Flyers roster continues to be reshaped

by Bob Herpen
Phanatic Hockey Editor

The Philadelphia Flyers continued to radically reshape their roster on Friday.

After enticing star forward Jaromir Jagr back from Russia, the club inked free-agent forward Max Talbot to a multi-year contract, then agreed to contracts with restricted free-agent forward Jakub Voracek and unrestricted free-agent defenseman Andreas Lilja.

Per club policy, no terms of these deals were disclosed. However, the Daily News reports that Talbot's pact is for $9 million over five years and Voracek's is worth $2.25 million for one season.

Talbot had a down statistical year in 2010-11, tallying just eight goals and 21 points in 82 games. In 388 NHL contests, all with Pittsburgh since 2005, the Quebec native has totaled 52 goals and 108 points.

However, Talbot cemented his place in Penguins lore by scoring the only two goals in Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals at Detroit, helping clinch the third title in franchise history.

Talbot said part of the reason he signed with Philadelphia was the chance to win another Stanley Cup.

"I wanted to go to a team that had a chance to win a championship this year, and maybe more than one," he said. "I'm really excited to join the Flyers."

Voracek was acquired by Philly last Thursday in the deal which shipped Jeff Carter to Columbus.

He posted 14 goals and 46 points in 80 games last season for the Jackets, his third NHL campaign. A native of the Czech Republic, the 21-year-old winger has notched 39 goals and 134 points in 241 contests since breaking in with Columbus in 2008.

Lilja worked 52 games for the Anaheim Ducks this past season, notching one goal and seven points, but was a minus-15. The native Swede, who will turn 36 on July 13, has racked up 16 goals and 81 points in 530 career games with the Kings, Panthers, Red Wings and Ducks since 2000.

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Of course, all the above signings mean that players have to be subtracted, and the defending Atlantic Division champions saw a few departures as well on Friday.

The man who made out the best in the first day of free-agent frenzy was Ville Leino. Only one season removed from tying an NHL record for most points in one playoff year (21, with Dino Ciccarelli in 1981), the young Finn hit the jackpot with the Blue and Gold, prying what is believed to be a $27 million deal over six years with the Buffalo Sabres. Leino, an unrestricted free agent, was unable to come to terms on a deal to stay here despite repeated tries throughout the last year.

Perennial backup Brian Boucher was snapped up by the Carolina Hurricanes on a two-year pact worth $1.9 million, and veteran defenseman Sean O'Donnell was able to hook on with the Chicago Blackhawks via a one-year deal.

The short reign of Kris Versteeg in the Quaker City also came to a conclusion, as the Flyers dealt him to the Florida Panthers for a second-round pick in either 2012 or '13 as well as a third-round choice next season.

Also, nobody has to cook up crackpot theories over whether Dan Carcillo has an "anger management problem" anymore. The Carbomb was not tendered a contract as a restricted free agent, but was picked up by the Blackhawks on a one-year deal. My guess is, he'll make Ben Eager look Ivy League, but at least Chicago replaced the protection it lost when Eager was dealt to Atlanta last Summer.