Two Flyers camp invitees could wear orange this season

Former Ranger Blair Betts will be attending
Flyers training camp in search of a contract.
(Image Credits: Gosh@)
 

While others debate whether or not former NHL outcast Ray Emery can secure the pipes for the Flyers this season, there are more pressing matters for the organization to contend with. While the goaltending position could become a concern should Emery not provide a consistent answer in net, the depth at the bottom levels of the offensive unit could use a bit of fine-tuning. The Flyers have, in a way, addressed this issue so far by signing a number of reclamation projects to go along with their forward prospects in a competition to see who makes the team out of camp. The laundry list of players whose positions are still not set in stone continues to grow though as the orange and black invite a former 20 goal-scorer of the Chicago Blackhawks, Mark Bell, and a penalty-kill extraordinaire formerly of the New York Rangers, Blair Betts to attend training camp.

Now added to a group including prospects James van Riemsdyk, Patrick Maroon, Darroll Powe, Andreas Nodl, Jared Ross, and Jonathan Matsumoto as well as signed forwards Arron Asham, Ian Laperriere, Dan Carcillo, Mika Pyorala, Krys Kolanos, Lukas Kaspar, and Riley Cote, both Bell and Betts will be competing for playing time. Unlike the other forwards penciled in to be joining the Flyers for training camp starting on September 12th the pair have another hurdle to contend with; neither currently have a contract.

Thanks to a technicality involving prospect Zac Rinaldo's contract and the departure of another prospect, Patrik Hersley, to Sweden before the actual end of his contract, the Flyers have two spots remaining under the allotted 50 contract limit. Though there are other invitees to camp, these two players both have considerable NHL experience and are the expected recipients of an offer from the orange and black. One thing to consider as they compete for a contracts is that both bring considerably different skill sets.

After being drafted 8th overall by the Blackhawks in 1998, Bell made his NHL debut during the 2000-01 season. By 2003-04 he was a 20-goal scorer, and by 2005-06 he finished second in scoring with Chicago. It all went downhill from there though. During the summer he was traded to San Jose and on Labor Day weekend found himself in a serious car accident in which he rammed a truck that was stopped at a stop sign. Bell was charged with driving under the influence as well as a hit and run. Since the incident he has spent time with three different organizations over the course of three seasons. He has also never managed to score more than 12 goals in a season during his slide. He is still a sizable power-forward and should he 'wow' the Flyers' staff at camp, he could find himself as a depth forward in a scoring role.

Betts, on the other hand, was taken in the 2nd round during the same draft as Bell but never had the offensive potential needed to keep up with the former top 10 selection. Currently, even with all of his issues, Bell is the superior offensive forward. Betts brings something entirely different to the table though. While he has struggled offensively for his entire NHL career he broke out on the New York Rangers in the last couple seasons as one of the better penalty killers in the Atlantic Division. If given a contract with the Flyers he adds a great forward to let some of the organization's best two-way offensive threats get a breather instead of wasting energy killing penalties. While giving players like Mike Richards, Simon Gagne, and Jeff Carter less time on the kill would drop the Flyers' outstanding shorthanded goal ratio, it would provide better play during 5-on-5 situations. While Betts is not necessarily the best option for a third line center on the Flyers with Giroux able to play the position more than effectively at both ends of the ice, he will make a sturdy fourth line center who can get called in for key faceoffs. For those praying that the organization sign a center with a faceoff skill set, this could be the answer.

Along with other training camp invitees Logan Stephenson, Brennan Yadlowski, Mike Thomas, Tomas Sinisalo, and Tyler Hostetter, both Betts and Blair will get run through the paces with every player on the Flyers' roster.

Camp begins for the players on September 12th but does not open to the public until the following day. The festivities actually begin on Friday though at 2 p.m. at the Flyers' practice facility in Voorhees, NJ with a presentation to announce the new jersey which will be worn during the 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park up in Boston on January 1st. Following the presentation will be the conclusion of rookie camp with a scrimmage involving the entire Flyers rookie camp roster against the Capitals rookies.