Game #26

The Flyers head to Long Island tonight to play the New York Islanders. Despite playing two fewer games than the Flyers, the Islanders have 10 more points this season. The Flyers are coming off a heartbreaking loss to Nashville last night -- one that the Daily News' Rich Hofmann thinks gives the team something to build off of -- while the Isles have won three of their last four. Inside the Numbers TEAM STATS   GP W L OT Pts G/G GA/G PP% PK% PHI 25 7 15 3 17 2.44 3.80 13.7% 85.8% NYI 23 12 8 3 27 2.74 2.56 16.0% 81.6% TEAM STAT LEADERS   G A Pts +/- PHI Gagne - 13 Pitkanen - 16 Gagne - 21 Robitaille - +1 NYI Blake - 14 Yashin - 18 Yashin - 28 Zhitnik - +11 See: Game Day See: Preview

Penguins waive LeClair; Flyers interested

From the Inquirer's Tim Panaccio: Former Flyer John LeClair was placed on waivers today by the Pitsburgh Penguins. LeClair, who was earning $1.8 million this season, can be secured for the waiver price of $3,375. The left winger was a 50-goal scorer for the Flyers three times during his career, which began with Montreal in 1990. If LeClair, 37, were to pass into re-entry waivers, he could be claimed for a salary as low as $900,000. The Flyers are believed to be interested in LeClair if he passes into re-entry waivers. My head is ready to explode just thinking about this. How could the Flyers possibly have any interest in LeClair? He's 38 years old and hasn't averaged a point a game since the 1998-1999 season. Since then, he's played in 384 games, recording 281 points -- a 0.73 point-per-game average. This season he has seven points (two goals) in 21 games -- a 0.33 point-per-game average. (For the record, his career point-per-game average is 0.85.) Many thanks to my friend Vin (he's the Thunder Bay Bombers in the Hat Trick Hockey League) who gave me the heads up on this. Here's our conversation: Vin: The missing piece to the puzzle -- http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/16132619.htm. Matt: Oh, for god's sake . . . . Vin: He’s exactly what this team needs. Slow, lumbering, past his prime. Perfect. Matt: If anyone had any inkling that Holmgren might be different than Clarke, this would set them straight.

Game #25

The Flyers welcome the Nashville Predators to Philadelphia tonight for their only visit this season. The Flyers have won two games in a row for just the second time this season and are looking for their first three-game win streak. The Flyers are fifth in the Atlantic Division and 15th in the Eastern Conference. The Predators also come in winners of two in a row, but have managed to win six of their last eight, as well. Nashville is in first place in the Central Division and second in the Western conference. Inside the Numbers TEAM STATS   GP W L OT Pts G/G GA/G PP% PK% NAS 22 15 5 2 32 3.46 2.64 19.5% 84.0% PHI 24 7 14 3 17 2.46 3.83 14.0% 85.4% TEAM STAT LEADERS   G A Pts +/- NAS Hartnell - 8 Sullivan - 18 Sullivan - 24 Sullivan - +9 PHI Gagne - 13 Pitkanen - 16 Gagne - 20 Robitaille - 0 See: Game Day See: Preview Update: The Flyers will be without the services of goaltender Robert Esche for the next two to four weeks. Esche underwent groin surgery today: The scheduled procedure, performed by Dr. Bill Meyers, was not disclosed until the morning skate. The surgery, called an "adductor release" loosens the adductor muscles that affect the groin and inner thigh. Martin Houle was called up from the Phantoms to serve as Antero Niittymaki's backup.

From The Mouths Of Reporters

Here's a doozy from the Courier-Post's Chuck Gormley: Peter Forsberg, who reluctantly replaced Primeau as Flyers captain, is a wonderful player when he's healthy. But he has been so preoccupied with finding a skate for his reconstructed foot that it has been virtually impossible for him to lead. And if there is anything the Flyers need right now it is a leader. That, more than anything, is why Paul Holmgren traded a pair of draft picks to Anaheim for Todd Fedoruk. Is the Fridge an impact player on the ice? Not in the traditional sense. He is not likely to score a game-winning goal and he won't play a single minute on a power play that couldn't shoot the puck into the ocean these days. But when he makes his Flyers re-debut this week, probably at home against the Predators Wednesday night, Fedoruk gives his new team something it's been lacking all season. Guts. Sweet Jesus. I couldn't agree more that Forsberg is not getting the job done as captain and that it's time for him to pass it off (the likely nominee is Kapanen, a move I have no problem with) . . . but to suggest that Todd Fedoruk is one of the answers for why this team is struggling is just ludicrous. I can't imagine, in any world, where it would be a good idea to trade away draft picks for Todd Fedoruk.

Flyers Playing Better But Still Losing Ground

It appears that the Flyers are fans of Thanksgiving. Three games were played from Wednesday through Saturday with a possibility of gaining six points. Of those six, five were earned with an overtime loss to Ottawa (3-2), coupled with wins against Columbus (3-2) and at Montreal (4-2). Jared at Bullies Blog points out that the Flyers are 4-2-1 over their last seven games. Those are good numbers to be sure, but take a look at the last 10 games. In that span, the Flyers are just 4-4-2 for 10 points. Also in that span, the Flyers gained points on just three other teams (Florida [six points], Pittsburgh [nine points], and Washington [eight points]), stayed even with no other teams, and lost ground to the remaining 11 teams. Definitely not good numbers.

Pens Easily Handle Flyers

Anyone who says they look at the Flyers lineup and thinks talent-wise they can compete with any other team in the league is deluding themselves. It's just not there. And if anyone needed actual proof, it was on display last night at the Wachovia Center. The Penguins aren't one of the best teams in the league, but they're head and shoulders above the Flyers. This is what happens when you accept several losing seasons and build a team around those resulting draft picks. It is the exact opposite of what happens when you think you're a better team than you actually are and spend top dollar on free agents at the end of their careers. Last night's win moved the Penguins to 4-0 on the season against the Flyers, whom they have now outscored 20-7. Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosby, despite playing only the first two periods, managed a goal and an assist -- increasing his totals to six goals and three assists on the season against the Flyers. For his career, in 12 games against the Flyers, Crosby has 13 goals and 10 assists for 23 points. Am I the only one who's thinking he can't become a free agent fast enough? Coaching Update TSN is reporting that the Blue Jackets have narrowed the search for their next head coach down to former Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock and former Los Angeles Kings coach Andy Murray, while hoping to have one in place as early as Wednesday. Interestingly, the Blue Jackets will be in town for a game on Friday afternoon. See: Courier-Post See: Daily News See: Inquirer See: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette See: Yahoo/AP

Flyers Officially Sign Stevens

The Flyers announced today they have signed coach John Stevens to a new two-year contract: The Philadelphia Flyers announced that the team has reached an agreement with Head Coach John Stevens on a new two-year contract, effective immediately and running through the 2007-08 season, according to club General Manager Paul Holmgren. "Over the course of the last month with John Stevens moving in as the head coach, we have had time to settle some issues and we have officially come to an agreement with John on a two-year contract,” said Holmgren in making the announcement. “We are very excited about this, as is John. This stabilizes the situation in terms of his leadership of the hockey team. We are looking forward from this point on as we march ahead." “I’m excited,” said Stevens. “I know that we have work to do here, but I do see a lot of potential for this hockey team. I want to be the guy who brings success here. I’ve been in Philadelphia for a long time and I know what it means to win here. I’ve won championships at the minor league level and I’d love to have the chance to do it at the NHL level. We have a great coaching staff in place and it’s a pleasure working with Paul Holmgren. This is an ideal situation for me and it’s an opportunity that I welcome.”

Game #21

At home for the first time in nine days, the Flyers play host to Pittsburgh tonight at the Wachovia center. The Flyers will be looking for their first win against the Penguins this season in the fourth meeting between the two teams. The Flyers were 5-2-1 against Pittsburgh last season, though this season is quite the opposite. In three Pittsburgh wins, the Penguins have outscored the Flyers 15-4. The last time Pittsburgh beat the Flyers in four straight games was December 15, 1992 through January 30, 1993. Here is a look at the two teams' numbers on the season: TEAM STATS   GP W L OT Pts G/G GA/G PP% PK% PIT 18 9 7 2 20 3.17 3.11 17.1% 83.5% PHI 20 5 13 2 12 2.35 4.00 11.8% 87.1% align="left"> TEAM STAT LEADERS   G A Pts +/- PIT Crosby - 9 Crosby - 19 Crosby - 28 Crosby - +7   Malkin - 9     Recchi - +7 PHI Gagne - 10 Pitkanen - 11 Gagne - 14 Robitaille - +2       Sanderson - 14   See: Game Notes See: Preview

Flyers Topple Kings, 4-3

As much as Wednesday night's win over Anaheim was good for the Flyers' soul, last night's win over Los Angeles was absolutely huge in getting this team on the road to respectability. Despite jumping out to a 1-0 lead, the boys in Orange and Black played sloppy, tired hockey most of the game and found themselves trailing 3-1 with just 10 minutes left. A few minutes and good bounces later and the Flyers were once again leading by a goal, 4-3. Last night's win was the sort of gutty effort that had been missing all season long. Primed for a letdown after a big win over Anaheim on Wednesday, the Flyers came out looking like they were going to give the game away. Despite scoring the first goal of the game, they played with almost no energy for about 50 minutes. To their credit, they found a way to push through and take advantage of the opportunities they were presented. Today will be a much needed day off before tomorrow night's game against San Jose -- another top Western Conference team boasting star players, solid goaltending, and a balanced attack. Pylon Update Derian Hatcher has strung together five consecutive even or better games (even vs Isles-11/9; +1 vs Buffalo-11/11; even vs Pens-11/13; +1 vs Anaheim-11/15; +3 vs Los Angeles-11/16; total of +5) raising his total on the season to minus-12 through 19 games. He is now on pace to finish the season at minus-52, a far cry from October 31 when he was on pace to finish at a staggering minus-104. The truly amazing part, however, is that Hatcher no longer has the worst plus/minus rating on the team. That honor now belongs to Joni Pitkanen, with a minus-14 through 19 games -- a projected total of minus-60. Pitkanen is contributing on the scoresheet, though, registering 11 assists on the season against Hatcher's zero points. See: Daily News See: Inquirer See: L.A. Times See: Yahoo/AP

Game #19

Coming off of last night's stunner in Anaheim, the Flyers will look to start their first winning streak of the season tonight in Los Angeles. The will be the Flyer's first game against the Kings since losing 4-0 on October 21, 2003 in Los Angeles. Peter Forsberg returned to the lineup last night and notched a goal and an assist, though afterward said his foot still isn't normal. "At least, we kind of figured out what the problem is. You've just got to find a solution for it," Forsberg said. "I was losing my balance everywhere. I was laying flat on the ice more than I was standing up. It's definitely not 100 percent, but it was definitely better tonight. It's still a work in progress, though." A new feature here on the game previews will be a look at the two teams' stats and leaders on the season. Here are the numbers for the Flyers and Kings: TEAM STATS   GP W L OT Pts G/G GA/G PP% PK% PHI 18 4 12 2 10 2.33 3.94 11.8% 87.4% LA 20 6 10 4 16 2.55 3.15 14.6% 84.1% TEAM STAT LEADERS   G A Pts +/- PHI Gagne - 9 Pitkanen - 11 Gagne - 13 Robitaille - +4 LA Frolov - 8 Kopitar - 12 Cammalleri/Kopitar - 17 Kostopoulos - +5 See: Game Notes See: Preview For more on last night's win, see below: Courier-Post Daily News Inquirer Los Angeles Times Yahoo/AP

Game #18

The Flyers visit Anaheim tonight for the first time since October, 2003 to play the Ducks. Anaheim comes into tonight's game with a 13-1-4 record (30 points), good for first in the Western Conference, second overall in the league. The Flyers come in at 3-12-2 (8 points), last in the league. I can't spin this matchup in any way, so I'll let the numbers do the talking:   PHI Rank ANA Rank Record: 3-12-2 30th 13-1-4 2nd Goals For: 35 29th 60 7th Goals Against: 67 29th 37 3rd Power Play %: 9.3% 29th 19.8% 9th Penalty Kill %: 88.8% 5th 89.4% 4th Injury Notes Peter Forsberg has missed the last two games with ankle trouble, but it's believed he'll play tonight. After visiting a clinic in Cleveland, Forsberg has been fitted with a brace that, it is hoped, will stabilize his ankle in his skate. "Dr. Donley was very pleased with how the orthotic brace angulated Peter's ankle," [trainer Jim] McCrossin said. "Peter is happy, Dr. Donley is happy, and I'm happy." In other injury news, defenseman Denis Gauthier underwent successful surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left shoulder. Gauthier is expected to miss eight to 10 weeks, putting his return sometime around the end of January. See: Game Notes See: Preview

The Glass Is Half-Empty

Inquirer columnist Phil Sheridan hits the nail squarely on the head in this morning's column: On a scale from Poor Start to Full-Scale Chernobyl, the Flyers would have the Geiger counter ticking mighty loud and mighty fast. But that's only part of the story. Like the scene of a nuclear accident, the Flyers have a chance to be contaminated for years to come. [ . . . ] As for the immediate future, that will depend on Stevens' ability to get a more consistent effort out of the players already here. The Flyers actually have played better the last few games, losing close games instead of blowouts. It's a sad commentary when that represents progress for the Flyers, but it does. Check out the whole article as there are some very prescient points in there about the players and Holmgren both.

Blue Jackets Contact Flyers About Hitchcock

According to the AP, Columbus has received permission from the Flyers to contact Ken Hitchcock about its head coaching position. The Columbus Blue Jackets' hunt for a new coach is on a fast track that may lead them to Ken Hitchcock, who was fired as Philadelphia Flyers coach last month. Blue Jackets president and general manager Doug MacLean received permission from the Flyers to interview Hitchcock, the veteran coach confirmed on Tuesday night. "My understanding is that Columbus has asked for permission from the Flyers and that they have given it," Hitchcock said. "But no one from the Blue Jackets has talked to me." This is fine and I wish Hitchcock nothing but the best, but I was surprised by a line that showed up later in the same article: Hitchcock was fired after a 1-6-1 start by the Flyers, a veteran squad that had apparently tuned him out because of his demanding style that might play better with the young Blue Jackets. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't it mentioned several times when Hitchcock was fired how much harder he is on younger players instead of veterans?

Bob Clarke, Version 1.1

Jared at Bullies Blog had this to say on Sunday in response to the news that paul Holmgren had the "interim" tag removed from his title: That means Holmgren should have full authority to make trades and other roster moves this year. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing. Holmgren worked under Bob Clarke since he rejoined the Flyers years ago. Obviously, the two most likely shared organizational philosophies and team-building strategies. In trying to move the team forward, the last thing the organization needs is more of the same. But until he screws up, let’s at least give him the benefit of the doubt. That's a fair enough thing to do, even though I'm not willing to. Apparently, I had reason not to: The Philadelphia Flyers announced that they have acquired 6’2”, 240-pound left wing Todd Fedoruk from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a fourth round pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft and future considerations, according to club General Manager Paul Holmgren. Before last night's game, the Flyers had given up 64 goals in 16 games, 29th in the league, while at the same time socring just 33 goals, also 29th in the league. So, what's the answer to either of these problems? If you said trading away a fourth-round draft pick and future considerations for a goon with a broken cheekbone, pat yourself on the back. You have just graduated from the Bob Clarke School of Hockey Mis-Management. Swing and a Miss correctly points out that "Paul Holmgren, who just the other day had the label 'interim' deleted from the front of his title as GM, has picked up just where Bobby Clarke left off, reacquiring players previously traded." This makes me wonder how long it will be before Craig Berube is stripped of his duties as assistant coach and told to lace up his skates. By all accounts, he's a good locker room guy.

Let's Try Door #2

Boy, you go away for a weekend and you figure things can't get any worse than they were when you left. Then you come home and find out this: The Philadelphia Flyers named Paul Holmgren as general manager through the remainder of the 2006-07 season, according to Flyers Chairman Ed Snider. "Paul has been working very hard and I felt that it was important at this time to provide him with some stability in his position which will help him with the tasks at hand," said Snider. So, let me get this straight to make sure I understand it. You publicly ask an old friend and colleague who just happens to hold a visible job in the league's front office to be your team's general manager. That person says no. After another week and a half, you decide to make the interim general manager the pseudo-permanent general manager by just removing the interim tag from his title and telling him he'll have the job for the rest of the season. In a season that has been thrown completely upside-down, this is yet another move that makes no sense. Snider, in effect, is telling Holmgren that he wasn't good enough to be hired outright as the team's general manager, but since the guy he really wanted passed on the job than Holmgren might as well do it -- but only for this season. Once this season is over, then we'll take another look at things. And to think, all these years I thought it was Clarke who was ruining the team. It turns out I was probably wrong.

Q & A with Ed Snider

Flyers owner Ed Snider sat down recently with Courier-Post beat writer Chuck Gormley for an interview. Here are some excerpts: Q: You've changed your general manager and your coach but the results are the same. Will there be more changes? A: We've made all the changes we're going to make. Even if things don't turn around, there's not a hell of lot we can do at this point. [ . . . ] Q: Is there anything more you can do as an owner? A: I really think we have to let it play itself out. And if we end up with a horrible season then we'll build from there. But we can't panic and we can't go out and make stupid deals. We can't make deals just to make deals. In my mind we're not going to be making any deals. I don't see any on the horizon. [ . . . ] Q: Will Paul Holmgren remain GM for the rest of the season? A: I'm not at liberty to discuss that at this point. To summarize -- no changes can be made to improve anything, no changes will be made to improve anything, and you still don't know who your general manager is. Is there anyone who thinks this isn't a recipe for a Stanley Cup?

Isles Down Flyers 3-1

Islanders captain Alexei Yashin scored twice to lead New York to a 3-1 win over the dismally inept Philadelphia Flyers last night. Richard Park also scored for the Islanders, while Simon Gagne was the only scorer for the Flyers, a power play tally that came during a too little, too late comeback attempt at the end of the third period. The loss is the Flyers' 11th on the season, a number they didn't reach until January 19 last season -- by which time they'd already accumulated 64 points. They have just seven now. As noted, the Flyers lone goal was on the power play, ending an 0-for-27 streak that dated back to October 30. On the season, the power play is 8-for-91 (8.8%) -- last in the league in percentage and next to last in goals scored while having the 12th most chances in the league. On a positive note, the penalty kill continued its mastery by killing off five Islanders' opportunities -- moving to 88.5% on the season, good for sixth in the league. The Flyers will welcome the Buffalo Sabres to the Wachovia Center on Saturday in their last home game until November 20. It will be the first time the teams have met since the Tuesday Night Debacle in Buffalo. See: Courier-Post See: Daily News See: Inquirer See: Newsday See: Yahoo/AP

Game #15

With the Flyers mired in three-game losing streak, the New York Islanders come to town also in a funk having lost their last two games. The Flyers' scoring woes continue -- 28 goals in 14 games, 29th in the league -- particularly on the power play. The Flyers have just seven power play goals on the season, and have not converted on their last 24 power play opportunities. This dearth of goals is the reason coach John Stevens broke out the "shooter tutor" during practice yesterday. . . . Stevens ended practice yesterday by tying a vinyl sheet over the bottom two-thirds of the net, a gizmo they called a "shooter tutor" that can often be seen during youth-league practices but rarely at professional ones. In fact, despite all the other coaches who have graced the Flyers' bench over the last 15 years (Paul Holmgren, Bill Dineen, Terry Simpson, Terry Murray, Wayne Cashman, Roger Neilson, Craig Ramsay, Bill Barber, Ken Hitchcock), no one could recall ever seeing one across the front of the net. Then again, there has not been a start this bad in Flyers history. They have won three of their 14 games so far and have allowed 56 goals. Not surprisingly, they have spent much of their season playing from behind. And missing the net. For the Islanders, goalie Rick DiPietro -- he of the 15-year contract -- will probably return to the net for tonight's game. DiPietro is 1-6 with a 3.18 goals-against average in seven starts against the Flyers. While this may seem like a good matchup for the Flyers, keep in mind that the Capitals had not won in their last 15 trips to Philadelphia, yet managed to win 5-2 on Saturday. The Islanders come into tonight's game at 6-6-2 (4th, Atlantic Division; 12th, Eastern Conference). Roster Moves Petr Nedved cleared waivers yesterday and was added to the team's roster for tonight's game. It's not clear who his linemates will be, but it's believed he will play on one of the penalty killing units. (Given how well he's played in the PK role, this is a solid move.) Joining Nedved from the Phantoms will be defenseman Martin Grenier along with forwards Ryan Potulny and Matt Ellison. Forsberg's present and future Peter Forsberg has stated time and again that he will not discuss his future with the team until his foot feels 100%. To that end, he spent part of yesterday in Charlotte, NC, visiting with surgeon Robert Anderson. Peter Forsberg missed practice on Wednesday after flying to North Carolina for a routine check up on his foot according to Paul Holmgren. “Peter is in North Carolina to see the doctor just as a follow-up [to his foot surgery],” said Holmgren. Holmgren also said Forsberg is still looking for the perfect fit in his skate boot. “Harry [Bricker] (Flyers’ assistant equipment manager) is actually with him too. He took some skates down just to look at his foot when it’s in the skate. You are all aware of the problems he’s had with the numbers of skates he’s tried and trying to get the perfect fit, so hopefully we can get that squared away.” As I mentioned before, this is starting to get worrisome. The Flyers' trainer has proclaimed Forsberg to be 100% healthy, while Forsberg himself is saying he isn't. So, the team's best player is disagreeing with the medical staff about his condition. Hmm, sound familiar? See: Game Notes See: Preview

Carter Out Six Weeks; Nedved Recalled

It was announced yesterday that Jeff Carter's ankle injury is a little more severe than anyone thought: Jeff Carter, who was at first thought to have suffered only a bone bruise in his left ankle when he was struck by a shot Thursday night against Tampa Bay, has a fractured bone, it was revealed yesterday. "[Carter] had an MRI today performed on his left ankle which revealed that he sustained a fracture of the distal end of his left tibia," Flyers trainer Jim McCrossin said yesterday. "The injury is located on the inside of his left ankle area. He should be out for approximately 6 weeks. "Over the past couple of days the inflammation in [Carter's] ankle had subsided. He has been able to walk better, but he still had point tenderness over his ankle. Speaking with our medical staff, we felt it was warranted to get an MRI and investigate his injury a little bit closer. The MRI did reveal a crack." Replacing him in the lineup will be Petr Nedved, who was recalled from the Phantoms. Nedved, however, must once again pass through waivers to be able to rejoin the team. I think it's a safe assumption that the Flyers wouldn't mind at all if another team decided to put in a claim for him.

A Record-Breaking Season?

I've mentioned it before (here and here), but James Mirtle has been the one really banging the drum on the awful numbers Derian Hatcher is accumulating this season (here and here). With a minus-17 through 14 games, Hatcher is on pace to break Bill Mikkelson's record mark of minus-82 (1974-75, Washington). Watching history possibly unfold in front of my eyes, I've decided to create a new feature -- the Derian Hatcher Futility Watch. You can find it listed in the left-hand column directly underneath my fantasy league's standings. It will be updated after every game until such time as he's traded or waived.

Game #14

The Flyers will be in Toronto tonight for a game with the hated Maple Leafs. Coming off two disappointing losses (5-2 vs. Tampa Bay and 5-3 vs. Washington), the Flyers will yet again be looking to turn things around. The Leafs, meanwhile, have been playing well of late having just handed Buffalo its first regulation loss on Saturday (4-1). Philadelphia comes into the game with a 3-9-1 record, good for seven points -- last in the Atlantic Division and last in the Eastern Conference. Toronto comes in at 8-5-3 (19 points), second in the Northeast Division and fourth in the Eastern Conference. For the Flyers, Mike Rathje practiced yesterday and is a game-time decision. Jeff Carter, Mike Knuble, and Randy Robitaille will not play. See: Game Notes See: Injury Report See: Preview

Round And Round It Goes

The rumor mill is churning and probably won't stop anytime soon. Last week, the Inquirer's Tim Panaccio reported that Calgary might be willing to deal defenseman Roman Hamrlik. Over the weekend, the Courier-Post's Chuck Gormley reported another Calgary rumor: The rumor: This one might be more than just a rumor. There was talk last week the Flyers were interested in acquiring defenseman Roman Hamrlik from the Calgary Flames in exchange for disappointing forward R.J. Umberger. The other rumor: Now, there is talk the Flyers and Flames are working on a much bigger deal involving Simon Gagne and Jarome Iginla. Many believe the Flyers and Flames were very close to making this deal happen last year. Lending credibility to the rumors is the fact that Flyers pro scout Al Hill was in Columbus, Ohio, to see the Flames play the Blue Jackets Friday night. Gormley's take: As much as I like Gagne, I think he lacks the overall game and leadership qualities of Iginla, who has seven goals and six assists in his first 12 games. I agree with Gormley -- if it's between Gagne and Iginla, I'd take Iginla any day of the week and twice on Sunday. As I've noted before, I think Gagne is a bit overrated and would have no problem with him being moved for someone who has played almost half as many playoff games as Gagne yet has one more point than Gagne: Totals GP G A P Shots Pct Simon Gagne Season 439 167 167 334 1270 13.1 Playoffs 65 20 11 31 167 12.0 Jarome Iginla Season 721 293 291 584 2252 13.0 Playoffs 35 19 13 32 123 15.4 Today, both Tim Panaccio and the Daily News' Ed Moran are giving a great big "Hold on a second there, professor." Here's Moran: Here's one that has everyone talking as if it's real: Calgary is going to trade Jarome Iginla and two top prospects to Philadelphia for Simon Gagne, Jeff Carter, R.J. Umberger and prospect Claude Giroux. Right. Let's see, the Flames are struggling and want to make lineup changes to wake up the team so they are going to trade their captain Iginla, last season's points leader who leads the team with eight goals and six assists, not to mention his $7 million salary, for Gagne, Carter and Umberger. And, of course, the Flyers, who need more than a single dynamite player to rescue this season, are going to trade their top winger, their top young center, a solid young center/winger and their top junior prospect. Panaccio, meanwhile, goes straight to the source and asks Comcast-Spectacor president and chief operating officer Peter Luuko about what's going on: The Flyers are not actively shopping Peter Forsberg, nor have they been receiving calls about his availability in a trade. That's the straight talk from Peter Luukko, the president and chief operating officer of Comcast-Spectacor, which owns the Flyers. "Our plan has been and remains to re-sign Peter Forsberg," Luukko said yesterday, addressing the Forsberg rumors. "At some point, we are going to sit down with him and his agent. He's a special player. Now, will Peter want to re-sign here? That is why we have to sit down with him to talk about it. But we want him back." I would agree with Moran, if what he's reporting is anywhere close to the truth (in his piece, he admits that he has no "inside sources"). I would not trade all of those pieces just for Iginla, although it may depend on what two prospects would be included in the deal. However, if it's just Iginla for Gagne -- man, I hope Calgary is that dumb.

The Forsberg Question

I meant to get to this over the weekend but, as usual, I wasn't in front of a computer at all. Inquirer columnist Phil Sheridan thinks 12 games and one month are long enough: Peter Forsberg was gone, gone, gone. Gone from the ice, gone from the arena, gone from all those troublesome postgame questions. This captain was not going down with his ship, not tonight. Funny how much that tiny cloth "C" seems to be weighing down Forsberg. After last night, it really feels like time to relieve him of the burden. Another take on this matter comes from The Hockey News' Adam Proteau, writing at Globe on Hockey: Forsberg has a no-trade clause in his contract, but with the Flyers on the verge of a major rebuild job – and since it’s unlikely he’s enough of a glutton for punishment to re-sign with the team next summer – would he allow himself to be dealt to a contender? And if the answer to that question is yes, wouldn’t it make sense for interim GM Paul Holmgren to trade him sooner than later, before the oft-injured star is sidelined again?

Deal In The Works?

There is some speculation swirling that the Flyers might be preparing a roster move to add some defensive help. Fueling this speculation is the move made yesterday to send Lars Jonsson and Alexandre Picard down to the Phantoms. Here is Tim Panaccio in today's Inquirer: What these moves could signal is the clearing of cap space for a deal. Brian Leetch is skating and trying to prepare for a comeback. The Flyers are one of a few teams he would consider playing for. Leetch is 38, but is there any other unsigned player who is better on the power play? Remember, the Flyers' power play is dead last in the NHL with a single-digit rating of 8.6 percent efficiency (6 of 70) before last night's game. A real possibility is Calgary's Roman Hamrlik. The Flames, whose scouts have been around the Flyers lately, are looking to make a deal. Detroit is looking to move Andreas Lilja, but he is not very mobile. The guy who took his job, Brett Lebda, is mobile. Mathieu Schneider is 37, but he would be a huge upgrade for the Flyers. However, Chuck Gormley spoke with interim GM Paul Holmgren about the matter. Holmgren was pretty emphatic with his response: The moves trimmed about $1 million off the Flyers' current payroll, dropping it to just over $40 million, but Flyers interim general manager Paul Holmgren said the moves were not made to clear room under the cap for a big-ticket free agent such as Brian Leetch. "Absolutely not," Holmgren said. "These guys (Jonsson and Picard) need to play. Who knows? If there's an injury, they might be back up. It does the organization no good and them no good if they don't play." Here's what I said about Leetch when the news first broke three weeks ago: This is a move the Flyers would have made without thinking twice in the pre-salary cap days. The problem is we're in a salary cap era with an incredible amount of parity. Take your lumps for a year -- two, tops -- and then go from there. Don't sign a 38-year-old simply because there are no other options out there. I haven't changed my mind.

Flyers GM Search Continues

David Shoalts, writing at the Globe and Mail's hockey blog -- Globe on Hockey -- has some good news about who Ed Snider may be looking at in his search: As for the Flyers, those in the know say owner Ed Snider is determined a complete change of the Flyer culture is in order. That’s why he offered the job to an outsider like Campbell and why Paul Holmgren, assistant GM to Bob Clarke when he quit as Flyer GM, will not move beyond interim GM. It’s also why the job will not be offered to former goaltender Ron Hextall, currently a Flyer scout. For the record, Hextall is now the assistant general manager in Los Angeles -- having been hired away by former Flyers scout and current Kings GM Dean Lombardi (yes, the same one whom I campaigned last season to replace Bob Clarke). Meanwhile, Chuck Gormley notes that a few scouts -- none with ties to the organization -- were at last night's game: GM search continues: Scouts from the Red Wings (Tom Webster), Stars (Neil Smith) and Canadiens (Pierre Gauthier) attended the game, but no one seems to know who is next on the Flyers' list of potential general managers.

Lightning Top Flyers 5-2

Tampa beat the Flyers to extend their streak to 10 consecutive wins against Philadelphia. The streak dates back to April 4, 2003 -- the last time the Flyers beat the Lightning. The worst part of the loss? There were absolutely zero positives that can be taken away from it. Jeff Carter and Randy Robitaille left with "lower body injuries" (the team now has a policy of playoff-like secrecy when it comes to injuries). Carter later broke the silence and admitted to an ankle bruise with swelling that shouldn't prevent him from playing on Saturday. Robitaille had to be carried off the ice after a horrific crash into the end boards that saw his left leg twist underneath him. He did not comment after the game, but I would not be surprised in the least to learn he had torn his ACL and would miss the rest of the season. Perhaps the biggest thing missing in the team right now is an attitude. Opposing teams are allowed to do what they will in the Flyers defensive end -- as evidenced by the third Lightning goal. After gathering the puck up in the corner. Tampa captain Tim Taylor moved behind the net and attempted a wraparound. Antero Niittymaki was there to stop the puck. Taylor did what good players do -- he kept whacking away until he heard the whistle. Unfortunately, the whistle never came. Mike Rathje gave a feeble effort in attempting to tie up Taylor's stick, while Mike Richards lazily skated in from the corner and watched. Neither made any attempt to physically separate Taylor from his senses, let alone from a position to score. The power play troubles continue for the team as they 0-for-4 last night, making them 6-for-74 on the season. Their 8.1% power play efficiency, last in the league, is 1.3% worse than the next closest team (Ottawa). The loss drops the Flyers to 3-8-1 on the season -- last in both the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference, 29th in the entire league. See: Courier-Post See: Daily News See: Inquirer See: St. Petersburg Times See: Yahoo/AP

Game #12

The Flyers host the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight in the fourth game of their five game homestand. Tampa Bay comes in with a record of 5-7-0, in fifth place in the Southeast Division (13th in the Eastern Conference). The Flyers are 3-7-1, good for fifth place in the Atlantic Division (15th in the Eastern Conference). Philadelphia is coming off a shutout win over Chicago (3-0 on Monday night) and looking to build on that confidence. Curiously, coach John Stevens will be starting Antero Niittymaki in goal tonight despite the fact it was Robert Esche who backstopped the Flyers on Monday. Tampa is in the midst of a three-game losing streak and has to figure that the Flyers are just what the doctor ordered. The Lightning are unbeaten against the Flyers in their last nine games played (8-0-1) dating back to the end of the 2003 season. Forwards Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis are the team's top two scorers (12 and 10 points, respectively) and are tied for the team lead in goals with seven each. Defenseman Dan Boyle leads the team in assists with eight. Side Note: I'm starting to get a little worried over relationship Peter Forsberg has with the medical staff. In today's Courier-Post, Chuck Gormley writes: Forsberg returning? Flyers captain Peter Forsberg said the stability of his surgically reconstructed right foot -- not the club's general manager -- will determine whether he re-signs with the Flyers beyond this season. "I'll know my decision when my foot is 100 percent," Forsberg said. "It's a great organization and a great place to play. I like it here. We'll see what happens." Asked how his foot feels, Forsberg replied, "I want to see if it's 100 percent and if I can play at a level I want to be playing at." Asked again how his foot is feeling, Forsberg replied, "I don't think I'm playing as good as I want to play, and that's all I'm saying." For the record, Flyers athletic trainer Jim McCrossin said Forsberg's right foot is 100 percent, but added it might take another month or two before Forsberg is completely comfortable with it. This is after there was some "mis-communication" over whether or not Forsberg would be playing last week when he sprained his wrist. It's probably not much, but it seems worth mentioning given the medical staff's interaction with Eric Lindros. See: Game Notes See: Preview

If I Were GM

Chuck Gormley posts today about what he would do if here were named general manager of the Flyers. Most of the steps he lays out make sense, and he tacks on a good bit of humor at the end ("7. Give myself a fat raise."). This got me to thinking about what I would do were I named general manager of the team. There are so many changes that could be made, it's difficult to know where to start. What's more important -- the product on the ice, the fans' experience with that product, or the fans' perception of that product? Hire John Buccigross as a "Bob." The first thing I would do would be to hire ESPN's John Buccigross as a consultant to the team. Give him complete access to everyone attached to the organization -- from the Delta Denta Ice Team all the way up through the corporate ownership -- and one mission: to determine what's the best way to reconnect with one of the best fan bases in the NHL. Anyone who reads his column knows he has a singular love for the game that is just aching to be put to use. What is everyone waiting for? Keep John Stevens as head coach. In fact, I would sign him to a three-year deal right now, with the promise that there will be an extension if the young guns come around and the team performs. Find a goaltender. I would make mission for every scout in the organization to find a young goalie who has the potential to be a dominant number one goalie. The team has not had one since the heyday of Ron Hextall almost 20 years ago. Niittymaki, I think, will be a solid goaltender who has a chance to really good. I want someone who will be great. I want Miikka Kiprusoff. Dump Robert Esche. He has no future in the organization. Get rid of him before he becomes a problem -- again. Offer him to Columbus -- maybe Doug MacLean would be stupid enough to trade Gilbert Brule for him. Waive Derian Hatcher. I don't need to explain this move at all. Deal with Peter Forsberg. See if he will give a hometown discount and re-sign for two years in the $4 million range. If not, trade him for a package of draft picks and prospects. This is a headache waiting to happen. Retire Brian Propp's jersey. Propp is my all-time favorite hockey player, and is third on the Flyers' all-time points scored list, along with being second in both goals and assists. He is a member of the Flyers Hall of Fame, but does not have his #26 retired. This is a travesty that needs to be corrected.

Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

Ken Hitchcock has to feel like a ping pong ball at this point, bouncing back and forth within the Flyers organization. First, he signed a contract extension over the summer to remain as the Flyers head coach. Then, just eight games into the season, he was fired from the position. Now, finally, he was re-hired by interim GM Paul Holmgren to be a pro scout for the team. There It Is take: What a strange, strange tale. This appears to be a nothing move to me. Hitchcock certainly has a solid hockey mind and I'm glad that he'll be working for us and instead of someone else. However, Hitchcock himself acknowledged that the move is merely a placeholder for him until he finds a head coaching gig somewhere else. It makes me wonder how much scouting he'll be doing around the road or if he'll spend the time networking with the other teams.

Hatcher Putting Up Big Numbers

They're just not the kind you want to see. It seems that the Courier-Post's Chuck Gormley and I are on the same wavelength. We both posted pieces on Tuesday about Derian Hatcher (separate links). Gormley makes no argument about whether or not Hatcher should be playing, while I see no positive in putting Hatcher within spitting distance of an ice rink. The thing I find most interesting is interim GM Paul Holmgren's take on Hatcher: "There's too much focus on Derian, in my opinion," Holmgren said. "Does he stand out at times on the negative side? Yeah, but not because of lack of effort." "Not because of lack of effort?" Well, congratulations, Derian -- here's a cookie for standing around like a pylon while players skate right by you. I'm sure you work very hard to not move at all. Great job!!

Campbell Takes A Pass

According to reports from both TSN and the Inquirer, Colin Campbell has turned down Ed Snider's offer to be general manager of the Flyers. There It Is take: On the whole, I'm not surprised. Campbell has a good gig in the NHL front office and figures to move up the chain of command whenever Commissioner Gary Bettman hands the reins over to deputy Bill Daly. That being said, I'm a little disappointed, though not overly so. I like that Snider is going after someone -- especially someone not from the Flyers organization -- and not sitting back to let interim GM Paul Holmgren, who may or may not have been the one actually responsible for the current state of the team, have a chance to make over the team, though Campbell's name isn't really one that wowed me. The best thing right now would be for Snider to keep the ball rolling. He has two things working against his team now -- the first being that Holmgren has to know now that he has no shot at keeping this job. The second is how well will the person eventually hired perform know he wasn't Snider's first choice? Acting quickly and decisively is in everyone's best interest.

Flyers Offer Colin Campbell GM Job

TSN is reporting that the Flyers have offered their general manager job to NHL executive vice president and director of hockey operations Colin Campbell. It is believed that he will have an answer for the team within 48 hours. Campbell was an assistant coach under Mike Keenan with the New York Rangers when they won the Stanley Cup in 1994. He then became head coach the next season and lasted in that capacity until 1998. After leaving the Rangers, Campbell was hired by the league to be its disciplinarian. There It Is take: As with all things Flyers, there are two sides to this. On the one hand, the offer to Campbell can be viewed as a positive. Through his work with the league, Campbell would have an extensive amount of contacts and resources to draw upon in finding ways to bring respectability back to the franchise. Also on the positive side of the ledger is that fact that he has no previous ties to the organization and is a true outsider. This fact cannot be underestimated. On the other hand, Campbell has never been a general manager and would figure to take some time to learn the ropes. Also, because he's an outsider, he would need time to learn about the team and the players in the system that he knows nothing about. Finally,it shows that the old-boy network is alive and well in the "new NHL" as Campbell is a hockey lifer who put in his time playing in Pittsburgh, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Detroit -- where he was also an assistant coach before joining the Rangers. Boiling it all down, I like this move. It's bold step by Ed Snider and doesn't represent his usual toe-the-party-line thinking. Campbell may be old-school -- but he's not old-school Flyers. This can be nothing but a good thing. Excuse me? Update: The Daily News is reporting that Colin Campbell was originally offered the job while Clarke still held the position (emphasis mine): According to an NHL source, league executive vice president Colin Campbell has been offered the job as Flyers general manager. The source said Campbell was offered the job before it became known that former GM Bob Clarke wanted out. According to the source, Campbell initially declined. It was unclear last night where the offer stands, but there are indications the offer might still be on the table and that Campbell is reconsidering. The Flyers have no announcement scheduled and, according to the source, the team still is considering how to fill the vacancy left by Clarke.