The 2010-2011 NHL season has finally arrived, as the Flyers training camp officially opened on Saturday at the Skate Zone in Voorhees, New Jersey. The organization had three days to begin teaching head coach Peter Laviolette’s system to all participants before the first preseason game tomorrow night against the New Jersey Devils. As a result of the fast pace of camp, the team hasn’t been evaluating players so much as running drills and testing line combinations.
One of the concerns heading into camp is the number of players with offseason surgeries that haven’t fully healed. Defenseman Chris Pronger is wearing a knee brace and will not be participating much in camp , but he is the type of player who doesn’t really need to review fundamentals. If he sits out the beginning of the season, the defensemen that general manager Paul Holmgren acquired in the offseason are more than capable of filling in.
Forwards Blair Betts and Ville Leino are at camp, but are wearing non-contact jerseys. Betts and Leino are recovering from shoulder surgery and hip surgery, respectively. One of these two may be placed on the long term injury reserve list while the team evaluates which Flyer may need to move if (and when) tryout Bill Guerin is signed. Goaltender Johan Backlund is also still experiencing pain in his groin, which may hinder his chances of earning a roster spot. The players at camp who were injured last season include Daroll Powe, Jeff Carter, Ian Laperriere, Brian Boucher and Michael Leighton, but none is expected to have any significant issues.
It’s unclear what the lines will look like tomorrow, let alone who will be on the first roster. The only confirmed names for the first preseason game are goaltenders Michael Leighton and Sergei Bobrovsky. Leighton will see his return to the ice after a humiliating but humbling defeat in the Stanley Cup Finals while Bobrovsky is being given ample time to show the organization how soon he should be brought up to the NHL. The defensive pairings have been all over the place in Pronger’s absence while the only forwards to see time on the same line consistently are Danny Briere and Scott Hartnell. I would expect to see Darroll Powe, Dan Carcillo, and Bill Guerin throughout much of this preseason as the team evaluates its final 23-man roster.
the only surprse in camp will be if Bobrovsky gets the backup positon. Injuries will dictate who is on the opening roster. Guiern will signs late or once a injury comes along.