Archive: February, 2009
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
General manager Paul Holmgren has done a masterful job reviving the Flyers. Two years ago, they were the NHL’s worst team, and then they reached the league’s Final Four last season.
This year, they are among the Eastern Conference elite and have a legitimate chance to reach the Stanley Cup Finals.
But one has to wonder if their chances were diminished a bit on Friday.
Not because of the team’s 4-3 overtime loss to Montreal, but rather because management had done a lousy job managing the salary cap, causing the Flyers to lose a pair of veterans on waivers. Center Glen Metropolit was claimed by Montreal, while defenseman Ossi Vaananen was picked up by Vancouver.
And then Saturday, came this stunner: Rookie sensation Claude Giroux was being sent to the Phantoms. That frees $850,000 in cap space, but GM Paul Holmgren insisted the move had nothing to do with salary-cap issues.
Why, then, was Giroux, who has been one of the Flyers' top offensive players recently, demoted?
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
Maybe this two-goalie system is going to work to the Flyers' advantage.
I know. I know. Conventional wisdom says a team needs to ride one goalie in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
True, but the late-season goalie competition that has been created _ by Marty Biron's inconsistency and Antero Niittymaki's steady play _ may be a blessing in disguise.
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
More than four months after their season opener, the Flyers' goalie situation seems more unsettled than ever.
Will the goalie down the stretch be Marty Biron? Antero Niittymaki? A goalie who will be acquired by the March 4 trade deadline?
We shall see.
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
Do the Flyers need to make a deal before the March 4 trade deadline to bring home their first Stanley Cup since 1975?That's the question facing GM Paul Holmgren.
Head coach John Stevens said Wednesday he doesn't think a deal is necessary. He is happy to play the stretch run _ and the playoffs _ with the solid team Holmgren has assembled.
Offensively, I agree.
The Flyers have two of the leagues most dynamic lines, and the third line (Claude Giroux with Scottie Upshall and, for now, Darroll Powe, has been terrific lately.
And when Danny Briere returns from the injured list _ he'll likely take Powe's spot _ the offense will get even better, especially on the power play.
Before the season started, the Flyers said if Simon Gagne successfully returned from a concussion, it would be like adding a premier free agent.
The same can be said now about Briere, who has been limited to nine games this season and is expected back on Wednesday.
If Briere returns to his old form, it will be like adding a marquee player near the trade deadline _ without having to give up anything.
So the offense seems set, but the defense could use an experienced, physical player (Chris Pronger?) who would make like easier for Marty Biron and/or Antero Niittymaki.
Speaking of Biron, he appears to be finding his rhythm. It says here the Flyers can win a Cup with Biron. The last three Cup winners (Carolina, Anaheim and Detroit) didn't exactly have goalies who conjured memories of Bernie Parent.
Biron showed in last year's first two playoff rounds that he can withstand the post-season pressure.
Ah, but can his young defensemen?
His blue-liners have good speed and handle the puck better than last year's defense. But the Flyers will miss the playoff experience that Jason Smith and Derian Hatcher provided _ that is, unless Holmgren can swing a deal.
With an abundance of offensive talent, he can afford to trade one of his forwards and bring in a bruising defenseman who can give the blue line more balance.
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Biron will start Thursday's game against his former team, visiting Buffalo. Earlier this season, Biron made 40 saves as he blanked the Sabres, 3-0.
About 500 tickets remain for Thursday night.
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Stevens has not ruled out putting together a French Connection line in the future: Briere, Giroux and Simon Gagne.
Long-time fans will remember the Flyers' first Fench Connection: Andre Lacroix, Jean-Guy Gendron and Simon Nolet in the late 1960s.
And whatever became of Serge Bernier?
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In the spirit of Gonzo, here's a note that has nothing to do with sports.
From here, Sunday's Oscar for best picture looks like a two-team race between Slumdog Millionaire and The Reader.
I'd give Slumdog the nod by a very slim margin.
Most overlooked film: The Boy in the Striped Pajammas, which had one of the most powerful and draining endings you'll ever see. It was one of the top three movies of the year. And how did Gran Torino not get nominated for best picture? Ditto grumpy (but lovable) Clint Eastwood in the best-actor category.
OK, off my soapbox.
_ Sam Carchidi
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
NEW YORK _ Hockey is a simple game when your goalie is playing well.For the second straight game, Marty Biron was sharp and the Flyers used a three-goal outburst to turn a close game into a romp.
This time, Matt Carle, Glen Metropolit and Mike Knuble scored in a 1:49 span of the second period to give the Flyers a 5-0 lead Sunday en route to a 5-2 win over the slumping New York Rangers at sold-out Madison Square Garden.
On Saturday, three goals in 1:07 turned a 2-1 nailbiter into a 5-1 win over the Islanders.
There were a couple of constants in both wins.
For one, Biron began returning to form. He made 38 saves against the Islanders and 35 against the Rangers.
For another, rookie forward Claude Giroux is starting to resemble the player who was a junior hotshot last year.
Giroux, a winger-turned-center, had the best performance of his young NHL career Sunday as he collected a goal and two assists in the nationally televised contest.
In his last five games, Giroux has six points (two goals, four assists). In the last two games, Giroux, Darroll Powe and Scottie Upshall have been the Flyers' best line.
Giroux, who turned 21 last month, struggled after being promoted from the AHL Phantoms on Dec. 26. In his fourth game, he suffered a concussion when elbowed by Anaheim’s Corey(CQ) Perry on Jan. 2 and was sidelined for nearly two weeks.
But since returning to the lineup on Jan. 15, Giroux has made steady progress. In his last five games, he has six points and has been so productive that he has been getting time on the power play.
“Our coaches planted a lot of confidence in myself,” Giroux said. “I’m playing center now and it’s working out well. It doesn’t matter where I play. I’m just happy to be out there and I try to work hard.
“The first few games I got called up, I wasn’t as comfortable as I am now, but after each game, you learn your system and the players you play with know a little more about you,” he added.
The emeregnce of Giroux could make some other players expendable (Joffrey Lupul?) before the March 4 trade deadline.
Stay tuned.
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Mike Richards set a modern NHL record with his third three-on-five shorthanded goal of his career, helping key the win. Richards, who netted his 20th goal, and Arron Asham each had a team-high four hits.
Richards' goal was the Flyers' best-in-the-NHL 14th shorthanded score of the season, but their first since Dec. 20.
_ Sam Carchidi
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
The unsettled goalie situation is actually a win-win for the Flyers.
It will provide both goalies _ Antero Niittymaki and Marty Biron _ with extra focus as they try to be the go-to guy in the Flyers’ last 30 regular-season games.
Both are not only trying to steer the Flyers to the Atlantic Division title and a high Eastern Conference seeding, but they are playing for a contract.
Talk about incentive.
Niittymaki has been the much more consistent and deserves to be No. 1 right now. But don’t discount Biron. The feeling here is that elevating Niittymaki to No. 1 will light a fire under Biron. Don’t be surprised if Biron goes on a hot streak and ends up being the Flyers’ main goalie down the stretch and into the playoffs.
If not, Niittymaki is more than capable and is playing with a high confidence level.
Either way, the goalie competition _ at least with 30 games left _ is a good thing for the Flyers.
That said, they need a clear-cut No. 1 heading into the playoffs.
They also need some cap space to land a bruising defenseman before the March 4 trade deadline. That makes Biron ($3.5 million) the goalie they would prefer to trade. There are a few playoff contenders that could use a goalie.
Why would they deal for the slumping Biron?
Take a look at the video form last year’s first two playoff rounds.
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
Comcast-Spectacor announced yesterday that the AHL Phantoms would be sold to a Pittsburgh group and that they will be leaving the area.
No location has been announced, but there are indications that the club will eventually play in Lehigh Valley, where a new arena will have to be built.
The team is leaving Philadelphia, of course, because the Specrum will be torn down in the fall to make room for Philly Live, a restaurant, shopping complex.
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
Based on their inconsistent play over the last five weeks, the Flyers have fallen from their perch among the Eastern Conference elite.
Wednesday, they get a chance to show they belong with the big boys.
The Flyers will host the Boston Bruins, the NHL’s surprising leader with 80 points.
“I got a sense at practice today that it’s a big game and we really want to see where we’re at,” said Flyers defenseman Kimmo Timonen, whose team is 7-6-2 since their Christmas break.
The Bruins lead the NHL in goals-against average (2.12 per game) and they are second in goals scored.
Boston has the league’s best road record (18-5-3). They will be facing a Flyers team that is 13-1-2 in their last 15 home games.
The Bruins have few weaknesses.
“They forecheck five guys; they defend with five guys,” Timonen said. “We have to be at the top of our game to win.”
They also have to get their power play untracked. The Flyers are 1 for 23 on the power play in their last four games.
Wednesday starts a home-and-home series with the Bruins. The Flyers will play at Boston Saturday afternoon.
Flyers goalie Marty Biron will start Wednesday and, in all probability, on Saturday. He is expected to face the sizzling Tim Thomas on Wednesday.
BTW, Las Vegas made Boston a 25 to 1 longshot to win the Cup when the season started. Sixteen teams had better odds, including the Flyers (10/1). Detroit was the favorite at 3/1.
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In an interesting side note to Wednesday’s game, all four of the teams’ goalies _ the Flyers’ Biron and Antero Niittymaki, the Bruins’ Thomas and Manny Fernandez _ can become free agents after the season.
That has raised speculation that each team could trade one of its goalies if it feels it won’t re-sign them after the season.
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About 500 tickets remain for Wednesday’s game.
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Has it really been 35 years since the Flyers stunned the Bruins to win their first Cup?
_ Sam Carchidi
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
What took so long?
That's the question most Flyers fans were asking when it was announced today that rookie defenseman Luca Sbisa was being sent to juniors.
Make no mistake, Sbisa is going to be a future star. He is fast, a terrific puck-mover and, as he fills out, will become a physical presence. But the kid needs to play, not be a healthy scratch in most games.
