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"Back With A Vengeance." The bright orange banner hanging outside the Wachovia Center sums up the approach the Flyers are taking this season.
It’s one way of helping fans erase 2006-07’s bad memories, which went down as the worst year in franchise history. For those who forgot, the team finished 22-48-12, setting a new franchise record for losses in a season. It marked the first time in 13 years Philadelphia missed the playoffs.
An off-season roster makeover through trades and free-agent signings has the new-look Flyers back on top of the Atlantic Division standings with a 4-1 record that includes Tuesday’s 4-0 win over Atlanta. For those still trying to learn all the new names, here’s a handy guide to get you through the season:
No. 48 Danny Briere
The center has made an immediate impact by becoming the first Flyer in team history to tally multiple points in each of his first three games. His eight points and four goals are both tops. This ’07 All-Star Game MVP was the prize free-agent acquisition of the summer, signing an eight-year $52 million contract.
Last season he led Buffalo with 32 goals, 63 assists and 95 points. He helped the Sabres advance to the ’07 Eastern Conference Finals, where they were eliminated by Ottawa. His off-season training includes workouts with Canadian World’s Strongest Man competitor Hugo Girard, who like Briere, calls Gatineau, Canada, home.
No. 21 Jason Smith
Meet the new captain. He is one of two Jason Smiths playing at the Wachovia Center this year. The other is a seven-foot forward from Colorado State who is in his rookie season with the Sixers.
This Smith, a defenseman, is a former No. 1 pick of the New Jersey Devils. He was acquired by the Flyers in a July 1 trade with Edmonton that also brought Joffrey Lupol to town in exchange for Joni Pitkanen, Geoff Sanderson and an ’09 draft pick.
No. 15 Joffrey Lupol
The other piece of the Edmonton trade is now with his third NHL team. The right wing is a former first-round draft choice of the Anaheim Ducks (’02). Lupol holds the distinction of being the first player in league history to tally four goals in a playoff game, which happened in ’06 against Colorado. Through five games with the Flyers, he has one goal and five assists.
No. 19 Scott Hartnell
This forward was part of an off-season trade with Nashville where the Flyers returned the first-round draft pick acquired in the ’07 Peter Forsberg trade for the rights to negotiate with unrestricted free agents-to-be left wing Hartnell and Kimmo Timonen. Both agreed to six-year deals.
Hartnell is a former first-round pick of the Predators who has tallied more than 200 points in his six NHL seasons.
No. 44 Kimmo Timonen
This defenseman is one of four Fins on the Flyers roster. He shares ownership of Finland’s KalPa ice hockey team with fellow countryman and teammate Sami Kapanen.
Timonen holds the Predators record for career assists (180) and currently has three with Philadelphia. The Flyers record for career assists will be a little tougher to beat; the mark — 852 — is held by Bobby Clarke.
