Peter Laviolette has another chance to win the Cup with the Flyers, and will return for his fifth season with a chance to prove this was a one-year blip and not the start of downward spiral for the franchise.

“We’re not in the playoffs, so we all underperformed,” Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said Sunday. “Players, coaches, myself. And we’ve got to get better. I’m not unhappy with the coaches. I think they did a good job under the circumstances. But we’re sitting here today talking and the playoffs are going to start in two days and we’re not in them, so that’s not good.”

The Flyers went 23-22-3 and were 10th in the Eastern Conference with 49 points. After a slow start, Laviolette’s performance was under scrutiny for most of the lockout-shortened season. The Flyers defense was decimated by injuries and overall inconsistent play doomed the team.

Holmgren made it clear he still believed Laviolette was the right coach and that enough talented players are in place like Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek – to make a quick return to the postseason.

“I think Peter is a strong motivator,” Holmgren said. “I think he’s a strong tactician and I expect him to lead our team back into the playoffs next year.”

According to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston, Mason “is likely to sign a one-year deal” with the Flyers, for less than his current average annual salary cap hit of $2.9 million.

If Mason does re-up, it will only fuel speculation that Philadelphia GM Paul Holmgren is at least considering buying out high-earning starter Ilya Bryzgalov after the season.

“For my money, Jagr changes everything about the way Giroux plays the game. Jagr is able to win battles along the boards, hang onto the puck and find the open man. He is strong and commands respect from defenses, even at his advanced age … For a third round pick, if that’s the price, it’s worth experimenting whether Jagr can get the Flyers over the hump and into the playoffs. Especially for a team which has dangled draft picks like candy over the years.”

ESPN.com’s Pierre LeBrun recently reported that the Stars seemed “undecided” on what to do with Jagr. Much might depend on the quality of offers the club receives for the UFA-to-be before April 3. Another significant factor will be the Flyers’ position in the Eastern Conference standings (currently 12th). Unless the team goes on a tear in the next couple of weeks, GM Paul Holmgren would more likely be selling than buying ahead of the trade deadline.

“‘We’re probably like a lot of teams, looking around for something that makes sense for now and the long term,’ said Holmgren. ‘But we think we have a good group of young players that we prefer not to mess with.’ Translation: The Flyers will make a traditional hockey trade if it means acquiring help that will stick around past this season and at least into next season. But they’re less interested in giving up futures for a rental player (UFA-to-be). A puck-moving, top-four defenseman is a need Philadelphia circled a while back. Easier said than done. They don’t give those guys away.”

“It’s the second time that Chiarelli has spent time personally watching the Flyers players as he also was in the press box for Philadelphia’s January 22nd game against the New Jersey Devils. It’s no secret that Philly has stumbled out of the gate and needs major defensemen help with the injuries they’ve sustained along their blue line, and that Boston has good NHL depth with seven capable guys on the Boston roster along with at least four able-bodied blueliners (Torey Krug, Matt Bartkowski, David Warsofsky and Zach Trotman) ready to help an NHL club from the AHL level.”

And, as Haggerty points out, the Boston squad is said to be interested in adding a scoring winger and forward depth.

Lead by superstar Claude Giroux, the Flyers have assembled players like Brayden Schenn and Sean Couturier, who have the potential to develop into stars of there own. In addition, the club has Wayne Simmonds, Jake Voracek and Matt Read, all of which have emerged as key pieces on theFlyers forward group. In the event that the Flyers were to make a trade, any team would require one of those players to bring in an impact player. Apparently, Holmgren isn’t willing to do that.

“99 percent sure that’s my last,” the 37-year-old said Thursday. “I talked with [General Manger] Paul Holmgren before the season started and he wanted to know where I’m at with playing one more year.”

The Flyers active blue line could have a very different look to it in two years’ time, with only Braydon Coburn, Nicklas Grossmann and Luke Schenn signed beyond 2014.

According to Frank Seravalli of the Philadelphia Daily News, the Flyers may be close to signing Timonen to a one-year extension.

“Multiple reports pegged Timonen’s extension at $6 million, which would make him the 16th-highest paid defenseman in the NHL at age 38. That’s an interesting figure, since Timonen has been slowed by injuries over the years and the salary cap will shrink by $5.9 million to $64.3 million. He earns a prorated $3 million this year, in the final season of his 6-year, $38 million deal.”

Flyers GM Paul Holmgren confirms he is discussing an extension with Timonen’s agent.