Flyers send Giroux to the minors

In a bit of a surprising move, the Flyers sent their young phenom, Claude Giroux, down to the minors to play with the Phantoms. If you have been watching the Flyers preseason games, Giroux hasn't exactly been tearing up the ice but most assumed that he would still be starting the season on the big club. Considering, except for a 2 game stint with the Flyers, Giroux spent all of last season with his junior team, the Flyers probably feel there is no reason to rush him. Let him spend some time learning the game down in the minors and should the Flyers have an injury or if they need an offensive punch, call him up later in the season.

Other Flyers that were sent down to the Phantoms included forwards Jon Kalinski, Boyd Kane and Jared Ross and defensemen Sean Curry and Nate Guenin. None of those players were expected to be on the NHL team at the start of the season.

With the Giroux demotion, here's how I project the Flyers lines to look for the first game:

Gagne/Richards/Briere
Lupul/Carter/Hartnell
Upshall/Metropolit/Knuble
Asham/Downie/Cote

Timonen/Coburn
Vaananen/Jones
Eminger/Parent or Berard

Biron/Aubin

I really like that top line, we'll see how long they stay together. Downie isn't seriously hurt so that fourth line looks like a real pain to play against. On defense, Ryan Parent is hurt so that could mean Bryan Berard makes the team. Luca Sbisa has been great this preseason but if the Flyers sent Giroux down to get experience they will send the 18 year old Sbisa down, too. Jim Dowd also might make the team and play some fourth line center and the Flyers could bench either Asham or Cote when they don't need two enforcers in the lineup.