When the Flyers made all their off-season moves last summer, including the remake in free agency, most fans felt they had thrown up their hands and all but said it would be a rebuilding year, not retooling.
Who would have thought at the All-Star break that they would be on course for a 107-point season?
"It’s been great," Scott Hartnell said. "There’s a lot of excitement in this dressing room with the young guys. The veteran guys are stepping up. It’s a good combination.
"We’re getting points, we’re finding ways to win, we’re right at the top of our standings three or four points behind the Rangers. It’s a good spot to be in."
I don't think the Flyers can win the first or second seed in the Eastern Conference simply because the Ranger and Bruins have better goaltending.
I feel the Flyers are going o battle mightily just to pry the 4th overall seed from either Ottawa or Pittsburgh.
The East is far more competitive and balanced this year than last. And among the concerns I have is that the Flyers' poor play at home will ultimately cost them in the final point standings.
That is, lost points at home equal lost chances to make headway in the seedings.
The players think they overturn this misfortune at home.
"We’re in great position right now," Claude Giroux said. "Obviously, we got a lot of games we should have won. We can play our game. But at the same time, it’s a learning experience.
"The second half of the season, we have to make sure to tighten up our game a little bit. The break will be nice for a couple guys, all the guys actually. Guys were excited with the season."
You really have to wonder where Peter Laviolette's club would be right now without the services of all these rookies.
The impact of Matt Read, Sean Couturier, Marc-Andre Bourdon, etc., can't be downplayed.
"These young guys, look at how many rookies in the lineup, especially now with missing guys," Kimmo Timonen said.
"I know how hard it is to play 82 games. And expect to play well every night. As a rookie, sometimes you get so many th ings going on and so many games ...
"But these young guys have matured. They’re not like rookies. That’s been a surprise to me in a nice way."
What concerns every fan in Flyerdom, however, is the goaltending. Ilya Bryzgalov has miles to go to get his game together in the second half.
Here'a fuller look at the Flyers at the All-Star break from CSNPhilly.com:
click here 
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