Over the past few decades what have the Philadelphia Flyers been known for? Two things of course, one being they’ve never had the great number one goaltender. Two they’ve always been known as the Broad Street Bullies. Going into the 2011 season, the City of Brotherly Love seem to bucking that trend. They of course signed Russian netminder Ilya Bryzgalov to a long term contract. Through a flurry of moves made the Flyers are not as tough as they have been over the past few years. Jeff Carter and Mike Richards are goners, same could said for scrappy players Daniel Carcillo and Sean O’ Donnell.
Are the Flyers the most passive team in the Atlantic?
Yes the Flyers still have Chris Pronger, Jody Shelley and Scott Hartnell in their line-up. But if you recall January 20th 2011, Ottawa physically pounded the Flyers in the third period. Overall they were no match for the Senators from a toughness standpoint. Now have the Flyers added Wayne Simmonds and Maxim Talbot? Simmonds is a lightweight, but Talbot is more of yapper who only will fight when he had to, Flyers fans know this all too well after watching the former Penguin for many years. The Senators on the otherhand have added Zenon Konpoka.
So far in the off season, other Atlantic Division teams have been changing the makeup of their teams, all of which have gotten tougher or stayed at staus quo.
One of the problems last year for the New Jersey Devils was the how passive the team was as a whole. Yes they have David Clarkson, Mark Fraser and Rod Pelley, but they were pushed around every other night. Bring in Cam Janssen and Eric Boulton on back to back days in the offseason and that all of a sudden changes.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have lost Mike Rupp and Eric Goddard, but have brought in “Big Mac” Steve MacIyntyre. Add on top of that, Deryk Engelland, Aaron Asham with Craig Adams and all the Pens are still one of the tougher teams in the East.
Replacing the heavyweight champion Derek Boogaard promises not to be an easy feat. But, the New York Rangers have tried in bringing in Rupp, combine that with Brandon Prust, Brian Boyle, Sean Avery and Michael Sauer, they’re not to be pushed around.
The New York Islanders this season will feature Matt Martin, Trevor Gillies and Michael Haley, without question one of the nastiest fourth lines in hockey.
Back to the Flyers, Shelley could be replaced by a cheaper less experienced forward Tom Sesito. Small chance the Flyers would keep both kicking around, unless the tougher they were playing the tougher teams. Sesito overall has got more skill and speed then Shelley, but likely could not go toe to toe with the league’s top heavyweights.
Phili was not the toughest team in the league before, and that was before they acquired Jamy Jagr and Jakub Voracek. The smaller speedy game might favour them in the long run, but the fans will grow tired of this, especially when the Pens, Sens and Rangers attempt to push them around in their own barn.
