Whiletheirrivalsrestock,Flyersdodiddlyat deadline

by Bill Matoney assistantsports editor

You heard the rumors. And after this past Tuesday's trade deadline, they remained just that: rumors.

The Philadelphia Flyers, who were suppose to pick up defenseman Jamie Macoun and goalie Felix Potvin from the Toronto Maple Leafs, Luke Richardson from the Edmonton Oilers, or Vancouver Canuck Kirk McLean, did basically nothing.

In a minor deal. the Fly-boys traded their seventh round draft choice this year to the Canucks for defenseman Frantisek Kucera.

Who, you might ask? Frankie Kucera is a veteran defenseman that has played two games with the cellar dweller Canucks.

He is worth about that, a seventh round pick.

While teams like the Florida Panthers, New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers and Washington Capitals made recent move. this week to better their Stanley Cup chances, the Flyers transaction report was basically blank.

Florida made a last minute deal with Toronto landing Kirk Muller, improving their scoring and already aggressive style. Muller, who is 31 years old, has 20 goals and 17 assists, which helps the injury prone Panthers a lot.

In return the Leafs got prospect Jason Podollan.

New Jersey made no more deals, but none were 'particularly needed after landing Doug Gilmour and Dave Ellett from the Maple Leafs a couple weeks ago.

Ditto the Capitals, who received Adam Oats, Rick Tocchet and Bill Ranford recently from the Boston Bruins.

The Rangers improved their scoring and grit by trading with Vancouver earlier last week, receiving Esa Tikkanen and Russ Courtnall.

Toronto continued to house clean as- they shipped out reliable defenseman Larry Murphy to the

Detroit Red Wings for cash.

In other deadline deals, the Pittsburgh Penguins picked up big right winger, Roman Oksiuta, from the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and veteran scorer Ed Olczyk from the L.A. Kings.

The Montreal Canadiens and Phoenix Coyotes swapped hard hitting defensemen, with Dave "Chuck" Manson moving to Les Canadiens for Murray Baron and right wing Chris Murray. Murrny was then sent to the Hartford Whalers for rugged defenseman Gerald Diduck.

The New York Islanders acquired veteran scoring center Robert Reichel from the Calgary Flames for left winger Marty Mclnnis, a minor league goalie and a 1997 sixth-round pick.

The Buffalo Sabres upped their goal scoring ability by acquiring 22-year-old left winger Miroslav Satan from Edmonton for two minor league players.

So what it comes down to is this. General Manager Bobby

Clarke and the Flyers sat and watched as prnctically every other Cup contending team in the league improved themselves.

Frank Kucera is the wound. The salt that is sprinkled on top is the fact that every player mentioned previously could have, and most likely would have, improved the orange and black attack.

Muller, who would look tremendous between Rod Brind'Amour and Trent Klatt, went to Florida for a song and a dance. Florida gave up Jason Podollan for Muller. Couldn't Clarke top that?

Olczyk, a sniper, scored 21 goals on an awful Kings team. The Pens gave up mucker Glen Murray. Wouldn't the Kings prefer Shjon Podein?

Manson, Diduck and formerFlyer Baron, would have done wonders for Philadelphia in comparison to Kucera.

Chris Murray, Reichel, Mcinnis and especially Satan would have been tremendous second line assets for Philly. But instead they go to other teams in the conference.

I personally have nothing against Frank Kucera, or the seventh round pick we gave up for him, but does GM Clarke honestly think that this is the missing piece of the puzzle?

Out of these I 6 deals made on the deadline, the Flyers made one of them.

One. Uno. Solo. Un. Zool. A An. Only. Solitary. Lone.

For those of you keeping track, that is one-half the amount of games Frank Kucern played for the Western Conference's tenth best team, the Canucks.

Granted the Flyers need veteran defensive help since Kjell Samuclsson went down, but there are more pressing needs.

Eastern Conference rivals Florida, Washington, New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Montreal, Hartford, Buffalo and the Rangers met their needs.

It now seems that the balance of power has shifted in the Eastern Conference.