Chris Pronger is arguably one of the best defensive defensemen in the league.

His talent and production in all three zones makes him irreplaceable in the Flyers lineup. The only positive with this injury is that he will be better rested for the long playoff haul.

The Flyers, like every other team in the NHL facing injuries, have backup plans for their team. Let's take a look at five of those potential backup plans to replace to production of Pronger.

Nick Boynton

Nick Boynton is not the best defender in the league, but he doesn’t have to be with the Flyers.

He just has to be good enough to fill in at the sixth defender position and eat up some regulation time minutes.
Boynton is solid enough on the ice to where he isn’t a liability and his Stanley Cup experience is something you can’t teach.


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The chance that Kevin Kolb remains a member of the Philadelphia Eagles seems to be dwindling by the day.

Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com is reporting that, according to a league source, the "Eagles are hoping to acquire at least a first-round pick and a second pick somewhere in the first three or four rounds for Kolb."

I don't doubt that head coach Andy Reid and general manager Howie Roseman have told that exact thing to any teams calling about Kolb, but if a team like the Arizona Cardinals offers up their first-round pick, which is the fifth pick overall, I believe the team will jump on that offer.

Reid is fairly greedy when it comes to trades, always trying to squeeze the other team for all they're worth, but asking for a pick in addition to the fifth overall pick, or any pick in the top 10, would take some gall. Just asking could turn a potential trade partner off and kill the deal.


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It was bound to come sooner or later, but since he's already been chastised for the comments comparing what NFL players are going through to slavery, it's hard to know if Leonard Weaver's apology is sincere or simply a public relations move, but it did come rather quickly.

Wednesday morning, Weaver took to Twitter in an attempt to explain himself.

"Now, that I have seen it, I will say that it was hard for me to watch and after thinking about it, I've come to the conclusion that I represented my family, friends and organization the wrong way," Weaver said.  "I'm sorry for those words I used and if I offend anyone, please forgive me. To all my fans whom I've disappointed I'm sorry."

The initial comments surprised me because of the way Weaver usually carries himself, but I suppose he deserves the benefit of the doubt. It's entirely possible that, during the conversation, he simply got caught up in what he was talking about and said something he didn't really mean.

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First, it was Adrian Peterson trying to convince us that NFL players were going through something similar to modern-day slavery.

"It's modern-day slavery, you know?" Peterson told Doug Farrar of Yahoo! Sports last Friday. "People kind of laugh at that, but there are people working at regular jobs who get treated the same way, too. With all the money ... the owners are trying to get a different percentage, and bring in more money."

Now, one of our own is piggy-backing the ridiculous statement. Fullback Leonard Weaver went on CSNPhilly to talk to Derrick Gunn about the lockout and found a way to compare the situation to slavery.

"We as players want to make a statement that you know what, we love playing for you all, we love your owners, you know?" Weaver told Gunn. "We love you guys very much, but at the same time we need to see some equal opportunity here and stop treating us basically like Adrian Peterson said, like slaves..."

Weaver is not a dumb guy. In fact, in the brief amount of time I've had to speak with him, he came across as very bright. This, however, is not a shining moment.


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The Philadelphia Flyers may not be playing their best hockey right now but their season overall has been excellent.

In all of the talk about the depth of the team -- the defense, the goalie situation and all the new acquisitions -- Flyers forward Jeff Carter has been overshadowed.

Maybe it's better that way.

The Flyers signed Carter to an 11-year extension worth $58 million on Nov. 12. Carter was scheduled to become a restricted free agent on July 1. He has rewarded the Flyers with his stellar play this season and has regained his scoring touch in the second half of the season.

The season didn't start off great for Carter but he has 15 goals in his last 23 games and looks to get hot in time for another deep playoff run.

"We don’t like how last year ended," Jeff Carter said. "We have to work harder to win it all."


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According to SI.com's Peter King, the Philadelphia Eagles have received an offer from a team that includes a first-round pick.

King also points out that head coach Andy Reid and general manager Howie Roseman believe they can get a better offer if they wait (not that they really have a choice until the Brady v. NFL ruling on April 6th), so there's a chance that the pick being offered is in the latter portion of the first round.

Of course, that's assuming there really is an offer at all.

That's not to say King is necessarily lying, but there's a very good chance the Eagles are the ones who leaked this information to King. And as we know, the team is not above leaking false information to get some of the more quarterback-needy teams a little closer to the edge.

It's quite possible that teams like the Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans, Minnesota Vikings, and others all got a little antsy when this report came out. If they all believe they're bidding against another team, it might make them more willing to give up their first-round pick, and maybe even a late-round pick in addition.


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After Friday night's 102-80 victory over the Sacramento Kings, Sixers' coach Doug Collins gave Elton Brand the option to sit out tonight's game against the Portland Trailblazers.

Brand's response? "I’ll be out there. We’re greedy."

Greedy, because the Sixers are inching ever closer to a coveted playoff berth. Friday's win, coupled with the New York Knicks' 99-95 loss to the Detroit Pistons, moved the Sixers into 6th place in the Eastern Conference standings.

Sacramento didn't do much to stand in the way of the 76ers' 36th win of the season. After a slow start, the Sixers got hot early in the opening period, ripping off an 11-0 run to take a 32-23 lead after the first quarter.

Jrue Holiday dominated the game's first 12 minutes, finishing the quarter with 12 points, 3 steals, 3 rebounds and 2 assists.

He and the rest of his teammates pretty much controlled the game from the opening tip. At one point, the Sixers missed eight consecutive shots in the third quarter and still outscored the Kings 25-16 during the period.


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