Former Flyer R. J. Umberger (left with former Flyer Jeff Carter) was reacquired.
By Annie Ross
The Flyers open camp in Voorhees with a lot of hope but not much change, to coin a phrase.
Their cap status forced them to stand virtually pat in the off-season while the rest of the East seemed to have gotten better.
Here’s our take:
2013-14 record: 42-30-10 (94 points)
Where they finished: 3rd in the Metropolitan; 6th in the East; 13th in the NHL
Coach: Craig Berube (2nd season)
Key additions: C R.J. Umberger, LW Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, D Michael Del Zotto
Key subtractions: LW Scott Hartnell, RW Steve Downie, LW Tye McGinn, C Kris Newbury, D Erik Gustafsson, D Bruno Gervais
Projected Lineup
Forwards
Michael Raffl – Claude Giroux – Jakub Voracek
Jason Akeson – Brayden Schenn – Wayne Simmonds
R.J Umberger – Sean Couturier – Matt Read
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare – Vincent Lecavalier – Zac Rinaldo
Extras: Jay Rosehill
Defense
Andrew MacDonald – Braydon Coburn
Nicklas Grossman – Luke Schenn
Michael Del Zotto – Mark Streit
Injured: Kimmo Timonen
Extras: Nick Schultz
Goaltenders
Steve Mason – Ray Emery
Long known for making big splashes in the summer free-agent market, the Flyers were very quiet under new general manager Ron Hextall this offseason, mostly because their hands were tied by the NHL salary cap.
The Flyers are currently $4.9 million above the cap but that will change when they place injured defenseman Chris Pronger [concussion, $4.9 million salary cap] on long-term injury reserve.
The Flyers’ biggest move of the offseason came when they traded fan favorite Scott Hartnell [five years, $4.75 million cap hit] to the Columbus Blue Jackets for R.J. Umberger [three years, $4.6 million cap hit]. Hartnell [20 goals, 32 assists] had a more productive 2013-14 season than Umberger [18 goals, 16 assists], who will probably be slotted as a third-line left wing.
The Flyers’ fate this season may fall on the health of veteran defenseman Kimmo Timonen, who signed a one-year, $2 million contract extension but was later diagnosed with a blood clot that could threaten his playing career.
With Timonen sidelined indefinitely, the Flyers signed free-agent defenseman Michael Del Zotto to a one-year, $1.3 million contract. Del Zotto, 24, is trying to resurrect a career that peaked in 2011-12 when he recorded 10 goals and 31 assists for the Rangers.
Considering they have had just one top 10 draft pick in the past 12 years [James van Riemsdyk, 2nd overall in 2007] the Flyers have remained competitive in the East, reaching the playoffs in six of the past seven seasons and in 17 of the past 19.
Center Claude Giroux returns as one of the NHL’s top overall players, but his supporting cast is suspect and that could hurt Philly’s chances of returning to the postseason.
Will they make the playoffs in 2014-15? No. They’ll be in the mix with the Blue Jackets and Capitals, but the Flyers just don’t have the horses to get it done.
