2012-13 record: 23-22-3 (49 points)
Missed the playoffs
Captain: Claude Giroux
The Philadelphia Flyers are a never-ending soap opera that just keeps on giving, and never was that any more evident than last season, where the Flyers never got on track and missed the playoffs. The off-season was no different, as the Flyers cut loose Ilya Bryzgalov and Daniel Briere and signed Vincent Lecavalier and Ray Emery and traded for Mark Streit. Offensively, the Flyers were good, with Jakub Voracek and Wayne Simmonds leading the way in goals while Claude Giroux had a below average (for him) year putting up points. A second year with the captain's C should help him become more comfortable with the added responsibilities. Lecavalier is expected to provide Simmonds a center that can get him the puck and knock Brayden Schenn and Sean Couturier down to the third and fourth lines, where there will be less pressure to perform. Wing depth could be a concern if Scott Hartnell doesn't rebound from a miserable year in which he missed a few games. Defensively, Streit should provide a spark from the blue line, though not necessarily youth, as he and Kimmo Timonen are on the wrong side of 35. Injuries tore through the blue line, and depth remains a concern here, as there is no true dominant player and health has been a question mark for a while dating back to the days of Chris Pronger. The Bryzgalov Error ended when the Flyers bought out the remainder of his contract, and with a 2.79 GAA, it was clear that he was nothing more than a product of the defense-first philosophy of the Phoenix Coyotes. Emery comes in and will compete with Steve Mason for the starting role. Both have shown flashes of brilliance, but can either one keep it going for the entire season? Odds are both could be splitting time, but Emery holds the slight edge for now.
Prospects: With the Flyers all set to go, there is no real room for a rookie to make an impact right away. Scott Laughton could join to start the season, but he will likely be sent back to Oshawa for another year. Blue line depth remains an issue, yet there is no elite prospect in the Flyers' pipeline. The best they can do right now is Brandon Manning.
Prediction: 4th in the Metro Division
Offense is still a strength of the Flyers, but these are not your father's Flyers, as they don't have a physical presence defensively, and given the injury issues on that unit, it would not be surprising if the Flyers have to win 6-5 shootouts every night...unless either Ray Emery or Steve Mason or both can elevate their games.
No comments:
Post a Comment