2011–12 Philadelphia Flyers season

Off-season

Following his penchant for making big moves, Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren pulled off perhaps the most stunning move of his tenure, trading captain Mike Richards to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Brayden Schenn, Wayne Simmonds and a 2012 second-round draft pick, as well as Jeff Carter to the Columbus Blue Jackets for their 2011 first-round pick (Sean Couturier) and Jakub Voracek, all within the span of one hour on June 23. Later that same day, Holmgren addressed the Flyers' long-standing goaltending issues by signing the Phoenix Coyotes' Ilya Bryzgalov to a nine-year, $51 million contract. On July 1, the Flyers signed Jaromir Jagr to a one-year contract, Maxime Talbot to a five-year contract and Andreas Lilja to a two-year contract.

Regular season

Chris Pronger was named the Flyers' captain; however, 13 games into the season, he was lost for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs with severe post-concussion syndrome.

Bryzgalov's play ranged from spectacular to subpar, including being benched in favor of Sergei Bobrovsky for the Flyers' 3–2 loss to the New York Rangers in the 2012 Winter Classic. Twelve rookies played for the Flyers during the season, with the play of Sean Couturier, Brayden Schenn and Matt Read standing out impressively.

The Flyers concluded the regular season with the most powerplay opportunities of all teams (335), the most powerplay goals scored (66) and the most powerplay opportunities against (319).

Season standings

Playoffs

The Flyers drew the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the playoffs, a series in which the two teams combined for an NHL-record 45 goals in the first four games and a total of 309 penalty minutes in an intense, fight-filled series. The Flyers pulled off the upset in six games against a Pittsburgh team that was heavily favored to win the Stanley Cup. But in the second round against the New Jersey Devils, the Flyers' run-and-gun style of play was stymied by the Devils' forechecking and defense, and the Flyers were eliminated in five games. Claude Giroux missed the fifth and deciding game after being suspended for a hit to the head of New Jersey's Dainius Zubrus late in game four.

Schedule and results

Preseason

|- | 1 || September 20 || 4–0 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs || Bobrovsky || 18,480 || 1–0–0 || |- | 2 || September 21 || 2–4 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs || Bryzgalov || 19,452 || 1–1–0 || |- | 3 || September 22 || 3–4 (SO) || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings || Leighton || n/a || 1–1–1 || |- | 4 || September 23 || 3–1 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings || Bobrovsky || 14,310 || 2–1–1 || |- | 5 || September 26 || 5–3 || align="left"| New York Rangers || Bryzgalov || 19,657 || 3–1–1 || |- | 6 || September 29 || 2–1 || align="left"| New Jersey Devils || Bobrovsky || 19,722 || 4–1–1 || |- | 7 || October 1 || 1–2 || align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils || Bryzgalov || 12,729 || 4–2–1 || |- Notes:

Game played at John Labatt Centre in London, Ontario.

| Legend:

Regular season

|- | 1 || October 6 || 2–1 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins || Bryzgalov || 17,565 || 1–0–0 || 2 || |- | 2 || October 8 || 3–0 || align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils || Bryzgalov || 17,625 || 2–0–0 || 4 || |- | 3 || October 12 || 5–4 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks || Bryzgalov || 19,632 || 3–0–0 || 6 || |- | 4 || October 15 || 2–3 (OT) || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings || Bryzgalov || 19,644 || 3–0–1 || 7 || |- | 5 || October 18 || 7–2 || align="left"| @ Ottawa Senators || Bobrovsky || 18,059 || 4–0–1 || 9 || |- | 6 || October 20 || 2–5 || align="left"| Washington Capitals || Bryzgalov || 19,658 || 4–1–1 || 9 || |- | 7 || October 22 || 2–4 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues || Bryzgalov || 19,593 || 4–2–1 || 9 || |- | 8 || October 24 || 4–2 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs || Bobrovsky || 19,569 || 5–2–1 || 11 || |- | 9 || October 26 || 1–5 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens || Bryzgalov || 21,273 || 5–3–1 || 11 || |- | 10 || October 27 || 8–9 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets || Bryzgalov || 19,588 || 5–4–1 || 11 || |- | 11 || October 29 || 5–1 || align="left"| Carolina Hurricanes || Bryzgalov || 19,683 || 6–4–1 || 13 ||

2012 NHL Winter Classic played at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

| Legend:

Playoffs

|- | 1 || April 11 || 4–3 (OT) || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins || Bryzgalov || 18,565 || Flyers lead 1–0 || |- | 2 || April 13 || 8–5 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins || Bryzgalov || 18,626 || Flyers lead 2–0 || |- | 3 || April 15 || 8–4 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins || Bryzgalov || 20,092 || Flyers lead 3–0 || |- | 4 || April 18 || 3–10 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins || Bryzgalov || 20,172 || Flyers lead 3–1 || |- | 5 || April 20 || 2–3 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins || Bryzgalov || 18,628 || Flyers lead 3–2 || |- | 6 || April 22 || 5–1 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins || Bryzgalov || 20,127 || Flyers win 4–2 ||

| Legend:

Player statistics

Scoring

• Position abbreviations: C = Center; D = Defense; G = Goaltender; LW = Left wing; RW = Right wing
• • = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Flyers only.*
• • = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Flyers only.*

Goaltending

Awards and records

Awards

Records

A number of franchise playoff records were set during the Flyers conference quarterfinals series against the Pittsburgh Penguins. In game two, Claude Giroux set a single playoff game team record for most points (6) and Sean Couturier tied one for most points by a rookie (4). The Flyers two shorthanded goals during the game also tied a team record. In game three, the Flyers scored four powerplay goals, tying a team record. During game four, the Flyers tied two team records for most powerplay goals scored during a single playoff period (3) and most goals allowed during a playoff game (10). The twelve powerplay goals the Flyers scored during the series is a franchise single series high.

Milestones

Transactions

The Flyers were involved in the following transactions from June 16, 2011, the day after the deciding game of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals, through June 11, 2012, the day of the deciding game of the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals.

Trades

Players acquired

Players lost

Signings

Draft picks

Philadelphia's picks at the 2011 NHL entry draft, which was held at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on June 24–25, 2011. The Flyers traded their first-round pick, 25th overall, and their third-round pick, 85th overall, to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Kris Versteeg on February 14, 2011. They also traded their original second and fifth-round picks in two different trades.

Farm teams

;American Hockey League – Adirondack Phantoms (Standings) ; ECHL – Trenton Titans

Notes

References

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