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Four defensemen - Luca Sbisa, Steve Eminger, Lasse Kukkonen and Ossi Vaananen - played a combined 73 NHL games last season.
"Personally, I'm not too concerned," said Braydon Coburn, who at 23 is one of the Flyers' most experienced defensemen. "I think we have six [defensemen] that any team would be comfortable with."
Coach John Stevens said the defensive pairings tonight probably would look like this: Kimmo Timonen and fellow Finland native Vaananen; Coburn and Eminger; and Sbisa and Kukkonen.
"I liked the way it looked today," Stevens said yesterday after practice at the Skate Zone in Voorhees.
Injuries to Randy Jones (hip) and Ryan Parent (shoulder), both of whom aren't expected back until at least December, have caused the Flyers to break up their No. 1 defensive pairing of Timonen and Coburn.
The Sbisa-Kukkonen pairing has the least experience, but Stevens believes Kukkonen's composure will help his 18-year-old defensive partner. "We're pretty confident these six guys can do a good job the way they're set up," Stevens said.
Eminger, who averaged just 11 minutes while playing in 20 games for Washington last season, said that he watched two games on TV Thursday night and that he was "excited to get going."
A year ago, the Flyers jump-started their turnaround season by winning six of their first seven games. A fast start this season is important, the players said.
"You want to come out strong off the bat and set your identity," said Jeff Carter, who will center wingers Scottie Upshall and Mike Knuble on the second line. "You want to show you're for real."
The Flyers made a 39-point improvement last year, notching 95 points and reaching the Eastern Conference finals.
Breakaways. About 200 tickets remain for tonight's game. . . . The Flyers won't know until today's morning skate whether Steve Downie (knee injury) can play tonight. If not, Jared Ross would be the fourth-line center. . . . Sbisa will not be the youngest player - or even the youngest defenseman - to play for the Flyers. Sbisa is 18 years, 253 days old. The club's youngest defenseman was Steve Smith, who was 18 years, 215 days old when he played for the Flyers in 1981. Forward Dainius Zubrus was the youngest player in Flyers history - 18 years, 111 days when he played in 1996.
The online betting service Bodoglife.com has set odds regarding Gov. Sarah Palin's dropping the ceremonial first puck at the Flyers' opener tonight against the New York Rangers at the Wachovia Center. The oddsmakers think the Republican vice presidential candidate, a self-proclaimed hockey mom, will get more cheers than boos - and that she won't wear a Flyers jersey.
Get cheered or booed upon introduction Even
If you bet $100 that she'll get more boos, you win $100.
If you bet that she'll get more cheers, you must bet $130 to win $100.
Wear a Flyers' jersey to center ice? Even
If you bet $100 that she wears it, you win $100.
If you bet she doesn't, you must bet $140 to win $100.
"I think it's fun that she'll be here," he said. "President Bill Clinton came into our locker room in Buffalo when I was there; he was there for a conference in Buffalo, and he came to the locker room before the game and shook hands. There are some people who potentially lead the world, and anytime you have a chance to meet them or have them involved in your organization, it's great."
- Sam Carchidi
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