Philadelphia Flyers: 5 Ex-Flyers Who Want To Stick It to Philly

Whenever a team turns over half of its roster, some players are going to have their feelings hurt. The situation in Philadelphia is no different—GM Paul Holmgren traded away two of the cornerstones of the Flyers franchise and allowed quite a few role players to walk. He minced no words and spared no one, not even the Captain he scouted and drafted.

As the 2011-12 season approaches, there are more than a few ex-Flyers who will be looking to stick it to Philly. Here's a look at five former Flyers who have an axe to grind during the upcoming season. 

No. 5: Kris Versteeg

We begin with Kris Versteeg, a talented forward who was never really given a fair chance to succeed in Philadelphia. The Flyers acquired Versteeg at the trade deadline for their 2011 first and third-round picks with the expectation that the gritty former Blackhawk and Maple Leaf would provide superior two-way play and a solid offensive punch on the team's third line. 

Unfortunately for Versteeg, he suffered a sports hernia shortly after arriving in Philadelphia. After that, it was all downhill for him, as he struggled to establish chemistry with center Mike Richards and fellow wingers Nikolai Zherdev and Andreas Nodl. 

Versteeg will be looking to prove his Chicago success was not a fluke after two disappointing stints in major hockey markets (Toronto and Philadelphia). Unfortunately, he'll be playing in Florida, where most residents are probably unaware the state has two NHL teams.

The best way for Versteeg to prove he's a legitimate top-nine winger is to stick it to all three of his former teams, especially the one that never game him a fair chance—the Flyers.  

No. 4: Ville Leino

Two years after the Flyers resurrected winger Ville Leino's professional career, they let him walk as an unrestricted free agent. Going into the offseason, the team knew Leino would be expecting a substantial raise, but no one in the Flyers organization seemed prepared to pay Leino his reported $5 million asking price. 

Fortunately for Leino, the Buffalo Sabres came calling with a whopping six-year, $27 million offer. Unfortunately for Leino, he's going to have to prove he was worth the investment—something he may struggle to do without talented playmaker Danny Briere and gritty power forward Scott Hartnell. 

After the Flyers "dry island scandal" broke about a month ago, many in the Philadelphia area (and on the Philadelphia sports shows) speculated that it was Leino who had leaked the story. Whether or not that speculation is true will likely never be known. 

It isn't a secret that Leino wasn't happy with the treatment he was given by the Flyer management. He reportedly turned down a mid-season contract offer in order to allow the team to trade for Versteeg. He played injured down the stretch and he was an effective forward for the team for a majority of the season. After all of that, the Flyers let him walk. 

You can bet he'll be looking to return the favor the first chance he gets in 2011-12. 

No. 3: Jeff Carter

Jeff Carter shouldn't have been surprised when he was traded. The speculation had been rampant for over a year. The writing was on the proverbial wall. 

Apparently that knowledge didn't make the reality of being traded to Columbus any more palatable for Carter, who spent the days immediately following the trade in seclusion. Eventually, an entourage of CBJ personnel, including star winger Rick Nash embarked on a mission to make contact with their prized acquisition. 

Carter has since said that he would not have signed the 11-year, $58 million dollar contract with the Flyers if he knew he would be traded. In the weeks and months since the deal, there has been quite a bit of speculation regarding how exactly Carter will fit in with the Blue Jackets, whether or not he'll ever be worth the hefty price the organization paid to acquire him and what sort of production can be expected from the talented but inconsistent center. 

Amid all of those questions, one thing seems certain: Carter is not happy with the Flyers. He signed what amounts to a lifetime deal with the expectation he'd be a Flyer for life. Before year one of the deal even kicked in, that's no longer the case. And there is nothing Carter can do about it—except stick it to the Flyers. 

No. 2: Mike Richards

Even before he led the team on that magical Stanley Cup Finals run in 2009-2010, Mike Richards was a fan favorite in Philadelphia. He was a special talent who played the game the "Philly Way"—rough, tough and extremely well. 

He was the perfect franchise center—a player that took as much pride in his defensive game as he did in scoring points. A player that was unafraid to mix it up in the corners, come to the aid of his teammates and set a tone whenever he stepped onto the ice. In short: Mike Richards played old-school Flyer hockey. For that, he was compared to legends of generations past, especially Hall of Famer and franchise icon Bobby Clarke. 

In 2010-2011, something began to change. Something wasn't right with Richards; something was different. He was far more surly with the media; he didn't seem to give 110 percent every night; he didn't look like he was having fun on the ice. His production decreased (though some of that was likely due to season-long wrist injury), his relationships with some of his teammates deteriorated and his drinking (if you believe the "Dry Island" scandal) became problematic. 

It all ended with the young Flyer captain being shipped off to Los Angeles for a younger, better version of himself (Brayden Schenn) and another "true Flyer" (Wayne Simmonds). Like Carter, Richards had just signed what amounted to a lifetime deal with the club. Like Carter, Richards has since said he would not have signed the contract if he knew he'd be traded. And like Carter, Richards now has an axe to grind. 

He'll get his first chance just four games into the 2011-12 season, when the Flyers host the Kings. 

No. 1: Dan Carcillo

The player Philadelphia fans affectionately referred to as "Car Bomb" is no longer in town. Dan Carcillo is known around the league as a gritty agitator prone to taking things a bit too far—a team-first guy that sometimes doesn't know when to stop. 

That was certainly on display over the past two months, during which time Carcillo has lashed out at the Flyers organization over the treatment he received this offseason. He was certainly not happy about being cut loose and had some very harsh words for the Philadelphia media and fans in a series of recent interviews. 

It's no secret Dan Carcillo loves to pick a fight. And while he may not be suiting up for the Blackhawks just yet, he's already started one with his words in the media. Car-Bomb has an axe to grind with Philadelphia this season. And the next one after that.