Philadelphia Flyers Seating Chart

What would the 2010 NHL playoffs be like without the Philadelphia Flyers?

The Flyers are another team that always seems to reach the playoffs, and this year is no different. Despite a rocky regular season, the Flyers still had the talent to claim one of the final postseason spots in the Eastern Conference.

Philadelphia is still a tough, hard-nosed hockey team. They will be a tough competitor out in the postseason because of their grit, and they are still considered a team no one really wants to see in the first round.

That said, Philadelphia has dressed seven different goalies this season. Seven. Considering how important goaltending is in the postseason, I would say this is a rather ominous sign for Philadelphia's chances of a deep playoff run.

Brian Boucher seems to be the flavor of the week, but it can't be long before he struggles and the Flyers try to change things up again in the net. The bottom line is that a team without a solid goaltender is going nowhere in the postseason, so maybe the Flyers can get a head start on offseason vacation plans.

It also doesn't help that the team stumbled to the finish line and almost didn't make the playoffs, something that seemed unfathomable just a couple of weeks ago.

Because of the team's late-season struggles, there are also rumors of locker room problems. Many of the players deny there is any such rift, but the frustration has to be mounting for this group.

Still, the Flyers lack the goaltending and explosive scoring that is usually necessary for a team to make a deep playoff run. They could pull off a first-round upset, but the magic won't last forever.