Defense: Depth Was Needed This Year

The Flyers have used plenty of defensemen this season.  With the condensed 48 game schedule – a hellish
marathon of games that seems more like an extended torture session than a
season- it’s easy to assume the Flyers would have injuries.  But this much? The egregious amount of
injuries seems too daunting to overcome, but if they do, they can thank all ten
on the squad who have played throughout the season.  

 (I added their cap
hit to let you see how valuable each player is to the squad, along with who
they’re paired with.)

Before the Flyers play the Winnipeg Jets, take a quick look
at where their defensemen are in their progression through the season.

Kimmo Timonen, $6.3 million(1^st defensive pairing
with Luke Schenn) – Timonen was hurt against the Leafs while blocking a shot,
as it seems he does in every game, and he’s day to day injury-wise. Timonen
does so many things (first pairing on the powerplay, first pairing on the
penalty kill, third on the team in average time on the ice, top ten in scoring
defensemen in the NHL, the entire backbone of the team) that if he misses significant
time, the Flyers would need a miracle to make the playoffs.  It doesn’t seem that he will be out for long
(he’s a game-time decision for Saturday’s game at Winnipeg), so the Flyers dodged
a bullet (much unlike Kimmo’s willingness to dodge shots from the point). With
all the injuries to the Flyers defensive core, and the young and
underperforming players the Flyers brought in to surround Kimmo, there’s really
no comparison.  The guy is just an
animal.   To me he’s a Norris Trophy
candidate.

Luke Schenn, $3.6 million for 4 years(1^st
defensive pairing with Kimmo Timonen) – Schenn was dealt in a deal that sent
James van Riemsdyk to the Toronto Maple Leafs. 
As the Flyers watched van Riemsdyk gain position down-low, turn around
and roof a shot over Ilya Bryzgalov, all in one effortless motion, you had to
have an inkling in your brain that said, “Wow that was a mistake of a trade.”
But you know what? I’m fine with it. 
Schenn is a physical specimen (6 foot 2, 230 lbs.) and makes the
opposition regret digging pucks out of the corners.  While van Riemsdyk has 40 goals a year
written on his wrists, Schenn can be a player that develops into a hulking
blueline threat.  He has a plus/minus of
4 and his play of late has really picked up. 
He lets Timonen make the outlet passes, thank goodness.

Brayden Coburn, $4.5 million for 4 more years (2^nd
defensive pairing with Niklas Grossmann) – Coburn can skate like the wind and
for years analysts have been pointing out that if he were to learn how to deal
with the puck better in pressure situations he would be close to an elite
defensemen.  That’s not going to
happen.  Since he’s paired with
Grossmann, he’s usually the one making the outlet pass to the wingers on
transitions into the offensive zone.   He’s
also a big man (6 foot 5, 220 lbs.) but it often looks like he shies away from
physical contact, which is probably why the Flyers have paired the much more
physical Niklas Grossmann with him. 
Injured in a game on March 29^th, Coburn is still a top four
d-man on the Flyers and they will be glad to have him back once his injury
heals.  He’ll be out for about another
week, it seems.

Niklas Grossmann, $3.5 million for 4 years (2^nd
defensive pairing with Brayden Coburn) – Grossmann plays with Coburn, blocks
shots, and checks hard.  He’s a large
player (6 foot 4, 230 lbs.) and he solidified the backend last year when the
Flyers added him from the Dallas Stars. What he lacks is good puck possession
along with a good outlet pass, and therefore putting him with Coburn in my
opinion isn’t a good idea.  He’s coming
back soon from injury, as reports have him increasing his practice time.

Erik Gustafsson, $.9 million – Gustafsson is a fun player to
watch from time to time.  He can skate
well and is probably the Flyers second best passer.  Last year, he played 30 games and looked
impressive for the Flyers. What I do see is some poor decisions, and giveaways
that end up costing the Flyers.  I would
like for the team to pair him with Grossmann.

Kurtis Foster, $.95 million – The Flyers initially brought in
Foster to captain the second powerplay unit on the point and play as the team’s
6^th defenseman. When the team saw that he couldn’t do that well, and
Meszaros got healthy, Foster didn’t play. 
One thing that bothers me with Foster is his hesitation to blast his
shot from the point.  Think of it; you’re
brought in to the team for your rocket of a shot, you obviously can’t do
anything else particularly well except blast a shot, yet you refuse to shoot,
the one thing that the team likes about your playing abilities? No thank you,
Kurtis Foster.

Bruno Gervais, $.85 million for 2 years  – Gervais has also picked up his play lately.
Slated to start on the team’s 3^rd pairing in the beginning of the
season, the 28 year old veteran has been an adequet player for the Flyers.
Lately they’ve been giving him more minutes, and he’s been making the right
decisions.  Let’s hope it continues.

Kent Huskins, $.7 million – The Flyers acquired him before
the trade deadline when they were decimated with injuries.  While he hasn’t played much in revered Orange
and Black, he has done the small things that have helped the Flyers on their
recent small winning streak. I would rather see him back there then Foster and
Meszaros, although that might not mean much.

Andrej Meszaros, $4 million for 2 years – Andrej was injured
to start the season, and since he first started playing he has looked like the
team’s worst defenseman; turning the puck over, getting beat next to the net,
losing foot-races, and just playing like a lost gander without its goose.  Perhaps he’ll need time to get into the swing
of things, but with his salary and his age creeping up (at 27 he’s no spring
chicken compared to the guys they’ve got coming up), you would hope the Flyers
can move him in the offseason.

Oliver Lauridson, $.65 million – Lauridson came up when
Coburn went out with an injury, and I’ve been impressed with his poise.  He isn’t exactly a speed demon, but he’s big
enough (6 foot 6 and 220 lbs.) and smart enough to recover from opposition
players who have a step on him.  He’s
played 4 games and has looked promising as someone who can play for this team
in the future.  He and Gustafsson have a
good future on this team if they continue to progress.