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Tim Thomas, Tomas Kaberle and Kris Versteeg rank among players ‘new’ to Boston-Flyers series

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As we approach this afternoon’s Game 1 between the Boston Bruins and the Philadelphia Flyers, many will cite baggage from the 2010 series. Will the Bruins be able to shake off the constant stream of questions about that historic collapse? Could the Flyers’ rising swagger turn into self-destructive cockiness?

It’s easy to think that the two teams are the same since only about a year has passed since they played that ’10 semifinals series. Yet injuries, lineup changes and new acquisitions show that the sides will be a little different, with the most profound alterations occurring in Boston’s lineup. Here are a few players who are “new” to this series.

Tim Thomas (benched in 2010)

Obviously, Thomas was on the Bruins’ roster last year, but the team went with Tuukka Rask after the rookie carried the team into the playoffs. Rask was pretty fantastic in 2009-10 but did seem to run out of steam a bit in the postseason. Thomas is the closest thing the NHL has to Dominik Hasek 2.0, so it’s reasonable to say that he’ll be a difference-maker.

Tomas Kaberle (2011 trade deadline acquisition)

The Bruins managed to get to the second round despite their awful power play and Kaberle’s struggles, but a deep Flyers attack will force them to lean on their shallow defense. If he falters for another round, Philly might send Boston on vacation again.

Nathan Horton (Pre-season trade acquisition)

Horton only had three points in that seven-game series against the Montreal Canadiens, but two of those came from overtime game-winning goals. If hockey players were politicians, those two goals would be the polished sound bytes that obscure a lacking larger body of work. Horton’s big-bodied game might come in handy against the physical Flyers, though, as he scored 26 goals for the Bruins this season.

Kris Versteeg (Acquired around the trade deadline)

It seems like the former Chicago Blackhawks/Toronto Maple Leafs forward gets lost in the shuffle of the Flyers’ ridiculously deep offensive attack. He only had 11 points in his 27 regular season games with Philadelphia, but he quietly put together five assists and a +6 rating in the first round. The fact that he’s averaging a bit under 15 minutes of ice time per game is a testament to the Flyers’ depth, but he could be helpful in a tougher series against Boston.

David Krejci (Injured during last year’s series)

A Mike Richards hit in Game 3 of the teams’ 2010 series knocked Krejci out of the playoffs and Boston clearly suffered without their underrated center, as they won that game but dropped the next four. He hopes to finish what he started last year, although he’ll need to finish the scoring chances he starts in this round after scoring just one point (a goal) in seven games against Montreal.

Chris Kelly/Rich Peverley (Acquired around the trade deadline)

While Kaberle was the big-ticket acquisition, Kelly and Peverley were unsung heroes for Boston in the first round. Kelly scored six points (three goals and three assists) while Peverley had five (one goal and four assists) in that seven-game series. Philadelphia shouldn’t underestimate their Misfit Line, which also features rejuvenated winger Michael Ryder.

Andrej Meszaros/Sean O’Donnell (Pre-season additions)

These two new additions to the Flyers’ blueline are very different players. Meszaros is an enticing physical talent prone to defensive lapses while O’Donnell is limited from a skill perspective but very trustworthy on defense.

Tyler Seguin (Boston)/Nik Zherdev (Philadelphia) - (Healthy scratch wild cards)

Seguin was supposed to be a big difference maker as the second overall pick of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, but he’s not quite there yet. Zherdev is one of those skilled but flighty players who can hurt opponents and his own team in equal measures. Seguin hasn’t made a playoff appearance while Zherdev has two points in five games for Philly.
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With the exception of Krejci, this list shows plenty of players without baggage from last year. Will these new ingredients give this series a new flavor? Find out today on NBC at 3 p.m. ET.