Postseason Scene Set

Nothing is actually going to happen with the Flyers for several weeks, until the playoffs end and the draft approaches, but the storylines are being set.  It's impossible to know which of the many rumors to believe, but recurring themes seem to be that Richards and Laviolette aren't getting along and that there may be a rift between vets and younger players.  As a result, the trade of Mike Richards, once unthinkable, is actually a realistic (though pretty small) possibility.  


Here's one sign of veteran discord from the level headed Timonen:
-"The better team won. It's a fact. We just couldn't get going for some fucking reason"
-"That's what pisses me off the most. We weren't even close. There was no effort which I find unbelievable"
-On an upcoming meeting Holmgren; "I don't think we'll have coffee and cakes there"

No one is safe, as some kind of roster shakeup appears likely this offseason.  At this point however, it's impossible to identify the root causes of the issues, but seeing who the Flyers ship out this offseason will be telling.

The Injured List
-Versteeg to have abdomen surgery, though to his credit he showed no signs of it.
-Pronger back surgery.  I really hope he's healthy to start next year, because he never really was this year at any time.
-Betts finger surgery
-Leighton hip surgery
-Meszaros wrist surgery, which obviously didn't prevent him from being the team's best defensemen.
-Carter, maybe
-Hartnell, maybe
-Richards wrist surgery.  This is bizarre because it was his skating that seemed to struggle.

Different approaches to the goalie issue
I've already run down the free agent options, but there are two other ways the Flyers could attack the problem.

1)  Trade for a veteran.
Pros: Gets a proven winner
Cons: Requires trading significant assets to clear the cap space and to lure the talent.
Candidates: Nicklas Backstrom, Miika Kiprusoff
Personally I'm not too keen on trading a good player in their prime to get a season or two from a vet goalie at a huge cap hit who may be on the downside of their career.

2) Trade for a blossoming young goalie
Pros:  Get a seemingly good goalie, cheap (for a season or two at least)
Cons:  Could demand high trade return, still enter season without anyone proven
Candidates:  Cory Schneider, Jonathan Bernier, Anders Lindback, Jhonas Enroth
There is no way I trade JVR or Giroux for a young goalie, and as fun as it is to say "may the best man" between Bobrovsky and a new acquisition, this ultimately amounts to another season of hoping for the best in net.

For these reasons, I still say go free agent for goalie.