Flyers Notes: Flyers backup goalie Backlund ready to go

Flyers backup goalie Johan Backlund, recently promoted from the AHL Adirondack Phantoms, is eager to make his NHL debut.

"I'm ready whenever I'm needed," he said.

Coach Peter Laviolette said he had no timetable for when Backlund would play. He is serving as an understudy to veteran Brian Boucher.

Backlund, 28, said his time with the Phantoms this season has helped his confidence. He had spent the previous 10 seasons playing in Sweden.

"It took some time to get used to the changes in the game and the feel of the game" in North America, Backlund said.

Among the changes to which Backlund had to adjust were smaller rinks, more wraparound attempts and "guys crashing to the net more. Everything is a lot faster."

Signed by the Flyers as a free agent in March, the 6-foot-2, 198-pound Backlund had a 2.81 goals-against average in 15 games with the Phantoms this season.

Boucher started his third straight game last night replacing Ray Emery, who is expected to miss at least six weeks after undergoing abdominal surgery.

Fifteen of the Flyers' 23 players live in South Jersey, but they aren't the ones who swayed Laviolette to move game-day skates back to the Skate Zone in Voorhees. Those practices had been held at the Wachovia Center.

"It wasn't up for discussion," Laviolette said.

Laviolette implied he doesn't like practicing at the Wachovia Center on game days because it gives opponents the chance to scout the team at that location - after their morning skate.

"We spend so much time there that it feels like home when we go to Voorhees," said Kimmo Timonen, one of many Flyers who reside in Haddonfield.

All of the Flyers' home practices are held in Voorhees.

John Paddock, the Flyers' assistant general manager, will be inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame on Jan. 19 in Portland, Maine. Paddock coached Hershey, then a Flyers affiliate, to the Calder Cup in 1988.

Paddock had a 585-424-98 career record in the AHL; he has the third-most wins in the league's history and is No. 1 in playoff victories with 82.

Dan Carcillo served the third of his four-game suspension last night. Former Flyer Jeremy Roenick criticized Carcillo, his ex-Phoenix teammate, on TSN's Off the Record. Roenick said Carcillo deserved the punishment for, in his words, "sucker-punching" Washington's Matt Bradley Saturday. . . . Phantoms right winger Stefan Legein is bidding for a spot with the Flyers, scoring seven goals in 17 games since being acquired from Syracuse.

- Sam Carchidi