The Philadelphia Flyers start the regular season in a little over a month, and
there are still questions about the lineup. These questions will be answered in
 training camp and preseason, but for now, here are five predictions for
the upcoming season that might be a bit out there.Alex Lyon Wins the Backup
Goalie Battle

One battle to keep an eye on in the preseason is for the backup goalie spot,
which is Michal Neuvirth';s to lose. In his three seasons as the backup, he
has been inconsistent, playing like a starter for a game or two, and then
looking like he should be on the bench. He has been injured and out of the
lineup for a significant amount of time while with the Flyers. He will let in
soft goals when they need a save from their goalie, and will be under pressure
 to perform as he is a UFA at the end of the season.

The staff know what they have in Neuvirth, but Alex Lyon is still unknown at
the NHL level, which is why he needs to make the most of his time in the
crease. The young goalie will need to show that he has improved from last
season when he was recalled because of injuries to Neuvirth and Brian Elliott.
He should have plenty of confidence coming into preseason since he was able to
get into some meaningful games down the stretch for them last year.Alex Lyon
#49, Philadelphia Flyers - February 20, 2018 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

In his 11 games, he went 4-2-1 with a 2.75 GAA and .905 save percentage. The
25-year-old proved that he could handle the pressure of a playoff run. He will
win the job by making the most of his opportunities by keeping pucks out of the
 net and being more consistent in his preseason starts.James van Riemsdyk
Scores 50 Goals

James van Riemsdyk set a career high with 36 goals while playing with the
Toronto Maple Leafs last season. He will reach the 50 goal plateau for the
first time in his career this season. The left winger could be playing on the
Flyers second line with Nolan Patrick and Jakub Voracek, and that should be a
perfect fit for him.

Voracek is more of a playmaker, so if van Riemsdyk can get set up in front of
the net or the slot area then Voracek should be able to spot him for some
goals. He is also not afraid to shoot the puck, which will be a good thing if
this line does stay intact come the regular season, since Voracek tends to pass
 the puck instead of taking the shot.James van Riemsdyk has been a major piece
in the Leafs'; offensive success this season. (Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY
Sports)

Patrick is poised to have a breakout season since he is healthy after having
surgery last summer, and hopefully he can build off of his fantastic second
half of the season. Patrick and Voracek are more than willing to do the work
along the boards, and battle for the puck, so if van Riemsdyk can get open this
 line should be stellar. They also shouldn';t have to go up against the
opposition's top line every night, so that should help them get some points.
The addition of van Riemsdyk on the second power play unit will improve it
since he is another big body in front of the net for deflections and rebound
chances.Carter Hart Will See Time With the Flyers

This may be the least likely of the five predictions, but it could still
happen, since the Flyers goalies'; can';t seem to stay healthy. Elliott is
coming off of major surgery and wasn';t 100% at the end of last year. Neuvirth
usually has a hamstring injury that keeps him sidelined for an extended period
of time. There also seems to be some kind of goalie drama every year for the
Flyers, so why should this season be any different?Carter Hart, Everett
Silvertips, Dec. 6, 2017, Portland Winterhawks at Everett Silvertips (Photo by
Christopher Mast/Icon Sportswire)

Hart could see time in the NHL since there always seems to be a goalie carousel
 with the Flyers. He may not see playing time since Elliott, Neuvirth, Lyon and
 maybe even Anthony Stolarz would all be ahead of him to get in the net, but
the rookie will get some time warming the bench and watching some NHL games. If
 he is playing well at the AHL level, and the Flyers are out of the playoff
picture, then they could always trade one of the veteran goalies, who happen to
 be UFAs at the end of the season, to get the young goalie some time between
the pipes.Ivan Provorov is a Norris Trophy Finalist

Ivan Provorov may only be 21-years old, but he is the number one defenseman for
 the Flyers. He logged over 24:00 of ice time per game last season, and was the
 team';s best shutdown defenseman. He proved that he could bounce back from a
mistake, whether it was during the game or the next game. Provorov does the
little things right, like backchecking, getting in lanes to block shots and
just being in the right position at the right time. If he is out of position,
he does his best to get back into the play.Ivan Provorov (Amy Irvin / The
Hockey Writers)

The one thing he will need to do for this to happen is to get better
offensively. The 21-year-old will need to take more chances in the offensive
zone and get some more shots through from the point. Provorov should be on the
second power-play unit again this year, and the addition of van Riemsdyk as the
 net-front presence player should help his offensive totals with more assists
on the deflections from the point shot.

If Shayne Gostisbehere is his defensive partner again this season and plays the
 solid defense that he played at times last season, then Provorov can take more
 chances in the offensive zone leading to more goals and points.Flyers Get Past
 the First Round of the Playoffs

The Flyers have this weird streak of missing the playoffs in seasons that end
in odd years since the 2012-13 season. The team has managed a first-round
playoff exit when they have made the playoffs in the even years. The team will
not only make the playoffs this year but will manage to get to the second
round.

They will have four balanced lines that will contribute both offensively and
defensively. The young kids like Patrick, Travis Konecny, and Oskar Lindblom
will take on bigger roles from last season and contribute even more this
season. The veteran players will find a way to get it done in the first round
and not be shut down like they have been in past years. The biggest question
mark will be the goaltending, but I think one of the goalies can get on a hot
streak down the stretch and ride it to a first-round playoff victory.

The post 5 Bold & Fearless Flyers Predictions appeared first on The Hockey
Writers.

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheHockeyWrite...
--- SBBSecho 3.06-Win32
 * Origin: TequilaMockingbird Online - Toms River, NJ (1:266/404)