Thank you to everyone who responded to yesterday’s poll questions. With so many of the respondents having become Flyers fans during the Eric Lindros era and/or considering it their favorite era of team history, I plan to intersperse several offseason blogs to team history topics specific to that era of team history, along with the usual array of discussions on the current team.

Additionally, th

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Two Contract Extensions Down, Two to Go

One thing that the Philadelphia Flyers have been diligent about doing in recent years is making sure that key players receive contract extensions before they reach restricted or unrestricted free agent status. This has by no means guaranteed that the team’s long-term plans would not change and the player traded within a year or so of the contract extensio

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When the Philadelphia Flyers released their 2013-14 schedule yesterday, the first thing that I did (after starting to figure out my tentative travel dates during the season) was to break down the schedule in terms of volume of games, home and road splits and numbers of back-to-back games and three-in-fours over the course of the season.

With the NHL’s participation in the 2014 Olympics in Soch

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Friday Quick Hits

* There is still no official word yet on whether the NHL schedule will be officially released today. It depends on when the League gets all i’s dotted and t’s crossed on its final Olympic participation agreement with the IIHF and the International Olympic Committee. If the schedule is released today, I will add a link to today’s blog and delve into the schedule framework (volu

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Top 10 All-Time Flyers Rookie Free Agent Signees

As much of a crapshoot as the NHL Draft is, signing free agent rookies is an even dicier proposition with the odds of success being roughly equal to hitting the mark with late-round Draft picks. Throughout their franchise history, however, the Philadelphia Flyers have had more than their fair share of success stories — including hitting a few ho

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Back in April, the Flyers beat out several NHL teams to sign Baie-Comeau Drakkar right winger Petr Straka. Originally a second-round pick (55th overall) by Columbus in the 2010 NHL Draft, Straka became a free agent last summer when the Blue Jackets did not offer him an entry-level contract. Over the last year, Straka has re-emerged as an NHL prospect, and the Flyers had to outbid other suitors to

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Welcome Back, Hexy

The Philadelphia Flyers made a major front office move yesterday, bringing Ron Hextall back from the Los Angeles Kings organization to serve as assistant general manager and director of hockey operations. A member of the Flyers Hall of Fame, the retired goaltender had been in Los Angeles since 2006.

While with the Kings, Hextall was the assistant general manager to Dean Lo

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Monday Quick Hits

* With the Trenton Titans ceasing operations, the Flyers were left in need of an ECHL placement team for the 2013-14 season. According to general manager Paul Holmgren, the Flyers will use the Greenville Road Warriors next season. The Flyers affiliated with Greenville prior to going back to Trenton after the Titans ended an official affiliation with the New Jersey Devils. Gree

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Goulbourne and Low-Ceiling Drafting

The Philadelphia Flyers selection of Kelowna Rockets forward Tyrell Goulbourne with the 71st overall pick of the 2013 NHL Draft has drawn criticism in many circles. Bypassed in his first year of Draft eligibility, the agitating energy-line player was ranked 151st on Central Scouting’s final North American skater ratings this year and was pegged by pundits as

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Be Realistic in Expectations for Raffl

Signed to a one-year contract by the Flyers in late May, Austrian winger Michael Raffl is one of the X-factors in the organization’s plans for next season.

The 24-year-old Raffl is coming off a strong World Championship tournament performance for Austria. Raffl played on the team’s top line with Buffalo Sabres star Thomas Vanek and center Thomas Hundert

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