Injuries Mounting for Flyers

The Flyers have been the surprise team in the NHL this season, after suffering through their worst season in the team's 40 year history in 2006-2007. Currently in third place in the East with 65 points (four behind division leading Pittsburgh) and sixth in the Eastern Conference, the Flyers have had a substantial turnaround. After all, they had only achieved 57 points through the entire season last year. But the feel good story in Philadelphia has come to a steady halt as the team has gone 5-5 in their last ten games and seem to lose a player every night. Last night's lost to Pittsburgh, the first to the Penguins this season, resulted in not just an L but a dent in their lineup. Simon Gagne was injured in the first period with what appeared to be his third concussion in four months. Gagne, who missed 30 games combined after his first two, hope to return before the end of the 2007-2008 season. He is just another player added to the list. Joffrey Lupul just returned to the ice on February 9th after missing more than a month with a spinal cord contusion and a concussion. Currently out are defensemen Rory Fitzpatrick (sports hernia, since 1/16) and Braydon Coburn (ruptured artery, since 2/10) as well as winger Scottie Upshall (ankle, 2/16). None of the three are expected to return within the next week. Fitzpatrick and Coburn may be out for at least another 10-14 days. Despite Gagne missing as much time as he has, he is still a point/game kind of player (illustrated by his 25 points in 25 games this season). It is hard to justify the losses of Fitzpatrick and Coburn, though their defensive prowess has helped fill a hug hole on the Flyers blueline. Hopefully the team can stay strong and stay in the thick of the Eastern Conference race. Anything can happen in the playoffs.


*NOTE: This isn't meant as an excuse. Every team has injuries. The Pens are playing without Crosby and the Avalanche are playing sans their top three guys. Many other teams have injuries too.

I'd also like to welcome back the Rangers to the race. What the hell were they doing the first three months of the season?

And totally unrelated to hockey...a great find by Kelly Ross. How did I miss that?

Everyone Knew It Wouldn't Last

The 2006-2007 Flyers were a disaster. Injuries decimated the roster and the team had to rely on an unprecedented number of rookies in a dreadful campaign that netted only 22 wins in 82 games. Combined with 12 overtime or shootout losses last years Flyers accumulated a mere 56 points - 11 points less than the Phoenix Coyotes, the second worst team. The Flyers organization did not envision it's 40th year of operation quite like that.

The 2007-2008 season couldn't get here soon enough for a franchise that is used to playing in meaningful games well after the trading deadline and, more often than not, deep into April. Some nifty offseason trades and acquisitions brought hope to the Philadelphia hockey scene. The team got off to a fast start and then cooled off a bit. The Atlantic Division is arguably the most competitive division in hockey with the young and flashy Penguins, the ruthless Devils, and the veteran-laden Rangers and Islanders. Each teams play has fluctuated during the season so far and no team has commandeered a commanding lead in the division. As it stands now, Pittsburgh has a slim lead (58 points in 48 games played) but New Jersey (57 in 47) and Philadelphia (57 in 46) are right behind...and they play tonight at the Wachovia Center. The Islanders (52 in 48) and Rangers (50 in 49) are still in the hunt. The Penguins suffered a huge blow on Friday when superstar Sidney Crosby was lost for 6-8 weeks with a high ankle sprain, the same injury starting goalie Marc-Andre Fleury has been dealing with since early December.

You probably didn't pay much attention to the Flyers point total other than it was one behind Pittsburgh and tied with New Jersey. That point total after 46 games is 57. In 82 games last year the Flyers got to 56. The Flyers season point total would extrapolate to around 94-98, quite possibly a 40 point improvement. It is safe to say that last year was not the sign of things to come. And the NHL knew that. The Flyers are back.