from Craig Custance of ESPN,

Not to pile on the misery in here, but it was another disappointing loss for the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday night, this time blowing a two-goal lead on the way to a shootout loss to the Anaheim Ducks.

The Flyers haven't managed a road win in their last nine games away from home. They haven't won a game since Nov. 22, a victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. They haven't beaten a team in a playoff position since an overtime win over the Los Angeles Kings on Oct. 28. They're threatening to become this year's version of the New Jersey Devils in the shootout, but unlike last year's Devils, those shootout losses may not even matter.

This team isn't particularly good, and you wonder if it would be wise for Ron Hextall to take a full step backward this year, moving players for future assets, for the benefit of a quick turnaround next year. There's good, young talent in Philadelphia, but the anchors of bad contracts weigh them down. There's still some mess there for Hextall to clean up.

read on for more from the ESPN hockey folks including Burnside on Chicago and LeBrun and Strang on the Oilers.