Sorry for not posting in a while…

I used to not be able to go through a conversation with anyone without gloating about my soaring Philadelphia Flyers. These days I just hope my non Flyer fan friends will shy away from the subject.

Thus we have a new reality as Flyers fans, that for the first time in more than a decade, the dreaded term “rebuilding year” comes into play. Once again though, thats the harsh reality of what is happening. I hate to sit back and say “I told you so” but I have preached it for the past 2 years, and the past 6 months on this website. The defense is slow, the bigger forwards are obsolete, and two decent goalies doesn’t equal one great goalie.

For those of you thinking this season can be saved, please don’t kid yourselves. I hate to be the reality check around here, but I really figured it out tonight in our loss to Washington, it IS a rebuilding year folks. I’m not going to say it’s a bad thing either, because in reality, you have to have one once in a while.

What can be done this season:
* Build Teamwork/Character
* Comfort Level with Coach and New Coaching System
* Give Holmgren Full GM status
* Let Holmgren start building “his” team
* Trade for pics/youthful speed/talent

These are just a starting point, and there is a lot more that can be done. Until then, realize the Flyers do have a lot to look forward to already, and with the right management, they will certainly continue to grow and become a playoff team next year.

For a team I call a serious playoff contender, they certainly didn’t look like it. Although they posted 40 shots on offense, the Flyers failed to find the net in their season opening 4-0 loss to the Penguins. The offense looked strong, but just ran into a hot goaltender in Fleury. The speed on defense once again killed us for 3 out of the 4 goals scored by Pittsburgh. The goaltending situation appears rather bleak compared to what I called one of our strongest assets. Esche should have had 2 of those 4 goals stopped at least. Overall, the Flyers have a lot of thinking to do in the coming 48 hours before they face off against the Rangers in their home opener, Saturday night at 7.

(Detailed Postgame Report to come tomorrow)

So another season of Flyers hockey is upon us. It looks to be a fairly promising season again for the Flyers. During this season preview, we’ll overview all of the positions, as well as make predictions for the upcoming season.

Flyers Offense

The off season acquisitions adding Kyle Calder and Geoff Sanderson, can only be looked at as a huge win by Bob Clarke. Overall, you lose Handzus, but in the new NHL, players like Handzus’s role are quickly becoming diminished. The Flyers possess the perfect balance of grit, poise, and finesse on offense. This, of course, starts with the Gagne – Forsberg – Knuble line, which will most likely combine for around 115 goals this season. Next, you have the interesting Calder – Carter – Richards line, which is showing some strong signs of being a 80+ goal line this season. Beyond that, you have the solid role players like Umberger, Kapanen, Nedved, Robitaille, and newcomer Boyd Kane. Overall, the Flyers offense will not be a handicap at all for the upcoming season.

Flyers Defense

I’ve preached it all summer, and it doesn’t look like Bob Clarke reads this site. The Flyers need more SPEED on defense. I don’t care if Clarke thinks Hatcher improved over the offseason, he’s still one of the slowest defensemen in the league. Mike Rathje is still having health issues, and that just makes him slower. Other than that you have Pitkanen, Meyer, Jonsson, Gauthier, and maybe Baumgartner. You can expect the lack of scoring ability and speed of this Flyers defense to perhaps cause them a deep run in the playoffs.

Flyers Goaltending

Controversy? We couldn’t be the Flyers without a goaltending controversy. Regardless of what ‘Frank Nitty’ and Esche tell you, it is a bother to have your goalie partner be an equal and not a backup. However, don’t look for this to be a handicap until late in the season. I think Hitchcock should play it as he did last year, and not announce anything until the start of the playoffs. For the regular season, the goaltending situation will be a huge positive for this club.

The Division

The division looks fairly week overall. Don’t look for the Penguins to do much more than go .500, while the Islanders and Devils look to be sub-500 clubs. The problem club in the division appears to be the R-R-R-R-R RANGERS. (Yes, it was that hard for me to say it). They have a solid club, and will most likely be challenging for a low playoff spot.

Predictions

I’m not saying this because I’m a Flyers fan, but when I look at the division it appears to be fairly certain that the Flyers will win it and lock up the #3 spot in the conference. Make no mistake about it, home ice advantage is key and the Flyers will make it to the 2^nd round of the playoffs, where I see them losing to a team such as Carolina, whose defense is way more potent than ours.

Overall, I look forward to bringing you the season as it happens, along with Mike. Stay tuned to FlyersFanCentral.Com for the latest Flyers news, game previews, and post game reaction all season long!

Yes, it’s only the preseason, but you have to like the way the Flyers youth is shining bright so far. That trend continued in last nights Flyers 2-1 preseason win over the trusty old devils. Jeff Carter slammed home a bang-bang play off a perfect pass from Mike Richards. So far the much anticipated Carter – Richards – Calder line is living up to all the hype.

Lars Jonsson, also a newcomer to the Flyers this year, tallied an assist in the game. Coach Ken Hitchcock had nothing but praise for the youngster saying, “He brings an element that is necessary in the league, but he brings an element that our team needs. He is great on the power play, he does things not a lot of players can do with the way he’s able to move and keep his head up and find open people offensively.”

The Flyers have the night off in preseason action, but return to the ice tomorrow for a game against the Senators at 7 PM.

I officially take myself off of hiatus. What in the name of all things good is everyone upset about at Bobby Clarke? This is part of the NHL, and the NHL Official Rule book. I for one just see this as another rant and rave by the “small guy” in the NHL complaining about the big clubs. Well, GUESS WHAT? There’s a salary cap now and a CBA that says Clarke can do exactly what he just did. So sit down, shut up, and move on. We can’t spend any more money than you can, and you’re getting free money from us, because our fans are better than yours.
Okay, now let’s look at it constructively –

Clarke went out and made a decision, a decision that was never going to actually come through. The Canucks are obviously going to match the offer and re-sign their boy. To quote Clarkey, “I’m trying to make my team better,” Clarke said. “There’s a rule that says we can put out offer sheets. So I did it. You know, it’s funny, they made new rules so we’re operating in a system where we all get to spend the same amount of money. Philadelphia and Detroit can’t spend any more than Nashville or Anaheim. Those are the rules. We all live by them. No one can accuse Philadelphia or Detroit of spending more money than everyone else now. But when I go and use a rule that is there, everybody is all over me about it.”
Here are some more interesting quotes:

“To me, our thinking is completely backward,” Clarke said. “I lost Kim Johnsson to (unrestricted) free agency because the Minnesota Wild gave him $4.8 million. Well, the Flyers had to give (revenue sharing) money to Minnesota and other teams and I don’t like that but it’s the rules. And then Minnesota takes that money and signs my player and there are no rules to say I can keep him if I match. I wish I had all the options with Kim Johnsson that Vancouver has with Kesler. They can match and keep him or they can let him go. It’s up to them.”

“A lot of guys in this league like the rules when it suits them and they don’t like them when it doesn’t. Too bad for them. I’m just playing by the rules that are there. To be honest, I’m surprised more teams aren’t doing it.”

I was uneasy at first to post this until I saw it on Comcast Sportsnet on the 1 AM edition. Earlier tonight there was some buzz on the internet that Desjardins was to retire, and SportsNite (Late Night – 1 AM) confirmed just that.

Desjardins will retire as the #2 defensemen in Flyers history in points behind only Mark Howe.