Ken Campbell article on Flyers

[EDI-Flyer]

Strangely, an article by Ken Campbell about the Flyers that isn't overwhelmingly negative...

Ten days ago, the Philadelphia Flyers were seven points out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with six teams to catch. Today they’re two points out with three teams to overcome and figure to be in a dogfight for the final playoff spot until the last day of the season.

Remind you of anything? If not, think back to three years ago. The Flyers made a furious late-season charge and qualified for the playoffs on the final day of the season before going on a run all the way to the Stanley Cup final. That was the same team that trailed the Boston Bruins 3-0 in the second round before coming back to win in seven and lost the first two games to the Chicago Blackhawks in the final before extending the series to overtime in Game 6.

Flyers coach Peter Laviolette sees at least one parallel between that team and the one that is making its charge in the last quarter of this season.

“Yeah, we’re both out of the playoffs at this point,” Laviolette said. “And we’ve got a lot of work to do. I’ll leave it at that, then wait for things to unfold in the future.”

That future is likely to unfold with a roster that is going to have to scrape and grind for every point it gets in the standings. Case in point: a guy by the name of Oliver Lauridsen, a 6-foot-6 defenseman from Denmark, played almost 17 minutes in the Flyers 5-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, their fourth straight win and their fifth straight game earning at least a point.

This is a team, after all, that has been without Chris Pronger all season. Now Danny Briere is out with a concussion, and also missing are Flyer regulars Braydon Coburn, Max Talbot, Andrej Meszaros, Kurtis Foster, Tye McGinn and Zac Rinaldo. And they might have lost defenseman Kimmo Timonen, who left the Toronto game in the third period and didn’t return. Laviolette would not disclose how Timonen was hurt or the extent of his injury.

But the funny thing about these Flyers is they started winning after they lost their regulars and replaced them with the likes of Erik Gustafsson, Mike Knuble, Kent Huskins and the newly acquired Adam Hall.

When you’re missing that kind of talent, it’s a given your team is going to work its tail off. The key for the Flyers will be sustaining that level of enthusiasm and work ethic for an extended period of time. Guys who come up from the minors are often good for a spark over a short period of time, but they have trouble keeping it up, which pretty much explains why they’re minor leaguers in the first place.

“I really like the way we’re playing right now,” Laviolette said. “You could just tell guys are going to go out and work hard. It’s almost contagious. Shift after shift, nobody wants to let each other down with the work ethic right now.”

The Flyers are going to need all that and more if they are to remain in the hunt for a playoff spot. It certainly helps that Sean Couturier has picked up his game and, after a slow start, Claude Giroux is back to producing a point per game. Mercurial goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, a prime candidate for one of the Flyers compliance buyouts this summer, has been providing them with goaltending good enough to win games.

“Sean has come off a couple of really big games,” Laviolette said. “That’s probably five real strong games in a row for Sean now. Now the pucks are starting to bounce for him.”

http://www.thehockey...right-time.html

Edited April 5, 2013 by EDI-Flyer

[BearOnIce]

Strangely, an article by Ken Campbell about the Flyers that isn't overwhelmingly negative...

http://www.thehockey...right-time.html

"When you’re missing that kind of talent, it’s a given your team is going to work its tail off. The key for the Flyers will be sustaining that level of enthusiasm and work ethic for an extended period of time. Guys who come up from the minors are often good for a spark over a short period of time, but they have trouble keeping it up, which pretty much explains why they’re minor leaguers in the first place."

So, the obvious would say that the Flyers can only go so far with their fill-in players. Maybe yes. Maybe no. Next, given both the number and extent of injuries with this team at present, and respective of games upcoming, if the Flyers were to sneak in or even power in to the playoffs what players are going to be even able to come back from present injuries? I assume Mez, Talbot, and Briere are done for this year? Who do we have a chance of getting back and how soon? Does anyone believe this team can go anywhere in the playoffs without a return of some of the nucleus? I see the forwards in good shape actually for the most part. The defencemen have been a very interesting story to see unfold with the likes of Gervais, Luke Schenn, and Oli?

[activestick]

Unfortunately, no, they have no chance in the playoffs with the decimated defense. They might make the playoffs but can you really see them beating the Pens in the first round with this roster?

[doom88]

Unfortunately, no, they have no chance in the playoffs with the decimated defense. They might make the playoffs but can you really see them beating the Pens in the first round with this roster?

If Crosby is out, possibly. This team gets up for Pit games. Now beating the Bs, not so sure out of 7.

[OccamsRazor]

Unfortunately, no, they have no chance in the playoffs with the decimated defense.

Sorry but lets agree to disagree....if this team runs the gauntlet of the schedule which they face at this time and actually make the playoffs they have a real good chance of upsetting someone in the first round...they'll be playing with house money at that point because noone including me expected them to make it....but like i said they have a chance of doing something if IF they get in....Cup??????

NO!

A first round upset?

YES!

Likely?

Not really!

That schedule is really, really brutal....we'll see.

4 games in a row and they are actually playing the best hockey of the season at the right time....technically they are already playing playoff games!

[Bakanekimiwa]

article seems spot on. they're thriving on the enthusiasm of the young and new. 7 game series against Pitt or Bos.... oh dear, this group doesn't even have a fighting chance.

[BearOnIce]

Unfortunately, no, they have no chance in the playoffs with the decimated defense. They might make the playoffs but can you really see them beating the Pens in the first round with this roster?

Yes I can becuase they will outscore them and the goaltending is a wash.

[Polaris922]

This thread gets me thinking.... goaltending I'll take Fleury over Bryz 9 times out of 10, and your 1 in 10 was last year. Having said that, I DO recognize that your FLyers are ALWAYS at their best against my Pens. Yeah we won the series this year 3-1, but every game is a tough down to the wire game. In the playoffs, our defense might make the difference over your fill-ins... but I don't think it's a done deal by any means. Your boys have nothing to lose right now, and some are playing just to prove themselves. That kind of motivation goes a long way. It's brought you four games in a row with some players simply appearing to be playing above their own heads, so to speak.

If I were you, I'd be excited to be making the playoffs if you can pull it off... and realize it's an anything goes from there.

Unless of course you accuse us of tanking to avoid a first round matchup with you... or you'd rather have Seth Jones... LOL

[Jmdodgesrt4]

Didn't the pens not play crosby or something the last gm of season one year and try throwing the gm to avoid that flyers/pens match up ?

[doom88]

Didn't the pens not play crosby or something the last gm of season one year and try throwing the gm to avoid that flyers/pens match up ?

Hahaha yes! I remember that one.

[jammer2]

@doom88 Yep, I remember that one also, although I'd think our Pen's posters would have a different take on it!