Flyers penalty fest becoming an issue

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Philadelphia Flyers might play their home games at the Wells Fargo Center these days, but with the ever steady parade to the penalty box in recent years, the team might want to consider changing their home address. As of Sunday, the Flyers were first in the league in minor penalties and third overall in penalty minutes per game. Given the Flyers’ reputation since the mid-seventies, it might not come as a news flash that the team is viewed by referees in a different light than most. That said, the Flyers were not always the penalty machine they have been in recent years.

In 2009-10, the Flyers were first in the league in minor penalties and second overall in penalty minutes per game. In 2008-09, they led the league in both categories. In 2007-08, they were second in minors and third in PIM’s per game. While the parade to the penalty box didn’t hamper the team’s success on the ice during those years for the most part, the subject has been brought to light even more so for a couple of reasons. For one, the Flyers’ special teams unit was one of the best in the league. This year, that’s not the case. The Flyers power play is currently ranked 24th in the league at 9.1%, while their penalty kill is ranked 12th, also at 9.1%. Last season, they were ranked 3rd and 11th, respectively. “Penalties were on people; it kills the flow of the game, and it kills momentum you build for yourself five-on-five,” Flyers captain Mike Richards said after a 5-1 loss to a short-handed Pittsburgh Penguins lineup. “Bottom line? You gotta stay out of the box.” ” We’re taking penalties, we’re going to the box, whether they’re questionable, marginal or deserved, there’s an infraction that is there … we’re going to the box too many times and it ended up costing us,” Head Coach Peter Laviolette fumed after the game. “You go back and look at them and they’re avoidable,” Laviolette said. “It taxes the penalty killers. It taxes the defensemen who have to kill the penalties. It taxes a lot of the bench…we’re not scoring five-on-five and that doesn’t help. Now we’re on defense again using the penalty killers a lot, the defensemen a lot. It’s not good enough.” Correcting a long-time problem that has not been addressed in recent years is something team management needs to take responsibility for as much as the players do in this case. Turning a blind eye to a problem only makes the problem grow worse. The good news is that the Flyers have only played five games so far this season. Panic should not be a part of the plan. Addressing it however, is. Reduction of playing time and sitting people who are consistent offenders might be a good start. The question is, who? The first should be an easy choice. Winger Scott Hartnell already has 23 PIM’s while defenseman Braydon Coburn is a distant second with 10. Hartnell was third on the team last season and along with Coburn, had an off season. It might be time for the strict Laviolette to send a message not to just Coburn, but to all of the players on the team that enough is enough. Cost the team on the ice and it will mean time off of it. Again, the season is early. Most of the Delaware Valley is watching the Phillies who are still in the playoffs and the Eagles are in the midst of their season so public pressure hasn’t come down hard on the team…yet. As they say, there’s no time like the present and Laviolette needs to put the fear of his wrath in his players. Better to do it sooner than later because until the power play gets back on track, the issue needs to be addressed in a hurry. Contact the author at Brian.Jennings@prohockeynews.com Contact the photographer at Lewis.Bleiman@prohockeynews.com