The Breakdown: Left Wing

I wanted to get this up this afternoon, but life in and of itself wouldn’t let me. So who better to start with than the guy who’s been with the Flyers the longest? 9 years in the league, all of them as a Flyer. A first round draft pick back in 1998, I could only be talking about…

Simon Gagne
10th Season
Last Season’s Numbers: 2nd on the team in goals (34), assists (40 tied with Timonen), power play goals (12) and third on the team in points (74) and plus/minus (+21). 4 points (3 goals, 1 assist) in 6 playoff games.

Upside: He may wear the “A”, but he is a natural motivator and leader. Gagne is another guy who makes players around him better whether it’s even strength or the power play. Due to some hip issues, he may not be the fastest guy on the ice. But, he makes up for that with great passing and a hard, accurate slap shot that’s trouble for whoever is between the pipes.

Downside: Those hip issues I mentioned earlier, they have reared their ugly head. Gagne had surgery in the off-season that was supposed to take care of this. The only problem was when he went to Team Canada’s Olympic Camp, he suffered a mild groin strain from what some are saying, “was because of the hip problem,” and was sent home. Only time will tell if this becomes a real issue or if it’s just a scare. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for just a scare and he’ll be ready for the upcoming training camp.

Beyond the hair, the glove throwing incident and his “tough guy heroics,” our next player has found a place in the hearts and minds of many a Flyers fan. Some call him Duff, I simply call him…

Scott Hartnell
9th Season
Last Season’s Numbers: 60 points (30 goals, 30 assists) in 82 games last season. 2 points (1 goal, 1 assist) in 6 playoff games.

Upside: If I had to describe Scott Harnell in one word, it would be “firecracker”. He’s quick, powerful and can go off like *snaps fingers* that. Great speed, better than average puck handling, can pass on a dime or can let a shot fly at a second’s notice. He’s not afraid to drop the gloves (in more ways than one) or step in to cover someone’s back.

Downside: However, the only problem when he does that is, we lose him for 2 or 5 minutes. Okay, I’m gonna call a spade a spade here. The main problem the Flyers had last year wasn’t with scoring and, believe it or not, it wasn’t with defense. It was with guys who didn’t come out and give 100%. As much as I hate to say it, Hartnell was one of those guys. I remember watching a game last season where a player from the Tampa Bay Lightning, literally skated a circle around Hartnell and all he did was watch him go around. Now, I’m not saying that Hartnell was the only guy with this problem, but he was one of them.

On that wonderful note, I move on to the next of our wingers who wasn’t so warmly received in Philly when he came here. Some people are still mourning this trade…

Daniel Carcillo
4th Season
Last Season’s Numbers: 14 points (3 goals, 11 assists) over 74 games with the Flyers and Coyotes. Led the league in penalty minutes (254).

Upside: When he’s not taking penalties, he does have a good shot. He’s also quick on the ice and he’s aggressive. He’s not afraid to throw his body around.

Downside: All he does is take penalties! His puck handling is borderline ugly, he can’t make a pass out of the zone… Granted, he’s an NHL player and I’m not, but, I’ve sat here during a game and wondered, “How is this guy an NHL player?” It’s like they give him a stick and say, “Go out there and hit the guy with the puck.” On a team that’s already highly scrutinized, he’s the lit match in the fireworks factory.

Okay Paul, take a deep breath…

Alright, let’s move on.

The last of the left wingers is someone I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with on several occasions. If there’s someone who knows the meaning of leaving the on ice persona on the ice, it’s this guy…

Riley Cote
4th Season
Last Season’s Numbers: 3 points (3 assists) in 63 games. 2nd on the team in penalty minutes (174).

Upside: Even though he’s buried on the 4th line, he comes to play every night. He has a hard shot, but doesn’t get to use it very much. Always willing to drop the gloves to give his team a momentum boost.

Downside: I’m not saying that being mainly a fighter is a bad thing, but that’s what Cote is. He goes out there, throws some checks and drops the gloves. Noone wishes more than I that there was more to Cote’s game than that. Many people who read this will say that we are stocked on offense and having guys like Cote and Carcillo around as enforcers is a good thing and I will agree with them. I just have a thing about one-sided players. I hope they can become more.

That wraps this one up. Check back tomorrow when I do a breakdown of our defensive squad.

That should be a hoot. 😉

Until next time, keep your chin up, your eyes on the puck and you can never go wrong with high to the stick side. 😉

Thanks for reading,
Paul Pickett
Facebook: Paul Ca Pickett
Twitter: PaulakaBFTW