Whatever faith you follow, be thankful that the Philadelphia Flyers 2013 season is almost over.
The Flyers announced this evening that Braydon Coburn and Andrej Meszaros will miss the remainder of the regular season with injuries. Coburn suffered a separated shoulder taking a hit from the New York Islanders’ Matt Martin while Meszaros tore his rotator cuff and will need surgery.
Coburn has missed only eight games over the last five seasons, so missing time with an injury will be a first for him.
This is the third surgery for Meszaros in a little over a year, though. He previously underwent back surgery in March 2012 and Achilles tendon surgery in August 2012.
One has to wonder what exactly the organization is going to do with Meszaros in the offseason. They can’t rely on him to be available next fall and he has little to no trade value with his health record.
The Flyers have recalled defenseman Oliver Lauridsen in the interim. The 6′-6″ Danish defenseman was drafted by the Flyers in 2009 and has spent the last two seasons in Glens Falls.
Lauridsen has virtually no offensive puck moving capabilities, but he is a good shot blocker and plays a sound defensive game. In 124 games with the Phantoms, he has scored 4 goals and 11 points. In spite of the Phantoms being the second worst team in the AHL (that coveted honor goes to the Hamilton Bulldogs), Lauridsen is only a -2 on the season.
By comparison, Brandon “Manndog” Manning was a -27 at the time that Lauridsen was recalled and is now a -30 following the first period of the Phantoms’ game against the Binghamton Senators.
Perhaps the best moment of Lauridsen’s recall was captured by Diana C. Nearhos of the Post Star (via tweet): “[Zack] FitzGerald gave Lauridsen a big hug when the former got off the ice and said he didn’t want to see Oliver again.”
While the next fifteen games would be the ideal time to look at other defensive prospects, the Flyers really don’t have any that appear “on the cusp” at the pro level. Blake Kessel has been looking much better of late, having scored 16 points in his last 14 games. Unfortunately, it has been at the ECHL level with the Trenton Titans. He will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season.
The misery continues tomorrow afternoon in a matinee game against the Boston Bruins. Hopefully they all leave in one piece this time.
As I expected, basically a lost Season for the 2013 Flyboys..
Play the young kids and gut the Roster of older Players who can bring some Deaft Picks, Maybe some young talent in return but it’s difficult to trade Players that hurt and have injuries (Briere, Hartnell,Talbot, Gagne, Metzaros, etc, etc)
The poor Drafts. Poor PlayercDevelopment at the minor Leauge Level has caught up with the a flyers, no easy or quick fixes with this Franchise as
Prospects for next Year do not look a whole out brighter..They need help at every level and need what the Eagles are doing, clean house, get a new GM,
President of Hockey Operations and Coaching Staff and about 10 New Players
Paul, no worries, they’re erecting another statue for the 70’s Championship teams. That makes everyone feel better, about not having a Stanley Cup in 38 years, & the horrid season we’re having! What a cruel joke, this organization has become! I’m done making excuses for Snyder. He along with his failed, outdated, philosophy, must go!!!! He can stick his statues in his @$$, for all I care!!!!
Coburn & Meszaros, are useless, anyways! Good riddance! Another local team, that needs to be nuked! All 4 teams BLOW! Be prepared boys, this city is going through the late 90’s, 2.0!!!!
Stick a fork in them they are done again. At least they will get a chance to play the kids and secure a top 5 pick
I didn’t like the make-up of this 2013 Team from the get-go and stated
So many times, I thought they could be about a .500 Team , but the lack of leadership, focus. Horrible Special Teams have them worse than I even thought
The Sport has changed quite a bit, but the Flyers seem stuck in that 70’s mindset of having a Roster of kickers & grinders which every Team needs a couple of those guys, but not 3/4 of your Roster.. Defense is slow, I athletic enough to make the transition from Defense to Offense on a consistent basis
Fire them all and start anew is what I think they should do
I was so excited to get Andrej Meszaros back in the lineup, I’m even more excited he is out of the lineup now.
Sean Couturier has two goals the entire year. Why is he even in the lineup?