The Flyers have added another young defenseman to the stable.

The team announced on Friday they have signed Swiss defenseman Christian Marti to an entry-level contract. Marti, who turned 22 on March 29th, played 32 games for Genève-Servette of the Swiss-A league this season but missed time due to a shoulder injury. The 6'3", 210 lbs. defenseman scored one goal and added seven assists for eight points in his 32 games.

He sounds like the ideal prospect for the Flyers based on his scouting report (via Elite Prospects).

The chances of all the Flyers defensive prospects panning out is somewhere between slim and none so, taking a page from Sixers general manager Sam Hinkie's book, the more chances you take at hitting a home run, the better your odds of doing so.

This signing looks to be low risk, high reward for the Flyers who have found some gems overseas the last two years with Michael Raffl and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare.

-Steve Dolan
Follow Steve on Twitter @SDolan3
Follow Whiz Wit on Twitter @WhizWitSports

Record: 9-13-4 (22 points)

Standings: 6th in Metropolitan Division

Last Game: Win - 2-1 @ Kings (Dec. 6th)

Notes:

• The Flyers are 8-6-3 all-time against the Blue Jackets and 2-4-2 all-time in Columbus.
• Philadelphia is 6-1-2 when scoring first this season but 3-12-2 when allowing the first goal.
• Claude Giroux leads the NHL in faceoffs won (377) and faceoffs taken (678). He has taken 42.6% of all Flyers faceoffs this season.

Flyers G Steve Mason
5-9-3, 2.67 GAA, .918 SV%

Mason, 26, stopped 37 of 38 shots fired his way Saturday in a 2-1 victory against the Los Angeles Kings. The victory snapped a personal five-game losing streak. In four career games against the Blue Jackets, he is 2-2-0 with a 3.06 GAA and a .886 SV% 

Record: 9-15-2 (20 points)

Standings: 7th in Metropolitan Division

Last Game: Win - 3-1 @ Lightning (Dec. 6th)

Notes:

• The Blue Jackets are fifth in the NHL in hits with 777.
• Columbus is 4-0-0 against the Flyers at home dating back to December 27th, 2008.
• Former-Flyers forward Scott Hartnell is two assists away from 300 in his NHL career.

Blue Jackets G Sergei Bobrovsky
8-8-1, 2.77 GAA, .917 SV%

Bobrovsky, 26, stopped 33 of 34 shots in a 3-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. He played in 83 games over two seasons for the Flyers. In three career games against the Flyers, Bobrovsky is 2-1-0 with a 2.02 GAA and a .941 SV% with one shutout.

Location: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Oh

Puck Drop: 7:00 pm

Television: Comcast Sportsnet

Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic

-Steve Dolan
Follow Steve on Twitter @SDolan3
Follow Whiz Wit on Twitter @WhizWitSports

Not surprising.

TSN's Darren Dreger reports Flyers center Vinny Lecavalier wants out of Philadelphia coming just hours after he was a healthy scratch for the first time in his career. Dreger adds that some people believe Lecavalier will retire after next season leaving two years and $6 million on the table.

Lecavalier was a healthy scratch on Tuesday night against the San Jose Sharks and has not been in the good graces of head coach Craig Berube dating back to last season. Lecavalier told The Courier Post, "I'm not going to lie and say I didn't go here for [ex-coach Peter Laviolette]. Of course I did."

Lecavalier, 34, signed a five-year, $22.5 million deal carrying a $4.5 million average annual value with the Flyers in June 2013. He has two goals and four assists in 16 games this season. In 85 games with Philadelphia over the last two seasons, he has 22 goals and 21 assists for 43 points while averaging 14:51 of ice time.

-Steve Dolan
Follow Steve on Twitter @SDolan3
Follow Whiz Wit on Twitter @WhizWitSports

First Period:
NYR 1-0 - 2:50 - Derick Brassard (7) - PPG - Rick Nash (9), Derek Stepan (10)

PHI 1-1 - 13:46 - Nick Grossmann (2) - Jakub Voracek (23), Brayden Schenn (9)

Second Period:
PHI 2-1 - 8:45 - Jakub Voracek (9) - PPG - Brayden Schenn (10), Claude Giroux (20)

NYR 2-2 - 11:38 - Jesper Fast (1) - Kevin Klein (3), J.T. Miller (1)

Third Period:
NYR 3-2 - 3:07 - Derick Brassard (8) - Kevin Hayes (5), Kevin Klein (4)

NYR 4-2 - 9:54 - J.T. Miller (1) - Jesper Fast (2), Matt Hunwick (7)

NYR 5-2 - 9:54 - Lee Stempniak (5) - EN - Ryan McDonagh (5)

1. Derick Brassard (C - NYR)
2 Goals
0 Assists
4 SOG
20:23 TOI

2. Jesper Fast (RW - NYR)
1 Goal
1 Assist
1 SOG
10:03 TOI

3. J.T. Miller (C - NYR)
1 Goal
1 Assist
5 SOG
12:37 TOI

Opponent: @ San Jose Sharks

When: Tuesday, December 2nd

Location: SAP Center, San Jose, Ca

Television: 10:00 pm on Comcast Sportsnet

-Steve Dolan
Follow Steve on Twitter @SDolan3
Follow Whiz Wit on Twitter @WhizWitSports

First Period:
NYR 1-0 - 6:10 - Dan Boyle (2) - PPG - Derek Stepan (7), Martin St. Louis (10)

Second Period:
NYR 2-0 - 4:14 - Martin St. Louis (9) - Derek Stepan (8), Chris Kreider (9)

Third Period:
NYR 3-0 - 5:30 - Rick Nash (16) - SH - Derek Stepan (9), Ryan McDonagh (4)

1. Martin St. Louis (RW - NYR)
1 Goal
1 Assist
2 SOG
16:40 TOI

2. Derek Stepan (C - NYR)
0 Goals
3 Assists
4 SOG
18:42 TOI

3. Cam Talbot (G - NYR)
26 Saves
0 Goals Allowed
1.000 SV%
58:51 TOI

Opponent: @ New York Rangers

When: Saturday, November 29th

Location: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

Television: 1:00 pm on Comcast Sportsnet

-Steve Dolan
Follow Steve on Twitter @SDolan3
Follow Whiz Wit on Twitter @WhizWitSports

Record: 8-10-3 (19 points)

Standings: 6th in Metropolitan Division

Last Game: Loss - 5-2 @ Red Wings (Nov. 26th)

Notes:

• The Flyers are 118-115-37-7 all-time against the Rangers and 67-53-14-4 all-time in Philadelphia.
• Jakub Voracek scored again on Wednesday keeping his streak alive as his goal now gives him a point in every game the Flyers have scored in.
• The Flyers are 5-0-1 when scoring first but 3-10-2 when allowing the first goal.

Flyers G Steve Mason
4-7-2, 2.73 GAA, .918 SV%

Mason, 26, allowed three goals on 14 shots before getting pulled in the second period in Wednesday night's loss to the Detroit Red Wings. In eight career games against the Rangers, Mason is 4-2-1 with a 2.45 GAA and a .929 SV%.

Rangers G Cam Talbot
1-2-1, 2.70 GAA, .908 SV%

Talbot, 27, last played last Wednesday stopping all 31 shots en route to a 2-0 shutout of the Flyers. To date, it is his only win of the season. In two career starts against the Flyers, Talbot is 1-1-0 with a 1.01 GAA and a .966 SV% with one shutout.

Location: Wells Fargo Center - Philadelphia, Pa

Puck Drop: 1:00 pm

Television: Comcast Sportsnet

Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic

-Steve Dolan
Follow Steve on Twitter @SDolan3
Follow Whiz Wit on Twitter @WhizWitSports

Record: 8-9-3 (13 points)

Standings: 6th in Metropolitan Division

Last Game: Loss (SO) - 1-0 @ Islanders (Nov. 24th)

Notes:

• The Flyers are 59-44-30-0 all-time against the Red Wings and 18-28-19-0 all-time in Detroit.
• Jakub Voracek has 29 points this season which is tied for the NHL lead and has recorded a point in every game the Flyers have scored in. Claude Giroux is tied for fourth in the NHL with 24 points and has registered a point in 15 out of 20 Flyers games this season.
• The Flyers have outscored their opponents 31-21 at even strength over the last 14 games.

Flyers G Steve Mason
4-6-2, 2.61 GAA, .923 SV%

Mason, 26, stopped all 46 shots fired his way on Monday night against the New York Islanders in the 1-0 shootout loss. He has not allowed more than two goals in each of his last three starts. In 22 career starts against the Red Wings, Mason is 10-10-2 with a 2.71 GAA and a .921 SV% with four shutouts.

Red Wings G Jimmy Howard
9-4-4, 2.09 GAA, .920 SV%

Howard, 30, allowed three goals on 26 shots against the Ottawa Senators on Monday night. He has allowed three or more goals in three of his last four starts. In three career starts against the Flyers, Howard are 1-2-0 with a 3.78 GAA and a .894 SV%.

Location: Joe Louis Arena - Detroit, MI

Puck Drop: 7:30 pm

Television: NBC Sports Network

Radio: 93.3 WMMR

-Steve Dolan
Follow Steve on Twitter @SDolan3
Follow Whiz Wit on Twitter @WhizWitSports

First Period:
None

Second Period:
MIN 1-0 - 10:59 - Nino Niederreiter (9) - PPG - Matt Dumba (3), Marco Scandella (3)

PHI 1-1 - 14:31 - Mark Streit (3) - Vincent Lecavalier (4), Wayne Simmonds (6)

Third Period:
MIN 2-1 - 1:42 - Marco Scandella (4) - PPG - Nino Niederreiter (3), Mikael Granlund (7)


PHI 2-2 - 16:30 - Claude Giroux (6) - PPG - Brayden Schenn (8), Jakub Voracek (20)



MIN 3-2 - 19:14 - Jason Zucker (6) - Ryan Suter (9), Charlie Coyle (8)

1. Darcy Kuemper (G - MIN)
39 Saves
2 Goals Allowed
.949 SV%
59:41 TOI

2. Marco Scandella (D - MIN)
1 Goal
1 Assist
1 SOG
20:13 TOI

3. Mark Streit (D - PHI)
1 Goal
0 Assists
6 SOG
21:23 TOI

Opponent: v. Columbus Blue Jackets

When: Friday, November 22nd

Location: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pa.

Television: 7:00 pm on Comcast Sportsnet

-Steve Dolan
Follow Steve on Twitter @SDolan3
Follow Whiz Wit on Twitter @WhizWitSports

Swapping defensemen.

The Flyers announced defenseman Andrew MacDonald will return to the Flyers lineup on Thursday night and he replaces Michael Del Zotto who suffered a lower-body injury against the New York Rangers on Wednesday night.

MacDonald, 28, scored one goal and had two assists for three points in the Flyers first seven games this season. He ranked second on the team in average time on ice at 22:56 trailing only Mark Streit. He appeared in 19 regular season games last year for the Flyers after being acquired from the New York Islanders adding four assists. His first goal for the orange and black came in the playoffs against the Rangers.

Del Zotto, 24, scored two goals and had six assists for eight points in 17 games so far this season. The defenseman signed a one-year, $1.3 million deal with the Flyers in August and has become one of the pleasant surprises of the season so far.

-Steve Dolan
Follow Steve on Twitter @SDolan3
Follow Whiz Wit on Twitter @WhizWitSports

Record: 7-8-2 (16 points)

Standings: 6th in Metropolitan Division

Last Game: Loss - 2-0 @ Rangers (Nov. 19th)

Notes:

• The Flyers have lost three consecutive games to fall below .500 but two of the three losses came on the road.
• Jakub Voracek and Brayden Schenn both had their point streaks snapped last night in New York.
• The Flyers are adding Eric Lindros and John LeClair to their Hall of Fame with a pregame ceremony beginning at 7:00 pm.

Flyers G Ray Emery
4-2-1, 3.25 GAA, .898 SV%

Emery, 32, allowed six goals on 32 shots in a 6-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night. He has allowed 10 goals in his last two starts. In six career starts against the Minnesota Wild, Emery is 4-1-1 with a 2.29 GAA and a .917 SV%.

Wild G Darcy Kuemper
8-5-0, 2.03 GAA, .914 SV%

Kuemper, 24, stopped 25 of 26 shots fired his way in a 2-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Saturday. He stopped all three shots on Sunday against the Winnipeg Jetets after coming into the game in the third period.