Flyers Pre-Season Grades

Centers: A-
Mike Richards, Danny Briere, Jeff Carter, Jim Dowd, Glen Metropolit

Richards and Carter took huge leaps forward in 2007-08 and look to be fulfilling the promise that they brought with them into Philly. Where they go in their 4th season may be the biggest determining factor to the success of the season. Briere’s talents shone when he had competent wingers beside him (Simon Gagne, Vinny Prospal) but struggled to carry the load by himself. His hunger to win, however, propelled the Flyers in the post-season. Dowd was the Flyers version of Chris Coste, a Brick, NJ native who made the team via a tryout and will have to do it again this year if he hopes to make the team. Metropolit was a very capable center for the Boston Bruins in ’07-08 and may shine in the position of a role-player in the much-deeper Flyers roster.

Wingers: B+
Simon Gagne, Scottie Upshall, Scott Hartnell, Joffrey Lupul, Mike Knuble, Steve Downie, Riley Cote, Aaron Asham
The question on everybody’s mind will almost certainly be the health of Simon Gagne, not only because he’s an elite winger when healthy, but because of how he elevates the play of Briere. Count on Paul Homlgren to make a significant move if Gagne will be out for any length of time. Upshall and Knuble both had great post-seasons, Lupul is a real budding talent (or possible trade bait), Hartnell is (if it’s possible) overpaid and underrated with the ability to throw the team on his back for short stretches. Downie is a real asset if he can show more discipline without losing his edge and toughness as well as curb his occasional brain farts while Cote has thrived under coach John Stevens and could become an enforcer who is also an adequate hockey player. Asham (who had 10 points in 77 games last season) will have to prove a lot early in the season to keep his job from the highly touted Claude Giroux and James vanRiemsdyk.

Defense: B-
Kimmo Timonen, Braydon Coburn, Steve Eminger, Randy Jones, Derian Hatcher, Ryan Parent, Lasse Kukkonen, Ossi Vaananen

Timonen and Coburn are one of the best one-two punches of blueliners in the league. After that, it’s some promise with a lot of question marks. Eminger was a tough customer with Washington , but we have yet to see him in the Stevens system. Flyers fans should be cautiously optimistic, because he should help on the penalty kill, but he’ll have to log more than the 20 games he did in ’07-08 as he is the physical presence on the blue line with Hatcher on Injured Reserve. Eminger may be paired with Randy Jones or Ryan Parent, depending on the development of both of them. Both took some steps forward last year and Parent, part of the Forsberg-to-Nashville trade, has the potential to be a game-changing defenseman. There are some great parts to this defensive platoon, but it is certainly not without its holes.

Goaltenders: A-
Martin Biron, Antero Nittymaki, Jean-Sebastian Aubin

Hopefully, last year’s playoff run silenced those who still believe that Martin Biron is not a Stanley Cup quality goalie. Determined, confident, and poised, Biron is ready to explode in 2008-09 now that he has fully established himself as the man in net on Broad and Pattison. No netminder can play all 82 games, however, and Nittymaki is a fine stand-in. He’ll start the season hurt, however, and Jean-Sebastian Aubin may be a little easier to intimidate than his Finnish counterpart.

*** On a personal note, I lost a pet last week and it’s been a little ruff (Ozzy always loved awful puns), so I’d like to direct everyone to our PAWS Dog of the Week section and, if you have room in your heart and in your home, please adopt one of these amazing creatures. They offer the most loyal and loving companionship you’d ever want and many of them need good homes, a warm place to sleep, and someone to watch hockey with and throw around a squeaky rubber puck. Becoming a pet owner is one of the best decisions you’ll ever make.

Photo Credit: Flickr user jspatchwork