On Thin Ice

Phizzling in Philadelphia

By Caleb Musselman



Photo Cred www.media.philly.com

The 2012 offseason was a scary time for hockey fans. After having their best offseason in franchise history, the Minnesota Wild feared the hype created by their new blockbuster pickups would fade if there was no season. The city of Pittsburgh was scared to death that they would have to wait another full year to see Crosby and his buddies win the Stanley Cup (because they are always the best team in the league even when they don’t win the cup). On the other side of the state, Philadelphia fans were scared for slightly different reasons. After watching Parise, Nash and Suter slip through the cracks, Holmgren (Flyers GM) assured the city that they were moving in the right direction. Picking up an average defenseman (Luke Schenn) to replace Matt Carle and signing a number of offensive role players, the Flyers contingent feared they were taking some steps backward. Holding out optimism that Giroux would score 48 goals in 48 games and fly around Wells Fargo center with a jetpack attached to him, Flyers fans crossed their fingers and hoped for the best.

Photo Cred www.bloximages.townnews.com

Eighteen games into the new season, Philadelphia’s fears have come to life. With a record of 8-9-1 and currently tied for last in the division (as of 2/17), the Flyers seem to be underperforming in a big way. After a shaky first 10 games, Philadelphia blamed their poor performance on injuries to Hartnell and Meszaros. However, as they continue to drop important games, I fear they might just be playing at their talent level.

Photo Cred www.flyersfaithful.com

The rest of the division got better. Even the Penguins, without any big offseason pickups, got better with the healthy return of Crosby. The Flyers quite frankly got worse. Giving the franchise captaincy to Claude Giroux this offseason seemed to be the right choice after his breakout 2012 campaign, but Giroux has struggled with the new pressure that comes with this leadership. Why? Because his limited supporting cast is severely under-achieving. The Rangers top line features Richards, Nash and Gaborik. The Flyers top line features a mix of Giroux, Voracek. Matt Read and Briere depending on the night. And people wonder why the Flyers are struggling to stay afloat in this dynamic Atlantic Division? The Penguins Power Play features Crosby, Malkin and Neal! Other teams in the Atlantic have three superstars on the ice at once, Philadelphia only has one superstar in their entire lineup.

Photo Cred www.nyhockeyjournal.com

What is the solution to this problem for the Flyers? That’s a great question. In my opinion, the solution lies in three parts. First, the Flyers young talent MUST step up offensively. Matt Read has done his part with 7 goals on the year. After a colossal two game stretch which he put up 7 points against the Islanders and Pens, Voracek now leads the Flyers with 18 points. With these two performing well, Sean Couturier must step up his game. With only two goals on the season, Couturier simply must become more of an offensive impact. Second, the Flyer’s defenseman must take their play to the next level. In particular, Braydon Coburn must ratchet up his game a few notches. With a dismal 1 goal and 4 assists on the season, he is setting a poor standard for the young defenseman around him as one of the leaders on the team. Third, Ilya Bryzgalov must continue his solid play. With consistently inconsistent defensive play in front of him, Bryz has kept the Flyers alive on many occasions in the first 18 games. When the defense steps up, Bryz simply has to continue to excel.

Even with this rough start to the 2012-2013 season, Philadelphia finds themselves tied with NYR and only 5 points out of first place in the division. Is it possible that this Flyers team can turn things around and compete for the division? Yes, and they have made a big statement by putting together a 2 game win streak against division opponents at a crucial part of the young season. Do I think they’ll win the division? No, but I think if they continue to progress with their current lineup, they could grab one of the last spots in the conference and make some timely noise in the playoffs. The Flyers are a few offseason pickups away from being a contender, but in a tough Atlantic division, there is no telling how the standings will fall once April comes around.