The news that Jeff Carter will miss 3-4 weeks with a non-displaced foot fracture is just one more hurdle in what has been an exceptionally frustrating season for the Flyers. As I wrote in yesterday's game preview, the Flyers are lucky that the Eastern Conference is so mediocre. If the conference were as deep as the West, the club would probably wind up missing the playoffs this season.

As it is, even with Carter's injury and the club's current swoon (four losses in the last five games), I still think the Flyers will get into the playoffs. But regardless of whether the Flyers end with the fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth seed, I'd be pleasantly surprised if they get out of the first round.

Even before Carter went down, the Flyers' offense had disappeared again. After a hot stretch, Carter himself was on the brink of another drought (1 G, 2 PTS in his last six games). Apart from Mike Richards, Simon Gagne and Danny Briere, the Flyers desperately need clutch performances to help bridge the gap until Carter is back.

In the short term, I would really see Claude Giroux (0 G, 1 A in his last 7 GP) start to assert himself. The second year forward has been invisible since the Olympic break. Likewise, rookie James Van Riemsdyk (0 PTS in his last 11 GP, 2 G, 2 PTS in his last 20 GP) needs to pick up the pace again. Some more contributions from the blueline would be awfully handy as well right about now.

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