[dutch74]

here's Dobber's fantasy breakdown the Flyers in the upcoming season... more of a fantasy hockey approach but it works for analyzing the team as well... D.

Philadelphia Flyers
http://www.dobberhockey.com/content/view/426/1/

Gone ? Mike York, Robert Esche, Todd Fedoruk, Joni Pitkanen, Geoff Sanderson

Arriving ? Jason Smith, Joffrey Lupul, Scott Hartnell, Kimmo Timonen, Daniel Briere?not to mention the late-season acquisitions of Scottie Upshall, Martin Biron and Braydon Coburn.

Looking to Add - The Flyers have done everything they wanted to and are ready to roll now.

Ready for full-time - Coburn is finally going to have a full-time job as the No. 2 man on the power play and he will learn under the tutelage of Timonen, Nashville?s captain last season. Steve Downie, a future energy winger who will eventually play on the second line, has a shot at a fourth-line spot.

Fantasy Outlook - My, how things have changed. With a top line of Briere, Mike Knuble and Simon Gagne followed by a second line of Jeff Carter, Hartnell and Upshall, this team is set up to be an offensive force.

Briere will boost Gagne?s numbers right back up into the 80s.

With Mike Richards, Lupul and Sami Kapanen manning the third line, the team will be tough to contain.

Defensively, with Derian Hatcher, Denis Gauthier and Smith keeping the opposition honest, goalie Biron should flourish.

Don?t count out backup Antero Niittymaki either. He is now fully healthy and is an excellent fill-in if Biron gets hurt.

A young, dynamic team on the rise.

Fantasy Grade: B+ (last year was B- and at one point they probably slipped as low as a D over the course of the season)

[dutch74]

Another article as well from Dobber's Hockey about the Flyers... enjoy! D.

Prepare for Departure
Written by Jim Gunther
Thursday, 19 July 2007
http://www.dobberhockey.com/content/view/427/1/

After having a great 2005-06 season, the Flyers took a nosedive last season. The nosedive affected everyone from management to coaches to players. This team flat out crashed, allowing the most goals (297) and winning the fewest games (22). There were lots of other lows, too. Only one player played in all 82 contests (Derian Hatcher). Goaltending was inconsistent. Losing became an infection that kept spreading and getting worse. While Simon Gagne managed to remain a serious scoring threat, he alone could not carry his team. The injury to Mike Knuble and other key players did not help. This season the Flyers look to lift themselves up off the ground and turn everything around.


The first thing the Flyers did was they brought in new people to change the mindset and attitude of the team. Landing free agent Daniel Briere, of course, was key to that. Last season he led the speedy, highflying Buffalo Sabres into the playoffs. The Sabres had multiple lines of scoring threats. The Flyers on the other hand had only one line with scoring ability. If an opposing team could shut down that one line, they could shut down the Flyers. Simon Gagne was the main scorer (41 goals), in fact he contributed 19.2% of his teams overall goals (third in the league).


This coming season, things will be different. Briere has speed, he can handle the puck, he can pass, he can be a deadly accurate sniper, and best of all he?s healthier than Peter Forsberg. With the new NHL a strong power play is important, but teams cannot always rely on it. Good thing they added Briere, who led the league with 65 even-strength points. Look for Gagne and Knuble to benefit big time from Briere?s ability to make plays. If Briere stays healthy he could reach the 100-point plateau and look for Gagne to soar and surpass a career year in goals.


While Briere should help propel this team, the Flyers added a few other little engines that will bring stability. Scottie Upshall, Scott Hartnell, and Kimmo Timonen all came over to the Flyers from the Nashville Predators. Like Buffalo, Nashville was a team with multiple lines of scoring threats. Hartnell and Upshall were among that group. Both are young and are still yet to reach their potential but that could change in Philly. Jeff Carter could be the key. He will likely center those two on the second line. Last season he was unable to get things going with Kyle Calder and/or Geoff Sanderson. Injuries also did not help. Both Calder and Sanderson are now gone. This second line will have youth and speed throughout. Do not be surprised if the Flyers experiment with also newly acquired Joffrey Lupul on the right wing. Two seasons ago he scored 28 goals with Anaheim. Last season playing on Edmonton?s third line he only tallied 28 points. Lupul was not used to his ability and the Flyers could be the right home for him.


There have been rumors that Teemu Selanne might not retire and could end up playing with the Flyers. It is no surprise the ?Finnish Flash? would consider this when you take into account all of his fellow Finnish countrymen on the Flyers (Timonen, Kukkonen, Kapanen, and Niittymaki). Too bad Pitkanen just left! Could this be a second coming of the Olympics? Selanne would be a great addition, but it is likely just a silly rumor. In all seriousness, Kimmo Timonen should do a fine job replacing the recently departed offensive-defensemen Joni Pitkanen. Look for Timonen to put up at least 50 points. Kukkonen?s played 20 games with the Flyer?s last season and did not do much, but nor did his team that was mentally out of it at that point.


As for goaltending it will be very interesting to see what Marty Biron can do playing on a regular basis. He was acquired last season from Buffalo where he had been playing back-up to Ryan Miller. On the Flyers, he posted the teams best save percentage of all their goalies. Biron does have talent and will hopefully get his opportunity to finally shine as a fulltime starter with a new team in front of him. If not, Antero Niittymaki is still in the picture and will look to rebound from his poor season. This team will most likely not make the playoffs, but will surprise everyone like the Islanders did last season.

[Jlg-28]

good read and info, hopefully thy can live up to expectations

[Hyperfried]

Great read, makes me really excited for the season to come.

[Hextall_Fan88]

"...will most likely not make the playoffs.." that should be motivation enough boys.

[Hyperfried]

Seriously, if we're all serious with ourselves, we are in no way a shoo-in for the playoffs. Until we've actually seen the team working together, seen the chemistry or lack or chemistry during the season, there's no way to know. For now, I don't blame them, because, we've restocked, but we might not just be there yet.

[dutch74]

it all depends on how well the team gels. It could be really good or be rough for the first half of the season while everyone gets used to playing with each other. I expect us to make the playoffs but no Stanley Cup just yet.

[tmcc]

We has Esche gone?

[sekkes85]

I disagree, while the team may not gel there is just too much talent on the roster. We may be fighting for an 8th spot, but we should easily get in. If this team DOES in fact develop some chemistry, watch out...

[PA_NICE_GUY]

The thing is Sekkes, there wasn't any of us that thought last years team didn't look good on paper. I agree they should get in, but we should learn a lesson from last season. It's not always as good as it appears. I hope that doesn't happen again.