2012 NHL Winter Classic: Top 5 Player Additions for the Flyers and Rangers

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Both the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers spent this offseason tweaking their respective rosters. 

The Flyers boldly traded away team captain Mike Richards and leading scorer Jeff Carter to clear salary space for newly acquired goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov, a 2009 Vezina Trophy runner-up. 

The Rangers won the free agency lottery when Brad Richards (no relation to Mike) signed with the Blueshirts.  

Both teams hope the new lineups better their chance of securing a victory and two big divisional points in the 2012 NHL Winter Classic at Citizens Bank Park in the the city of brotherly love on Jan. 2. 

Each team also hopes a fresh roster will help them lift Lord Stanley's Cup come June.

Honorable Mention: Wayne Simmonds

10 Goals, 6 Assists, 53 P.I.M.'s
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Wayne Simmonds found himself in a black and orange uniform after being dealt to the Flyers along with rookie center Brayden Schenn and a draft pick, in exchange for Flyers' captain Richards. 

He spent the first three seasons of his young NHL career with the Los Angeles Kings.  The winger from Scarborough, Ontario, established himself as a gritty third line (sometimes second) winger with a bit of a scoring touch. 

The 23-year-old is on pace for 23 goals and his style of play fits in nicely with head coach Peter Laviolette's aggressive style. 

Simmonds and 22-year-old winger Jakub Voracek form a formidable second line for the Flyers.

Maxime Talbot

9 Goals, 6 Assists
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Maxime Talbot crossed over to the dark side after a rough end to parts of six seasons in Pittsburgh.  The 27-year-old center adds experience, grit and a few laughs to the Flyers. 

Talbot is on pace for 20-plus goals this season after recording only 21 with the Penguins last year.  He is probably best known for his playoff presence, something the Flyers have lacked in previous years. 

Talbot seems to take his game to another level when it counts the most.  Talbot scored both goals in Pittsburgh's 2-1 victory in game seven of the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals against the Detroit Red Wings.

And the guy is no stranger to outdoor hockey.

Sunday's game marks Talbot's third Winter Classic experience.  He played in last year's Winter Classic in Pittsburgh after sitting out the inaugural 2008 Winter Classic in Buffalo with an injury.

Mike Rupp

1 Goal, 23 P.I.M.'s
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Mike Rupp missed the first 22 games of the season due to injury, but recently established himself as an integral part of the Rangers' lineup. 

The grinder makes his living as a fourth (sometimes third) line center who accepts all challengers and finds the back of the net from time to time. 

Even Rangers head coach John Tortorella admires Rupp's veteran presence and unparalleled work ethic. 

Sunday's game marks Rupp's second Winter Classic; like Talbot, he played last year in Pittsburgh for the Penguins.

Jaromir Jagr

11 Goals, 19 Assists
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Jaromir Jagr's return to the NHL caused all sorts of buzz in the hockey world this offseason. 

The 39-year-old winger signed with the Flyers after turning down less lucrative offers from the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings. 

Jagr quickly silenced all critics who thought he no longer possessed NHL level speed and ability. 

The veteran winger's presence and otherworldly hockey sense has aided the development of 23-year-old Claude Giroux, propelling the young center to the top of the NHL scoring charts. 

Jagr sits at ninth place on the NHL's all-time leading scorers list.  He is one of two active players in the top 25 (along with Teemu Selanne at 24th) and the only non-Canadian in the top 18. 

Jagr hopes to end his career the way he started, hoisting the Stanley Cup high above his head, and he believes this team has the ability to come out on top at season's end.

Brad Richards

12 Goals, 14 Assists
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Brad Richards was the big prize up for grabs this offseason.  He agreed to terms with the Rangers and left the Big D for the Big Apple. 

The veteran won a Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe trophy with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004 under the direction of head coach John Tortorella, who's now also with the Rangers. 

He and high-scoring winger Marian Gaborik form one of the scariest combinations in the NHL. 

At only 31 years old, Richards actually brings a veteran presence to the Rangers, one of the NHL's youngest teams, and was named an assistant captain in only his first season in New York.

Ilya Bryzgalov

14 Wins, 3.01 GAA, .890 Save %
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The Flyers drastically changed their roster in order to bring in Bryzgalov. 

Philadelphia has lacked a solid starting goaltender for almost a decade, going through three goaltenders during last year's playoffs. 

The management hopes and believes Bryzgalov is the answer. 

While his stats aren't up to par with the league's leaders, Bryzgalov has the Flyers sitting at three points outside of first place in the Eastern Conference. 

Viewers of "HBO 24/7 Flyers/Rangers: The Road to the NHL Winter Classic" have been treated to a side of Bryzgalov only his teammates and coaches knew before the cameras entered the locker room. 

Apparently, Bryzgalov is used to the cold, which might prove helpful in Sunday's contest.