NHL Rumors: Peter Forsberg Back to the Flyers?

The Philadelphia Flyers are in the midst of a five game losing streak, and if that's not enough, they are without Simon Gagne, who is out until at least next week with yet another concussion.

To make matters worse, they are playing a home-and-home series, starting tonight, against one of the hottest teams in the East right now, the Montreal Canadiens (who are going to the Cup, by the way).

The Flyers are barely clinging onto that No. 6 spot in the tight Eastern Conference. It's so tight that there's only a five point difference separating the No. 6 seed Flyers (65) and the No. 12 seed Florida Panthers (60).

But don't get too concerned just yet. The City of Brotherly Love may have a blast-from-the-past returning to the Wachovia Center next week:

Peter Forsberg.

Now, I'm not a huge Forsberg fan. He's aging (aren't we all) and his lingering ankle/foot injuries are always an issue. However, if I'm a Philly fan, I say, "Absolutely."

A superstar who is loved and admired by Philly fans, Peter Forsberg is just what the Flyers need to stay in contention  for the playoffs. He brings a big offensive presence to the team, leadership, playoff and Stanley Cup experience, and absolute excitement to the arena.

Rumor has it that Forsberg rejected about a half a dozen teams' offers last week.

Forsberg is close to committing to the Flyers.  In fact, if he can stay healthy through the playoffs, it's almost a lock, according the The Philadelphia Inquirer. And he's probably only looking in the 2 year/$3 million range, per season.

So cheer up Philly. Things are on the up. Your future Hall Of Famer is about to return—just in time for another playoff run.