FLYERS MIDSEASON REVIEW

As usual, I'm a little late with getting another midseason or end of season review out, but when you have so much to make fun of T.O. about, posts like these get pushed off a day or so. Ok, enough talk about T.O., let's get to the hockey!

Coming into the season after a daring, spectacular offseason that re-constructed a team ill prepared in the "new NHL", we all expected that the Flyers would be leaps and bounds better than they were last year when they only accumulated 23 wins on their way to the worst year in franchise history. However, I don't think we expected the Flyers to match last year's win total in the first half of the season. Sure, they are only a six seed in the East if the season was to end today, but with the conference so tightly packed at the moment, I'm fine with their current seeding.

I'm not going to give a grade to each player, I'm just going to run through some surprises, disappointments, concerns and my outlook for the second half.

SURPRISES:

-Mike Richards: He's been an absolute stud in the first half of the season as he's the team's leading scorer and unquestioned leader. He is a very deserving All Star and looks to be deserving of the hefty contract he received last month.

-Joffrey Lupul: It's a shame this kid got hurt. I really like his game. He's skilled scorer, but seems to have some snarl in his game. You don't see too many guys like that in this league.

-Jeff Carter: Finally, "Carts" is going to the net hard and getting "ugly" goals to go along with his deadly wrist shot. Should the Orange & Black re-sign Forsber, I hope they move Carter to wing. He needs someone to get him the puck and Forsberg would be the perfect trigger man for him.

-The Power Play: Right now, the Flyers have the 2nd best power play in the entire NHL. After a couple years of really struggling with the man advantage, this is a very welcome development.

-Braydon Cobourn: The big, rangy defenseman is really starting to show why he was so highly regarded coming out of Juniors. To imagine, we got this guy for guy we received in a trade for Freddy Meyer.

-Steve Downie: Yes, it's only been a handful of games, but this kid brings so much life to the team. He's a joy to watch.

-Scoring Depth: It really seems that for the first time in years, we aren't looking at a one or two line team. With Scott Hartnell coming on strong and the return of Simon Gagne, it appears that the Flyers have some real depth for the first time since the Keenan era.

DISAPPOINTMENTS:

-Danny Briere: I don't know about you guys, but I expected more out of Briere than what we've seen to date. Sure, it's great that he's scoring at a point a game pace, but he's a whopping -11 which is indicative of the shitty defense he's played all year. Hopefully, Briere re-emerges now that Gagne is back.

-Kimmo Timonen: Yes, I do realize the guy is an All Star, but was anyone else surprised to find out he made the team? I know I was. To me, Kimmo's been just "ok". I expected much more. However, he seems to be turning it around and had one of his best games of the season on Sunday.

-The Suspensions: I know it seems like the NHL is out to get us, but this team has to be a little bit more disciplined. We can't lose guys for stretches at a time over stupid, selfish decisions on the ice.

-Randy Jones/Lasse Kukkonen: Both had great starts and now both of them are struggling. It would be nice to see one of them step up. I think Kukkonen may be fighting through injuries, but it looks like Randy Jones stopped taking the hockey version of HGH because he's been average to below average for about the last month in a half.

-Jim Vandemeer: When Holmgren traded for Vandy to bring him back to the Orange & Black, did he check his medical records to see if he was neutered? What the hell happened to this guy? Where is the toughness he showed earlier in his career? At this point, I'd rather see him sit in favor of Kukkonen, or find a way to bring Gauthier back up. At least, he hits people.

-Scottie Upshall - What happened to the guy that exploded on the scene when he arrived in Philly last year? It would be nice to see him back.

CONCERNS:

-Do we have a true #1 goalie?: Biron started out the year like a house of fire, but has since cooled. Nitty has played his ass off in the past couple weeks and forced Stevens' hand to give him more time. I really don't know what to expect. I just remember the old line "if you have two starting goalies, you really have no starting goalie." Let's pick one guy and give him 2/3's of the starts the rest of the way.

-Fighting: Ok, fighting might not be as big a part of the NHL as it once was, but do we have anyone that can win a friggin' fight?

-No Sympathy From The Devils: Once again, the Flyers are totally flumoxed when playing the Devils. They might as well just forfeit to them. In case you missed it, the O&B also have a hard time beating the Canadiens, a possible playoff opponent.

OUTLOOK:

As currently constituted, and when healthy, the Flyers should have no problem making the playoffs and may even win a round if they meet the right opponent (i.e., anyone but the Devils). However, this team still has a ton of assets. If they can add another puck moving defenseman, they can do some damage in the East, no matter whether Forsberg comes back or not.