After bowing out in the first round of the 2005 OTHL playoffs, Flyers GM Matt MacInnis knew that some changed needed to be made to keep this team a competitor, especially with the unrestricted free agent losses of Paul Kariya, Geoff Sanderson, and Marcus Ragnarsson, the latter two were the two of the team’s top scorers in the 2004-05 season.
After Kariya refused to return to the team despite a lucrative contract offer and a history of success with the Flyers, and no significant free agents came to Philadelphia, the Canucks were forced to make some significant trades by moving some promising young talent.
The team made three key acquisitions through a series of trades, and all three of them have performed as expected early on in the 2005-06 season.
Niklas Lidstrom: He’s the team’s top scoring defenceman with five points in six games and an impressive +4 rating. He missed one game due to a minor injury. He has consistently played 22-25 minutes per game.
Miroslav Satan: Eight points in seven games, including six assists. He’s been the playmaker thus far on the top line, which has accounted for half of the team’s goals. He leads the team in shots with 21 and has a surprising 14 hits, third on the team.
Jason Smith: The rugged defender has yet to register a point, but is an impressive +7, and a team leading 16 hits. He has been a rock on the blueline and easily the team’s least appreciated star.