Inside the Flyers: Streit stepping into leadership role
When the Flyers signed Mark Streit before last season, the team's brass claimed he was a "young" 35-year-old because he had spent most of his career playing in Switzerland and had gone through the NHL grind for only seven seasons.
When the Flyers signed Mark Streit before last season, the team's brass claimed he was a "young" 35-year-old because he had spent most of his career playing in Switzerland and had gone through the NHL grind for only seven seasons.
As it turns out, they were right.
Streit had a solid 2013-14 season, leading Flyers defensemen in goals (10) and points (44), and finishing at plus-3. When the Flyers finished their eight-game preseason schedule a few days ago, Streit had eight points, tops in the NHL at the time.
Now 36, Streit's role has become more magnified because Kimmo Timonen's career is likely over because of blood clots.
With a year to get acclimated to his new teammates, the former Islanders captain has become more vocal.
"It was a big adjustment last year," he said. "When you spend five years somewhere and then you change, it's a different locker room, different guys. But the guys made the adjustment easy for me. Everybody was great, and the city is great, but at the same time I needed time to feel out the locker room and the leadership group. As the year went on, I started feeling better and better and finished real strong."
Streit is expected to be named an alternate captain with the Flyers.
"I love taking responsibility," Streit said, "and I feel way more comfortable than last year; it's just a natural transition. I was never a guy who steps in rah-rah right away with a new team. I try to settle in quietly and over time, take more responsibility on and off the ice."
Streit doesn't have the defensive skills or passing ability of Timonen, but he brings Timonen's leadership qualities, has a better shot, and provides lots of offense and a veteran presence on the power play.
Timonen was the power play's quarterback, and he helped the Flyers connect 19.7 percent of the time with an extra skater last season, placing them eighth out of 30 NHL teams.
In the preseason, with Streit as the new quarterback, the power play looked just as efficient, even though two pieces - Timonen and traded winger Scott Hartnell - are not here.
"He ran the power play in Montreal and did a great job, and he ran the power play with the Islanders - and it hasn't been the same since he left," Flyers coach Craig Berube said.
The power play aside, the Flyers defense is the team's weakest link.
"Because of the loss of Kimmo, guys are going to have more ice time to pick up," goalie Steve Mason said. "They're going to get increased minutes and have a chance to show they are better, and that's exciting. They're looking forward to it. I'm looking forward to it. I think the whole team is."
The defense will improve only if Michael Del Zotto returns to form and Luke Schenn shows that his strong finish last season wasn't an illusion.
Del Zotto is one of three puck-movers - Streit and Andrew MacDonald are the others - who are paired with more stay-at-home types: Schenn, Nick Grossmann, and Braydon Coburn. Coburn is, by far, the most mobile of the latter three.
"I'm not concerned," Streit said. "Defense isn't only about the goalie and the six defensemen. It's about the whole group. I think we need to be better than last year, and I think everybody realizes it."
For the Flyers to have success, they need their forwards to be committed to back-checking, which wasn't always the case last season.
"If you're really committed to play defense, it's going to create offense," Streit said. "That's something we have to realize."
If they do, it will make this "bridge" season - that is, the year before some of the Flyers' gifted defensive prospects are ready for the NHL - a lot more enjoyable to watch.
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