Up next: Scott Hartnell, Daniel Carcillo and the Philadelphia Flyers (again)

by FrankD on Dec 17, 2009 6:15 AM EST in 2009-10 game previews Comment 16 comments

[SBN Philadelphia Flyers blog - Broad Street Hockey]

Given the day off in between games for travel purposes, not much is really going to change for the Penguins other than the sheet of ice they play on. For the Flyers however, there could be a few changes in the works.

As our friends at Broad Street Hockey expressed Wednesday afternoon, confidence and morale of the Philly Faithful is anything but prime. Travis, who runs the show over at BSH, suggested this isn't just a result of the demoralizing 6-1 loss to the Pens on Tuesday, but instead the end result of a long series of up and downs (mostly downs) over the past month or so. I still find the timing of such a poll a bit suggestive.

Former Hurricane Michael Leighton is working out with the Flyers since the team picked him up off waivers Tuesday afternoon. I don't know whether or not this means we'll see him tonight against the Pens, but it would appear he may be the Flyers' backup-to-the-backup option in the wake of Ray Emery's injury. I just wonder if Peter Laviolette is ready to throw Brian Boucher out there against the wolves again. But, according to the Flyers' web site, Leighton isn't exactly game-ready yet either.

Returning tonight for the Flyers is what I assume, only from his quotes, is a still-injured Blair Betts. When saying something like, "I think I just have to be a little conscious of not using that arm to reach for pucks or anything like that," I think it's pretty obvious that he's not playing at 100%. Let this also be an example as to why injuries to an arm/shoulder/chest are listed as inconspicuous lower-body injuries, and why injuries to the lower body are listed as upper-body injuries.

After tonight's game the Pens won't be seeing the Flyers again until January 2010. Let's see if the boys in black and gold can give them a little something more to remember them by in 2009.

Puck and thread drop at 7pm. Come by and share in the fun.

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the caption should be

STUNNED!

by AronV on Dec 17, 2009 7:54 AM EST reply actions

BRING IT ON!

Although I am getting a little tired of kicking the Flyers around (yeah, right), the game tonight could have a huge negative impact on the Flyers season, which I would, personally, hate to see. I like the rivalry. I hated the years the Flyers kicked us around, but I always looked forward to the match-up. I want the games to be hard fought and close. Not ass-kickings either way. But Frank is right, the fans are being tough on the Flyers.

The rumors and fanspeak on BSH abound about who is getting traded and why, but the concensus is that MANY scouts have been following the Flyers to determine the value (if any) of the players. Heck, some of their fans are calling out Carter (he of the 46, that’s right FORTY-SIX, goals last year) and Richards (he who wears the C) so you know it is bad. If the Pens perform like they did on Tuesday, it could end the Flyers season. Or at least cause a trade that shakes things up. I also saw more than a few negative comments about Pronger, the mighty saviour, the hulking defenseman who could not knock Jordan Staal off the puck. Pretty funny stuff. I couldn’t imagine wanting to trade Sid or Geno at any point, even last year when we were in 10th place in January, but some Flyers fans want Carter or Richards gone. My guess is Hartnell is gone, since they are stuck with Briere’s $8mm/per, but who knows.

by Ulf Murphy on Dec 17, 2009 8:58 AM EST reply actions

Briere’s entire contract is a joke. It’s almost as bad as the Rangers signing Redden. Only I think Redden is more of a one-dimensional player than Briere is. At least Briere can, in theory, set guys up. But his overall demeanor just always struck me as too soft for Philly.

Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.

by FrankD on Dec 17, 2009 11:13 AM EST up reply actions

Briere Cheese

I thought his deal was only a measly $6.5M thru 2015 or 16? Maybe that’s his cap hit, but a elephantine contract for sure. Carter has not been performing and he looks downright lazy most times I see him play. If any of the rumors of locker room dissention in philly being due to guys getting a little to friendly with their team mates wives then you can be sure either Carter or Hartnell will be gone.

by Dutch71 on Dec 17, 2009 12:03 PM EST up reply actions

Briere is no doubt way over paid. Maybe there was just something in the water in Buffalo, between Drury and Briere geez. However watching the Pens and Flyers play there isn’t a player that worries me more than Briere. For whatever reason, I wouldn’t label him a Penguin killer per say, but he scares me when hes down around the net.
I agree that he is just totally out of place with the Flyers though. He is just a terrible fit in that organization. I dont think Bob Gainey or Glen Sather would take his inflated cap hit, I dont think he is going to go anywhere. I think they are trying to move Hartnell, again with a 4mil cap hit, hes a tough move also.

by genomachine-O on Dec 17, 2009 12:18 PM EST up reply actions

Briere and Drury had a good chemistry up in Buffalo. They are those kinds of players that compliment one another but when you separate them the real player comes out. Kinda like when the Rangers signed Gomez with hopes of him being Drury’s Briere in NYC. It didn’t work. If they wanted a do-it-yourself player in Philly to more or less organize and lead an offense than Briere isn’t it. Just like how if they wanted one D-man to defend the blue line, Pronger isn’t it. He can compliment a solid defensive scheme but he isn’t going to BE the defensive scheme.

Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.

by FrankD on Dec 17, 2009 12:31 PM EST up reply actions

I agree. You would have thought the Flyers were getting Pronger in his prime when they traded for him. From the two games against us I’d have to say I am not impressed. Lets not forget he was playing with that Niedermeyer guy in ANA who isn’t to bad himself….I’ve watched a handful of Flyers games and even before they started struggling and media guys were talking Pronger for the Norris. I thought it was insane then. I think we are starting to see whats left of him now. He looks slow, hes making bad choices and this isn’t the Western Conf. The reason they brought him in was he was going to shut down Crosby and Malkin…hows that going for them.

by genomachine-O on Dec 17, 2009 1:22 PM EST up reply actions

Hartnell is one of my favorite players to hate… I hope they don’t move him…

I’m quite shocked about the drop in the performance of Carter… he doesn’t seem confident at all… but still imo the Flyers’ problem is on D… Pronger currently doesn’t seem like a solution… more like an “another huge contract we’ll be stuck with for years to come”

You have to see it for yourself...

by Bla Razor on Dec 17, 2009 1:37 PM EST up reply actions

I know! Hartnell’s just so fun and easy to hate. But he’ll be hateable wherever he goes, and so will the entire Flyers organization and (a majority of) their fans.

"Darling, you say Brooks Orpik 'checked' that guy. He did not 'get under him and put him into the wall'."--Beloved to me, Winter 2007

Cocktails With the Penguins, where Pens fans toast the fact that we're not Flyers fans!

by GreenEyedLilo on Dec 17, 2009 1:43 PM EST up reply actions

more pain

Pens are healthy and looking unbeatable. Just in time to punk the Flyers some more.

by utah pens fan on Dec 17, 2009 10:43 AM EST reply actions

Careful, now. The Pens become beatable when they get to feeling unbeatable. I don’t think the Flyers can outskill the Pens, at all, but I do think they can hurt them.

"Darling, you say Brooks Orpik 'checked' that guy. He did not 'get under him and put him into the wall'."--Beloved to me, Winter 2007

Cocktails With the Penguins, where Pens fans toast the fact that we're not Flyers fans!

by GreenEyedLilo on Dec 17, 2009 1:45 PM EST up reply actions

It’s not like this team has never underestimated someone and got beat because they weren’t giving it 100% before. Hopefully the fact that it’s the Flyers ensures that we keep our foot on the gas to really hammer them. My money’s on Sid having another big night.

by Hatt the Moople on Dec 17, 2009 2:03 PM EST up reply actions

There was nothing sweeter than the season sweep against the Flyers in ‘06-’07. I could never feel bad for them. Its the hatred that drives this rivalry not a series split.
We have the caps and devils to give us our share of tough games. Screw the Flyers, their fans and their city. Nothing would make me happier than to see them miss the playoffs.

by genomachine-O on Dec 17, 2009 12:21 PM EST reply actions

this has nothing to do with the game tonight, but I finally talked my wife into letting me get a penguin pissing on a flyer logo tattoo on my back.

by Repperson29 on Dec 17, 2009 2:47 PM EST reply actions

For the record, there is some discrepancy about Betts.

He’s 100 percent, meaning his injury (dislocated shoulder) is healed as well as it can be. But he can still injure it quite easily. He’s been out with the same injury twice so far this season and the second time was basically because he leaped to grab a puck out of the air with that arm and dislocated it again. So, while he’s technically 100 percent, his 100 percent isn’t really all that 100 percent, if that makes sense at all. He’s fragile.

Broad Street Hockey - SB Nation's Philadelphia Flyers Blog. Makin' it look mean since 1967.

by Travis Hughes on Dec 17, 2009 6:04 PM EST reply actions