Winger

For James van Riemsdyk, it's all about consistency. The Flyers' second-year left winger wants to improve his production, and it's showing in his high-intensity performances during the first two days of training camp at Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees. "I made a really good transition [to the NHL] off the bat," he said. "But I don't know what it was. Maybe it could have been a little bit of mental, a little bit of physical. Towards the second half of the year, I started to struggle a little bit and maybe wasn't as consistent as I was earlier on. " The second overall pick in the 2007 NHL draft finished his up-and-down rookie season with 15 goals and 35 points.

Ask the Flyers about their summer, and most of them will give some version of the same answer: "It was short, but that's a nice problem to have. " The extended season, as part of a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals, was the nice part, of course. But the result - a 4-2 series loss to the Chicago Blackhawks - has coach Peter Laviolette itching to get training camp under way. "It seems like we've been here, sitting around waiting for the season to start," Laviolette said. "But that's just me. You might go ask [the players]

Bill Guerin is looking for a new team. His family is looking for a new home. Yesterday, the free-agent veteran winger worked out at the Skate Zone in Voorhees and skated with Chris Pronger, Kimmo Timonen and newcomers Jody Shelley and Andrei Meszaros, who are already in town for Flyers training camp, which starts on Sept. 17. But Guerin said not to read too much into the workout, even if he was in Flyers gear. "Honestly, this has been planned for a while," Guerin told the Daily News . "I'm down in the area with my son, visiting my father-in-law . I've known Paul Holmgren for a long time and I needed a place to skate and get in shape.

Is Jim Schneller an unwitting participant in a Democratic plot to split the conservative vote in the 7th Congressional District? Or have a bunch of Delaware County Democrats - including those close to Democratic congressional candidate Bryan Lentz - become enamored of a right-wing candidate who questions President Obama's citizenship? "Much of this is a giant surprise - it's befuddling to me," Schneller said yesterday, when confronted with evidence that Lentz's allies and other politically active Democrats helped place him on the ballot by gathering signatures on his behalf.

The Rangers added offensive punch by agreeing to terms Tuesday with Los Angeles Kings forward Alexander Frolov . The 28-year-old winger, who spent his first seven NHL seasons with the Kings, has scored more than 20 goals five times, including two 30-goal seasons, but is coming off a season in which he had only 19 goals and 32 assists in 81 games. New York Islanders left wing Matt Moulson agreed to a one-year contract worth $2.45 million. . . . The Edmonton Oilers re-signed center Gilbert Brule . . . . The Phoenix Coyotes signed free-agent center Bracken Kearns to a one-year contract.

The Flyers and Dan Carcillo avoided arbitration yesterday when the left winger agreed to a 1-year deal for just over $1.075 million. With the re-signing of Carcillo, 25, and the signing of Nikolai Zherdev, the Flyers are almost $2.5 million past the salary cap. Teams can be up to 10 percent over the $59.4 million maximum until regular-season play starts in October. "We are happy to have Dan under contract for the 2010-11 season," Flyers GM Paul Holmgren said in a statement.

Lord Stanley's Cup was in the house for Game 6, and the Chicago Blackhawks, looking to sip from it for the first time in 49 years, weren't willing to wait two more days. They showed their impatience with a terrific display of forechecking that kept goalie Michael Leighton under heavy pressure most of the way. That hustle also helped deny the Flyers any true offensive rhythm and went a long way toward a 4-3 overtime victory that gave the Blackhawks their first championship since 1961.

After the Flyers won three straight games against Boston to even the conference semifinals at three victories apiece, the players said unless they won Game 7, their rally from a 3-0 series deficit would be meaningless. They have the same attitude about the Stanley Cup Finals. Unless they win it all, several players said before Game 1 on Saturday in Chicago, their remarkable playoff journey won't mean much. "Who remembers the losers? Nobody," right winger Ian Laperriere, 36, said before the Flyers' 6-5 loss to the Blackhawks.

Mike Richards has been Captain Clutch during the playoffs. Jeff Carter and Simon Gagne, already popular with the Flyers faithful, gained further recognition for their post-injury heroics during this magical run. Goalie Michael Leighton has captured fans' hearts as a spectacular fill-in for Brian Boucher. There is also Chris Pronger, the 6-foot-6, 220-pound defenseman; winger Scott Hartnell, easily recognized by his long locks; and the battered-but-far-from-out Ian Laperriere. Scoring ace Danny Briere, veteran defenseman Kimmo Timonen, and up-and-coming winger Claude Giroux are also among the mix of players who will be front and center for the Flyers when they take on the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Finals.