PHILADELPHIA It was hard to believe that the Philadelphia Flyers did not make the playoffs last season after the incredible season Jakub Voracek enjoyed amassing 81 points in a career year.  And you couldn’t place blame on goaltender Steve Mason who enjoyed one of his better overall seasons in bet with a 2.25 GAA and A .928 SP, which were actually better than his rookie season in Columbus when he was nominated for the Vezina trophy eventually awarded to Tim Thomas.  Part of the blame could be on Claude Giroux who had just a so-so season with 71 points.  Giroux needs to be his dominating self and post in the 90-point range for this team to be successful.  Even a patchwork defense held their own with young journeyman defenseman Michael Del Zotto and veteran Mark Streit finding their offensive games again.  So what was the reason behind such an average season?  Perhaps it was that the team just didn’t mesh with Head Coach Craig Berube.  Well, Berube is gone now and stepping into his shoes is a rookie head coach in Dave Hakstol, who implements a similar style but perhaps with a little more emphasis on speed and quicker transition.  GOALIES When a team misses the playoffs, a lot of the blame gets placed on the goaltender.  Mason had struggles early in his career after a spectacular rookie season under Ken Hitchcock in Columbus but faltered quickly in his sophomore year and just couldn’t find that magic again.  After a few average seasons as a Blue Jacket, the Flyers traded for Mason, giving up their own struggling net minder in Sergei Bobrovsky.  Mason regained his confidence with a 4-2-0 record and a 1.90 GAA and a .944 SP in his brief stretch at the end of the 2012-2013 season after being acquired.  His metrics as a Philadelphia goaltender are   2012-2015         GP       GAA     W         L          T          SP Steve Mason     119       2.36     55        38         18         .923 So you can see his numbers are a bit above average for a goaltender and if the Flyers can get that type of performance again and the team tightens up and wins more of their fair share of 1-goal games that they lost early last season, better times await.  Michal Neuvirth was brought in to back up Mason, getting a little younger in that department by letting Ray Emery walk.  Neuvirth is another underrated goaltender who does well with stopping high-percentage shots down low and will be capable to fill in if and when Mason goes down to injury.  Don't let Mason slip too far as ...

MacDonald was expected to start skating on his own on Tuesday, but he still was not back on the ice on Wednesday. MacDonald may have suffered a setback, but GM Ron Hextall noted today that they'll have MacDonald back in the blue line in 10 days or so. He has been sidelined since October 22nd.

MacDonald has been sidelined since October 22nd with a lower-body injury, but he return to the ice on Thursday, but still remains at least a week away from returning to the Flyers blue line.

MacDonald must have suffered the injury on Wednesday vs. the Penguins, but he played 21:25 so that is not for sure. This a a tough break for the Flyers, who found out Braydon Coburn will miss an additional four weeks as well. The Flyers do not have an extra defenseman on the roster at this time, so expect a call-up this afternoon.

MacDonald was acquired by the Flyers around this year's trade deadline on March 4 from the NY Islanders, and since joining the team, has four assists in 19 games and recorded over 20 minutes of ice-time in 14 of those games, including a Flyers-high of 28:49 at Pittsburgh on April 12. The 6-1, 190-pound defenseman led all NHL players in blocked shots this season with 242 and was one of three players in the NHL with over 200 blocks. He finished the season with four goals and 24 assists for 28 points in 82 games between the Islanders and Flyers.

MacDonald who was acquired from the Islanders on Tuesday, will start his Flyers career with Luke Schenn as his D-partner. MacDonald will also play on the Flyers second power-play unit on the point with former Isles teammate Mark Streit. MacDonald had four goals and 20 assists in 63 games on Long Island.

MacDonald was probably the most sought-after defensemen at the deadline. He is in the last year of a deal that only carries a $550,000 cap-hit. MacDonald leads the NHL in blocked shots with 198, which is 28 more than the next highest (Josh Gorges 170). At 25:05 he is eighth in the NHL in TOI per game and sees time on both the Islanders power-play and shorthanded units. The deal gives the Flyers nine NHL defensemen, so expect another move out of the Flyers camp before Wednesday's 3 pm EST deadline.

Prior to the coaching shakeup in Winnipeg, one of former coach Claude Noel's final moves to ignite his struggling team was moving All-Star defenseman Dustin Byfuglien to forward. The reasoning behind the move made some practical hockey sense as the bulky skater played wing during Chicago's 2010 playoff run with impressive results. His conditioning issues led to Noel wanting to limit his minutes. By shifting his position, he hoped that playing him on the top line with Andrew Ladd and Bryan Little would maximize his elite offensive skills with less "wear and tear" to his game. Coach Paul Maurice utilized him at the forward spot in his debut game behind the Winnipeg bench, a 5-1 win over Phoenix. What does it mean for fantasy owners? Having dual eligibility at both D and F enhances Byfuglien's overall fantasy value, but playing on the Jet's primary scoring line could even boost his already impressive numbers. At this moment, he is the third rated fantasy d-man and has been "on fire" with 11 points (4G/7A) in his last 10 games. A few factors including the Team USA snub, extended rest during the Olympic break, and less minutes played if he stays at forward should contribute to a strong finish. "Big Buff" is looking like a strong top 3-5 fantasy option on defense the rest of the way, even if he has played his last game on "D" for the season. Parting Shots: After Colorado defenseman Erik Johnson left last night's game with a back injury, it was young Tyson Barrie who "stole the show" with two goals, including the game-winner in overtime against the mighty Blackhawks. Barrie's fantasy value will receive a huge boost if Johnson is out for an extended period of time, but his offensive production has been rising with his recent 3-game point streak. The talented 22-year old is well worth a waiver-wire grab if available.. After a "down" sophomore season so far, Edmonton's Justin Schultz is getting hot lately with 7 points (2G/5A) in his last 10 games. With the young Edmonton offensive guns staying home through the Sochi games, Schultz could have a huge rebound in the second half.. With 25 points in 47 games, veteran Marek Zidlicky has given the New Jersey Devils a huge scoring jolt with 8 points in the last 10 games. The Czech defender might fade a bit but should be a lock for 40 points. A solid 3rd defensive option in all fantasy formats.. Maybe take a flier on youngster Calvin de Haan, who has collected 7 points in 5 games since his AHL promotion to the Islanders....

Nathan Horton- Columbus Blue Jackets, RW(Owned in 68.5% of ESPN leagues) After missing 40 games recovering from shoulder surgery, Horton's debut for his new club on Thursday night was a huge success as he scored the game-winning goal on the power-play against Phoenix. Although he was held scoreless in the following game against St. Louis, the feisty forward is already occupying a spot on the top line with Brandon Dubinsky and Artem Anisimov. He is also getting a boatload of power-play minutes which should translate to solid offensive production. Grab him if he is available. The window of opportunity is quickly closing. Shane Doan- Phoenix Coyotes, RW (Owned in 79.5% of ESPN leagues) The Phoenix captain is back for the Coyotes after missing nearly a month due to illness. He was having a great season prior to injury, collecting 23 points in 27 games. The Coyote offense took a dip during his absence, so you know that Head Coach Dave Tippett will again rely on Doan as a primary source of scoring. Never known as a huge point-producer, Doan has scored 60+ points 6 times during his career. Based on his solid numbers in '13-14, he is well worth a waiver pickup. Just like Horton, get him before it's too late. Andrew MacDonald-NYI, D (Owned in 70.6% of ESPN leagues) The 27-year old rearguard has become the Islander's primary scoring option on defense with Lubomir Visnovsky out due to a concussion. Among the "hotter" scoring defensemen flying under the radar,he has collected seven assists in his last seven games. Well worth taking a flier on, but keep in mind that there has been heavy speculation that the impending UFA might be moved before the trading deadline. His fantasy value can drastically plummet if he is moved to a team looking for a quality depth pickup. No power-play time would render his fantasy value marginal at best. Dennis Wideman- Calgary Flames, D (owned in 49.5 % of ESPN leagues) Another injured former All-Star has is back in the fold, as Calgary's best offensive defenseman has returned this week. With 12 points in 24 games, the hard-shooting blueliner was quietly on a 40-point pace. Given the dearth of offensive weapons for the Flames, he will be a big part of their power play moving forward. Pick him up ASAP if you need help on "D". Anton Khudobin- Carolina Hurricanes, D (owned in 22.1% of ESPN leagues) Since coming off the injured reserve, Khudobin has won 3 straight games in net for the Hurricanes. With a 5-0 record and a 1.99 GAA, the...