September 9, 2010, 2010-11Philadelphia Flyers preview for HockeyPrimeTime.com

2010-11 preview: Philadelphia Flyers

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Written by Denis Gorman

Thursday, September 09, 2010 00:00

The Flyers have the tools to repeat their improbable run to the Stanley Cup Finals. But they'll have to do it without one of their top forwards (Simon Gagne) and the same blue-collar goalie tandem. 2009-10: 41-35-6, 88 points, lost in six games to Chicago in Stanley Cup Final. Key additions: D Sean O’Donnell, D Andrej Meszaros, RW Nikolai Zherdev, LW Jody Shelley Key losses: LW Simon Gagne, RW Arron Asham, D Ryan Parent, G Ray Emery. Overview: The Flyers were among the NHL’s most surprising teams in 2009-10. After qualifying for the playoffs on the season’s last day (due in part to a still-baffling shootout lineup conceived by New York Rangers coach John Tortorella), Philadelphia authored one of the most memorable runs in franchise history before being eliminated in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final by Patrick Kane’s corner-pocket goal. GM Paul Holmgren added O’Donnell and Meszaros to the league’s pre-eminent defense corps, and the talented but maddeningly inconsistent Nikolai Zherdev up front. What they're missing: Philadelphia is among the odds-on favorites to win the Cup. And not without reason: the Flyers are loaded with youth, veterans, skill, size, speed, and a collective mean streak that follows the franchise’s lineage. Goaltending could be argued as a question mark, but Michael Leighton and Brian Boucher were capable in net for Philadelphia last spring. Players to watch: Shelley, RW Daniel Briere, LW James Van Riemsdyk, C Claude Giroux. Briere experienced a career revival in last spring’s playoffs. The diminutive right wing’s 30 playoff points led the league. Van Riemsdyk was a highly touted scorer coming out of the U.S. Developmental Program and the University of New Hampshire. Still, the boyish-looking 21-year-old totaled 35 points in 78 games in his rookie season. After the Flyers eliminated the Devils from the playoffs last April, Peter Laviolette recalled that Claude Giroux had asked the Flyers coach for more responsibility midway through the season. Laviolette reminded Giroux of that request during the series, and was rewarded with a 10-goal, 11-assist playoff season. HPT is counting down one team each day before NHL training camps open on Sept. 17. Tomorrow: Pittsburgh Penguins. Twitter: @DenisGorman

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