Slumping Flyers Need to Deal
Written by Angad Sachdev.
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After suffering a 3-2 heartbreaking defeat at the hands of the Phoenix Coyotes, the Philadelphia Flyers must find a way to rekindle their early-season success and put an end to last year’s nightmare.
Starting the season with an impressive 6-1 record, the Flyers have struggled to maintain consistency and have allowed the Atlantic division teams to climb into the standings. While forwards Joffrey Lupul and R.J. Umberger notched back-to-back hat tricks in a thrilling 8-2 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the team must learn to build on consistency in order to make the playoffs a realistic goal.
With the current four-game losing streak intact there is room to believe that major trade talks are brewing for the Flyers. Recently, enforcer Ben Eager was dealt to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for 6-1 210-pound defenseman Jim Vandermeer. Vandermeer, 27, makes his second appearance with the team after being dealt for star center Alexei Zhamnov in 2004. Currently the Flyers have decisions to make regarding their blue line as Denis Gauthier, Alexander Picard and Rory Fitzpatrick could attract several NHL teams before the March trading deadline. The Nashville Predators could become potential suitors for the Flyers due to the past trading history between the clubs as well as the possibility of the team expanding to Canada. Forwards J.P. Dumont and Martin Erat could help the bolster the Flyers into a playoff berth. Dumont is a natural fit alongside Daniel Briere, as the linemates manhandled the Eastern Conference during the 2006 postseason. The Flyers would have to make room for Dumont who would command a price of $2.25 million. Erat, 25, would count against $1.7 million against the cap, but the Flyers may have enough wiggle room at $48.5 million to bring him into Philadelphia.
It is evident that the Flyers are a team destined to find their way to back atop the Atlantic, but there is room for improvement when the second half of the season kicks off. One has to wonder if the team may still have some lingering effects of post-Hitchcock syndrome by playing conservative on one-goal leads. Much of the team’s second-half success lies in the ability for the team to fight for lose puck battles and attack the opposing team with a relentless attitude.
Additional Notes: Flyers begin a home-and-home series this weekend versus the Sabres. Daniel Briere and Biron will face off against their former team…Flyers star winger Simon Gagne started light contact practice but is still complaining of mild headaches. Gagne expects to make a return with the team during the month of January...Sidney Crosby notched his first career Gordie Howe hat-trick by picking up a goal, assist and his first fight...Islanders enforcer Chris Simon was suspended for 30-games for an attempt to injure Pittsburgh’s Jarkko Ruutu.
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Agree or disagree with something Angad Sachdev wrote? You can send him an e-mail here: Angad.Sachdev@att.net
All other e-mail, including advertising and link-exchange proposals, send to: wpc112@gmail.com
Agree or disagree with something Angad Sachdev wrote? You can send him an e-mail here: Angad.Sachdev@att.net
All other e-mail, including advertising and link-exchange proposals, send to: wpc112@gmail.com
After suffering a 3-2 heartbreaking defeat at the hands of the Phoenix Coyotes, the Philadelphia Flyers must find a way to rekindle their early-season success and put an end to last year’s nightmare.
Starting the season with an impressive 6-1 record, the Flyers have struggled to maintain consistency and have allowed the Atlantic division teams to climb into the standings. While forwards Joffrey Lupul and R.J. Umberger notched back-to-back hat tricks in a thrilling 8-2 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the team must learn to build on consistency in order to make the playoffs a realistic goal.
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Certainly the future of the Flyers remains optimistic after two-way center Mike Richards signed a 12-year extension and GM Paul Holmgren publicly stated his intent to sign young forwards Jeff Carter and Umberger before entering the free-agency period. However it is yet to be seen if head coach John Stevens is set to lead this team into a playoff berth. Stevens deserves credit where it’s due and has restored the team’s identity after quick-tempered coach Ken Hitchcock was fired last season. But the Flyers find themselves three games above .500 and outshot by opponents on most nights. This comes as a bit of a surprise to the majority of Flyers fans as Holmgren built an offense to compete with the likes of the Ottawa Senators, Buffalo Sabres and the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Flyers should begin to open up their offense and attack teams from the start of the game instead of relying on goaltender Martin Biron to make Vezina-like saves.
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 Mike Richards signed a 12-year deal with the Flyers. Somewhere in the distance you can hear Jessica Simpson exclaiming, "Wow, that's like more than a century!" |
With the current four-game losing streak intact there is room to believe that major trade talks are brewing for the Flyers. Recently, enforcer Ben Eager was dealt to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for 6-1 210-pound defenseman Jim Vandermeer. Vandermeer, 27, makes his second appearance with the team after being dealt for star center Alexei Zhamnov in 2004. Currently the Flyers have decisions to make regarding their blue line as Denis Gauthier, Alexander Picard and Rory Fitzpatrick could attract several NHL teams before the March trading deadline. The Nashville Predators could become potential suitors for the Flyers due to the past trading history between the clubs as well as the possibility of the team expanding to Canada. Forwards J.P. Dumont and Martin Erat could help the bolster the Flyers into a playoff berth. Dumont is a natural fit alongside Daniel Briere, as the linemates manhandled the Eastern Conference during the 2006 postseason. The Flyers would have to make room for Dumont who would command a price of $2.25 million. Erat, 25, would count against $1.7 million against the cap, but the Flyers may have enough wiggle room at $48.5 million to bring him into Philadelphia.
It is evident that the Flyers are a team destined to find their way to back atop the Atlantic, but there is room for improvement when the second half of the season kicks off. One has to wonder if the team may still have some lingering effects of post-Hitchcock syndrome by playing conservative on one-goal leads. Much of the team’s second-half success lies in the ability for the team to fight for lose puck battles and attack the opposing team with a relentless attitude.
Additional Notes: Flyers begin a home-and-home series this weekend versus the Sabres. Daniel Briere and Biron will face off against their former team…Flyers star winger Simon Gagne started light contact practice but is still complaining of mild headaches. Gagne expects to make a return with the team during the month of January...Sidney Crosby notched his first career Gordie Howe hat-trick by picking up a goal, assist and his first fight...Islanders enforcer Chris Simon was suspended for 30-games for an attempt to injure Pittsburgh’s Jarkko Ruutu.
Daily NHL Hockey Picks
2008 NFL Mock Draft
Agree or disagree with something Angad Sachdev wrote? You can send him an e-mail here: Angad.Sachdev@att.net
All other e-mail, including advertising and link-exchange proposals, send to: wpc112@gmail.com
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