The Flyers begin to skate for the Cup Friday night but will they get to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup in the end?
With the bitter taste of last season’s early playoff exit at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins finally washed away by an exciting off-season, it’s time to take a look at what the 2009-10 season has in store for the Flyers.
It appeared as if Paul Holmgren and the Flyers management had one thing in mind this off-season -- beating the rival Pens and their star Sid the Kid.
Enter Chris Pronger. The 6-foot-6, 215-pound gritty defenseman known for making opposing forwards think twice about hanging out in front of the net by bringing a bruising physical game. Pronger’s presence can truly dictate a game -- something Sidney Crosby and the Penguins could find out, the hard way.
As if Pronger wasn’t enough, the Fly-guys also added veteran forward Ian LaPerriere, who, like Pronger, is a strong leader both on the ice and in the locker room.
The Flyers ditched last season’s goalie unit of Marty Biron and Antero Niittymaki in favor of “Razor” Ray Emery and former-Fly-Guy Brian Boucher. Emery -- who was exiled from Ottawa just one season after leading them to the Stanley Cup finals for his bad behavior -- is a young, athletic goalie who -- surprise -- isn’t afraid to drop the gloves.
Although Biron boosted a better regular season goals-against average (2.59 GAA compared to Emery’s 2.71) Emery put up better numbers when it counted -- in the playoffs (2.46 GAA compared to Biron’s 2.87).
Sports
In partnership with NBC Sports Philadelphia
But the Flyers will also welcome some rookies this season.
Top prospect James van Riemsdyk will finally take the ice with the boys in orange and black this season after opting to stay at the University of New Hampshire for the past two seasons.
V.R.’s skills should make fans want to see what he can do after having an impressive preseason -- three goals and an assist in seven games. And, he dominated the rookie game against the Washington Capitals newbies, netting four goals and one assist.
Perhaps the most important piece of the Flyers puzzle this year is Danny Briere. The center returns after a disappointing season when he was limited to just 29 games due to a nagging groin injury. He claimed to be in tip-top shape coming into this season -- the question is if he can stay that way.
“Right now I feel great. I feel quick,” Briere said.
He made a strong case this preseason by leading the Flyers in scoring with four goals and two assists in five games.
There were plenty of other questions also. Can Jeff Carter repeat his torrid 2008-09 regular season (46 goals, 38 assists)? Will Simon Gagne be able to 80-point mark for the first time in his career? Will Riley Cote or Daniel Carcillo lead the team in penalty minutes?
Those questions will all get sorted out during the season but the big question won’t be answered until the tail end.
Do they have what it takes to win the cup this year?
We can make all the claims we want on paper, but it really comes down to team. With the state the Flyers’ salary cap is in, their time is certainly now.
NHL-expert (and mullet aficionado)Barry Melrose thinks the Flyers have what it takes to make it to the Stanley Cup. But he doesn’t see the Cup making its way down Broad Street.
We here at NBC Philadelphia don’t want to make an absolute pick, but we have to agree with Melrose. By grabbing Pronger (the guy who Melrose thinks will be the MVP) the Flyers got a guy who can stop the scorers on the three other beasts of the East (Washington, Pittsburgh and Boston).
So the Flyers have as a good a shot as anyone to make it to the Finals. What they do when they get there will depend on who they play and how healthy they are when they get there.
