter, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that Zherdev could top the 30-goal plateau.  Especially with the likelihood that he may see extensive time on the Flyers top power play unit.

Projection:  35 goals, 35 assists, 70 points

David Strehle
NHLHS Flyers Correspondent / NHL Writer
dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @PhilaDAVEia

It’s hard to believe that just two short months after rescuing his Philadelphia Flyers from postseason elimination in such heroic fashion, Simon Gagne will no longer be wearing the Orange-and-Black.

It’s now official, Gagne is an “ex”-Flyer, a salary cap casualty of GM Paul Holmgren’s summer shopping spree.

After adding wingers Nikolai Zherdev and Jody Shelley, the dealing of a high salaried player became a necessity, as Philadelphia sat at around $2.5 million over the upper salary cap limit.

The deal sends Gagne and his $5.25 million salary to the Tampa Bay Lightning for defenseman Matt Walker and a fourth round draft choice.

The 30-year-old Walker stands to make $1.7 million for the next three seasons, so Holmgren has about $1 million in cap room at the moment.

Gagne is an unrestricted free agent after the 2010-11 campaign, Holmgren may have just wanted to ensure that he got some type of return for his high-scoring left winger.  Maybe the thought of losing Gagne for nothing next year prompted the deal, but it seems that things could have been handled a little better.

A week or so after rumors that Gagne had waived his no-trade clause and that Holmgren was in discussions with the Los Angeles Kings, the 30-year-old left wing told RDS.ca that he had not, indeed, waived his NTC.

Drafted 22nd overall by the Flyers in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, Gagne was always an honest, hard-working, two-way winger.  He never sacrificed his work at the defensive end of the rink in order to put up bigger offensive numbers.

But he did put up excellent numbers.

In his best injury-free seasons, Gagne has four times potted more than 30 goals, including twice with more than 40 (his career-high of 47 was in 2005-06).  Over the course of 10 full NHL campaigns, he has averaged 66 games played, 26 goals and 52 points.

The only blemish on Gagne’s career has been his history of injuries.  He has missed significant time in four different seasons.

His worst injury was a concussion in the 2007-08 season, in which he ended up appearing in just 25 contests.

Last year, it was a double sports hernia in November that required surgery and limited Gagne to just 58 regular season games.

But in every season that he missed significant time, he has always come back with a solid season.

And through it all, Gagne was always the good soldier.  Never one to complain, he gave his all to the organization.

This past postseason is a classic example.

After blocking an Ilya Kovalchuk point shot in Game four of the opening round against the New Jersey Devils, Gagne was diagnosed with a non-displaced fracture of his right foot.

He had surgery, and was on crutches and out of commission for nearly two weeks.

But Gagne returned ahead of schedule as his Flyers were facing an 0-3 series deficit to the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

What transpired over the next week was nothing short of miraculous.

As Game four slipped into overtime, Philly were just a goal away from a series sweep and elimination at the hands of the Bruins.

Instead, Gagne redirected a Matt Carle pass behind Boston netminder Tuukka Rask to give the Flyers life for another day.

In Game five in Boston Gagne scored two more goals, leading the Orange-and-Black to a 4-0 victory.

After falling behind 3-0 in Game seven, Gagne capped a furious and improbable Flyers comeback, scoring the series-winning goal midway through the third period.

For those of us who were lucky enough to have witnessed the historic coming back from the dead, it is something that will forever be etched in our memories.

And Gagne will be at the forefront of any recollection.

Up to this point in his career, a Game six overtime game-winner against his new team, the Lightning, was the defining moment in Gagne’s NHL career.

But there is no doubt that when any fan of the Flyers is asked years from now what they remember most about Gagne, it is a good bet that every single person will name the Boston series.

I would like to personally say thank you, Mr. Gagne.  Your honor, loyalty, and service to the Philadelphia Flyers’ organization is much appreciated, and I wish you nothing but the best as you enter a new phase of your career in Tampa Bay.

David Strehle
NHLHS Flyers Correspondent / NHL Writer
dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @PhilaDAVEia

The Philadelphia Flyers have officially signed Nikolai Zherdev. Per club policy, terms were not disclosed (via flyers.nhl.com)

When word got out via Teemu H. (@euroflyers) and Puck Daddy’s Dmitry Chesnokov (@dchesnokov) on Twitter that the Philadelphia Flyers were in the process of signing former-NHL right wing Nikolai Zherdev, it seemed a curious move by GM Paul Holmgren.

First of all, without being able to move any contracts, Holmgren will have massive issues in maintaining his salary structure within the guidelines of the upper cap limit.

Also, some would say that Zherdev and the Flyers are not a good mix…at all.  The 25-year-old native of the Ukraine has never had any questions regarding his abilities.  He is one of the most talented hockey players in the world.

The doubts are in reference to a lack of concern for the defensive end of the ice, and his commitment and willingness to compete at a high level on an every-night basis.

A year removed from the NHL, Zherdev played for Mytishchi Atlant of the Kontinental Hockey League in 2009-10.  The team consisted of such ex-NHLers as Jiri Novotny, Jan Bulis, Oleg Petrov, Oleg Kvasha, among others.  And Zherdev finished third in club scoring with 13 goals and 39 points in 52 contests.

The fourth overall selection in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets, Zherdev had been an enigma thoughout his five seasons in the NHL with both Columbus and the New York Rangers.

Over the course of 365 NHL contests, Zherdev has recorded 99 goals and 239 points.  He has scored 20+ goals in three different seasons, with his career-high of 27 coming during the 2005-06 campaign.

But his mix of skill and nonchalance has driven coaches crazy.

In Columbus he clashed with then-head coach Ken Hitchcock, who is all about defensive responsibility, as many of the players that were here during Hitch’s tenure as head coach of the Flyers will attest.

When he was dealt to the New York Rangers prior to the 2008-09 season, he got to play for Tom Renney, and later John Tortorella after Renney was fired.

But as was announced today, Zherdev has (finally) inked the one-year deal, believed to be worth between $2-3 million.

Zherdev has teased his former teams with flashes of what he could be if he reached his full potential.  And that’s where Philadelphia head coach Peter Laviolette comes into the picture.

Laviolette could be the perfect coach with which to extract the best from Zherdev moving forward.  His up tempo style fits right in with Zherdev’s skating abilities, and could be just what is needed to keep the 6′ 2″, 197 pound winger involved in the game.

Laviolette’s patience was a big key in helping struggling winger Scott Hartnell get his act together during Philly’s postseason run to the Finals.  The coach had a talk with Hartnell after game three of the Boston Bruins series, telling him that he needed more from him.  He kept Hartnell in the lineup, and was rewarded with arguably Hartnell’s best play of the entire season.  Hartnell was one of the best Flyers’ forwards in the Finals against the Chicago Blackhawks.

So we know the downside of signing Zherdev.  But what about the upside?

Simply put, Zherdev represents something that has not been present on the Orange-and-Black in years, a true game-breaking sniper on the right side.

Laviolette has had to move Danny Briere, Jeff Carter, Claude Giroux, Darroll Powe all natural centers, to man the wings.  Zherdev is a natural right wing and is more comfortable with the position than the transplanted centers.

Having another natural winger will allow those players to more at their more familiar position.

And with many wingers currently on the roster cut from almost the exact same mold, limited offensively and strong defensively, Zherdev’s offense is a welcomed addition.

Affect on Gagne

But it may mean the end of the line for Simon Gagne in a Flyers’ uniform.

Last week it was reported that Gagne had waived his no-trade clause, and there were rumors of trade talks with the Los Angeles Kings.

But yesterday, Gagne told RDS.ca that he never waived his NTC.

This led to speculation that Gagne may be waived if a trade is not readily available for the 30-year-old winger.  Darren Dreger of TSN reported as much via Twitter.

There is no doubt that the cap space that Holmgren had available to him has disappeared, and depending on the amount of Zherdev’s pact, are almost-certainly over the limit.  And there is still the matter of unsigned RFA Daniel Carcillo and UFA Arron Asham.

But is moving another natural winger like Gagne and his $5.25 million contract the best course of action?  It would seem that with the glut of centers (Mike Richards, Carter, Giroux, Briere, Betts, Powe), maybe dealing a pivot would be the better choice.

Holmgren is far from done in his summer of re-tooling his club, but it seems that with every move he makes, two more are needed.

Stay tuned…

Taking a Flyer: Coincidentally, Flyers defensive prospect Denis Bodrov also saw action in 12 games for Mytishchi Atlant last season before being brought over to North America, where he finished the year with the Adirondack Phantoms of the AHL.

David Strehle
NHLHS Flyers Correspondent / NHL Writer
dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @PhilaDAVEia

The latest from Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Sun discusses the injury to Daniel Alfredsson as well as the need to replace his production in the lineup.  After sustaining a hit from Craig Adams on Wednesday, the Senators captain expects to miss a few weeks with a bum shoulder.  The 37-year-old joins pivot Jason Spezza and wing Nick Foligno in the press box as they continue to recover from their own ailments while Chris Neil, Shean Donovan and Pascal Leclaire all returned to the lineup a mere three days ago.

Although center Josh Hennessy initially gets a call up, the rookie definitely is not and will not be the solution.  If this team is to stay within the playoff picture they must make a move quickly and patch the gaping hole in their top six.

Garrioch may be onto something for once with his article.  The controversial reporter discusses the merits of trading for Christopher Higgins or Alexander Frolov, both impending free agents after the season.

Both aforementioned players make a significant salary which by consensus diminishes their trade value.  Higgins carries a 2.25 million cap hit, a lofty price for a winger with 10 points through 36 games.  On the other hand, the Kings hold a 2.9 million cap hit for their Russian winger but show little motivation to move him if they want to go deep into the playoffs.  Frolov certainly warrants stronger trade value as he projects to put up 55 points on the season or 32 points in his remaining 46 games.

Still if Lomabardi feels he cannot resign his 27-year-old winger, shipping him out may be the smart bet.  At this point every Russian player in the League is a flight risk.  Similar to Nikolai Zherdev this past offseason, Frolov could price himself out of the country and sign with a team in his motherland.

What would Frolov demand as purely a playoff rental?  The offer would need to knock GM Dean Lombardi’s socks off in order to force his hand, but anything is possible. With Higgins at a such a low trade value, the Rangers could choose not to move him instead moving the often scratched Ales Kotalik.

Hope you enjoyed our latest trade rumors feature. You can help NHLHS stay alive by visiting our sponsors to the left.

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-Alexander Monaghan
NHLHS Founder
thehotstove@gmail.com