PHILADELPHIA – Erik Gustafsson could have taken his demotion the wrong way. He could have gone back to the Adirondack Phantoms earlier this season and pouted.

He could have taken a sour attitude that he wasn’t given a fair shake in this, his third professional season, to prove that he belongs in the NHL full-time.

Many players in a similar spot to Gustafsson have done that in the past – leading either to a one-way ticket out of the organization, or to a career in the AHL always just a step shy of making it to the show.

But Gustafsson was smart. He realized that there was a reason the Flyers wanted him to go back to Adirondack. He understood that there were a couple specific things he needed to fine tune in his game, before he could come back for good.

Primarily, Gustafsson needed to slow down.

One area the Flyers certainly weren’t lacking this season was in physical play. And now, they are making sure they will have that same grit for the next couple seasons.

The Flyers announced today that they signed both Zac Rinaldo and Jay Rosehill to two-year contract extensions.

BUFFALO – Flyers general manager gave an injury update after the game, and there was nothing positive.

While he confirmed that the seasons are over – as expected – for Braydon Coburn (shoulder separation), Nick Grossmann (concussion) and Zac Rinaldo (high ankle sprain) he also provided the horrific details of the injury to forward Eric Wellwood – who severed several tendons and arteries when he tripped over himself last week in a game for the Adirondack Phantoms.

VOORHEES, N.J. – It’s not every day that you walk into work and someone hands you a ready-made blog item.

But, today, that is the case.

And it’s not like the information was slid across my desk from a member of the Flyers brass or was texted to me by a player.

Nope it came from… a fan.

I opened my email this morning and a fan going by the moniker Jersey77Girl had done a little statistical research.

Turns out Steve Mason’s statistics, the same stats that had people calling his acquisition a gamble, may not be as bad as they seem on paper.

UNIONDALE, N.Y. – Steve Mason feels like he has something to prove – and no better way to do that than in what is a must-win game for the Flyers.

Flyers coach Peter Laviolette decided to end the 22-game starting streak of Ilya Bryzgalov Tuesday and will go with Mason in net against the Islanders, one of the teams the Flyers are trying to catch for a playoff spot.

“Mason was brought here to be part of a goaltending duo,” Laviolette said. “We didn’t want to change things up right away being on a [winning] streak and not getting him a practice. We wanted to make sure he was ready. Getting the work in last game and getting a good practice in is a good opportunity.

“There’s no question that Bryz has had a lot of work. Just with him coming in, getting that 20 minutes of work and having a practice – this is a better situation to come in. There’s no denying that Bryz has had a heavy workload here but after losing that last game… it’s a better situation for [Mason].”

VOORHEES, N.J. – When Paul Holmgren announced that Steve Mason was going to be one of the Flyers two goalies for the rest of this year and next season too, he wasn’t kidding.

Mason, 24, who would have been a restricted free agent in the summer, signed a one-year contract extension with the Flyers worth $1.5 million.

"It definitely gives me something to look forward to and to be excited for and something to work toward at the same time," Mason said. "It's going to be a great opportunity for [me] here. There's no better organization for me to be in. I'm really looking forward to getting the opportunity to play in front of the Flyers fans and play for the organization."

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The Flyers made two minor moves at the trade deadline Wednesday, first claiming forward Adam Hall off waivers from the Tampa Bay Lightning and later trading Michael Leighton and a 2015 third round pick to Columbus for goalie Steve Mason.

Hall, 32, has had an adventurous month, going from Tampa Bay to Carolina back to Tampa Bay and now to the Flyers.

He plays the style of game though that is coveted in the NHL – grinder, kills penalties, skates hard, real team-oriented focus, good locker room presence.

The Flyers made a small trade Monday sending forward Harry Zolnierczyk to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for tough guy Jay Rosehill.

Rosehill, 27, has spent the entire season with the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League and has split time between defense and left wing.

PHILADELPHIA – If you believe that numbers never lie, then you believe that this Flyers team should make the playoffs.

Let me explain.

Currently, the Flyers power play ranks first in the NHL in power play efficiency at 24.8 percent. They also lead the NHL in power play goals with 32.

Since the era of expansion in 1967, when the Flyers came into the league, only one team who led the NHL in power play percentage failed to make the playoffs – the 2006-07 Montreal Canadiens.

But the special teams numbers go deeper than that.

PHILADELPHIA -- Flyers chairman Ed Snider was on hand for the unveiling of the new "Walk Together Forever" statue featuring Bobby Clarke and Bernie Parent carrying the Stanley Cup.

The ceremony took place outside of Broad Street Bullies Pub at Xfinity Live prior to the Flyers-Bruins contest at Wells Fargo Center Saturday.

After the ceremony, Snider addressed the state of the Flyers and was very candid with his message about the team.

The following is a transcript of the entire interview: