Cap Space

When you last saw the Flyers (remember them?), they were one of the NHL's hottest teams. They had won four straight, climbed into the Eastern Conference's sixth spot, and started to show why they were expected to be strong Stanley Cup contenders. Then came the Olympic break, which means when they resume play Tuesday in Tampa Bay, the Flyers will be playing for the first time in 17 days. The layoff has left a host of questions: It shouldn't. For one, the schedule is favorable - five of their next six games are against teams that have more losses than wins.

The Eagles' recent spending spree made Brent Celek a wealthy man yesterday. Exactly one week after giving offensive tackle Winston Justice a four-year deal worth nearly $18 million if he finishes the contract, the team put together a six-year extension for its starting tight end that could be worth as much as $33 million if he earns the incentives. The contract includes slightly less than $11 million in guaranteed money, a league source said. It will keep him with the team through 2016.

The Flyers tried to push defenseman Randy Jones through reentry waivers, but one of his former coaches wouldn't let it happen. Jones, 28, was claimed yesterday by the Los Angeles Kings, whose head coach, Terry Murray, was a Flyers assistant in charge of the defense when Jones was part of the team. The Kings and Flyers will share Jones' $2.75 million cap hit - $1.375 million apiece. Jones spent parts of five seasons with the Flyers and is in the final year of a two-year, $5.5 million deal.

The Flyers are contemplating putting high-priced defenseman Randy Jones on waivers as early as today, a club source said yesterday. "It hasn't happened, so why think about it?" Jones said after yesterday's practice at the Skate Zone in Voorhees. Jones, who had off-season hip surgery, has had an up-and-down training camp. The Flyers could free $2.75 million in cap space if they placed him on waivers and tried to send him to the AHL Adirondack Phantoms. The New York Rangers, who need a defenseman, could also make a deal for Jones.

Though all signs point to the Flyers signing controversial goalie Ray Emery, general manager Paul Holmgren yesterday said both sides are still negotiating. Because Emery played in Russia last season, the team that signs him can announce they have an agreement before July 1, when the free-agent signing period starts. Holmgren isn't prepared to make that announcement. "We're still talking," he said. "I can't say we've decided 100 percent yet. " Holmgren said he has talked with potential free agent Marty Biron and his agent "at length," and he was not ready to close the door on signing him. But the door seems to be almost shut, and if you read between the lines, Emery looks to be the Flyers' guy. For one, he is expected to sign a one-year deal for about $1.5 million, significantly less than Biron, who is seeking a four- or five-year contract that figures to land him about $4 million per season.

James Harrison isn't one of the NFL's biggest bargains any longer. The Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker reached terms yesterday on a $51.75 million, 6-year contract that will make him the second highest-paid player in franchise history. The contract set to be announced today will pay the NFL Defensive Player of the Year a guaranteed $20 million - more than any other player in team history except Ben Roethlisberger. The quarterback signed a $102 million, 8-year contract last year that will pay him a guaranteed $36 million.

The Flyers send Scottie Upshall and a second-round pick to Phoenix for Daniel Carcillo. Carcillo is just a thug on the ice with minimal talent. We already have Cote and Asham. Why do we need a third tough guy? I had high hopes for the Giroux, Briere and Upshall line. I thought they could be an exciting line that could cause mismatches with other teams due to their speed and skill. The only thing that makes sense is the Flyers are dumping salary to make another move. The deadline has passed, so it looks like that will not happen.

The Flyers, already stung by the loss of two players to waivers, will be relieved when tomorrow's 3 p.m. trade deadline comes and goes. Every day brings another rumor. "This time of year is always unsettling for the players and their families," Flyers coach John Stevens said after yesterday's practice at Boston University. "You just never know what's going to happen. " The Edmonton Sun reported that the Flyers have offered winger Joffrey Lupul and highly touted prospect James vanRiemsdyk to Florida for the most sought-after defenseman on the market, Jay Bouwmeester.

Veteran center Danny Briere proclaimed himself ready to return to the Flyers' lineup tomorrow against visiting Atlanta. Now comes the tricky part: Fitting his $6.5 million salary under the $56.7 million cap. The Flyers have put forwards Josh Gratton and Jon Kalinski on the long-term injured-reserve list, which means their salaries will not count against the cap. Unless there is a trade, the next move figures to be sending rookie defenseman Luca...

L UCA SBISA was getting a stick ready in the Verizon Center, long before most of his teammates had arrived. As he was putting the finishing touches on the tape, a line of Flyers began arriving, led by Mike Richards . Without looking directly at Richards, Sbisa began hopping up and down and grinning. Richards got the message and he began hopping up and down until, at just the right moment, the two hopped into each other, a kind of sideways chest thump. The little byplay brought an ear-to-ear grin from the Flyers captain.