Flyers

Fourth and final in a series. LET'S PLAY a little game. Out of the Flyers' previous eight first-round picks, dating back to 2003, how many of them were spent drafting a defenseman? The answer would be one: Luca Sbisa in 2008. Seven of the Flyers' last eight first-round picks were forwards: Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, Steve Downie, Claude Giroux, James van Riemsdyk, Sean Couturier and Scott Laughton. You probably can argue that only Downie, selected 29th overall in 2005, is a bust - but he's been marred by injuries.

Third in a series THE ASSIGNMENT was a daunting one. Fix the Flyers' goaltending. How do you fix something that has been more or less broken since the 1987 Stanley Cup final? My opinion is not a popular one. Well, at least, judging by my inbox and Twitter feed. I would use one of the compliance buyouts on Ilya Bryzgalov this summer. Before firing off an email - obvious subject line: "Hey @$*#)$* stop running Bryzgalov out of town!" - hear me out. Part of the job requires me to be in the Flyers' locker room every day: training camp, practices, morning skates, home games and road trips.

NEW YORK - Wayne Simmonds angrily yanked the clear tape off his shin pads and winged it across the Flyers' locker room, an abundance of frustration apparent in his eyes. The Flyers were only able to capitalize on one of three power plays in the third period, missing out on a golden chance in the final 4 minutes, as they were outmuscled on the boards by the bigger New York Rangers. This time, Broadway had Broad Street's number. The Rangers pushed the puck toward their hulking defensemen in the corners, particularly on the two power plays in the last 9 minutes, effectively pinning it against the boards and coming out with a 2-1 victory that dropped the Flyers to 2-5-0.

The Flyers need help. They missed the playoffs for just the second time in the last 18 years, and their offseason wish list figures to include a productive winger and a top defenseman. In other words, they will try to add players similar to those they have traded - or lost in free agency - in recent years. Here is a team of former Flyers and how they compare to this season's team. The ex-Flyers get the edge on offense and at goalie. The defenses are fairly even, though they are difficult to compare because of the Flyers' injuries on the blue line this season.

Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger insisted he has not given up hope that he can return to the NHL, but his words did not mesh with the news release handed out by the team on Thursday afternoon. In a wide-ranging, candid news conference at the Skate Zone in Voorhees, Pronger, who has been sidelined with post-concussion syndrome for nearly 16 months, talked about battling depression, updated his physical status, and revealed how he misses "going to war every night. " At the same time Pronger was saying his goal was to try to get healthy enough to return to the team, the Flyers gave reporters a release from a University of Pittsburgh Medical Center concussion expert, Michael Collins, who said that the defenseman had "significant vulnerabilities" and that he had advised him to not play hockey again.

Two years ago, the Flyers signed Ilya Bryzgalov and figured they had ended their l-o-o-o-o-n-g search for a shutdown goaltender. As it turns out, they already had an elite Russian goalie in Sergei Bobrovsky. They just didn't realize it. Bobrovsky, now with the Columbus Blue Jackets, was named Wednesday as a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, given to the league's top goaltender. The Rangers' Henrik Lundqvist and San Jose's Antti Niemi were the other finalists in voting by NHL general managers.

TAMPA, Fla. - Max Talbot was the Flyers' best player on Monday night against the Lightning. And the previous game. And two games before that. As well as he's playing, Talbot is not going to carry the Flyers to the Stanley Cup playoffs - and that's not a knock on him. The only route to the playoffs - if they still are a realistic possibility - is through production from their top line. And Scott Hartnell and Claude Giroux have been on a milk carton for serious stretches of eight straight games.

Ilya Bryzgalov, the wannabe cosmonaut who enjoys critiquing journalists in his spare time, cannot be blamed for the Flyers' failure to make the playoffs this season. The quirky Russian goalie was good, not great, and his overall numbers - a pedestrian 2.79 goals-against average and career-worst .900 save percentage - are somewhat misleading. Because of his team's poor defensive play, Bryzgalov faced an inordinate number of odd-man rushes and breakaways. Bryzgalov, who will turn 33 next month, was one of the league's true workhorses.

FLYERS DEFENSEMAN Erik Gustafsson scored to help Sweden become the first home team to win the world hockey championships in 27 years, beating Switzerland, 5-1, yesterday in Stockholm for its ninth title. Vancouver Canucks star Henrik Sedin had two goals and an assist, and Buffalo Sabres goalie Jhonas Enroth made 26 saves to help Sweden become the first team to win the title on home ice since the Soviet Union in 1986. Switzerland earned its first medal in 60 years. "It was a tight game," Sedin said.

If selected by the Flyers in next month's NHL draft, hulking defenseman Darnell Nurse would not feel an added burden playing in Philadelphia - and living up to the standard set in another sport by his famous uncle, former Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. "There is a link there, but I don't see how the pressure crosses over," Nurse, a mature 18-year-old, said the other day from his home in Hamilton, Ontario. "It's a different sport, a different position. The pressure will be put on by myself to make a mark like he did. It won't come from other people.

When the Flyers pick No. 11 in the first round of the June 30 NHL draft, here are some players who may be available: Darnell Nurse, D, 6-foot-4, 195 pounds He plays an aggressive, gritty style and models his game after Chris Pronger and Shea Weber. His offense is improving. Rasmus Ristolainen, D, 6-2, 189 The righthanded-shooting Finn plays with a nasty edge; he is regarded as a solid two-way defenseman and would be a nice consolation prize if Nurse is gone.

THE NEXT biggest save Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov makes could be his job. There was already a possibility the team would buy out his contract this offseason. Which, if a recent interview is to be believed, would be fine with him because he has no love for Philly. In an interview with championat.com, a Russian Sports website, Bryzgalov touched on a wide-range of topics, including his respect for Joseph Stalin and Communism. Sam Donnellon writes more about that on Page 46. Here, we'll focus more on Bryzgalov's thoughts about the City of Brotherly Love.

MAGNITOGORSK, Russia - Former Flyers coach and veteran NHL coach Mike Keenan has signed a two-year contract to coach the Russian club Metallurg Magnitogorsk. The Kontinental Hockey League club announced the deal on its website Monday but did not disclose financial details. The 63-year-old Keenan coached the Flyers from 1984 to 1988 and led the New York Rangers to the 1994 Stanley Cup. He recorded 672 wins during a 25-year career with eight teams and last coached in the NHL with the Calgary Flames from 2007 to 2009.

The Flyers need help. They missed the playoffs for just the second time in the last 18 years, and their offseason wish list figures to include a productive winger and a top defenseman. In other words, they will try to add players similar to those they have traded - or lost in free agency - in recent years. Here is a team of former Flyers and how they compare to this season's team. The ex-Flyers get the edge on offense and at goalie. The defenses are fairly even, though they are difficult to compare because of the Flyers' injuries on the blue line this season.

Fourth and final in a series. LET'S PLAY a little game. Out of the Flyers' previous eight first-round picks, dating back to 2003, how many of them were spent drafting a defenseman? The answer would be one: Luca Sbisa in 2008. Seven of the Flyers' last eight first-round picks were forwards: Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, Steve Downie, Claude Giroux, James van Riemsdyk, Sean Couturier and Scott Laughton. You probably can argue that only Downie, selected 29th overall in 2005, is a bust - but he's been marred by injuries.

Former Flyers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, now with the Columbus Blue Jackets, put up better numbers this season than the other Vezina Trophy finalists, the Rangers' Henrik Lundqvist and San Jose's Antti Niemi. But will the general managers bypass Bobrovsky in their voting because his team did not make the playoffs? Here are the numbers:             Save    Goalie, team   Record   GAA   pct.   SO    Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus    21-11-6   2.

Two years ago, the Flyers signed Ilya Bryzgalov and figured they had ended their l-o-o-o-o-n-g search for a shutdown goaltender. As it turns out, they already had an elite Russian goalie in Sergei Bobrovsky. They just didn't realize it. Bobrovsky, now with the Columbus Blue Jackets, was named Wednesday as a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, given to the league's top goaltender. The Rangers' Henrik Lundqvist and San Jose's Antti Niemi were the other finalists in voting by NHL general managers.

Second in a series   THE FLYERS have the NHL's most expensive collection of second- and third-pairing defensemen. That's not a knock - or at least, an intentional one. You see, Kimmo Timonen ($6 million), Braydon Coburn ($4.5 million), Andrej Meszaros ($4 million), Luke Schenn ($3.6 million) and Nick Grossmann ($3.5 million) are all fine players. Most NHL teams would love to add a defenseman of that caliber to their roster this summer. But for the Flyers, five No. 3 defensemen - or worse - does not a contender make.