Here are five of them:

Can Simon Gagne make a successful recovery from a concussion that limited him to 25 games last season?

Based on his play late in the preseason, all indications point to Gagne's regaining his goal-scoring form. If he does, the Flyers could be headed for a special season.

Gagne is on a potentially dynamic line that includes Mike Richards and Danny Briere.

It's not outlandish to think that the trio could combine for 100 goals.

Will an inexperienced defense stall the Flyers?

The Flyers will use several defenders who are receiving on-the-job training.

Defensemen Ryan Parent and Randy Jones are expected to have surgery that would sideline them until December. That means players such as 18-year-old Luca Sbisa, Steve Eminger (20 games with Washington last year), and Lasse Kukkonen will see more playing time. Ditto Ossi Vaananen, a promising newcomer who spent six years in the NHL before playing in Sweden last year.

"We're going to face some blips here and there in the season - and this is one of them," Briere said. "And I think it gives some of our young guys a chance to step up and get more ice time and show us what they have. That's the beauty of our team. We have so much depth on defense, and a lot of them are young guys, [and you're] not sure how much they can handle. This is a perfect time. It's the beginning of the season, and let's see what they can give us."

Will goalie Marty Biron's strong playoff performance carry over?

Biron looked sharp in the preseason and seems to have gained confidence from last season's playoffs. Biron said he and his teammates have to realize that duplicating last season's postseason success isn't automatic.

"You have to be careful not to fall into that trap of knowing you finished the season on a good note, a positive way," he said. "Everybody understands what their role was in the playoffs and how playoff hockey is played, which, for a lot of us, was the first time we got that experience. It is a grind. You have to play 82 games during the regular season, and that's a lot. You have to get that same intensity, dedication and focus for the whole season to be able to get back deep into the playoffs."

How much will the team miss assistant Terry Murray?

Coach John Stevens thinks the transition will be a smooth one.

Craig "Chief" Berube, the Phantoms' coach last year, has replaced Murray, who became the Los Angeles Kings' head coach. Berube and Stevens have a great rapport. Berube was Stevens' assistant when the Phantoms won the Calder Cup in 2005.

With Murray gone, assistant Jack McIlhargey will coach the defense. "Jack's done that before in Vancouver . . . and I think it's exciting for him," Stevens said.

Stevens will assume some of Murray's pre-scouting duties, "and that's something I enjoy doing," he said. Berube will take over some of Stevens' responsibilities, such as postgame reviews, and will be the primary coach on the penalty kill, with McIlhargey assisting.

Joey Mullen, another assistant, will be the primary power-play coach, with Stevens assisting. Reggie Lemelin remains the goaltending coach.

"We still have all the bases covered. We're just shuffling a little," Stevens said. "So far, it's worked well."

Will the Flyers' impressive young core players - Richards, Jeff Carter, Joffrey Lupul and Braydon Coburn - keep improving and climb toward stardom?

"When you have young players and they have modest success, like a lot of our young players did last year, they're going to be a year better now," general manager Paul Holmgren said.

That's the hope, anyway.