Archive for the 'Flyers' Category

Top 5 Most Hated Flyers Rivals

In Philadelphia the concept of hating the opponents of the hometown team is instinctual from birth, and nurtured by loving parents. It really doesn’t matter if the team is the Cleveland Cavaliers or the St. Louis Rams - if you’re playing the Sixers or Eagles we hate you.

But of course there are some teams who raise the ire of Philadelphians more than others. In football it’s the Dallas Cowboys. For the Phils it’s the New York Freakin’ Mets. And in basketball it’s those Green SOB’s from Boston.

Today though as I return from the Caps game in DC I’m going to focus on who Flyers fans hate the most, because it was obvious the Caps fans relished beating the bullies from the north. The Washington Post named the Flyers one of the Caps most despised rivals yesterday.

With that here are the Top 5 Most Hated Flyers Opponents:

  1. New York Rangers - The Broadway Blueshirts are hands down the most reviled Flyers foe. Nothing stirs the blood of Flyers fans more than seeing those, as former Flyers head coach Bob McCammon called them, Smurfs. Just the mere presence of guys like Ron Duguay, Tomas Sandstrom, Tie Domi, and Jaromir Jagr got the dander up. The fans at Madison Square Garden chanting for Ron Hextall to buy a Porsche infuriating. Hometown boy Mike Richter and head coach Mike Keenan winning a Cup in NY despicable. Playoff upsets in 1982, 1983, and 1986 heartbreaking. And lets face it - we hate them simply because they play in NY.
  2. New Jersey Devils - Another geographic no-brainer, the Devils have flummoxed the Flyers for years. They’ve only been in NJ since 1982 but it seems like forever. Two crushing losses in the Eastern Conference Finals in 1995 (Claude Lemieux’s Game 5 blue line goal) and 2000, and the fact that outside of Marty Brodeur the faces may change but the frustration continues. Why does this team even exist? From playing in the swamps to the dregs of Newark, perpetually in the shadow of NY.
  3. Pittsburgh Penguins - I think it’s safe to say that Pittsburgh fans probably hate the Flyers more than we hate them, but what do you expect when they’ve been our whipping boys in Philadelphia for the past 40 years. That isn’t to say we have any love for them. Cross-state rivalry, the emergence of Cindy Crosby as the new favorite fan target at Wachovia, and the Pens finally breaking through the last season after going 0-3 against us in playoff series make for a prickly relationship. With young stars Crosby and Evgeni Malkin battling Mike Richards and Jeff Carter this rivalry will surely continue to fester for years to come.
  4. Washington Capitals - Once again, another team who hates us more than we hate them. Past domination, and the fact Flyers fans have always flooded home games and taken over the joint have pissed off the Cap fan for years. Historically we don’t have much to be miffed about except the Game 7 OT goal by the hated Dale Hunter completing a 3 games to 1 collapse in the 1988 playoffs. Recently the emergence of Alexander Ovechkin has made the Caps relevant once again in the NHL, but that doesn’t seem to have impressed Flyers fans. For visual evidence check out the “F*ck Ovechkin” video on YouTube.
  5. Buffalo Sabres - Anytime you meet the same team 6 times in the playoffs since 1995 animosity is sure to follow. Lindy Ruff was always in the middle of things - from the Sabres coach getting hit with a cup on the bench after being eliminated in 2000 playoffs to Ken Hitchcock telling Ruff to “f*ck off” after the 2006 Game 2 loss. Matthew Barnaby and his Sabres logo tooth, Dominik Hasek’s constant flopping and whining, and the fact that Buffalo always seemed to be the team that exposed the Flyers big, slow defensemen (1998, 2001, and 2006) are all reasons Flyers fans show little love for the Sabes. Plus, Buffalo still chafes from losing the Cup to the Flyers in 1975.
Published
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Bill
on January 7, 2009
in Flyers
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The Flyers’ Holiday Guide - Who, When, Where

As the Flyers get set to embark on their annual Disney on Ice road trip, the upcoming schedule should determine exactly where the Flyers stand. The orange and black are 13-2-3 since the middle of November, with only seven of those games away from the Wachovia Center. This six-game trip all over North America is loaded with quality opponents.

Before the holiday trip kicks off however, the Senators come to town Tuesday night.

Senators-December 23
Ottawa is surprisingly the second-lowest scoring team in the NHL with only 73 goals scored. Only Tampa with 72 has fewer, and these days, with apologies to Rick Tocchet, do they even count as an NHL team? The Sens haven’t won a road game since OCTOBER 30th, and haven’t scored more than two goals in any of the nine losses away from home since.

The Flyers may catch another break in that captain Daniel Alfredsson suffered what looked like a shoulder injury in Saturday’s win over Dallas, and is day-to-day. In that game, Jason Smith (remember him?) scored the OT winner, his first goal in 104 games. That last goal was a memorable empty-netter against the Islanders last October when he blocked a shot and whipped the puck the length of the ice to seal the victory.

On CBC after the game Satuday, Don Cherry warned that a goal like Smith’s could spur the Sens on to a long winning streak. Let’s hope not.

Blackhawks-December 26
If you haven’t been watching the Hawks, you should be. Chicago is riding a seven-game winning streak and may be the story of the year in the NHL. After years of being ignored, hockey is back big time in Chicago. The Hawks lead the NHL in attendance and are coming off a three-game sweep in western Canada. When the teams meet Friday, the Hawks will not have played since Saturday, so hopefully they’ll have a Christmas turkey hangover. This is a great opportunity for Philly fans to check out Patrick Kane (would Paul Holmgren have drafted him if we won the lottery in 2007?), Jonathan Toews and the long, lost Patrick Sharp. Old friend Ben Eager is still wreaking havoc, and Chicago is loaded with exciting, young talent. The once empty United Center has been a real advantage for Chicago, where the Hawks are 10-1-4 this season.

Blue Jackets-December 27
Ken Hitchcock has transformed the Jackets into a legitimate playoff threat. Rookie Steve Mason has sparkled in net and is 8-2 with a 1.97 GAA at home. The Jackets did lose impressive rookie Derick Brassard for the season with a shoulder injury, but will have been off since Tuesday when they face the Flyers. A tough matchup on a back-to-back game, R.J. Umberger and Columbus are no longer pushovers.

Canucks-December 30
Doesn’t it seem like the Flyers are always in Vancouver around New Year’s Eve? Lately, that’s been a good thing.

Like Brodie Bruce said in the movie Mallrats, “Hartford, “the Whale,” they only beat Vancouver once, maybe twice in a lifetime.” The Flyers are just the opposite. Philadelphia has dominated the Canucks out west, going 9-0-4 (4 ties) since their last loss in Vancouver in 1989.

Recently acquired Mats Sundin will likely be in his second game, but stud goalie Roberto Luongo remains out with a groin injury. Even without Luongo, Vancouver is fighting for first place in the Northwest Division and may remember the Flyers last visit to GM Place in October 2007 when Philly lit them up 8-2 and Jesse Boulerice hammered Ryan Kesler across the face with his stick. Should be another great matchup.

Ducks-January 2
After ringing in the New Year in SoCal, the Flyers head to The Pond to face Anaheim. The Ducks will be without star RW Teemu Selanne who suffered a freak leg injury when he cut himself with his own skate. However, Chris Pronger, Scott Niedermayer and Co. are still quite formidable. Another player to watch will be Bobby Ryan, the second overall pick behind Sidney Crosby in 2005. Born in Cherry Hill, Ryan could never crack the lineup consistently but is now becoming the force the Ducks were hoping for.

Kings-January 3
The back end of the Southern Cal weekend has Terry Murray and Ron Hextall hosting the Flyers. Head coach Murray has done a solid job instilling some discipline into the Kings. L.A. sits near the bottom of the Pacific Division standings, but will be a tough matchup for the Flyers, especially after what should be a physical game in Anaheim the night before. The Kings are a different team at Staples Center, picking up 10 wins in downtown L.A., compared to only three on the road. Once again, young players we don’t get much chance to watch include Anze Kopitar, Alexander Frolov and impressive rookie d-man Drew Doughty. Captain Dustin Brown seems like a perfect Flyer…skilled, tough and loves to hit people. Hextall is serving as assistant G.M. under former Flyer scout Dean Lombardi.

Capitals-January 6

The trip concludes back east, with another matchup with the Caps. The Flyers haven’t been back to Verizon Center since Joffrey Lupul’s OT goal won Game 7 last spring. After Saturday’s shellacking of Washington in Philly, both the Caps’ fans and players will be out for payback. After two scraps with Donald Brashear in Philly, Riley Cote may want another shot at the Caps’ goon. Of course, love him or hate him, the opportunity to watch Alexander Ovechkin is always a pleasure. Is there a more exciting athlete in sports right now.

The Flyers are rolling, and now get to face some exciting teams and players they, and the fans, don’t get to see very often. It should all add up to some great hockey, so sit back and enjoy.

Merry Christmas!

Published
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Bill
on December 23, 2008
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Flyers Take Drinks, Dates at Temple Frat Party

From the always great Sportsbybrooks.com it seems some of the Flyers decided to crash a Temple University fraternity formal after their fantastic 6-5 shootout win against Carolina Thursday night.

The boys, including Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Scottie Upshall, and Antero Niittymaki, were by all accounts very cool, but their presence couldn’t have made it any easier for the Temple boys to impress the ladies that night. Somehow being the 22-year old president of Chi Phi just doesn’t seem as impressive as being the 22 year old captain of the Flyers, with a $69MM contract. But then again I’m not a chick, so I could be wrong.

Published
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Jared
on December 15, 2008
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Is Carle the Next Pat Falloon?

In a swap of recently acquired, and disappointing defensemen, the Flyers acquired Matt Carle and a draft pick from the Lightning for Steve Eminger, Steve Downie and a pick.

The 24-year old Carle is another swift, puck-moving blue liner the Flyers can’t seem to get enough of lately. After a 42 point season in 2006-07 landed him on the all-rookie team, Carle slipped to only 15 last year. The Sharks dealt him to Tampa in the offseason as part of the Dan Boyle trade. At the University of Denver, he became the first junior defenseman to win the Hobey Baker Award and seemed to be on a path to stardom. However, the Hobey seems to be a NHL jinx the way the Heisman is in the NFL. Granted, guys such as Paul Kariya, Ryan Miller and Chris Drury have won the trophy, but how about Peter Sejna, Brian Bonin and Chris Marinucci? Hobey winners who are not exactly household names.

Barry Melrose and the Lightning gave up Boyle to get him and now unload the kid after only 12 games….seems very strange.

Eminger was a curious acquisition by the Flyers from the start. Paul Holmgren dealt for him from Washington for a first round pick after Eminger didn’t even dress in two of the seven playoff games against Philadelphia last season. Correct me if I’m wrong, but the Caps aren’t exactly loaded on defense, and he couldn’t even crack the lineup everyday?

Quick, name three other defenseman on that Caps team from last year…..exactly, can’t do it.

Eminger may have sealed his fate after he tripped over himself twice on Thursday in Ottawa, leading to two ridiculous scoring chances for the Sens. What’s more amazing? The fact Homer traded a first rounder for this guy, or that he actually got some value in return for him?

Downie is the most interesting part of this trade to me. He seemed like the perfect Flyer. Tough and talented with a mean streak. A notorious pest in Juniors for three different teams in the OHL, Downie also put up solid offensive numbers and seemed to be a modern day Ken Linseman in waiting. It turned out that the only things Flyers fans will remember is the hit on Dean McAmmond that drew a 20-game suspension, and the sucker punch on Jason Blake of the Maple Leafs (I’m trying to forget all his penalties and turnovers in the playoffs). Good thing the Phantoms are only across the parking lot because it seemed he was shuttled back and forth between the AHL and the big club almost every other day. Was he a winger or a center? A grinder or a goal scorer? Nobody seemed to know. For his sake, hopefully somebody figures that out for him in Tampa.

The great thing about the Flyers is that they never wait around if things aren’t working. The defense has been brutal and Eminger and Downie didn’t seem to fit. Holmgren feels his new acquisition can become a top-four defenseman, something Eminger clearly was not. Can Carle cash in on the tremendous potential he seems to possess? At first, this trade didn’t mean much to me but now I’m excited to watch him on a nightly basis. Will he join Pat Falloon and Alexander Daigle on the list of talented guys the Flyers took a chance on but never panned out? Or will he become another piece to the young core already in place?

It’s going to be very interesting to find out…

Editors Note: In his Flyers debut, Carle played almost 20 minutes at even strength, the most of anybody on the team. His 25:50 of total ice time was second to only Kimmo Timonen.

Published
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Bill
on November 9, 2008
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Are the Sixers Still Relevant in Philadelphia?

I was a child of the 80’s. I hated Ricky Schroder because he had that train in this living room and that awesome race car bed on Silver Spoons. I rode my Huffy Wrangler around Wyncote and Glenside. And I still actually cared about the 76ers.

I went to a lot of Sixers games back in the early 80’s, and man was it great. The Spectrum was electric, and you felt like you were seeing something special every night. Erving, Cheeks, Dawkins, Malone, and Toney were all special players. No tattoos. No thug-life. No piped in hip-hop music trying to make you feel like the game was more exciting than it was. It was just hard-nosed basketball, Dave Zinkoff, high socks, and most importantly, winning. The Sixers were a part of the Philadelphia fabric.

But what happened? How did it all slip away? Was it a cultural shift? Did the street culture of basketball that began creeping into NBA arenas in the late 80’s turn away the blue collar Sixers fan? Was it those horrific starred unis the introduced in 1991? Or was it just all the losing they did for almost a decade between Barkley and Iverson? Probably a nice mixture of all three.

The Sixers never had the hard core fan base the Flyers enjoy, and who show up regardless of how putrid the product is on the ice. From their inception, the Flyers had been woven into the city’s DNA with their guts and knuckles style of play. And regardless of how the team was doing fans could relate to guys like Kevin Dineen, Rick Tocchet, and Mike Ricci. Not to guys like Shawn Bradley, Sharone Wright, and Andrew Lang.

For one improbable season, AI and a bunch of role players got the city to recognize that pro basketball still existed in this town. They played hard, and the city ate it up. But even that was a mirage. The true fan base was still minimal, and the bandwagoneers that crept into the First Union Center that season would soon slither back out.

The Sixers ticket office doesn’t market the Sixers themselves to fans, they market players on other teams. Come see Kobe, LeBron, Howard, and Duncan!. This is the one of the fundamental differences between the NBA and NHL, and maybe a reason Philly doesn’t embrace this team like the others. The difference between the NBA and NHL is that basketball markets players and not teams. Hockey is the opposite way. For sports fans I think the NHL way is better, for casual fans, the NBA way seems to work. A couple of years ago Paul Holmgren said Flyers fans don’t come to the Wachovia Center to see the other team. They always come to see THEIR Flyers, regardless of who they are playing.That’s why on a Tuesday night the Flyers will sell out a game against the Phoenix Coyotes, while on the same night a Sixers-Thunder game will draw 6,000.

I guess this just isn’t a pro basketball town. And it’s not because Philadelphians don’t like the sport. College basketball is still alive and well. You’d be hard pressed to find a Sixers game that can out draw a Villanova-Georgetown match up.

It’s sad really. The Sixers were once a point of pride in the city - every game an event. These days spectators (can you really refer to them as fans anymore?) treat the Sixers like the Washington Generals. They’re just the team that happens to be playing Allen Iverson that night.

Published
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Bill
on November 6, 2008
in 76ers and Flyers
. 1 Comment

Shanny Would be Nice - But Are Flyers Plugging the Right Hole?

The news that the Flyers are speaking with 39-year old free agent winger Brendan Shanahan was not surprising. Shanahan is a sure fire Hall of Famer with 650 goals to his credit, including 23 last year with the Rangers. The Orange and Black are off to a slow start and have never been an organization that sits around when things aren’t going well. Changes were bound to happen. However, it is surprising that the big news didn’t involve a defenseman.

Through Monday, the Flyers had scored 43 goals this season. Only Detroit has scored more, with 44. The problem is that the Flyers have allowed 41 goals – second worst to Atlanta’s 46 in the East.

After Sunday’s 5-4 loss to the Oilers, Paul Holmgren told CSNPhilly.com that he was “tired of looking at their asses as guys come back up ice on us. I’m not happy with the play of our forwards. They are not helping our defense. Our forwards are cheating on the defensive side of the game. This was something that we didn’t do late last season.”

It’s always easy to blame the goalies and defensemen when goals are scored against you. In this era of the NHL, defense is more of a team effort than ever before. If the forwards are not helping out and slowing the opposition through the neutral zone, you have no chance. Granted, the D is inexperienced and has four new faces back there, and the goaltending has been spotty at best. To hear Homer criticize the forwards though was somewhat of a surprise, even if he was correct.

The Flyers are $700,000 under the salary cap, so signing Shanny would almost certainly shake up the current roster. Would he be a welcome addition to a team 10 points behind the first place Rangers (I hate writing that) in the Atlantic Division? I think so. The Flyers don’t look like a championship team right now. Any player with the resume of Shanahan - three Stanley Cups, eight-time All-Star and 20 years in the league - would command respect and accountability in the locker room. Will he be any help in keeping pucks out of the Flyers’ net? I doubt it.

This situation certainly bears watching. Even if Holmgren does bring in Shanahan, more changes are likely to follow.

Published
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Bill
on November 5, 2008
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Great Day to be a Philadelphia Fan!

Saturday was a great day to be a Philadelphia sports fan.

It started for me at about 11 AM when I arrived at The Spectrum for the Flyers’ block party before their game with Carolina. I’ve been very upset with the news the old building would be coming down and couldn’t miss this event. I didn’t know what to expect, but being down there I instantly felt comfortable watching everyone in their orange and black file into the oval shrine. I hung around the players’ entrance like I’d done 100 times before. As I watched Ed Snider, Keith Allen and Keith Primeau, among others, make their way in, a million memories came rushing back.

As I walked through the gates of “America’s Showplace,” I actually felt nervous. Something so familiar had become foreign to me. The first thing I noticed was the smell hadn’t changed – a cross between your basement, stale beer and popcorn, and zamboni exhaust. For whatever reason, I always loved it. The floor was still sticky. The concourse was still cramped. Ahh, I was home again.

Instantly, everything about the place felt small. Had I really been away that long? Gone was the giant haze of cigarette smoke, and the fear of getting burned on your arms walking through the crowd during intermissions. The place felt much darker than usual. After two sentimental laps around, I made it to my seat. Everything felt so close, the players, the ice, the fans, the press. Wow.

The ceremony honoring the former captains was great, but I wish more players were involved. It was emotional to give Bobby Clarke one last long ovation. Primeau received the second loudest cheer, maybe because he is the freshest in everyone’s mind. The crowd roared when new captain Mike Richards skated out to ceremoniously accept his new jersey with the “C” on it from Snider.

Next, what would an important Flyers game be without Lauren Hart and Kate Smith? Gives me chills every time. If there is a better anthem singer in sports, I haven’t heard it, not even close.

The game was almost an afterthought. Instead, my mind drifted around the arena to places I’d sat, people I went with, things I’d done to get into the building. On the ice, I imagined Clarke and Bernie skating around with the Cup. JJ Daigneault in Game 6. Ron Hextall scoring, and attacking Chris Chelios. The Broad Street Bullies laying down the law. Brian Propp’s guffaw. All the while Gene Hart describing the action.

A day like this was another reminder how lucky we were to have had a building like The Spectrum. It had an identity all its own. It provided the Flyers an advantage not many places could match. During the game, messages were played from Wayne Gretzky, Jeremy Roenick, Ron Francis and Rod Brind’Amour describing the thrill of playing there. How many places were just as identifiable as the teams that called it home?

One of the best things about Saturday were the old jerseys dusted off for one last Spectrum appearance. The list of old school jerseys on display included:

Mark Howe
Tim Kerr
Dan Kordic
Bo Berglund (Maybe the only one in existance! This guy played 7 games for the Flyers in ‘85-86)
Terry Carkner
Behn Wilson
Peter Zezel
Robert Esche
Kevin Dineen
Glen Cochrane
Plenty of Pelle Lindberghs
Derrick Smith
Brad Marsh
Jim Watson (My favorite of the day)

I’ll never be happy to see The Spectrum go, but I feel much better now that I got to say goodbye.

After the hockey game, I walked across the street to watch the Phils attempt to clinch the NL East. It was cool to see all the Flyers jerseys in the crowd at The Bank. I was actually happy to see the Mets had won earlier in the day, giving The Fightins a chance to win it on the field.

In typical Phillies fashion, it wasn’t easy. The Nats wouldn’t die. After Pedro Feliz doubled to put the Phils up 4-2 in the eighth, it was Brad Lidge time, game over. After a strikeout to start the ninth, the place was going nuts. People of all ages were hugging strangers, waving their towels and screaming their lungs out. Then the real fun started. A bunch of guys most people had never heard of were rallying against our 40-for-40 closer. This couldn’t be the one game he blew, could it? With the score 4-3, Ryan Zimmerman came up with the bases loaded. The mayhem of a few moments earlier had turned to silence and nail biting. A hard ground ball up the middle was somehow grabbed by Jimmy Rollins who started an improbable double play….Cue the euphoria….

After more hugging, yelling, jumping around and even some tears, the fans hung around and watched the players celebrate. Our Phils were in the playoffs again! After 15 minutes of watching in awe, most fans finally started to leave. Outside the park, the scene was insane. Cars beeping their horns, more hugging, strangers high-fiving, plenty of yelling and people just standing around taking it all in. I stuck around for an hour after the game ended and it seemed as though nobody had left. Just imagine if one of our teams actually wins a title.

Once I finally made it home…exhausted, drained and thrilled, I realized once again why I’m a Philadelphia sports fan. What a day!

Sidenote: One more thing, I just stumbled upon the Brewers checking into their hotel as I was getting dinner tonight….My mind is still too tired from the Phils weekend and a tough Eagles’ loss to get totally focused on Milwaukee yet….Once I saw all the Brewers bags lined up and down the sidewalk, I got fired up….It’s time for playoff baseball!

Published
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Jared
on September 30, 2008
in Flyers and Phillies
. 1 Comment

Flyers’ Training Camp - 5 Things to Watch

With the Phils in the thick of a pennant race and the Eagles’ season underway, most Philadelphia sports fans aren’t thinking about Flyers hockey right now. However, the Orange and Black open training camp on Saturday looking to build on last year’s run to the Eastern Conference Finals. Here are five things to watch for over the next three weeks of camp.

5. Which young players are capable of making the squad?
Claude Giroux won’t turn 21 until January but made quite an impression on the Flyers’ brass last year. The diminutive forward could have made the team out of training camp but was sent back to Juniors and set a QMJHL record with 51 points in 19 playoff games last spring. He had a brief two-game cup of coffee last year with the big club. He’ll certainly see more time than that this season, the only question is when.

Steve Downie remains an enigma. The former first round pick has the talent and mean streak to be a fan favorite on Broad Street. The coaching staff seems to be in his corner, but how can any Flyers fan forget the turnovers, penalties and bone-headed plays that cost the team dearly down the stretch and in the postseason a year ago? Has he matured enough as a player to be a regular in an NHL lineup?

Ryan Parent was thrown into the fire late last season and responded well. In 22 regular season and four playoff games, the smooth skater held his own and should be a top candidate to remain on Philadelphia’s blue line this year.

Andreas Nodl, a second round pick from 2006 will be interesting to watch against NHL competition.

4. Will being named captain change Mike Richards?
The obvious answer is not at all. This guy is the Chase Utley of hockey. A combination of elite talent, tireless work ethic and actions over words. Richards is the Flyers’ best all-around player and a true leader. However, there are three guys in the dressing room who have served as a captain (Timonen, Briere, Hatcher) and I remember how Eric Desjardins seemed to shrivel under the weight of the “C.” Granted, Desjardins was given the captaincy after it was ripped off #88’s jersey. Richards is a 23-year old guy with respect for the game and his teammates and could feel the urge to defer to the veterans at certain times. I don’t see this happening but it will be interesting to watch develop. Richards is the perfect Flyer and the right choice for captain.

3. How will the defense shape up?
When you think about it, only two spots on the defense core are already accounted for with Timonen and Braydon Coburn. What will Derian Hatcher’s knees allow him to do? Is Randy Jones ready to turn the corner into a consistent contributor? How will newcomers Ossi Vaananen and Steve Eminger fit in? Is Parent ready to play a full season at the NHL level? Is Lasse Kukkonen forever going to be a spare part for the Flyers? I expect big things from Vaananen, especially if Hatcher is limited by injury. He is a physical player, capable of being a shut-down guy.

A familiar name to keep an eye on (no pun intended) will be Bryan Berard. The former number one pick has been invited to camp by the Flyers who are always in search of that elusive puck-moving d-man. An eye injury has forced Berard to bounce around in recent years but it will be interesting to see how he fits in on a talented team after playing in Columbus, Chicago and Long Island in recent years.

2. The Health of Simon Gagne
It goes without saying that Gagne could be a huge boost for John Stevens’ club. The former 40-goal scorer was limited to 25 games last season by concussions (Uh oh, haven’t we heard that before). If a healthy #12 is able to return to the lineup, look out! The Flyers ranked sixth in the NHL in goals and second on the power play last season, basically without him.

Stevens is toying with the idea of having Richards center Briere on the RW and Gagne on LW to form a miniature version of the Legion of Doom. Paul Holmgren has claimed he has never seen Gags in better shape as a Flyer, so…..hold your breath.

1. Goaltending
What would fall, winter or spring in Philadelphia be without questioning the goaltending. Marty Biron was excellent in his first playoff experience last year. However, is he a championship caliber netminder? Can he build off his postseason success and cut down on the inconsistent play that seems to plague him? One week he’s a wall, the next he’s an open window.

How will Antero Niittymaki’s hip surgery affect the team? Maxime Ouellet has been invited to camp in Niitty’s place. Does Holmgren need to go out and find an experienced backup? Will Niittymaki ever shake these constant problems with his hips and regain the form that made him an Olympic hero for Finland in 2006?

Another year, another season of questions in net.

Update: The Flyers have signed 31-year old G Jean-Sebastien Aubin to a 1-year deal. He is not the answer to the Flyers’ need for veteran backup.


On the Fly

Other developments to keep an eye on:

How will the new forwards fit in? Will Glen Metropolit take over as the fourth-line center and key penalty-killer? Will we see both Aaron Asham and Riley Cote in the lineup together?

Will Jeff Carter continue his late-season surge and develop into the top-line forward we all envision?

Who will take key face-offs? Can anyone on this team win a face-off? Will Jim Dowd make the squad for this reason?

How much of a factor will Terry Murray’s departure be? Craig Berube joins the staff from the Phantoms in his place.

Where will Mats Sundin land? Do the Flyers need him? Do you want him in Orange and Black?

The regular season opens October 11th at home against those dreaded Rangers!

Published
by
Bill
on September 17, 2008
in Flyers
. 2 Comments

Where art thou Eric? Spectrum Salute Not Complete

Eric Lindros has informed the Flyers that he will not attend the Spectrum ceremonies on September 27th. According to Lindros, he had a previous committment which turned out to be a memorial service for a close friend’s mother who recently passed away.

Whether or not this is true, who knows? The fact remains that it’s disappointing the Big E will not be there to celebrate the organiztion’s history in one of hockey’s great facilities. There is no disputing that Lindros revitalized the Flyers in the middle of their darkest era.

Having missed the playoffs in three straight seasons, Russ Farwell orchestrated the trade to bring Eric to Philadelphia. Instantly, a buzz returned to Broad and Pattison that had been missing for years. He was a hulking force - a combination of size, skill and temper the hockey world hadn’t seen since Mark Messier or Gordie Howe. He brought credibility back to a proud franchise that had lost its way. In the early days, there was the “Crazy Eights” line with Brent Fedyk and Mark Recchi. The thundering hits, overpowering shots and of course, plenty of injuries. You could go to a game, close your eyes and just know when he was on the ice from the sounds. How many players in any sport could you say that about?

In his MVP season of 1994-95, Lindros was named captain, and both he and the team turned the corner. John LeClair and Eric Desjardins arrived from Montreal. There was a memorable 6-6 tie in his final game at Quebec. Eric scored a hat trick but the Flyers blew a three goal lead which led to a great Daily News cover the next day, “Nice Hat, Bad Tie.” He tied Jaromir Jagr for the league lead with 70 points and led the Flyers back to the playoffs for the first time since 1989. During his acceptance speech after winning the Hart Trophy, Lindros broke down thanking the Flyers fans. How could you not love that! Flyers hockey was back!

However, for many reasons, the Flyers never won a Cup during Lindros’ tenure. His relationship with one-time mentor Bob Clarke deteriorated rapidly late in his Flyers career. Fans took sides and things got ugly all-around. Everyone knows this. No need to rehash details.

Some people look back at the Lindros trade as a disaster for the Flyers. I never saw it that way. Would the Flyers have won anything with the players they traded away for him? Absolutely not. Would Peter Forsberg have been the same force he was in Quebec/Colorado as a Flyer? Probably not. Forsberg is a Hall of Fame player but had Sakic and Roy among others to help him out. Oh yeah, he also got hurt just as much as Lindros did. The draft picks they traded turned out to be Jocelyn Thibault and Nolan Baumgartner (Remember him?). How would Flyers history be better if the Lindros trade was never made? It wouldn’t have.

He was criticized for being brittle but it’s not like he was missing games with a cold or a hangnail. His physical style took as much of a toll on him as it did his opponents.

His departure from the organization was bitter and painful. Concussions. Bonnie and Carl. Choking situations. Scott Stevens. Ugh, enough said. Was he without blame? Of course not. Was Clarke? No way. What matters here is that one last Lindros appearance at the Spectrum would’ve brought a thunderous ovation and closure to a tumultuous chapter in Flyers history. There was so much more good than bad. Eric is a Flyer and should be saluted as one.

Maybe he wasn’t “The Next One,” but Eric sure was fun to watch and a reflection on Flyers’ history in the old barn won’t be the same without him.

Published
by
Bill
on September 15, 2008
in Flyers
. 1 Comment

Berard easy to root for

The Flyers have invited 31-year old defenseman Bryan Berard to training camp next month. A former #1 overall pick in 1995, and high school buddy of Brian Boucher, Berard has struggled to regain his form after a gruesome eye injury suffered in 2000. When camp opens on September 20, Berard will be one of 21 defensemen fighting for seven spots on the team. With Braydon Coburn and Kimmo Timonen the only two locks on the blueline , the odds are long but not impossible.

It will be easy to root for Berard in his attempt to earn a spot.

Barton Silverman/The New York Times

Barton Silverman/The New York Times

After catching an inadvertant stick in his right eye from Marian Hossa as a member of the Maple Leafs, Berard received a $6.5 million settlement from his insurance company, and many considered his career to be over.

During the 2001 season, 7 eye operations improved his vision.  13 months after the injury Berard started skating again. He was later fitted with a contact lens that allowed him to meet the league’s minimum vision requirement of 20/400.

After signing a tryout contract with the Rangers, Berard returned his insurance settlement and made his improbable return to the NHL.

Now, the 1997 Calder Trophy winner is with his sixth organization since leaving Toronto, and the Flyers constant search for puck moving defensemen has led them to take chance on Berard.

As a standout at the renowned Mount St. Charles Academy in Woonsocket, RI, Berard was the top pick in the draft by the Senators in 1995 as a flashy offensive defeseman. While the flash has left his game, Berard can still skate well, a trait the Flyers always seem to be lacking on the back end. A red flag for a team with the defensive inconsistencies of the Flyers has to be the fact that Berard is a combined -74 over the last four seasons. This could just be due to the fact that he was employed in Chicago, Columbus and Long Island, but still alarming.

With the Eagles season underway and the Phils in a battle for the postseason, I realize Flyers training camp may not be on most people’s minds in late September. However, try checking in on the progress of this inspirational athlete.

Although he’s bounced around since his injury, here’s hoping Berard finds a home in Philadelphia.

Published
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Bill
on August 27, 2008
in Flyers
. 1 Comment

Now that’s what a playoff team looks like

Going into this weekend’s series with the Dodgers the Phillies had the look of team that had finally run out of gas. The spark was gone, the will to win spent, and mercifully only 2.5 games behind the hated Mets.

What a difference 3 days makes. With 3 super, inning-eating starting efforts from Kyle Kendrick, Cole Hamels, and Joe Blanton respectively, continued superb bullpen work, and finally some timely hitting, the Phils swept away Joe Torre and company to pull within a half game of New York.

The buzz was back at Citizen’s Park, especially tonight where Pedro Feliz’s off-the-bench performance gave the night that magical feel last season’s improbable late-run had. No, Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins have not shaken their full-season malaise, but the fight was back in the Fightin’s this weekend. And even if the Phils don’t overtake the Mets this year, these kind of games, where they appear not to want to lose, will make the final month a whole less painful to watch.

Yes this post sucks, but I’m tired, and I needed to give the Phils some props before I pass out.

Published
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Jared
on August 24, 2008
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Sundin would be center of attention

The Flyers are rumored to be one of six teams interested in free agent center Mats Sundin. The 37-year old is still a workhorse, averaging 27 shifts and over 20 minutes a game last year and would be a tremendous complement to Mike Richards and Jeff Carter down the middle. A former number one overall pick way back in 1989 by the beloved Nordiques, Sundin has averaged better than a point per game during his Hall of Fame career. After declining to waive his no-trade clause at last season’s deadline, Sundin may now want to take one last crack at that elusive Stanley Cup, something the woeful Maple Leafs certainly cannot provide.

Sundin would give the Flyers with a proven veteran stud to anchor their forward ranks with Richards. The eight-time all-star won 55% of his faceoffs last season and would add a dimension the orange and black have been missing since the days of Keith Primeau (Jim Dowd led the team last year with a 53.8% success rate in his limited ice time). His presence could lighten the load of Richards, who played in all situations last year, and although still producing, seemed a bit worn down towards the end of the regular season.

Adding Sundin to a young lineup that reached the conference finals without Simon Gagne would be impressive, even in a tough division. Despite the Penguins free agent departures, they are still the class of the Eastern Conference. On paper, the Rangers may be as talented as anyone and the Devils will always be the Devils to Flyers fans. Philadelphia did rank sixth in the NHL last season in goals scored (higher than the Pens who were seventh), and the big Swede would add serious punch to an already balanced lineup. With Sundin last year, the Flyers still would not have beaten the Penguins, but imagine a first power play unit of Sundin, Gagne, Danny Briere, Kimmo Timonen and Richards. Not bad.  A penalty kill that would always be a threat to score shorthanded, with Sundin’s 31 career shorties joining Richards and his five from a season ago.

The big problem with this situation is the cap. Currently, the Flyers are about $1 million over the $56.7 million threshold and would have to unload some players. Mike Knuble and Scottie Upshall come to mind as candidates but making it all work financially would be an effort. It has been mentioned that Sundin has already turned down a 2-year, $20 million offer from Vancouver, so he won’t come cheap.

You have to love that the Flyers always show an interest in available talent. In the Bob Clarke era, they would’ve backed the truck up to Sundin’s house and unloaded the money right into his living room. Things are different in this day and age so it will be interesting to see how it plays out.

I don’t think new Flyer Glen Metropolit would mind giving up his #13 jersey for Sundin to wear opening night against the Rangers, I’m just not holding my breath that he’ll need to.

Published
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Bill
on August 22, 2008
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ESPN Flyers Rumors

ESPN.com have the Flyers possibly interested in 3 players - Toronto C Mats Sundin and D Bryan McCabe, and Ottawa D Andrej Meszaros.

Meszaros is unsigned, and per Ottawa he wants a deal similar to the one Lightning D Matt Carle signed (four-year, $13.2M), according to the Sun. The Senators would be able to match most offer sheets because they’re still $6.5 million under the cap.

Long-time D McCabe may consider waiving his no-trade agreement to facilitate a deal. Despite McCabe’s agent saying he isn’t interested in leaving, the Toronto Sun says a deal is already in place to move McCabe to the Florida Panthers for D Mike Van Ryn, but it won’t happen until McCabe receives a $2 million signing bonus on September 1. The Leafs may try to strong arm him into agreeing to be traded by locking him out of training camp. The Flyers may be an interested suitor if the Panthers deal doesn’t materialize.

A post on Sundin being pursued by the Flyers from our hockey expert is forthcoming.

Published
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Jared
on August 22, 2008
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Signing Stevens the right move

The Flyers extended head coach John Stevens for two additional seasons on Thursday, a move that may finally cool off the hot seat behind the bench in Philadelphia that has existed for the last decade.

Since Terry Murray took the Flyers to the Finals in 1997 and was fired for his “choking situation” comment, the Flyers coaching roulette has spun out of control. Although it has only been 10 seasons (not including the lockout year) since Murray was relieved, the orange and black had five different head coaches before Stevens took over in October of 2006.

How many can you name? (Answers below)

Stevens led the Flyers to an impressive 20-win improvement last year after the disastrous 2006-07 campaign we’d all like to forget. This team remains far from perfect, as the 10-game losing streak late last season would attest. The defense and goaltending are nothing if not inconsistent. The club goes through stretches where it just can’t kill a penalty, and Jim Dowd is the only guy who can win a faceoff.

For these reasons, it’s good to see that Stevens will return. He has the respect of the players. Young stars Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, among others, won that well-documented Calder Cup with the Phantoms under Stevens, and the playoff run this spring can only serve as valuable experience. The return of a healthy Simon Gagne would serve the same capacity as a huge free-agent signing since the two-time 40-goal scorer didn’t participate in the run to the Eastern Conference Finals.

There is plenty to be excited about with the Flyers right now. A talented, young core,a potential star in waiting in Claude Giroux, and an ownership group that gives Philadelphia its best shot at a title year after year. Now the organization will have a coach at the helm at least until 2011 to finish the job of bringing Lord Stanley back to Broad Street.

Trivia answers:
Wayne Cashman (61 games in 1997-98)
Roger Neilson (1998-2000; Replaced 57 games into 1999-2000)
Craig Ramsay (2000; Replaced 28 games into 2000-01)
Bill Barber (2000-02)
Ken Hitchcock (2002-06; Replaced 8 games into 2006-07)

The Flyers have not had a coach last more than 3 seasons since Paul Holmgren spent 3-plus years behind the bench from 1998-91.

Published
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Jared
on August 17, 2008
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Therien in, Propp out

It was announced on Monday that former Flyer defenseman Chris Therien will take over as color analyst on 610 WIP’s Flyers’ broadcasts. He replaces another former Flyer, Brian Propp. No reason was given for the move.

“We’re very fortunate to have Chris join our broadcast team,” said Shawn Tilger, the club’s senior vice president of business operations.

“Since retiring a few seasons ago, he has followed our team closely and groomed his broadcasting skills in various roles on Comcast SportsNet, TSN, the NHL Network and WIP. We’re looking forward to Chris providing our fans with insight and interesting analysis.”

The Flyers hiring of Chris Therien to replace Brian Propp as the radio analyst took me by surprise. It’s funny how a player the fans turned on towards the end of his career has so quickly become a media darling in this city. It would be similar to Mike Lieberthal replacing Gary Matthews on Phillies broadcasts….Therien is adequate, but certainly nothing special, and in a town where Mitch Williams once got death threats and is now on TV and radio every day, this does seem tame though.

Propp filled the role as analyst for the previous seven seasons and was serviceable. Had he not been second on the team’s all-time goals list and famous for his guffaw, I’m sure I would’ve been more critical, but I always liked listening to “Propper”. Maybe there is something more to this story than a mutual decision to go in another direction, and Propp had other interests to attend to.

Therien is a good guy and had a distinguished career with the Flyers himself, playing in more games than any defenseman in team history (753). However, it doesn’t seem like that long ago that this guy couldn’t step on the ice without being booed, and now he’s everywhere. Comcast Sports Net, WIP, TSN in Canada, The Hockey Network…geez. Good for him, but I’m still surprised.

I remember a few years ago watching Al Morganti do a report after Terry Murray was fired and one of the co-hosts asked why all the Terry’s the Flyers get stunk. He started spouting off the names Terry Simpson, Terry Murray and Morganti interrupted him and said “Chris Terry-in” and they all laughed.

His teammates and coaches loved him. Therien always seemed to be cracking jokes, and was the subject of just as much razzing in return. For what ever reason, it just doesn’t seem to me like that personality completely translates onto television or radio.

This isn’t a negative Therien-bashing post, just a reflection on an eyebrow-raising announcement. I think Chris and Tim Saunders will do an entertaining broadcast, but the fact that the man they call “Bundy” has risen up the media ladder is very interesting.

Published
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Bill
on August 13, 2008
in Flyers
. 0 Comments