Entering the 2011-12 season, the Philadelphia Flyers believe they have finally solved an issue that has plagued them the better part of last two decades: goaltending.
Ilya Bryzgalov, who signed a nine-year contract over the summer, will finally be the guy between the pipes that returns Philadelphia to the Stanley Cup Final. But Bryzgalov isn’t the only new face in the City of Brotherly Love.
Flyers GM Paul Holmgren shook up a huge portion of his roster following the Flyers’ second-round playoff loss to the Boston Bruins last season. Gone are eight of the 20 players who dressed in the last game of the series loss to the Bruins, including All-Star centers Jeff Carter and Mike Richards. Along with Carter (Columbus) and Richards (Los Angeles), the Flyers also saw Ville Leino (Buffalo) and Kris Versteeg (Florida) leave—those four players accounted for 85 goals last season.
The Flyers also lost some grit when tough guy Daniel Carcillo signed with the Chicago Blackhawks. Veteran defenseman Sean O’Donnell would also sign with Chicago shortly thereafter, and forward Darroll Powe (Minnesota) and backup goaltender Brian Boucher (Carolina) won’t be back for the black and orange next season, either.
Despite the loss of several big-name players, veterans and plenty of scoring depth, the Flyers earnestly believe they have a much more well-rounded team this season.
The biggest surprise arrival is 39-year-old right wing Jaromir Jagr, who returns to the NHL after a three-season absence. Jagr signed a one-year, $3.3 million deal with Philadelphia after it appeared he was set for a reunion with the Pittsburgh Penguins, his first NHL team.
Jagr has spent the last three seasons playing in Russia, and while he was nearly a point-per-game scorer there—145 points in 155 games—he’ll likely need time to re-acclimate himself to the NHL.
While Jagr may be more of a gamble based on his age, the Flyers know what they are getting with Brayden Schenn. Rated by many the top prospect not currently in the NHL, the 20-year-old center was a major component of the Richards trade.
“We think a lot of Brayden as a young player,” Holmgren said. “As with any player, you get to training camp and you see. The players more than anybody answer those questions. Brayden is going to play in the NHL, whether it’s right at the start of this season, we’ll see. That’s what training camp is for. He’ll be given every opportunity.”
It’s also hoped Wayne Simmonds and Jakub Voracek, who were part of the haul in the Richards and Carter deals, can replace some of the offense their predecessors took with them.
The Flyers have definitely gone from an offensive-minded team to one that will rely on defense and goaltending. With newly named captain Chris Pronger taking things over in the dressing room and on the blue line, the Flyers boast one of the most dominant defensive corps in the league.
And don’t think just because Richards and Carter are gone that the Flyers will somehow become deficient in the scoring department. Danny Briere was second on the team in goals last season (34), Claude Giroux led the team in points last season (76) and made his first All-Star team and James van Riemsdyk, the second pick of the 2007 entry draft, had a breakout season with 21 goals.
It’s often hard to tell how a team will fare following on offseason full of drastic changes. One thing is for sure, though, the Flyers’ success will start from the back. If Bryzgalov is consistent and Pronger and the rest of the defensive core can stay healthy, the offense will come, and so will the wins.
