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PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

2014-15 record: 33-31-18 (84 points)
Missed the playoffs
Captain: Claude Giroux

The Philadelphia Flyers, with the exception of their power play, were awful.  That season cost Craig Berube his job as head coach and now, it will be up to Dave Hakstol to right the ship.  Keep in mind that Hakstol's coaching experience consists of several years at the University of North Dakota, which is college hockey.  After a trying season, it will feel like back to Fundamentals 101 for many of the Flyers players who underperformed.

Offensively, bottom third of the league, although they had no trouble scoring on the power play, which ranked third.  Better play at even strength, particularly from players like Brayden Schenn and Sean Couturier would help, as well as, unreasonable at it may sound, better play from Vincent Lecavalier and R.J. Umberger.  Jakub Voracek and Claude Giroux did much of the heavy lifting up front, and that's too much for two guys to do.  Wayne Simmonds and Michael Raffl will both be counted upon to improve their goal totals, as both have 30-goal scorer potential.  Defensively, this is where things get interesting, as one or two rookies could be getting a crack.  Mark Streit is an offensive force from the blue line, and Michael Del Zotto is solid.  Beyond that, they're banking on Radko Gudas and Andrew MacDonald to be solid stay-at-home types while any of Shayne Gostisbehere, Ivan Provorov, Travis Sanheim, and Robert Hagg could be seeing time in a Flyers uniform as rookies.  Steve Mason posted good numbers in goal, but when he got hurt, that's where the problems occurred in goal.  Health will remain an issue for Mason, which is why they brought in Michal Neuvirth, who himself will be looking to show that his numbers last season were a mere product of a bad team (Buffalo) and show that his confidence is back to where it should be.

Prediction: 6th in the Metropolitan Division

The Flyers are still a team of underachievers with a couple of players playing closer to or exceeding expectations.  For the Flyers to contend, they will need better years from key players, particularly the young players, and hope that one or two rookies on the blue line will make a big impact.