FLYERS: Orange and Black Make Statement, One Win Away From Final

The Philadelphia Flyers claimed they were disgraced and upset with the pounding they took Thursday night at Bell Centre. The Canadiens came at them a far different team than the Flyers had seen in Philadelphia. The Habs were finishing their checks, scoring past Michael Leighton, and buzzing around the Flyers on a consistent basis. Oh, and they were running their mouths at the Flyers, something that irked many members of the Orange and Black.

It’s safe to say the Flyers made a statement Saturday afternoon in Montreal.

Ville Leino celebrates his second period goal

The Orange and Black rode Michael Leighton to his third shutout of this series, and silenced an absolutely raucous Bell Centre crowd to the tune of a convincing 3-0 victory. The Flyers now lead the series three games to one and are just one win away from making the franchise’s first trip to the Stanley Cup Final since 1997 – when they were promptly swept right out by the Detroit Red Wings. This season has been all about overcoming adversity, and proving the naysayers wrong at various points of the campaign, while all at the same time living up to heavy expectations that were placed on the team at training camp. Now, the Flyers are one more win from fulfilling the first half of many preseason predictions.

Game Four started out very different from Game Three. The Flyers were buzzing in the Montreal end early, and made sure to get pucks to the net and make life once again difficult for Jaroslav Halak. Their defensive play was much more crisp, as each time the Habs made their way into the Flyers zone, they were forced to the outside and usually finished along the boards. If they looked to make a play towards the middle, there usually was a Flyer that was back-checking in the area. Of course, the first period was even more of a confidence boost for the Flyers as they welcomed the return of Ian Laperriere and Jeff Carter from what had previously been thought to have been season-ending injuries. Still, the Flyers suddenly had a full roster, something they hadn’t fully seen since round one against New Jersey. After a strong first period, the second frame was when the Flyers really got clicking.

Jacques Martin and the Canadiens look on late in the game, sensing defeat

When the second period began, the Flyers began to dominate. It started when the Flyers had four shots on Halak in the first 30 seconds. The period ended with the shots for the stanza heavily in favor of the Flyers, 13-1. Claude Giroux would cash in on one of the Flyers’ earlier shots in the period, taking a pass in transition in the neutral zone from Kimmo Timonen, and racing into the Montreal zone. From that point, Giroux blew by Josh Gorges and made a nifty little backhand-to-forehand deke and roofed the puck over the shoulder of Jaroslav Halak to make the score 1-0 in favor of the Flyers. The Orange and Black were not done in the second, as with just over five minutes to play in the second, the Flyers got a back-breaking goal from Ville Leino, who was sprung on a breakaway off a fantastic cross-ice bomb from Chris Pronger. Leino walked in on Halak and quickly changed the puck to his backhand at the last second, sneaking it right past Halak’s pad and into the back of the net to stun the Bell Centre crowd. The Flyers took the 2-0 lead into the locker room and their confidence level was high.

As Kimmo Timonen put it, the Flyers “sat back” in the third period, but it was in a good way. They were still just as aggressive in the defensive end as they had been all game, stifling many Montreal attack opportunities before they even got started. Michael Leighton made 9 saves in the third to preserve his shutout and Claude Giroux added his second of the game – an empty netter late – to seal the deal and send this series back to Philadelphia with the Flyers having a chance to close out this series on their home ice.

The Flyers congratulate Michael Leighton on the Game Four win

Game Five won’t be easy, but the Wachovia Center will be ready to celebrate on Monday night. The Canadiens have come back from down 1-3 once already this season, doing so against the President’s Trophy winning Washington Capitals in the first round, and following that up by coming back from down 2-3 to the defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins last round. Certainly, it’s not going to be easy for the Flyers to close it out at home; the Canadiens are going to come into South Philadelphia on Monday night with the belief that they can win with their season on the line (already 5-0 in elimination games this postseason) and are going to be at the highest level of desperation possible to save their season. If the Flyers, on the other hand, can simply even come close to duplicating their performance tonight, they will be in good shape on Monday.

I hate to bring down the mood, but the Flyers can’t let this one get away. We all know we don’t want this series going back to Montreal, and, better yet, we all remember what happened in this situation in 2000.

SIXERS: Team Needs to Address Front Office Before Finding New Coach

Well I think we can all say that after a promising finish to the 2009 NBA season, we were all extrememly disappointed in our Philadelphia 76ers pathetic performance this past season.  They went 27-55 and won just 12 games at the usually half empty Wachovia Center this past season, and saw their two top players, Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young, take steps back in their progression on becoming stars in the league.  While we were all expecting those two players to help lead the Sixers back to the playoffs for a third straight season, it was the inconsistent play of the two young players that were one of the main reasons for the Sixers struggles this season.  This team never established any type of identity under now fired coach Eddie Jordan, who was supposed to bring balance to the offense.  Instead the offense struggled all season, and the defense was even worse.  This team missed Andre Miller in so many ways; the fast break offense, the defensive presence but most of all his veteran leadership.  Iguodala showed none of that, something that you need to see when you give someone a contract like he got.  I think he is way overpaid and not worthy of being called an NBA franchise player.  This team needs a complete new direction and it starts at the top.  Right now the Sixers are in the process of finding their new head coach.  Let me tell you now that if GM Ed Stefanski is  not fired, it will not make a difference who the team brings in as head coach.  What this team needs is a guy who will come in and take complete control over all basketball operations, similar to whar Donnie Walsh does for the New York Knicks.  Unfortunately, the Sixers have spent so much money on guys who are not worthy of it (Elton Brand, Andre Iguodala) that they now have no money to spend on one of the big free agents on the market this summer, like Chris Bosh or Dwayne Wade.   We  need new leadership that is going to understand that this team will not be ready to compete for a while.  We need to find a way to unload players like Brand and Iguodala who are just eating up money and not producing for their value.  And then we need that GM to find a head coach that he knows can restore the glory that once was 76ers basketball.  We currently hold the sixth pick in the NBA draft this summer.  If we do not hit one of the top 3 lottery spots, I honestly think we should consider moving down in the draft and accumulate more picks.  With the exception of John Wall, Evan Turner, DeMarcus Cousins and Derrick Favors, I do not see one player worth taking that can be expected to change this whole mess around.  The Sixers are in need of a major overhaul and we can only hope that ownership will realize it.  But judging from their past tendencies, they probably won’t and things really won’t change much.

FLYERS: Unable to Clinch at the Garden

It was Game 7 for the New York Rangers Friday night at Madison Square Garden. They played accordingly, and they have lived another day.

Richards celebrates his goal 40 seconds into the contest

It wasn’t Game 7 – technically speaking – for the Flyers, but it probably would’ve been a smart move to have treated it that way. Not taking anything away from the Rangers here: they played an almost perfect game by their standards and deserved the victory. However, it’s frustrating that the Flyers couldn’t string together one complete period in this game, let alone a complete effort. The Orange and Black inserted Jeff Carter into the line-up, his first action since missing 8 straight games with a non-displaced fracture in his left foot. Carter was, as expected, not a factor in the least bit. In the process of Carter returning, Ville Leino had his spot eliminated from the line-up, something that I’ll personally never understand. It’s not that putting Carter in doesn’t make sense – if he can go, it certainly does. It’s just the simple question of “Why Leino?” What has he done to hurt the team since he’s taken over full-time status since Carter’s injury? Regardless of this writer’s opinion, Leino will continue to be the odd-man out and have his roster spot wasted. On to the action…

The Rangers held a very heart-warming ceremony on the ice pre-game, honoring Ryan Callahan with the Stephen MacDonald Award. As one of my roommates, who is a die-hard Ranger fan told me, MacDonald was shot in the line of duty a few years back, paralyzing him and severely disrupting his ability to speak. It was a nice sight to see Office MacDonald on the ice pre-game trying to rally up the Garden crowd. Callahan himself is a classy guy, and although he is a Ranger, it’s hard to dislike him – he plays hockey the right way. Once the action started, the energy in the building evaporated quickly.

In a sight that is rarely seen, Marc Staal turned the puck over in front of his own net, and Mike Richards was there to retrieve the loose disc and shoot it past Henrik Lundqvist less than a minute into the game. Seconds later, Aaron Voros was goaded into a stupid penalty by Daniel Carcillo to put the Flyers on the power-play. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, in a season in which the Flyers have been given so many opportunities, they seldom ever take advantage. So was the case Friday night, as the Rangers had a huge penalty kill to keep it a one goal game. A few minutes after the Rangers killed a powerplay, they were granted one that was four minutes in length courtesy of a Carcillo high stick that drew blood on Brandon Prust.

This toe stop by Lundqvist on JVR saved the game for New York and kept their postseason hopes alive

The Rangers, knowing their season was on the line, did more than just execute; they took advantage. Goals by Chris Drury on the power play, and less than three minutes later by Jody Shelley off a HORRENDOUS defensive display from Braydon Coburn allowed the Rangers to take a two to one lead, and brought the noise factor at MSG back into the game. The Flyers played a laid back style for about the next twenty minutes of action, as the Rangers controlled play for the most part, and scored again off a beautiful pass from Marian Gaborik to the stick of Brandon Dubinsky who roofed it over Brian Boucher. To the Flyers’ credit, however, the team certainly didn’t bring their “A” game, but they did bring a game. Danny Briere and Mike Richards helped the Flyers storm back to tie the game at three and grab some momentum back at a key stage in the game.

However, a costly Chris Pronger turnover, and an unlucky redirection off Matt Carle’s stick off a Gaborik shot made it 4-3 Rangers with a little over three minutes to go in the second period. The goal would prove costly as it would be the final score. However, it’s not like the Rangers didn’t deserve a break like their last goal. They were outworking the Flyers, and pressuring the Orange and Black each and every time the Flyers had the puck on their stick. It was almost a matter of time, really. Not if, but when.

The Wach is the site for Sunday's Showdown

So, now the Flyers and Rangers head to the Wachovia Center in South Philadelphia for a winner-takes-all match-up. There are technicalities where the Flyers could get in with an overtime loss, but who really cares about that. This team was supposed to be a playoff team in the beginning of the season, and with the players they have on their roster now, they can make it happen. They are a good team when they want to be and hopefully one of those occasions will be on Sunday afternoon. The Rangers are going to come in the confident group, and for good reason. But the Flyers have to treat this game as their Game 7 and play accordingly. There’s no sense in not leaving everything out on the ice at this point, because if the Flyers aren’t able to snatch two points Sunday afternoon, it would mark two years in a row that their Atlantic Division rivals have taken the season ending home and home from the Orange and Black.

And that, my friends, is the last type of deja-vu the Flyers want to happen.

SIXERS: Williams, Iguodala Guide Sixers to Win Over Nets

Lou Williams and Andre Iguodala both had good games for the Sixers tonight in a 97-94 win over the New Jersey Nets tonight at the Wachovia Center.  After a horrendous performance the other night against Boston, the team shot the ball well tonight, including going 8 for 16 from 3 point range.  In what was a pretty close game throughout the entire contest, the Sixers needed a late 3 pointer from Iguodala to secure the win in front of a crowd of just 10,054.  The team had some trouble keeping the Nets from scoring down low, especially Center Brook Lopez, who had a game-high 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Nets, who are still looking for their first win of the season.  It certainly did not help that Thaddeus Young, Elton Brand, and Samuel Dalembert all failed to reach double digits.  Lou Williams had a great game, scoring 18 points to go along with 9 rebounds and 6 assists.  Williams has been one of the biggest surprises so far this season, averaging 17 ppg along with about 5 assists.  His play tonight may have very well saved the game for the Sixers since they got no production from their frontcourt.  Along with good play from Iguodala and Jason Kapono (4-6 from 3 point range), the team was able to scrape out a very forgettable win against New Jersey.  It is becoming clear that so far this season the Sixers are nothing more than an average team who are able to win close games against the inferior teams, and are being thoroughly dominated by the best of the East.  However, a win is a win, and hopefully they will find their stride soon.  Next game is Sunday afternoon against the Detroit Pistons at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

FLYERS: Team Inks Four

The Philadelphia Flyers announced today that they have come to terms with four players in their system on contract agreements.  Danny Syvret was inked to a one-year NHL contract, Nicola Riopel and David Sloane signed one-year AHL contracts, and draft pick Zac Rinaldo signed a three-year Enty Level deal.

Syvret should challenge for a spot on the Flyers during Training Camp

The signings of Syvret and Rinaldo were both very significant at this point in the off-season.  Rinaldo will join what is already shaping up to be a very talented group in the Adirondack Mountains this season, and the 2008 6th round draft pick obviously has been impressing the Flyers brass with his play at the Junior level enough to warrant being called up.  In the case of Syvret, it adds another element to an already sticky situation concerning the Flyers blue-line this season.  Because of Syvret signing an NHL deal as opposed to an AHL deal it means one of two things: first, that the Flyers are planning on swinging the 24-year-old back and forth between the Phantoms and Flyers over the course of the season, or, second, that the Flyers fully intend on Syvret playing out of the Wachovia Center this year.  Syvret has been a Flyers call-up in the past two years since being acquired in a deal from the Edmonton Oilers that sent former Flyer Ryan Potulny to Edmonton.  In his brief NHL stints, Syvret’s poise and smooth skating have stood out to the Flyers scouts and many feel that the young blue-liner is poised to make the NHL his permanent home.

Obviously, by signing an NHL-based deal, Syvret will definitely have the opportunity to compete for what is believed to be the lone Flyer defensive spot in Training Camp.  In my opinion, the fact that Syvret signed a one-year deal is all the more reason that the Flyers will give the youngster a good, hard look this year at camp.  As it stands right now, the Flyers have 5 spots locked in place on the defensive front, with the five Flyer-definites being Kimmo Timonen, Chris Pronger, Braydon Coburn, Ryan Parent, and Randy Jones.  Although Jones is viewed by many as being perhaps the Flyers weakest defenseman, many within the Flyers organization like Jones and consider him a lock to make the team.  That, as I stated earlier, leaves one spot left on the team.  When looking at the final spot, the front-runner is definitely Matt Carle, a player who spent all of last season with the Flyers after coming over in the Steve Downie and Steve Eminger trade with Tampa Bay.  However, Carle is looked at as a player who the Flyers feel needs a lot of work, and that is a big reason as to why Philadelphia signed both Ole-Kristian Tollefsen and now Danny Syvret this off-season – to add to the competition in camp.  However, enough on this right now; this topic will be a huge part of the discussion in my 2009 Season Preview, so stay tuned for that.

Aside from Syvret and Rinaldo, the signings of Nicola Riopel and David Sloane are also important for the organization.  Riopel, by signing an AHL contract, will likely be the back-up to Johan Backlund with the Adirondack Phantoms this season.  (Interesting side-note: I wonder if the situation in the Flyers organization has ever presented itself in the past, with both sets of goalies on the AHL and NHL team being new to the organization? Just some food for thought.)  Sloane, who many will remember as the Flyers’ one-game-$100-rent-a-player-call-up this past season against the New York Rangers when the team was so cap strapped that it couldn’t bring anyone up, was rewarded with a spot on the Phantoms.  Having depth defensively is never a bad thing, so Sloane coming aboard should be looked at as a feather in the Flyers’ cap.

Overall, four very nice – and extremely necessary – signings by the Flyers.  It’s looking like the team is finally starting to take shape as the 2009-2010 season is on the horizon – can’t wait!

SIXERS: 2009-10 Schedule Released

Today, the NBA officially released the 2009-10 NBA Schedule.  The Philadelphia 76ers will begin their campaign at the home of the defending 2008-09 Eastern Conference Champions and the team that ended their season, the Orlando Magic, when they travel to Orlando on October 28.  Here are some other notable games for the Sixers this season.

October 30: First game at Wachovia Center vs. Milwaukee Bucks

November 3: First home game vs. Boston Celtics

December 16: First home game vs. LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers

December 22-January 3: Beginning of annual Disney road trip (6 games), which includes a stop in Portland against former Sixer Andre Miller

January 29: Only home game against defending NBA Champions Los Angeles Lakers

April 14: Final game of the year at Orlando Magic

So the Sixers will end the regular season the same place they will begin it: at Amway Arena against the Magic.  The Sixers will have a relatively easy start to the season in October/November, facing the New Jersey Nets twice, along with home games against the Milwaukee Bucks, Charlotte Bobcats, and Memphis Grizzlies, along with road games against the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, and Washington Wizards.  They do have two games against the Celtics, along with road games against the Cavs, San Antonio Spurs, and Dallas Mavericks towards the end of the month.  The Sixers will find another easy stretch in January, where they play eight straight games against the Knicks, Sacramento Kings, Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers, Dallas Mavericks, Indiana Pacers (twice), and Milwaukee.  One very difficult part of the season will come in late February, beginning with a four game road trip that will take the team to Chicago, Golden State, Phoenix, and finally the Staples Center to play the Lakers.  They will then come home to host the Magic, then travel to Atlanta to face the Hawks, and then come back home to face the Celtics.  After this tough stretch, the Sixers will have a relatively easy stretch of games for the remainder of the season.  In the final two weeks, they will face the Oklahoma City Thunder, Charlotte Bobcats, Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons, two games against Miami, then games againist Milwaukee and Memphis before facing a tough finale in Orlando.

FLYERS: The Final Five Possibilites

I have been doing a lot of numbers-crunching over the past few days trying to figure out how the Flyers can somehow fit a talented player at a bargain price under their cap-strapped situation.  As a result, I’ve come up with five players, who could be bargains if they fall into the Flyers’ lap, and are more than capable of bringing the “Bang for the Buck”.

Hopefully Holmgren isn't done in Free Agency

You have probably heard me come up with many names already throughout the whole free agency process as I – like most of the Flyer faithful – am hoping that the Flyers have not made their last move in free agency.  Therefore, it will quickly be noticed that some of these names are repetitive, but bare with me, these guys could definitely help the Orange and Black if they were to sign with the organization.

Ironically, the EXACT 5 players who I intended to write about, were all mentioned in Ryan Bright’s Flyers blog, Philabright.  Bare with me – even though the list of players may be the same, I have my reasoning.

I will present the five players and highlight their positives and negatives in two distinct categories: Good News and Bad News.  You’ll get the hand of it quickly.  Without further ado, my five free agents who really – actually – could – maybe – but maybe not – be Flyers in the 2009-’10 season (great title, right?).

FIVE FREE AGENTS WHO REALLY – ACTUALLY – COULD – MAYBE – BUT MAYBE NOT – BE FLYERS IN THE 2009-2010 SEASON

Mike Sillinger (CENTER)

• GOOD NEWS: Sillinger is the solid center the Flyers desperately need deep into their line-up and an incredibly strong Penalty Killer to boot.  He would be a welcome addition for Flyers Captain Mike Richards, who would see his Penalty-Killing time decrease, and, would therefore see his energy level increase late in games.  Sillinger has played for the Flyers before in his career, so he knows what a hockey-crazy town like Philadelphia demands from his players.  He’s been on just about every coast of the United States throughout his NHL career, and, at 38 years old, won’t demand too much of a contract, either.  In 1,049 games played – a rare feat to accomplish by anyone’s standards – Sillinger has accumulated 548 total points; basically a point every other game.  He’s the “Old, wily veteran” (Sillinger has played on more teams – 12 -than anyone else in NHL history) that we hear so much about in today’s game and would be a nice fit on the Flyers third or fourth lines and on one of the two Penalty-Killing units.

• BAD NEWS: I mentioned that Sillinger was a bit old, being 38 as he enters the upcoming season.  One thing that age tends to not do well with is coping with injuries, and lately, Sillinger has had a  lot of trouble staying healthy.  He missed all but seven games last season after undergoing hip resurfacing surgery in February 2009, and also had microfracture surgery for his hip in 2008.  Two consecutive years of injury plagued, hip surgery induced seasons can kill any players reputation at the professional level.  Sillinger’s age definitely is not a reassuring factor, either.  When healthy, Sillinger is effective as anybody as a third or fourth line shut down center.  However, before making a commitment to “Silly,” the Flyers must ask themselves, “Is it really worth the risk?

Chris Gratton (CENTER)

No, seriously.

• GOOD NEWS: OK, OK, I know.  Believe me, I do.  I looked at Gratton’s name about four or five times – laughing it off close to three – before finally coming to grips that Gratton could actually do some good as a Flyer this season.  I’m not trying to pull a fast ball here – Gratton was a complete bust when with the Flyers back in 1997, and I still can’t believe the Flyers brass gave him $9 million to basically play here for a little over one year – I admit that.  However, this is the good news part, and here’s the best of it – Gratton will come extremely cheap if the Flyers are interested.  Last year was a year from hell for Gratton – he bounced around between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Norfolk Admirals – Tampa’s AHL Affiliate – before being waived and finally signing with the Columbus Blue Jackets.  Behind all that horror of a season, Gratton could help a team he once stole money from in a big way.  Playing as a third line center with the Flyers – in between, say, Danny Briere and Claude Giroux – Gratton’s game would rise and the Flyers would be the sole beneficiaries of his fruit.  Gratton’s big (6’4”) and strong (230 lbs), and could serve as an imposing presence down the middle for the Flyers.  He’s 34 years old, so there’s still some years of production left in him.  Who knows?  Maybe he’s the bargain the Flyers have been searching for.

• BAD NEWS: Chris Gratton is still Chris Gratton.  When I say that, I mean the obvious – he’s a player that has had the potential to do so much, yet has accomplished so little in what has been a long – albeit winding – NHL career.  Talent has never been the question with Gratton; he was the 3rd overall pick in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, and was one of the most hyped NHL prospects coming into the big leagues.  However, a lack of determination, and often sluggish play, has hurt Gratton’s NHL image.  However, the one factor that remains with him – even at the age of 34 – is potential.  And that’s what’s kept him around in the NHL for so long.  The sad thing is that Gratton’s best years of hockey in this league – for what they were – are behind him.  The Flyers really need to think about this one before giving it serious thought because Gratton’s reputation is the only thing worse than that of an injury-prone player: a guy who just flat-out doesn’t care.

Brendan Shanahan (RIGHT/LEFT WING)

• GOOD NEWS: Shanahan is the ultimate package when it comes to veteran experience.  He’s won everywhere and anywhere he’s been and is an exclusive member of the Triple Gold Club, in winning the Stanley Cup, an Olympic Gold Medal, and a World Championship.  Shanahan would bring a great deal of leadership to the Flyers dressing room and is certainly capable of performing at a high level at this point in his career, even though he is 40 years old.  He is just two years removed from a 40+ point season with the New York Rangers in ’07-’08 and would thrive as a playmaker with the speedy and shifty youth that the Flyers currently possess.

• BAD NEWS: I hate to contradict myself, but the guy is 40 years old.  He would be signed to a one-year deal, as would any of these possible signees, and may be counted on to do more than he can handle.  I can picture the Flyers signing Shanahan now, and then I picture seeing my dad cringe and start complaining about his age one second later.  I’m not sure if I can handle that.  Come to think of it, I’m not sure if the Flyers even will want to.

Todd Bertuzzi (RIGHT WING)

Bertuzzi can drop the gloves while also bringing a scoring element unmatched in most enforcers

• GOOD NEWS: Is there anyone on this list who fits the breed of a Flyer more than Bertuzzi?  He’s big, physical, and knows how to put the puck in the net when he has to.  Last season, Bertuzzi enjoyed a brief renaissance with the Calgary Flames, tallying 15 goals and 44 points on the year.  I am a strong believer in Bertuzzi being a dark horse in this year’s free agent market and feel that it would certainly behoove the Flyers to take a look at him.  He would thrive in a building like the Wachovia Center, with the energy and noise that resonates within the Wach’s walls, and the fans would take an extreme liking to him as well.  Bertuzzi made a mistake a few years ago that ruined his image, and I’m sure that he would be the first to tell you he regrets it; there’s no denying that he would be an integral player on the Flyers roster if they decide to sign him up for this season.

• BAD NEWS: The Flyers aren’t exactly the Darlings of the NHL, by any standards.  That title exclusively belongs to Cindy – er, Sidney – Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins.  This is a team that has formerly been known – and is still commonly referred to – as the “Broad Street Bullies” and have had the “Bad Boy” image from the minute they came on the NHL map.  The Flyers already have tough guys like Daniel Carcillo, Ian Laperriere, Chris Pronger, Riley Cote, and Arron Asham.  An addition of Bertuzzi would just hurt the Flyers’ image even more.  People would really start to believe that the Flyers were going for every other NHL team’s jugular, in a strictly physical sense.  With so much riding on this season, you have to question whether the Flyers really need him.

Maxim Afinogenov (LEFT WING)

• GOOD NEWS: Maxim is as pure as they come in skill.  He’s shifty, quick and can bring on the wheels as well as anybody.  Last season was the worst of Afinogenov’s career, notching only 21 points.  The Flyers have been rumored to be interested in Afinogenov’s services and I hope that the rumors are true.  Maxim enjoyed the best seasons of his career when he played alongside current Flyer Danny Briere on the Buffalo Sabres, and it’s my hope the Flyers are willing to give him a chance to re-invigorate his career and make the Flyers third line of Briere-Afinogenov-Giroux just as feared as their top unit.  We all learned it the hard way from Pittsburgh last year: a team is only as good as it’s third and fourth lines in the new NHL.

• BAD NEWS: Same deal as Gratton here – is there a drive in Afinogenov that will allow him to be the best player he possibly can?  It seemed early on that Maxim certainly had the drive, but since Briere and others left Buffalo, so too it seems has Afinogenov’s intensity.  He has become passive and has seem to have lost interest in the North American Game, even contemplating a return to Russia in the form of the KHL last season.  Does a change of heart come with a change of scenery?  Maybe the Flyers shouldn’t take the risk to find out.

FLYERS: 2009 “Ultimate Standings”

ESPN SportsNation recently released its annual “Ultimate Standings” to the public. These rankings combine every team in the four major American professional sports to determine the most successful franchises in the eye of professionals and the public. The teams with the highest mean in overall rankings of the following categories determine where they fall in relation to other teams:

Bang For The Buck (BNG): Wins during the past three years (regular season plus postseason) per revenues directly from fans, adjusted for league schedules.

Fan Relations (FRL): Openness and consideration toward fans by players, coaches and management.
Ownership (OWN): Honesty and loyalty to core players and local community.
Affordability (AFF): Price of tickets, parking and concessions.
Stadium Experience (STX): Quality of arena and game-day promotions as well as friendliness of environment.
Players (PLA): Effort on the field and likability off it.
Coaching (CCH): Strength of on-field leadership.
Title Track (TTR): Championships already won or expected in the lifetime of current fans.

With that being said, these rankings listed the Philadelphia Flyers as being No. 54 overall.  The selection at #54 for the Orange and Black is a huge jump from last season’s mark at the 71st slot, but many will continue to wonder the same thought that was left with them last year: why are the Flyers ranked so poorly once again?  I’ll go through each of the Flyers’ rankings according to ESPN’s “Genius’s”, and explain why the Flyers simply deserve a better score in each category.  Would you have it any other way?

BNG (77th overall)

• It’s no secret with the Flyers: tickets are expensive.  The Orange and Black have become notorious for over-charging fans for tickets, food, and even a single beer.  However, it’s not like the Flyers are alone in this front.  However, they are among the few teams that can get away with it.  Many teams have jacked up prices in recent years and haven’t been rewarded by fans constantly packing the stadium.  The Flyers are an exception to this trend.  Year in and year out, including the ’06-’07 season which featured a last place finish in the entire National Hockey League, the Flyer faithful consistently pack the Wachovia Center.  The tickets may be pricey (lower level seats run as much as $96 a game), but the fans still come and pay.  To be honest, that’s all that matters.  The fans’ reward for their loyalty?  Playoff hockey has existed in this city 33 of the team’s 42 seasons, and some of the elder fans have even witnessed a Stanley Cup won on the Spectrum ice in the 1974.  Talk about bang for your buck.  Now, ESPN is really going to say that there are 76 other franchises that give the fans a bang for their buck?  Doubt it.

FR (27th overall)

• Although 27th out of 122 teams is not bad by any standards, it’s just unfair to the Flyers to say that there are 26 teams that have better fan relations than they do.  Ed Snider, the owner of the Flyers who I will touch on later in this post, has established some great organizations to give hockey back to the fans.  Most notably The Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation, which was established a few years ago by Snider to promote hockey in the more corrupt parts of Philadelphia.  Since it’s inception, the ESYHF has succeeded fruitfully, as has another event started by the Flyers’ wives some time ago: the Flyers Fight For Lives Carnival.  Each year, in February, the Flyers have held this extremely popular event which allows players and fans to interact in the form of picture taking, autographs, dunk tanks, and even just casual conversation.  Between the ESYHF and The Flyers Wives Fight For Lives Carnival, one notices two parts to this franchise that should certainly upgrade it from 27 to one of the closest to #1.

OWN (8th overall)

Ed Snider is a Sports God in Philadelphia

• I can live with 8th, but I’ll argue with anyone until the day I die that Ed Snider is the best owner in professional sports.  Snider brought hockey to this city and made Philadelphia fall in love with “The Coolest Game on Earth”. Snider has created two multi-purpose facilities that both have been and are considered state-of-the-art for given their year of inception, in the Wachovia Center and the Wachovia Spectrum.  The Spectrum, which Snider calls his “baby”, is due to be demolished in the coming year, and Snider has publicly said he does not think he will be able to be in attendance when the implosion occurs.  “America’s Showplace,” as the Spectrum has come to be known, brought the Flyers into the Philadelphia limelight back in 1967, and was one of the first multi-purpose facilities in professional sport.  Along with the Flyers, Mr. Snider also owns the Sixers and is a high-ranking official within the Comcast-Spectacor Corporation.  He has become an icon in Philadelphia and has a place in both the Philadelphia Flyers and National Hockey League Hall of Fame.  Mr. Snider holds a special place in my heart, because the love that I have for the Flyers would not have been possible had it not been for his genius to bring the Flyers to Philadelphia back in 1967.  Like I said before, not many can top Mr. Snider.

AFF (87th overall)

• No secret here: playing in a big market like Philadelphia causes a team to be able to up their prices and not feel all that bad about it.  The Flyers do have, in my opinion, pretty ludicrous prices when it comes to merchandise and food at the games within the Wachovia Center.  However, that doesn’t go without saying that the food at the Wachovia Center and the amenities offered are pretty damn good as well.  I’m not going to argue this fact, just make a simple point:  the two teams in front of the Flyers on this list are the New York Islanders (85) and the Phoenix Suns (86) – both teams that play in large markets with FOUR major sports teams (NY has 8, Phoenix – Cardinals, Suns, Coyotes, Diamondbacks).  Big market = higher ticket prices; it’s just a part of the game.

STX (48th overall)

It's Crush Time, Baby!

• OK, this is where I get heated.  48th overall!?  The Flyers boast one of the best fan bases as well as one of the most successful franchises in all of professional sports and it is a travesty that the Flyers are ranked so high.  There is NO playoff experience that compares to what goes on inside the Wachovia Center walls during spring time and the noise level in that building is off the charts.  In fact, the Wachovia Center and Flyers fans were voted “The most intimidating” in an ESPN Player’s Poll last season.  Now, why ESPN then proceeds to rank the Flyers 48th overall is beyond me.  Perhaps it really shows the most glaring hole in this whole debate: ESPN really just doesn’t care enough about hockey to really even know how to rank these teams.  “The Orange Crush” is one of, if not the most, intimidating fan base in hockey and there aren’t many hockey players that want to come in to Philadelphia for a decisive playoff game with their season on the line.  Before playoff games, the Wachovia Center has the “Flyers Playoff Block Party,” hosted right outside the ‘Center, and the whole event has food, beverages, and live bands – as well as a nice way by the Flyers to cover up what is really a drinking fest that gets the fans indoors all the more rowdy.  The pre-game introductions by the great guys at Arenavision have continuously been awarded by different outlets for supplying some of the best pre-game pump up introductions ever seen in professional sports.  All in all, it’s fairly simple: “The Orange Crush” has been snubbed, ladies and gentlemen.  And believe me, they will not forget it.

PLA (47th overall)

• Another mind-boggler.  The Flyers, as I stated earlier, have been one of the most successful teams in sports during their history.  There is one – and only one – reason for that success: the players.  Flyers players, who have been called everything from “The Orange and Black”, to the “Broad Street Bullies,” have had one ringing mantra throughout their fraternity: Work hard and play hard.  Inside the Flyers’ dressing room, a simple statement is written above the chalkboard, a statement known to Flyers players well before Kurt Russel immortalized it in “Miracle”: “You Play for the crest on the front of the jersey, NOT the name on the back.”  I can’t think of many organizations, besides maybe the Yankees (who don’t actually even have names on their jerseys), that would live by this mantra as religiously as the Flyers do.  Players that come here are all hard workers; Flyers players sometimes have more brawn then brains, but that’s the way the fans like it in Philadelphia.  Great players, as well as characters, have come through this franchise: Bobby Clarke, Reggie Leach, Bernie Parent, Ron Hextall, Pelle Lindbergh, Tim Kerr, Mark Howe, Bill Barber, Jeremy Roenick, John LeClair, Mark Recchi, Peter Forsberg, Eric Lindros, Keith Primeau – the list truly is endless.  The bottom line is that there aren’t many teams that can match up to the Flyers’ historical repertoire of players, and ESPN did a sub-par job of taking notice.

CCH (79th overall)

• For those of you who don’t know me too well, understand this: I am not John Stevens’ biggest fan.  He has done a half-decent job in his two-and-a-half seasons manning the Flyers’ bench,  but he doesn’t really hit home in my opinion as  coach that fits the Philadelphia limelight.  The Flyers have had some great coaches in the past, most notably Fred “The Fog” Shero and Ken Hitchcock, but coaching has never been a strong point in the Flyers repetoire.   Don’t get me wrong – Stevens, and Assistant Coaches Jack McIlhargey, Craig Berube, and Joey Mullen are great guys all around – they just aren’t the best coaching staff the Flyers could ever have.  I can’t really argue ESPN’s opinion on this matter too much; I’m actually somewhat relieved that the Flyers’ coaching staff wasn’t ranked lower.

TTR (69th overall)

Missing Lord Stanley since '75

• I haven’t seen a Stanley Cup come to Philadelphia in my lifetime (20 years), and altogether it’s been almost 35 years since the Cup has been paraded down Broad Street.  However, the Flyers certainly have the pieces right now to make a legitimate run at Lord Stanley.  With the acquisition of Chris Pronger, along with a great offensive core in Claude Giroux, Danny Briere, Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Scott Hartnell, and Simon Gagne,  the Flyers certainly have the pieces to the puzzle to make great things happen this season.  Recent history hasn’t brought much glory to Philadelphia – the Flyers haven’t won an Atlantic Division title since 2004, and haven’t been crowned Kings of the Eastern Conference since 1997 – but this season brings new hope to the Flyer faithful, as well as hope to all readers that ESPN will give this category a higher ranking next season.

Overall, it seems the Flyers got the short end of the stick on many fronts in ESPN’s “Ultimate Standings 2009,” as evidenced by the facts presented in this post.  The Flyers, like all of the Philadelphia sports teams, deserve much more credit.  Philadelphia is one of, if not the greatest (some bias, I must admit) sports cities in the world, but Philadelphia continues to be the recipient of tough love from the boys in Bristol, CT.  Here’s hoping to better scores in 2010!