In their last preseason game, the Flyers had relatively little trouble dispatching the weaker half of a split Islanders squad by a 3-1 count. Tonight, they return home to take on the Buffalo Sabres at the Wells Fargo Center.
With two exhibition games left before the season starts, the Flyers need to make the following decisions:
* Evaluate whether Johan Backlund (who will dress for tonight's game but is not slated to play) is sufficiently recovered from off-season hip surgery to start the regular season as Brian Boucher's backup. If not, Sergei Bobrovsky, who has certainly had an outstanding training camp but could still benefit from minor league starts, will enter the season as the backup.
* Make a final decision on whether to sign Bill Guerin or let him go. The infected elbow he suffered in the last game and his preseason play will not factor in the decision. It seems clear from their public comments on the subject that the coaching staff wants Guerin on the team but GM Paul Holmgren would prefer that the roster spot go to one of Ben Holmstrom, Mike Testwuide or Andreas Nodl.
* Decide whether to go into the season carrying eight defenseman or to place either Matt Walker or Oskars Bartulis on waivers. The strong preseason play of Erik Gustafsson and Marc-Andre Bourdon may not bode well for Bartulis, while the uncertainty over whether Chris Pronger will be ready for opening night may help keep Walker on the club to start the season.
In other news, the club said yesterday that Daniel Briere should be able to resume skating over the weekend after undergoing a procedure to drain an infected tonsil. Building his strength back up for the marathon-like season is the top priority at this point, however.
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Over at Versus.com, I take a look at one of the more puzzling preseason developments in the NHL: The Atlanta Thrashers decision to
move Dustin Byfuglien back to defense following his big postseason run as a power forward for the Blackhawks.
The other day, Jeremy Roenick absolutely blasted the Thrashers for the decision and ripped GM Rick Dudley as someone who "doesn't know the game whatsoever." I wouldn't take it as far J.R. did (but then again, that's J.R. shooting from the hip as usual), but I agree that it seems foolish to take an emerging power forward -- even one who was originally drafted as a defenseman and says he prefers playing on the blueline -- and put him somewhere where he's never been particularly effective as a pro.
Why tinker with something that worked for a Stanley Cup winning team?
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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