Top Five Powerplay Teams: #4 Philadelphia Flyers

[RaychelSnr]

#4 -- Philadelphia Flyers

Philadelphia enjoyed the sixth-best powerplay in the NHL during the 2011-2012 campaign statistically, and they benefited from some key scoring from the likes of Wayne Simmons and Scott Hartnell. While the emergence of Simmons was helpful this season, it's still the likes of Claude Giroux and Danny Briere who have the ability to dictate the pace of each powerplay unit's attack that spurred the Flyers on when they had the advantage.

Both of these players feature similar attribute numbers in NHL 12, with puck control fringing on 90 and mid-80s shot power and accuracy.

On the defensive side of the Philadelphia powerplay, things are still solid, even without the physical and offensive presence of Chris Pronger. Matt Carle and Andrej Meszaros are both still in their mid-20s, and each of them have some reasonable offensive ratings in NHL 12. Meszaros has a slapshot power of 88, and Carle has some key ratings in the mid-80s. Neither player is going to light the world on fire, but their job is to get pucks on next and support the likes of Giroux and Briere.

As for their goaltending, Ilya Bryzgalov had a hard time adjusting this past season to a new market, but the guy is a freakishly talented goalie who can hold the fort down solid with excellent attributes if a powerplay starts giving up opposite-end chances.