The result? Somehow, the Flyers would need to find a way to replace 73 goals. Clearly, there was no way that they would be able to continue to produce at the 3.15 goals-per-game pace they did last year, right?
So much for that. Through the first 14 games - more than 17 percent of their schedule - the Flyers lead the league with 56 goals scored, eight more than the next closest team.
Admittedly, 14 games is a limited sample size. And the Flyers have gotten some help from ridiculous outbursts like Saturday night's 9-2 win over Columbus and that 9-8 loss to Winnipeg on Oct. 27.
But an equally down-and-dirty calculation: At their 4 goals-per-game clip, the Flyers are on pace for 328 goals over 82 games That would be 66 goals more than the league's best offense last year and the most scored since the 1995-96 season.
The Flyers are on pace to tie a franchise record with 11 double-digit goal scorers in a season.
"We're a talented team," Simmonds said on Saturday. "From line one to line four, every one can score. It's nice."
Part of the reason the offseason calculations were so faulty is that they did not account for growth from Simmonds, Voracek and Schenn. Jaromir Jagr, not playing in the NHL in 3 years, was a wild card. Then, relative unknowns Sean Couturier and Matt Read were considered longshots to make the roster.
What is the most interesting part of these early November calculations? Schenn, who is nursing a foot fracture, has yet to score an NHL goal. And Simmonds and Voracek are barely on pace to set new career-highs in goals.
'GUS' GETTING COMFY
We'd like to see defenseman Erik Gustafsson stick around as long as possible, even after Chris Pronger returns from his scary eye injury, likely this week.
