In The Room with Anthony SanFilippo

EMERY TO GET SOME OCCASSIONAL TIME OFF

anthonysan37@gmail.com (In The Room) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:32:00 +0000

Ray Emery has started 15 of the first 16 games for the Flyers, but he could start to see his starting frequency tempered a bit.
After a quirky schedule that made the Flyers take 43 days to play their first 16 games, They now will play eight times in the next 13 days and then following a four day break they will jam a dozen games into 20 December days before Christmas.
So Brian Boucher, who has been collecting dust on the end of the bench, will get the call more frequently.
“Ray has played really well and the schedule has allowed him to get the rest he’s needed,” Stevens said. “But now we’re going to start to travel a lot and we’re going to need (Boucher) to win us hockey games. Just like he did last year in San Jose when (Evgeni) Nabokov needed rest or was a little injured, Boosh came in and played great and we’re going to need that starting with this road trip.”

FROM SCHULTZ TO HIS ARMY

anthonysan37@gmail.com (In The Room) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 04:35:00 +0000

Dave Schultz will become the 20th member of the Flyers organization to be inducted into the Flyers’ Hall of Fame during an on-ice ceremony prior to the team’s contest vs. the New Jersey Devils at the Wachovia Center on Monday, November 16.

Here's a Q and A with him from earlier tonight:

Q: How does it make you feel?
“It makes me feel unbelievable. I don’t think I can grasp it all yet. I mean I have to a certain extent, that I will forever be in the Flyers organization. That’s what it means right? So it is very special.”

Q: Looking back, do you think you had an impact not only in Philadelphia, but also on the sport?

“I think the Philadelphia Flyers had an impact on the sport, because we were the first expansion team to win a Cup, and we won it twice-almost won it three times-and I was just a small part of that. A lot of my teammates started all these brawls which I didn’t agree with. I thought one-on-one would be fine, but we got a lot of attention. We were a tough team and there were a bunch of us. I mean “The Hound”, Bob Kelly, he was my man, and [Dupont]. We all played tough so we were a good hockey club, and that’s the key. We were never intimidated, and I and a few of my teammates made sure of that. We won tons of games and won a couple championships, so we made an impact. Any team that wins two years in a row the championship, the Stanley Cup, they make an impact on the game.”

Q: When we asked Chris Pronger if he wanted to play back in that era he said no because they didn’t make that much money back then. What was the most you ever made in a season, and does it bother you to see these guys signing thirty and forty million dollar contracts?

“We made nothing compared to these guys. We played to play the game, and I’m not saying that these guys don’t, but they are set for life after a very short career. I made half a million dollars in my whole career, and the government took half. There is no comparison, and I can’t even think about it.”

Q: Does it bother you?

“If I let it bother me then that’s a negative. It’s just the way it was. The only thing that I wish is that our pensions were of people that pick up trash.”

Q: Some say that Game Seven of the Rangers series was a turning point for that whole dynasty you had, that fight in Game Seven. Did you feel like that fight was a turning point in the whole playoff run that year?

“No. They talk about it because we won that game, we won Game Seven here. The New York Rangers have a great hockey club, a great, great hockey club. They beat Boston, and if you are playing the first period of a seventh game in the semi-finals, I should really check who was on the ice, because no one wanted to get third man in against me.”

Q: That’s what I’m saying you set the tone for that game, and that game was a deciding game?

“We won what 4-3, so we didn’t set the tone. We both won our home games. They had a great team, so I don’t think that’s fair, but I’ll take it.”

Q: Can you think of some of the big goals in history that you were a part of, like the overtime game in Atlanta. The Bobby Clarke overtime goal, that you were in. Do you take pride in stuff like that as well?

“In Atlanta not so much. We were up three games to none, and we were going to win that series. Boston, that was a biggie. We had to win a game in Boston; we hadn’t won in many years. We almost won the first game. A fan from Boston behind our bench yelled, like I hadn’t seen the ice for ten minutes in the third period, and ten minutes into overtime .A fan yelled ‘Put Schultz out there so we can score’. And Freddie [Shero], the genius that he was, he said ‘[Bob] Clarke, [Bill] Flett, Schultz, and I went in the corner. [Terry] O’Reilly I don’t know, did he back off, I took the puck from him. Flett he came with [Bob] Clarke. If we had won that game, who knows, but we had to win a game in Boston, and I don’t know if we could have won Game Seven.”

Q: You mentioned O’Reilly. Was he the toughest that you ever faced?

“I always say yes. And not that [Clark] Gillies wasn’t pretty tough or a number of other guys. We fought eight times. I’ve seen video where I was going to fight a small guy like Dave Forbes. I could have fought those guys but I didn’t get a chance, because O’Reilly got in between us and I had to fight him, so I always say that. Now, I have a lot of respect for him. He’s a Boston Bruin, and his number is hanging in the rafters, and rightfully so. I got to meet him lately, and get to know him a little bit, because for many years we didn’t talk. I talked to [Clark] Gillies, Ty, [Tiger] Williams, and all these guys. So I always say he was, but again Clark Gillies was another tough guy.”

IT'S A CAPITAL OFFENSE...

anthonysan37@gmail.com (In The Room) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:34:00 +0000

... that these Flyers can't score goals. Really. Does anyone else think they really miss Mike Knuble right about now?

He was that guy who used to get all these ugly goals that padded leads, or got the team back in games. He had a knack for those specifically. Right now, nobody is scoring anywhere near the net.

It's troubling and it's got the Flyers scratching their heads a bit.

Consider - 81 shots the last two games and only three goals.

Consider - Jeff Carter hasn't scored since the Game 2 of the NLDS between the Phils and Rockies - yeah, it's been awhile.

Consider - fourth liners Arron Asham and Darroll Powe each individually have as many goals (3) as Scott Hartnell and Claude Giroux combined.

Yikes!

The game was entertaining. It always is between these two teams. And it's a little bit funny. As much as Flyers fans hate the Penguins, Rangers and Devils, they seem to truly respect the Caps. Whether in Philly or in D.C. there's always a lot of props being handed over to Washington for the way they play, whereas the venom is clearly visible dripping off the incisors with Pittsburgh, New York and New Jersey.

MY THREE STARS

1. Jose Theodore - He looked like the Theodore who won the Vezina a few years back, making 41 saves. Maybe, for once, the Flyers can lean on that old "we ran into a hot goalie" crutch.

2. Nicklas Backstrom - The young center had a hand in every goal - scoring one and assisting on the others. His line with Alexander Semin (3 points) and Alexander Ovechkin (2 goals) was really good.

3. Ray Emery - The Caps threw everything at him and he held his ground. The three goals he allowed (the fourth was an empty-netter), either deflected off a Flyer or came through a bad screen.

DID YOU NOTICE:

- The Flyers had a season high in shots with 43 and now have 84 shots in two games against the Caps.

- James van Riemsdyk got another assist and remains the only rookie to average more than a point per game he's played.

- Chris Pronger logged 30:41 of ice time - which is more than half the game.

- Kimmo Timonen was again a minus-3. That's two games in a row. He's now minus-10 for the season, tied for second worst in the league among 662 players. (Minnesota's Brent Burns is minus-11). His partner, Braydon Coburn isn't much better (minus-9)

One final personal note:

I love Washington D.C. I went to college here. I lived here for a bit. But I never understood (and never will) how the Beltway can be an 8-lane road and have the kind of gridlock I experienced driving here today?

It's a smaller city than Philly, our highways are smaller (I-76 has only 2-lanes in each direction for Pete's sake) and more people live here - yet we don't have this kind of traffic.

My trip was going fine until I hit the beltway, then it took 40 minutes to go 4 miles. I almost missed the start of the game. Unreal.

SHOULD RICHIE GET SUSPENDED?

anthonysan37@gmail.com (In The Room) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 03:09:00 +0000

Good question.

I've watched the hit a dozen times. I think it was late. I think he left his feet upon impact.

I think it's suspension-worthy.

But, it doesn't matter what I think. It only matters what the NHL discipline czar Colin Campbell thinks and he won't look at it until late tonight.

There were some vast opinions about the hit after the game.

Here are some of the quotes. You decide for yourself. First Florida then the Flyers:

Panthers G.M. Randy Sexton said ''there is no place'' in hockey for hits like Richards put on and he could be suspended as early as tomorrow morning. The Flyers play here Sunday.

''I didn't see the hit,'' Sexton said, noting he was writing in his game report as the hit went down. ''When they didn't show the replay, I knew it was bad. Then they showed it. I'm sure the league will do a full review.

''The league wants to get rid of these shots to the head.''

Defenseman Keith Ballard

“He was in a vulnerable position, and Richards knows he’s in a bad spot and he goes after him,” Ballard said. “He’s done it before. That’s the same stuff (the NHL wants to) put an end to. He tried to hurt him.
“The thing with Mike Richards is he’s a good, honest player. He plays hard, but he does (stuff) like that. He’s done it before. I love a lot about his game. He does a lot of things well, but then he does that stuff. (You lose respect) It’s a split-second decision, but it’s a decision that’s been made several times now.”

Paul Holmgren

What do expect from the league on this hit?

"I don't expect anything. I thought it was a good hit."

The league is trying to get rid of blows to the head, is that a concern if
they look at it?

"No. I don't see how they can view it like that. Mike was doing hs job. He
was back-tracking to catch up to the play and went to finish his check on
the player who had just passed the puck and his feet never left the ice. It
was a shoulder hit. Young David Booth turned his head. It looks like he saw
him at the last second, but he turned his head and his head took the blow.
It would have been shoulder on shoulder if not. It's a physical game and
sometimes these things happen. I feel bad for David Booth. He's a good young
player. Hopefully everything is going to be all right."

The fact that Richards doesn't have a reputation for this, do you think
that'll work in his favor with the league?

"The league knows Mike isn't a dirty player. He's a hard-nosed, gritty
player who any team in the league would covet and does covet."

But, when there's a head injury on a hit like this, don't you almost expect
a suspension?

"No. No. No I don't. I think you have to look at each case as it is and
sometimes unfortunately injuries happen. There was nothing dirty about that
hit. It was a physical play that sometimes happens in a hockey game."

You said you didn't think he left his feet, is there room for interpretation
on that?

"Most hits it looks like they leave their feet after the hit. Certainly his
feet were on the ice when the hit was made."

How does this process work, will you get a call tomorrow?

"Usually a call or an email, but usually it would have happened by now. It
hasn't."

Randy Sexton has said....

(interrupting) "Randy should watch more hockey games."

No, he said there's been a lot of debate over the summer...

(interrupting again) "No, I agree with that. But even if you slow this one
down frame by frame, I don't see how you can say that's a dirty play or a
suspendable hit. I just don't see it."

Mike Richards

Take us through the hit

"I saw him with the puck and I was going up the middle and trying to
eliminate him from having the puck and he dished it off and everything
happened so quickly it was hard to explain. I just wanted to separate him
from the puck."

Was it a legal hit?

"I don't know. I wasn't trying to hurt him I just wanted to separate him
from the puck. He just kind of moved and turned and it happened so quickly,
it's hard for me to explain. I haven't seen a replay. I don't have a history
of head shots and I don't even know if it was a head shot."

Will your reputation help you?

"I don't know. I don't know what to expect. I'm not a player who has done
this before or been in thi scenario before. It's up to Colin Campbell to
look at it and do his job, but I'm not the type of player who does that.

Were you shaken by it?

"I'm never out there to hurt anyone. I have respect for the game and respect
for the players. My concern is with him. Hopefully he's fine and gets
better."

My three stars in case you care:

1. Danny Briere - two goals and an assist. The entire line (Jeff Carter and James van Riemsdyk) was all over the ice.

2. van Riemsdyk - First NHL goal, pretty pass to Briere. Probably the best game he's played yet.

3. Jeff Carter - He had 11 scoring chances and won more faceoffs than he lost for the second game in a row.

YOU PICK THE STARS!!!!

anthonysan37@gmail.com (In The Room) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:21:00 +0000

I'm going to try something at the Flyers' game that I think will be really cool. Here's the release I posted on the Delco Times Web site this afternoon:

Hey hockey fans - yes, there still is hockey in this town amidst all the World Series pandemonium. Even though it seems like eons since the Flyers last played, they are back on the ice tonight when they host the Boston Bruins at 7 p.m.

I have the pleasure of being the media member assigned the three star selection for tonight's game and I wanted to try something a little bit different.

I figured, why should I be the lone guy with an opinion on the game's three best players? Why not get some input from the people who are watching the game intently - you the fans.

So, I've devised an opportunity tonight for Flyers' fans to do something historic - for the first time in NHL history, I will offer the fans the opportunity to pick the stars. That's right, you get to help me make the selections.

Here's how it'll work. You will send me your picks at any point during the game up until there are 8 minutes remaining in the third period (which is when we have to submit the picks to the Wachovia Center press box staff). I will compile a running tally and make the selections based on your recommendations. Sounds easy enough, no?

Of course, sometimes in hockey, the three stars aren't that simple at the 12-minute mark of the third period, so I will also accept things like "winning goal" or "winning goalie" or the like as submissions.

There are three easy ways to send me your three star selections:

1. Post your selections as a comment on my blog here at delcotimes.com -- http://tinyurl.com/antblog

2. Send me a tweet on Twitter @anthonysan37

3. Leave a comment on my Facebook Page under my Three Stars post -- http://tinyurl.com/antface

I hope this will be a fun exercise for you all. Enjoy!

POST GAME 10-08-09, PENGUINS 5, FLYERS 4

anthonysan37@gmail.com (In The Room) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 03:01:00 +0000

You knew they weren't going to win all 82 games, right?

I know, I know, you just didn't want the first loss to come against the hated Penguins. Well, unfortunately it did, but when you hand Pittsburgh four of the five goals the way the Flyers did tonight, you really can't expect to win, can you?

We'll get into the game in a bit, including three stars and some tidbits and stats, but the most pressing issue postgame came from the Pittsburgh locker room.

That's where Pens' defenseman Kris Letang was accusing Scott Hartnell of biting him on the hand.

Didn't we go down this road two years ago in New Jersey when Travis Zajac accused Derian Hatcher of the same thing?

While I don't think Hatcher was guilty, I feel the jury has to remain out on Hartnell until we have more information.

Here's the transcripts of interviews with both Letang and Hartnell:

Kris Letang

What happened?

"My answer is going to be ask him. He knows what he did. Go ask Hartnell."

Does this anger you?

"It sets up the whole season. We have (five) more games to play against the and we know they’re about doing stupid things like that at the end of the game."

Has this ever happened before?

"It’s a first for me. I want to be ceratin you go ask him."

Does this surprise you?

“They try to intimidate us after the whistle with scrums and things like that, but our game isn’t playing after the whistle... We play a north-south game, and if they want to come after us after the whistle we’ve got to just walk away.”

Scott Hartnell

Did you bite him?

"He had his hands in my face, doing the face wash and we were rolling around. I can't say what happened."

Has anyone ever accused you of biting?

"No."

A further explanation?

"He went after Richards who was driving the net and I went after him obviously. A couple of other fights broke out and we were rolling around on the ice there."

So there was no biting?

"(Laughs) No. Well, there was no blood anyways."

Do you think the league will contact you about a suspension?

"No. I don't know what the rules are. I have no idea. We'll see what happens."

Does it surprise you that he was so adamant that you did it?

"I don't know what happened. I know he went to the bench and I saw Pronger with Kunitz so I jumped over there. I was out there for two minutes so I don't know what really happened."

You decide...

......................

Onto the game:

My Three Stars:

1. Marc-Andre Fleury - Yeah, he gave up four goals, but he was sensational early in the game and kept Pittsburgh in it. He finished with 30 saves and was truly the difference in the contest.

2. Danny Briere - Two goals and some good jump in the legs of Briere, who is poised to have a nice bounce back season. Yeah, he was a minus-1, but that's because he happened to be on the ice for two goals that were caused by turnovers by teammates. Not his fault.

3. Jeff Carter - Can't knock a guy who has a four point night - even if he was directly responsible for one of Pittsburgh's goals. Offensively, he was everywhere - his line with Briere and Hartnell has been a really good combination thus far.

DID YOU KNOW:

-Despite their first loss of the season, both Jeff (2G,2A) and Mike Richards (2A) extended their scoring streak to four straight games… Carter now has seven points (4G,3A) in his streak, while Richards also has seven points (5G,2A).

-The last time Carter posted four points in one night was April 3, 2009 vs. Toronto (3G,1A).

-Danny Briere had two goals in tonight’s game, marking his first multi-goal game since March 20, 2009 vs. Buffalo… Briere’s two goals also give him 26 career points (9G,17A) in 29 career games against Pittsburgh… Briere’s first goal of the night was also his 100th point as a Flyer.

-The Flyers have scored 10 of their 17 goals on the season in the second period, and have outscored their opponent 10 to 5 in the second frame.

-Defenseman Matt Carle now has points in three straight games, recording seven points (1G,6A) in that span. His seven points lead all NHL defensemen.

-Defensemen Kimmo Timonen (1G,4A) and Chris Pronger (4A) also have recorded points in three straight games.

-The Flyers scored two of their four goals on the power play in tonight’s game, and have now gone 5-for-16 (31.3%) in the last two contests.

That's all the good news. Now how about this?

-Sidney Crosby won 21-of-24 faceoffs (88 percent) mostly abusing Richards (5-of-17, 29 percent).

-Simon Gagne, who has been very quiet in the first four games, lost the puck off hs stick on a breakaway.

-The Flyers are 10-20-4 against Pittsburgh since John Stevens took over as coach, his worst record against any other Eastern Conference foe.

-Crosby was held without a point against the Flyers for just the third time in 27 regular season games. In the other 24 games though, Crosby has 20 goals and 26 assists in 46 points.

...............................

Analysis: Too many turnovers. Too sloppy in their own end. Briere had it right. He said there are times when the Flyers are "brain dead" on the ice. They have a mental block against Pittsburgh and no matter how much they win during this regular season, they will still play second fiddle to the Pens until they find a way to beat them in the playoffs.

Off day for me tomorrow, but I'll be back with more on the Flyers Saturday when they host Joffrey Lupul, Luca Sbisa, Bobby Ryan and Anaheim. As a side note, it'll be the first game here for Ryan, a native of Cherry Hill, NJ.

POSTGAME 10-6-09: FLYERS 6, CAPITALS 5 (OT)

anthonysan37@gmail.com (In The Room) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 02:58:00 +0000

Did you catch your breath yet?

Wow. That was some hockey eye candy folks. It wasn't the most disciplined game. It drives coaches nuts. But it certainly was a beaut to watch - even for a stodgy purist like me.

There's a lot to get to, so let's jump right in, shall we?

MY THREE STARS:

1. Mike Richards - when the captain gets up for a game, there are few better. You can see why, in games like this, he gets compared to Bobby Clarke. He played with a mean streak. He played with offensive precision. He scored three goals and was the best player on the ice.

2. Matt Carle - I've been saying it since Day 1 of camp and I'm gonna keep trumpeting it all season long - Carle is going to have a huge year for the Flyers. I'm thinking 50 points plus. He is so much more confident playing with Pronger that he's becoming a star in his own right. Four assists tonight. Team USA please take notice.

3. Alex Ovechkin - The guys is the best player in the game. I will argue this point with anyone. He can do so much that guys like Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby can't. They're great players too, but Ovechkin is otherworldly.

DID YOU KNOW:

This is the 10th time in Flyers history that the team has started the season with a 3-0-0 record and first time since 1998-99. Of the previous nine times, the Flyers have improved their record to 4-0-0, seven times.

The Flyers also improved their home opening record to 24-12-5-1 (shootout loss)

Matt Carle's four assists in the second period of tonight's game is a new Flyers record for most assists in a period by a defenseman. It also ties an NHL record for most assists in one period by a defenseman. The last time a defenseman recorded four assists in one period was: Rob Blake, 2nd period, Los Angeles vs. Calgary on Jan. 29, 1998.

Carle’s four assists in a game are also a new career high… He now has six points (1G,5A) in his last two games

Mike Richards became the Flyers player to record a hat trick in a Flyers home-opener… Tonight was also Mike Richards’ second career hat trick. The first came on Feb. 8, 2008 vs. NY Islanders.

With his assist on Scott Hartnell’s goal in the third period, Kimmo Timonen recorded his 300th assist in the NHL.

The Comcast-Spectacor ice crew removed 492 hats and 104 T-shirts that were tossed onto the ice following Mike Richards hat trick at the Wachovia Center tonight.

.........................

IN OTHER NEWS:

Blair Betts' injury is a big one. Don't be fooled by the fact that he is a minimum salary player on the fourth line. He's the best faceoff guy on the team. He's one of the best penalty killers. A dislocated shoulder is a tricky injury. Paul Holmgren said "at least" four weeks. If we see Betts before Thanksgiving, I'll be impressed.

James van Riemsdyk's situation is a bit more cloudy, but then again, aren't they always when it comes to head injuries and the Flyers? He's day-to-day. He'll be re-evaluated. Homer is saying "bell rung." I'm saying uh-oh. My biggest problem though isn't the veil of secrecy - it is, after all, just a precaution - but rather, the macho test the Flyers seem to try with all of their young players after injuries.
THey sent van Riemsdyk back out on the ice at the start of the third period. He took two shifts and realy didn't feel right. If he had his "bell rung" why the hell put him out there at all? Just keep him in the locker room. It's the third game of the season for Pete's sake.

They did this in 2005 when Jeff Carter was a rookie and half of his ear was sliced off. They sent him back out with a huge bandage on his head. He had just lost a ton of blood and had his ear sewed back on. But, they wanted to see if he could tough it out - you know - be a hockey player.

Sometimes, you need to know when to draw the line. You'd think, with the history here they would be more cautious. As well run as this organization is from top to bottom, it's the one thing I'll never understand about it.

POST GAME 10-3-09: FLYERS 5, DEVILS 2

anthonysan37@gmail.com (In The Room) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 02:37:00 +0000

This win was even more impressive than last night's. I'll give you some analysis in a minute, but I want to let you know - don't miss the transcription of the Ian Laperriere interview below - it's pretty hysterical.

O.K.... onto the game.

The Flyers came into a New Jersey arena and looked composed, poised, confident, you pick the adjective. It was evident early on that this wasn't going to be your typical Flyers-Devils game up here.

While the 9-35-9 record in New Jersey the past 19 years is a bit daunting, this group of Flyers was hell bent on slapping history in the face.

From the opening draw to the final horn, the Flyers were the better team. They won more puck battles, they controlled possession, they pressured the Devils defense and they did something they almost never do - they wore out Marty Brodeur.

My three stars were:

1. Ray Emery - He was superb in the first two periods, stifling the Devils and allowing his team to build a four-goal lead.

2. Matt Carle - He's so much more active n the offense now that he's paired with Chris Pronger. I really expect a big season from him.

3. Laperriere - The guy just exudes character and grit. He will be a fan favorite in no time - great personality too.

DID YOU SEE:

- Laperriere actually got things rolling early in the first period with a great play in the corner that led to a hooking penalty on Johnny Oduya. The Flyers didn't score on the ensuing power play, but the hard work certainly set a tempo in the game.

- Kimmo Timonen made a nice sliding stop to break up a 3-on-2 early in the game with the score still tied. It's one of those little things that get overlooked in a game with seven goals, but it kept momentum from swinging right away.

- The Flyers penalty kill held the Devils to just one shot on goal during a full 2-minute 5-on-3. Chris Pronger spearheaded the effort with great work down low while Blair Betts and MIke Richards were pests at the top of the triangle.

- Credit Paul Martin with a great defensive play to thwart Claude Giroux's breakaway chance in the closing seconds of the first period.

- Ray Emery got a delay of game penalty for playing the puck outside of the trapezoid. That's one of those weird sounding penalties that makes me chuckle a little bit. Anyway, Emery didn't have to deal with that rule in Russia last season, wonder if he had a small brain cramp there.

- Laperriere almost scored a second goal in the second period on a redirection. Only thing is he tipped it wide of the net.

- Early in the third period, with New Jersey really pressing, both Danny Syvret and James van Riemsdyk turned the puck over at the point to the Devils. Van Riemsdyk addressed that afterward. "I made a couple bonehead plays that I need to eliminate, but I felt more comfortable out there tonight," he said. The second bonehead play as coming off the bench too quickly to play the puck leading to a bench minor for too many men on the ice and the subsequent Devils' first goal.

- It took the Flyers 82 games to allow a shorthanded goal in 2008-09, but just two games befoe they allowed one in 2009-10.

- Pronger, Matt Carle, van Riemsdyk, and Claude Giroux were each plus-3. Oduya was a game-worst minus-3.

- The Flyers really rolled their four lines. The fewest minutes of any player was Daniel Carcillo who logged 11:06. That's good balance and fine coaching on Stevens' part to make it work out so evenly.

...................

O.K.... now for Laperriere. Combined with Pronger, the Flyers added two of the best interviews in the NHL. Here are some snippets from Lappy:

Q: Are you supposed to score goals:

IL: Once in a while I guess. It always feels good to help the team that way.

Q: It was a tough angle, no?

IL: If I don't know where it's going, then I don't think Marty does either. I just tried to put it on net and hope good things happen.

Q: You ever scored on Marty before?

IL: I did, yeah. I've been playing a long time. I'm not a goal scorer, but the odds are firmly in my favor. It's not really my job to score but if I can chip in once in a while, then it's good.

Q: Talk about Emery keeping the Devils off the scoreboard when it was 1-0 or 2-0.

IL: Yeah, he made a sick save there when it was 2-0. It was the play of the game. When you see a goalie making saves like that you get momentum and everybody has a little boost on the bench.

Q: Looking forward to the day off tomorrow after winning the first two games?

IL: I don;t know. Is that what they do? I don't know. I'm the new guy so I'm just going to go with the flow and see what goes on tomorrow.

Q: You hear a lot about being the team to beat. What does it mean to start the season 2-0?

IL: It's a long season. Hockey News came out with that a lot of people came out with that, but it's a marathon. We have to take it game-by-game and stretch by stretch. We'll have some ups and we'll have some downs, we just have to come out on top at the end of the season.

Q: Do you like getting an identity as a tenacious penalty killer?

IL: I made a career doing that. (Blair) Betts made a career doing that. They didn't bring us here to score goals obviously. We welcome the challenge.

Q: Does it take a while to learn the rivalries after being used to the ones out West?

IL: I don't know. I'm not mad at anybody yet. Give me a couple games and I'll get mad at someone. Out west I had my rivals. All these guys are new to me. I need to look at the stats sheets and see who they are. I am sure they are doing the same thing for me. When you play against these guys a couple times and you get a couple cheap shots here and there you remember them. It's only Game 2. Trust me, I'll find my rivals.

Q: In time for the playoffs?

IL: Maybe a little earlier.

Q: Van Riemsdyk said the goal was all you despite his pass.

IL: I don't know. This kid is sick. You don't get drafted second overall for no reason. I didn't know who he was, but he's doing things veterans would do out there. It's nice to see a kid with that much poise, especially on your team.

...............................

Hey, somehow there are still 500 tickets remaining for Tuesday's opener. Come on people, you have to get there to see this team. Besides, they're playing Washington. Alex Ovechkin is worth the price of admission alone and you get to welcome back Mike Knuble to boot.

................................

Off day for the Flyers tomorrow, so it'll be an off day for the blog too.. but look for much more come Monday, especially on the early success of the fourth line and a preview into the Caps and Pens coming up this week.

POST GAME 10-2-09: FLYERS 2, HURRICANES 0

anthonysan37@gmail.com (In The Room) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 02:32:00 +0000

A good win for the Flyers to start the season. They were an aggressive team for the entire game, were constantly on the puck, won their share of battles on the wall and dominated special teams play.

My three stars were:

1. Chris Pronger - He was a beast. He logged nearly 28 minutes, was the defensive catalyst for all eight penalty kills and controls everything on the ice. He is constantly communicating with teammates, directing traffic and being the leader this organization lacked a season ago. Yeah, he's that good.

2. Ray Emery - He got lucky at times, but hey, a shutout is a shutout, and he did make 28 saves. Nice start to his Flyers career.

3. Jeff Carter - He scored the first goal and should have had at least two more. He was always around the net with the puck. Playing with Danny Briere could help him reach 50 goals this season.

.............................

DID YOU SEE:

- Blair Betts won his first faceoff against Stephane Yelle? Actually, he took 16 draws, third most on the team, and was credited with nine wins for 56 percent. That's a good number, but the hometown stat folks here in the south don't know how to really register a faceoff win. By my count he was 11-5, which would have been even better.

- Mika Pyorala started the game on the second power play unit with Mike Richards and Simon Gagne, but after that first shift was replaced by James van Riemsdyk. JVR actually registered his first NHL point getting the second assist on Richards' goal, but other than that his time was limited. He played just 8:59 in the game which was only ahead of Daniel Carcillo (7:06) and Danny Syvret (5:26). His minutes need to be better than that if he's going to stay with the big club, otherwise he'll be headed to Adirondack. Pyorala finished with 12:48 of ice time.

- We are always quick to lambaste refs, but good call by Chris Lee on the hand pass by Andrew Alberts that ended up negating a goal by Eric Staal. It could have swung momentum in favor of Carolina with the score 0-0 at the time.

- Rod Brind'Amour looked awful. He could have single-handedly won the game for Carolina, and instead, single-handedly blew it. He missed two wide open nets and missed badly. Sergei Samsonov wasn't much better. He missed an open net too and fumbled another one-time attempt that could have caught Emery out of position.

.........................

The official update on the alternate captain rotation is as follows: Chris Pronger and Jeff Carter will wear the "A" on the road while Simon Gagne and Kimmo Timonen will don the letter at home. After 40 games, they will switch.
Meanwhile, Danny Briere is the supersub alternate, getting to wear the A in an injury situation. Combined, the five players along with captain Mike Richards make up John Stevens' leadership group.

..........................

One last item of note: - This is just the fourth time in Flyers' history that they have opened the regular season with back-to-back games. The last time this occurred was in 1994-95 (Jan. 21-22)

Years

1970-71: Oct. 10-11

1989-90: Oct. 5-6

1994-95: Jan. 21-22

2009-10: Oct. 2-3
...........................

Coming tomorrow on Delcotimes.com - A full recap of the win plus a notebook with a focus on Riley Cote's role with the Flyers plus more anecdotes from the first day of the 2009-10 season.

SYVRET, BETTS AND PROBLEMS IN NET

anthonysan37@gmail.com (In The Room) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 02:07:00 +0000

Danny Syvret took a hard hit into the boards from New Jersey's Rod Pelley in the third period and ended up making a face plant into the dasher.

He looked shaken up, but it wasn't anything incredibly severe - he is a hockey player after all.

Syvret chipped a tooth and had a few more shake loose because he has a bridge that got jammed against the boards.

He was slow to his feet, but didn't miss a shift and remained in the contest. Of course, when you are fighting for an NHL job, you do whatever you must.

.......................

Blair Betts had another solid performance for the Flyers, but again went a day without hearing from Paul Holmgren or his agent.

He knows nothing more about his stake with the team now than he did when he first got here, but you would think he'd have some optimism considering the Randy Jones news today, no?

"That's the first I'm hearing of it," he said after the game, oblivious to the Flyers decision to waive Jones.

Regardless. It says here Betts has a roster spot.

.........................

If Brian Boucher's injury is one that is likely to make him miss the start of the season, and considering the gathering of the Flyers brain trust outside the locker room afterwards - Holmgren, John Stevens and assistant general manager and capologist Barry Hanrahan - it seems that could be a scenario - the Flyers will likely have to call on Johan Backlund to back up Ray Emery when the season kicks off Friday in Carolina.

That's certainy not how the Flyers envisioned starting the season, but it could be the only hand they'll be dealt, so they'll have to endure it.

If Boucher's injury is one that is of the 2-4 week variety, expect Emery to get a lot, if not all of the time.

.........................

By the way, James van Riemsdyk was the forward who failed to pick up Dainus Zubrus swooping into the left circle for the only goal of the game. Replays showed he was caught watching the play and not covering his zone. Typical for a 20-year old.

..............................

Oh yeah, Peter Forsberg scored the overtime winner and set up the other goal Saturday as his hometown team Modo edged Djurgarden 2-1 in the Swedish Elite League.

It was the second goal in as many games this week for the 36-year-old, who is embarking on another comeback attempt following multiple foot surgeries with the aim of returning to the NHL.

Don't know why I'm telling you this other than to get you all riled up. Or am I?

FLYERS TO PLAY FOOTSIE?

anthonysan37@gmail.com (In The Room) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 22:25:00 +0000

Actually, I don't want to give anyone heart palpitations, so I won't even kid.

Word out of Sweden this week is that Peter Forsberg is attempting another NHL comeback and that he plans on signing with someone this week.

Just so you know, the Flyers are not interested. As fun as it would be for us to have Peter back in the locker room, the Flyers aren't interested in any more drama and have told him no thanks.

Where will he end up? Good question. Not a lot of teams with cap room. I also hear Colorado doesn't want him back. Curious to see where he ends up. Maybe he goes to a weaker team, plays well and forces a trade to a Cup contender by March.

Therefore, maybe we haven't heard the last of Forsberg in Philly.

......................

Talked to Jason Ward for a bit today about innocuous stuff and I got to tell ya, I really like the guy. I wish he had a real chance to make this team because he's certainly a very affable fellow.

No doubt though that he might be a call up if the team suddenly gets bitten by their old friend the injury bug.

.......................

I hear Ray Emery has a second "special" mask that he plans to unfurl for the Winter Classic that will pay homage to Flyers' goaltenders of the past. I'll keep you posted on that minor development.

.......................

Finally, a personal word on Randy Jones. Just in case I don't get a chance to write this and he gets shipped off to another team.

Randy has been one of the really good people in the locker room for the past five years. I got to know him for the first time when he was a defenseman on the Phantoms when they won the Calder Cup in 2005.

He was always accessible, always a stand-up guy and always made time to talk.

I've certainly given him his share of grief in that time for mistakes or sloppy play, and he just rolled with it as part of the job.

I wish him well wherever he ends up. He certainly respects the sport and all of the trimmings that go with it.

BET ON BETTS... OTHER NOTES FROM THURSDAY'S GAME

anthonysan37@gmail.com (In The Room) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 02:50:00 +0000

Blair Betts said he's tired of talking to his agent.

Seriously.

Those were the words that escaped his lips when we continued to pester him about the probability of signing a contract with the Flyers.

He said he just wants to have Paul Holmgren call him into the office and give him the good news.

“To be honest with you, I really don’t know," Betts said. "We haven’t heard much from the management or coaching staff. There are only a couple games left, so we’re going to find out sooner rather than later what’s going on. I just have to concentrate on hopefully being in the lineup the next couple of games and getting the opportunity to try and make the team.”

Holmgren said he reached out to Betts' agent and told him they would talk numbers this weekend.

Expect Betts to sign Saturday.

Betts made $615,000 last season with the New York Rangers and will likely command a similar salary this season from the Flyers - likely a small raise to $650,000.

In case you forgot... and it's likely you did... Betts scored the game-winning shorthanded goal against the Flyers last season in the final game that cost the Flyers home-ice advantage in the first round.

Not that that has anything to do with him signing a contract, just thought I'd open an old wound.

............................

Ole-Kristian Tollefsen is a goooooooood guy (bonus points for getting the reference) but he didn't have a great game. He needs some more time. He will be evaluated more in the final two preseason games. Still think he has the edge over Danny Syvret, but he needs to show it.

..........................

Kudos to Dan Carcillo for a powerful roundhouse right to the chops of Mark Fraser that ended their brief fracas. Carcillo, if he can avoid the dumb penalties, could leave Riley Cote looking for a job because he has a superior skill set.

..........................

As well as Emery played tonight, he did have a couple shots blow past him and hit the post. Actually, both shots came seconds apart. Sometimes though, goalies who play well positionally, get those breaks. Give Emery the benefit of the doubt.

..........................

Anybody else notice Danny Briere has been the most productive offensive player this preseason?

Here's another prediction - Briere has his best season as a Flyer?

GAGNE HEALTHY, ALSO A BATTLE FOR LAST D SPOT

anthonysan37@gmail.com (In The Room) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 02:12:00 +0000

Simon Gagne tested both his surgically repaired hip and his strained groin for the first time in game action Tuesday, and although he was certainly a bit rusty, he emerged feeling good physically.

"For a first game I'm pretty happy," he said. "The first one is a pretty tough one when you haven't played physical hockey in a long time. So, to go out there and play and be able to make some plays, take some hits and play at the NHL speed, I'm pretty happy."

Gagne told me afterward that his plan is to play in each of the remaining three preseason games.

"I can't expect to be able to start the season like that," he said snapping his fingers. "I need to get up to speed. I talked about it with Johnny (Stevens) and he thinks the same way. I'll play in all of them and then be ready to go for the opening game."

.....................

My stories in the Wednesday, Sept. 23 paper (and on delcotimes.com) focus on the battle brewing between James van Riemsdyk and MIka Pyorala for what is perceived to be the last roster spot.

But, on a smaller scale, there is a competition for the seventh defenseman, a position that usually will end up as a healthy scratch - barring injury.

This job also seems down to two players - Ole Kristian Tollefsen, who the Flyers signed late in the summer as a free agent after four seasons in Columbus, and Danny Syvret, who had a stellar season for the Phantoms in 2008-09 and even drank a cup of coffee with the big club.

Tollefsen hasn't had much of a chance to play after losing a tooth and requiring two other root canal surgeries after being hit in the mouth by a Mike Richards shot during practice last week ("He's a nice captain to welcome me to town that way, eh," OKT joked Monday) while Syvret has seen action, including in Tuesday's 5-2 win over Detroit.

Yet, I still think Tollefsen has the edge - he has more NHL experience, and he is a physical player, which fits the mold of what the Flyers want to portray this season.

Stevens also said prospect Oskars Bartulis has climbed up the depth chart and is likely the next guy behind those two.

.....................

Speaking of Pyorala, he told a few of us after the game that he trained in the summer with three former Flyers - Janni Niinimaa, Joni Pitkanen and Lasse Kukkonen, all of whom were from his same hometown - Oulu, Finland.

He said they all spoke highly of the Flyers organization, which was one of the reasons he chose to sign in Philadelphia.

.......................

Prediction time! I'll stick my neck out. Here's your opening night Flyers roster:

(they'll carry one extra forward and one extra defenseman)

Goalies (2) Ray Emery, Brian Boucher

Defense (7) Chris Pronger, Matt Carle, Kimmo Timonen, Braydon Coburn, Randy Jones, Ryan Parent, Ole-Kristian Tollefsen.

Forwards (13) Simon Gagne, Mike Richards, Claude Giroux, Scott Hartnell, Jeff Carter, Danny Briere, Mika Pyorala, Darroll Powe, Ian Laperriere, Daniel Carcillo, Blair Betts, Arron Asham, Riley Cote.

Agree?

RANDOM THOUGHTS AFTER FLYERS PRESEASON OPENER

anthonysan37@gmail.com (In The Room) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:19:00 +0000

O.K. so the Flyers lost to the Detroit Red Wings 3-1 in the first exhibition game last night.

What does this mean?

It means they can't win in Joe Louis Arena even when the games don't really count!

I jest, but it has been since the Reagan administration since they won a game there (11/4/88).

No, the loss means absolutely nothing.

But, the way certain players played means a lot.

Here's what I gleaned this morning after talking to some people who were in Detroit for the game (I wasn't by the way).

-Blair Betts is going to make this team as a depth center. Whether it's on the third or fourth line remains to be seen, but he's a good faceoff guy, and excellent penalty killer, and a classic mucker and grinder - which you all know the Flyers love. He was paired with Ian Laperriere on the top PK unit. Of course, Mike Richards and Simon Gagne were in the press box watching the game rather than playing in it, but methinks guys like Betts and Laperriere will make life easier on those two on the PK.

-James van Riemsdyk is being given every chance to make this team out of camp. I'm not saying that because he scored the only goal for the Flyers, but the fact is, they want to see what he can do playing with high-skill guys against other high-skill guys in game situations. From what I'm told the goal wasn't anything pretty, and maybe even should have been stopped by Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard, and van Riemsdyk did have a couple of other moments where he looked every bit the 20-year-old rookie and not a budding superstar. While he will garner serious consideration, I still think he starts the year in the AHL with the Adirondack Phantoms (that's just as weird to type as it is to say, believe me) but makes it to the big club by the Holidays.

-Chris Pronger logged 26 minutes of ice time. How's that for a first day with a new team? If there was still any doubt that he was going to be the go-to hammer on the blue line, that should settle it. I know Kimmo Timonen sat out the game, but expect Pronger to be right around 25 minutes every night.

-The Flyers remained undisciplined, giving Detroit 7 power play opportunities. They held Detroit off the scoreboard with the man advantage, but bear in mind the Wings didn't have all of their bullets. If there's one thing the Flyers should have learned from last year it's this: too many penalties wear you out. No matter how good the penalty killers are, they're skating through pudding in the third period if they've had to spend 12-15 minutes killing penalties. These Flyers need to learn how to draw the line of discipline.

-Ray Emery was sharp, stopping 23 of 25 shots in the first two periods and especially looked good when the team was shorthanded. Brian Boucher had a decent third period, stopping nine of the 10 shots he faced. I know it's only one exhibition game, but I'm starting to get the sense, after talking to Emery and getting a glimpse into his outlook for the season, that the Flyers goaltending situation will finally be settled. Of course, it could blow up if any of Razor's past demons reappear, but he seems hell-bent on that not happening this time around. Good for him and likewise, good for the Flyers.

-Finns Mika Pyorala and Joonas Lehtivuori got a long look last night, and from the accounts I was able to glean, both played well. The Flyers like both players and think they have NHL futures. Right now I think Pyorala, who is a more mature 28-year old, has a better than average chance of cracking the Flyers roster out of camp. Lehtivuori will likely be the top call-up from the Phantoms in case of injury and is probably No. 8 on the defensive depth chart right now.

FLYERS CAMP UPDATE

anthonysan37@gmail.com (In The Room) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:15:00 +0000

The Flyers split their camp in half today and had a pair of two-period scrimmages.

Some highlights:

-Jeff Carter scored two goals in the opener.
-Johan Backlund was shaky, allowing five goals.
-Once again, Mika Pyorala made an impression with fine-two way play skating mostly along side Carter and Scott Hartnell. Pyorala probably has passed Patrick Maroon on the depth chart (Maroon also skated on Carter's line) and has a real legit shot of making the final roster now.
-David Laliberte had a nice goal in the second scrimmage, which proved to be the game-winner as Ray Emery pitched a shutout in goal.
-Even though they didn't score, coach John Stevens was impressed with the line of Claude Giroux centering Danny Briere and James Van Riemsdyk. Look for that line to get a look in at least one of the upcoming exhibition games.
-Riley Cote buried defensemen Brennan Yadlowski - who is in camp on an amateur tryout contract - with a brutal check in the second game. Yadlowski had to be helped off the ice and was evaluated by team trainers. He seemed o.k. afterwards. Cote said he felt sorry he hit the kid so hard.
-Simon Gagne played in the scrimmage, but don't expect him in the lineup right away during the preseason. A team source said the plan is for Gagne to skip the first two preseason games, but to play in Toronto Saturday.
-At the end of the second scrimmage, Van Riemsdyk had a phenomenal breakaway goal that beat Emery during a shootout drill. The crowd ooohhed and aaahhhed at the goal and deservedly so. Van Riemsdyk told me after the scrimmage he intends on making the team out of camp. I still think he'll follow Giroux's path instead - half season with the Phantoms, then get the call up.
-Stevens can't stop talking about the Finns in camp. We know he's high on Pyorala, but he's also been pumping up defenseman Joonas Lehtivouri. Methinks he's shooting up the depth chart as well, but probably falls just short of making the team.
-As for who is going on the trip for the 3 exhibition games this week, the Flyers are taking 35 players. I'll provide the list in a minute, but John Stevens said there are a handful of other guys not going who would still get consideration for the final roster. That said, I think your 2009-2010 Flyers roster comes from this within this list:

Goalies: Ray Emery, Brian Boucher, Johann Backlund.

Defensemen: Chris Pronger, Matt Carle, Kimmo Timonen, Braydon Coburn, Ryan Parent, Randy Jones, Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, Danny Syvret, Oskars Bartulis, Joonas Lehtivouri, Logan Stephenson.

Forwards: Mike Richards, Simon Gagne, Jeff Carter, Scott Hartnell, Danny Briere, Claude Giroux, Darroll Powe, Ian Laperriere, Daniel Carcillo, Blair Betts, Arron Asham, Riley Cote, Mark Bell, Andreas Nodl, Jonathon Kalinski, Krys Kolanos, Jared Ross, Matt Clackson, David Laliberte.

Look for more on the Flyers in tomorrow's print edition of the Daily Times or on Delcotimes.com

FLYERS ADD TWO TO TRAINING CAMP ROSTER

anthonysan37@gmail.com (In The Room) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:21:00 +0000

The Flyers announced today that they added two forwards to their training camp roster, one which may prove to be interesting.

Joining camp on tryout contracts will be lefty centers Blair Betts and Adrian Foster.

Betts, 29, spent the last four seasons as a grind-it-out forward with the New York Rangers.

Another fourth line role player type (as if there aren't a lot of those in camp already) Betts does bring a solid defensive presence to the forward position, and has the tools to beat someone out for a job if he applies himself.

Foster, 26, was a first round pick of the New Jersey Devils in 2001, but never panned out, spending six years mired in the AHL before playing in Austria in 2008-09, where he finally started to show some promise, amassing 43 points in 52 games.

Considering the Flyers seem to be lacking the same kind of quality depth at forward as they had a season ago, there could be opportunities for the likes of these players - especially Betts with all his NHL experience - to have a shot at making the team.

Training camp officially opens Saturday and I'll be there. Rookie camp is already under way. Hockey season is back upon us already. Where did the summer go?

FLYERS TO SIGN TOLLEFSEN?

anthonysan37@gmail.com (In The Room) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 04:31:00 +0000

Hey all... hope you are enjoying your summer.

I know I've been away for awhile, but I got some small Flyers news tonight.

I learned earlier tonight that defenseman Ole-Kristian Tollefsen will be in town Sunday for a physical and if he passes will be signed by the Flyers to a contract.

I was also told by a good team source that Tollefsen would be part of the NHL plans, and not as a defenseman for the Phantoms.

It's an interesting move, because the Flyers are also looking at veteran players like Petr Sykora and Miroslav Satan as possible additions to the roster and would have to clear some cap space before signing either one.

In order to do that, a defenseman could be on the move. If Tollefsen is brought in, will this FINALLY mark the end of the Randy Jones experiment?

That would create the room necessary for a veteran forward, especially since they'd be saving about $1.5 million going from Jones to Tollefsen.

But let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. Tollefsen has to pass the physical first, but according to someone I spoke to in Columbus, he was deemed healthy by the Cleveland clinic after a January knee injury ended his season.

Stay tuned.

FLYERS ACQUIRE PRONGER

anthonysan37@gmail.com (In The Room) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:06:00 +0000

The Flyers have abandoned the pursuit of Jay Bouwmeester. That's because they have traded for Chris Pronger.

According to a source, the Daily Times has learned the Flyers have acquired Pronger from the Anaheim Ducks.

The Flyers have sent Joffrey Lupul, Luca Sbisa and two first round picks to Anaheim in exchange for Pronger.

The two first round picks are the No. 21 pick this season and a 2010 first round pick.

The Flyers will also send Anaheim a conditional third round pick in either 2010 or 2011.

The Flyers also acquired AHL forward Ryan Dingle, 25, in the deal.

Pronger, 34, is considered one of the best defensemen in the sport, and was a key acquisition for the Ducks the season prior to winning the Stanley Cup in 2007.

Pronger played all 82 games for the Ducks last season and finished with 11 goals and 37 assists for 48 points.

He has one year remaining on his contract and is due $6.25 million.

FLYERS GOING AFTER PRONGER? (UPDATED)

anthonysan37@gmail.com (In The Room) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:55:00 +0000

According to a source at the NHL Draft, Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren has been in conversation with the Anaheim Ducks about the possibility of trading for defenseman Chris Pronger.

Pronger is certainly not first on the Flyers list - Jay Bouwmeester is - but it's looking more and more like Bouwmeester wants to play in the West where there is less pressure (might say a little something about the player, no?)

Anyway, Pronger will almost certainly become available if the Ducks get word from defenseman Scott Niedermayer that he is returning to play another season in Anaheim.

However, Niedermayer, who promised the Ducks a decision before the draft, has channeled his inner Brett Favre and is still fence sitting about coming back or retiring.

(UPDATE: Niedermayer has agreed to return for one more season and says he would like to re-sign with the Ducks).

The Flyers would have to part with a decent chunk of salary to pluck Pronger, who has one year left on his contract at $6.25 million.

The likely player heading the other way, in conjunction with other assets, is Joffrey Lupul, whom the Ducks begrudgingly parted with three seasons ago (along with Dustin Penner) to get Pronger from Edmonton.

The Flyers would probably also have to throw in a draft pick of some kind and possibly even a decent prospect from their system in exchange for Pronger.

This of course is all speculative at the moment, and other teams could be involved in the discussions as well, but it certainly is something the Flyers are working on in the final hours before the draft.

FLYERS TO INVADE FENWAY

anthonysan37@gmail.com (In The Room) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 01:49:00 +0000

Yes there has been a lot of speculation recently that the Flyers could be playing in the upcoming 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park against the Bruins.

I made a couple phone calls and exchanged a couple emails and I can now confirm that speculation is true.

The Flyers will square off with the Bruins on January 1, 2010 at Fenway Park.

It's an interesting story how it came to be that the Flyers were picked for this event.

The NHL was pushing the Washington Capitals. They wanted to market Alex Ovechkin.

NBC, the network broadcasting the game, said no dice.

They were concerned with the poor ratings the Caps' produced in the playoffs in an opening round series against the New York Rangers - the No. 1 U.S. market for the NHL.

So, they told the NHL to skip Washington and give them the Flyers... a more certain brand to market.

The NHL was stubborn for a while... mostly because the Flyers were more interested in a Jan. 1 date with Pittsburgh than Boston.

However, the NHL assured the Flyers that a future Flyers-Penguins outdoor game could still happen in a couple years.

The Flyers were satisfied and agreed to play.

The NHL then confirmed for NBC that the Flyers would in fact play.

No official announcement has come from the league or the Flyers, but sources have confirmed to me that this is the case.

Look for more in tomorrow's Daily Times.

ON THE PENS BANDWAGON

anthonysan37@gmail.com (In The Room) — Fri, 29 May 2009 16:57:00 +0000

Yep, that's it. I finally believe in Pittsburgh. They're a team of destiny. I can't deny it any longer.

They are catching all the breaks. Couple that with the fact they're playing very well and winning games, and I think it's inevitable.

Here's more on the Stanley Cup Finals with Detroit, but I still have to pick the Penguins in six games.

Sorry Flyers' fans.

CONFERENCE FINALS PICKS

anthonysan37@gmail.com (In The Room) — Sun, 17 May 2009 12:32:00 +0000

I'm going with a Stanley Cup Finals rematch.... from 2002.

Make it Detroit vs. Carolina.

For more details go here.

My record thus far:

First round 8-0.
Second Round 3-1.
Overall 11-1.

CROSBY COMPLAINING... AGAIN!

anthonysan37@gmail.com (In The Room) — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:38:00 +0000

Does the headline truly surprise anyone?

How about this gem that I plucked from Dan Steinberg's DC Sports Blog at the Washington Post:

If you're one of the best hockey players in the world, and you have a potentially undeserved reputation for excessive complaining, and you're asked what you were discussing with a game official following your rival's game-clinching playoff hat trick, you could potentially say, "Oh, it was nothing." Or, if you were feeling frisky, you could venture further afield.

"People kept throwing hats," Sidney Crosby said tonight. "I was just asking if he could make an announcement to ask them to stop. I mean, the first wave came and then I think they were all pretty much picked up, and then more started coming. So for us, we just wanted to make sure we kept kind of moving and kept the game going, wanted to try to get back in it. So I wasn't complaining about anything."

Ovechkin, the caps and their fans have a symbiotic relationship.

Except for in Pittsburgh and across Canada where he is a hockey deity, Crosby turns more and more fans off with his childish rants.

When will "the Kid" ever learn what it means to be the Face of the League?

Sad, really.

EMERY? REALLY?

anthonysan37@gmail.com (In The Room) — Mon, 04 May 2009 22:42:00 +0000

The rumors are true.

The Flyers are interested in the services of goalie Ray Emery. Yeah, the same guy who fights with his teammates, gets in trouble with the law because of road rage, and chased a team doctor down a hallway to beat him up.

He'd fit in real nice here. Yikes.

Paul Holmgren told CSNPhilly.com that Emery is one of the options the Flyers are considering in goal and was quoted as saying, "If he gets his head on straight he's a good goalie."

Fine, but my question is, why run that risk?

Marty Biron is far more reliable, and the two are probably on par talent-wise. The funny thing is, the Flyers said they wouldn't touch Sean Avery with a 10-foot pole, but his antics are far from as detrimental as Emery's have been to a locker room.

What's the difference?

I don't know.

I spoke to a source within the Flyers' organization today who said there is real interest, but they want to make sure Emery understands his disruptions will not be tolerated.

Also, contract talks would be interesting.

Emery made $2 million playing this year in Russia in the KHL. He will probably command at least that if he comes back. Of course, that's still $1.5 million cheaper than Biron, so the Flyers can save money there.

But, it's still a very big risk. One I wouldn't want to take.

...

In other news... Randy Jones will have another exploratory procedure in his right hip to see what's wrong now. His recovery time will depend on what's found and if anything needs to be repaired.

Also, Darroll Powe will rest his hip another 2-3 weeks before considering surgery.

Both players flew to Tennessee to meet with Dr. Thomas Byrd, noted hip specialist.

2ND ROUND PICKS

anthonysan37@gmail.com (In The Room) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:47:00 +0000

Due to a production error last night, my 2nd round picks didn't make the print edition of the paper.

I wanted to get them on the record before the games actually begun tonight, so here they are...

Carolina over Boston in 6
Washington over Pittsburgh in 6
Detroit over Anaheim in 6
Chicago over Vancouver in 7

For more details on why I made these picks (especially after I went an unprecendeted (for me at least) 8-0 in the first round, you can click here:

http://tinyurl.com/antandtim2.