Finally.

After a two week hiatus that allowed NHL players to compete in the Olympics, NHL hockey will finally make its return tomorrow night. With less than two months remaining in the regular season, every game, 85% of which are against division rivals, becomes critical. The Flyers are back in action Wednesday night in New Jersey and then Thursday at home against the Rangers.

For the injury-riddled Flyers, the Olympic break came at a perfect time. The weeks before the break saw an exhausted team made up primarily of rookies, who are not yet accustomed to the grind of an NHL season. For them, the break was a time to relax away from the rink, to prepare for the playoff run. For others, such as Michal Handzus, Sami Kapanen, and Joni Pitkanen, who backed out of the Olympics, it was a time to heal their many aches and pains. The Flyers, who have yet to play with a full lineup this season, were hoping to return from the Olympic break with a healthy and refreshed team.

But, things don't always go according to plan. The Flyers' leading scorer, Simon Gagne, took a low hit from Darius Kasparitis in the Olympics, the same patented hip check that took down Eric Lindros years ago in Pittsburgh. Initial reports had Gagne out two weeks, though coach Ken Hitchcock says the injury, a bruise, could only keep him out a couple of days.

And then there's Flyers captain Keith Primeau, who hasn't played since October. Still battling severe post-concussion symptoms, Primeau is expected to formally announce today that he will not be returning to the ice until, at the earliest, next season. Many have wondered if he might be forced to retire due to the severity of his symptoms, but Primeau said that, for now, worrying about not being able to play again this season has been difficult enough.

"I'm just having such a hard time with the finality of it," the 34-year-old center said. "I can't commit. I don't know if I'll ever be able to say it.

Primeau insists that he is getting better. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, "he no longer has trouble hearing the television or seeing the road through his windshield." But common sense says that if it took 4 months for Primeau to be able to see the road through his winshield, chances of his returning to the ice anytime soon are slim. This is a huge blow to the Flyers, as Primeau is not only the Captain but the center on the team's top defensive checking line.

And so, the Flyers will return to the ice without Primeau and Gagne,
and also without defensemen Kim Johnsson and Chris Therien, both of whom are battling concussions. As for who will be in net, well, that's anybody's guess. Robert Esche was the Flyers #1 guy coming into the season, but a couple of groin injuries meant lots of playing time, and success, for Antero Niittymaki, last year's Calder Cup winner and playoff MVP with the Phantoms. Factor in that Niittymaki is returning from Turino with a silver medal after having been named MVP of the Olympic hockey tournament, and one can't help but sense a goalie controversy just around the corner. Still, Ken Hitchcock says that a silver medal hasn't changed anything as far as the Flyers are concerned.

"I'm just concerned with getting both guys up to speed," Hitchcock said. "It's a whole different game over there. I've seen a lot of guys who are real good in Europe struggle over here. [Niittymaki] has had a wonderful year for a first-year player, but this is a whole different game here."

With two months remianing, the Flyers sit three points behind the NY Rangers for the Atlantic Division lead. Overtaking the Rangers is crucial for prime playoff seeding, as the Flyers currently trail Carolina, Ottawa, and Buffalo in the Eastern Conference. Finishing second in the division could mean as low as a 5-seed in the playoffs, which would ensure a much tougher road to the Cup Finals.