Eight is Enough

Here’s a quick glance at the Flyers by the numbers:

8 Consecutive losses – an untimely slide for the one-time Atlantic Division leader has dropped the Flyers to fourth in the division.

7 Games remaining against the top three teams in the Atlantic – the Flyers will have a chance to make up ground on the Devils (two games), Penguins (three games), and Rangers (two games).

6 Days until the NHL trade deadline – adding defenseman Jaroslav Modry from Los Angeles is likely not the only move the Flyers will make, but no one really knows if the Flyers will add a major player (like a Mats Sundin or Marian Hossa).

5 Scoring categories currently led by Mike Richards – Richards leads the Flyers in goals (23), assists (42), points (65), plus/minus (+13), and short-handed goals (5). He’s also tied with Danny Briere for the team lead in power play points (30). Richards is unquestionably the Flyers MVP this season, and he’ll have to continue to live up to his All-Star status and carry this club down the stretch.

4 Players out with significant injuries – Simon Gagne (concussion) may be lost for the season, Derian Hatcher (knee) and Joffrey Lupul (ankle) and both out for a couple more weeks, and Steve Downie (concussion) is day-to-day.

3 Starts a piece for Martin Biron and Antero Niittymaki in the last six games – As the old saying goes, if you have two goalies, you don’t have a goalie. So who’s the number one guy down the stretch and for the playoffs?

2 Goals scored by Briere over the last 16 games – citing a lack of chemistry due to the multitude of injuries, Briere has gone ice cold on the offensive end. I’m not saying he’s been a $52 million bust, but I think everyone (including Briere himself) expected more.

1 Point earned during the eight-game slide – courtesy of last night’s shootout loss in Ottawa

0 Margin for error – The Flyers have fallen to the eighth spot in the East, tied with the seventh seeded Boston Bruins and two points ahead of the ninth seeded Buffalo Sabres, both of whom have a game at hand. Whether or not the Flyers make the playoffs, a circumstance that seemed like a certainty a few weeks ago, now hinges on the remaining 22 games of the regular season.