Blair Betts Invited to Flyers Training Camp

As Phila.bright first reported from training camp today, former Rangers center Blair Betts officially was invited to the Flyers training camp.

This could mean the end to someone's Flyers career (Cote), could solve the need for a fourth-line center (either costing Ross a job, or moving one of him or Powe to wing), or it could just be a Bryan Berard invite. Time will tell.

over 2 years ago Geoff Detweiler 23 comments 0 recs |

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i like the move, if he makes the team the lines would look like:

richards with gagne and briere
carter with hartnell and giroux
betts with asham and carcillo
powe with laperierre and whoever looks best in training camp

i like those lines, i think they would work… i like laperierre but he cannot play on the same line with betts because there would be absolutely no offense from that line so i had to push him the fourth

by BringBackZubrus on Sep 8, 2009 4:41 PM EDT reply actions

I don’t think this is the same as Bryan Berard. Betts played 81 games last year, 75 in ‘07-08, and 82 games in ’06-07, and was in what’s called the best PK tandem in Rangers history with Fredrik Sjostrom last year. Betts isn’t washed up, didn’t “unintentionally” become the first NHL player to test positive for steroids, and doesn’t have only one working eye.

The reaction from Blueshirt Banter is only positive towards Betts, so that says something. With this big push to get guys who are effective penalty killers so that the top 6 can get some rest, this makes complete sense and I would be really surprised if Betts doesn’t come out of this with at least a one year contract.

by Ben Feldman on Sep 8, 2009 4:45 PM EDT reply actions

Fair

I should have said that differently. Blair Betts is not Bryan Berard. While it is possible that Betts isn’t even offered a contract by the Flyers – like Berard – it is much more likely that he makes the team and plays over 65 games with them.

And yes, Blueshirt Banter has a very similar reaction to losing Betts as Colorado did when they lost Lapperriere

Broad Street Hockey -
Makin' it look mean since 1967.

by Geoff Detweiler on Sep 8, 2009 5:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Heart, soul and selflessness are rare qualities – ones that Lappy and Bettsy both possess. You folks in Philly are lucky to get them both.

I have a blog too! www.scottyhockey.com
Let's Go Rangers!

by Scotty Hockey on Sep 9, 2009 12:47 AM EDT up reply actions

I hope so

Hopefully Betts makes the cut. I’ve heard nothing but good things about him. We can always use penalty killers around these parts.

Thanks for stopping by.

Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?

by mikefive on Sep 9, 2009 9:27 AM EDT up reply actions

Powe goes before Cote.

by MarioD on Sep 8, 2009 4:45 PM EDT reply actions

if powe goes then we do not have a fourth line center since ross is still not under contract

by BringBackZubrus on Sep 8, 2009 4:50 PM EDT up reply actions

He does what was expected to be Powe’s job, kill penalties and center a non-scoring line. He’s not going to replace a guy who does a completely different job than he does.

by MarioD on Sep 8, 2009 4:55 PM EDT up reply actions

And Kalinski is under contract, and would be better as the 4th line center than Ross.

by MarioD on Sep 8, 2009 4:56 PM EDT up reply actions

CapGeek says they re-signed Ross for a year at $500k. Not sure why it hasn’t been announced officially, but CapGeek tends to be reliable.

by Ben Feldman on Sep 8, 2009 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions

It was announced somewhere

I simply can’t find where I originally read it…

Broad Street Hockey -
Makin' it look mean since 1967.

by Geoff Detweiler on Sep 8, 2009 5:15 PM EDT up reply actions

I love this move. Betts might be exactly what the Flyers are looking for.

He was one of the Rangers most consitent faceoff men with at 52.3% (1186 faceoffs taken). He was an effective penalty killer and blocked 98 shots last year. He is a work horse and has no injury history. And, this could take a lot of pressure off of Richards and Carter to kill penalties if Betts can log a ton of shorthanded minutes.
This could be a really underrated move that might just be one of the missing puzzle piece for this team.

Plus, I remember hating him when we played against the Rangers last year. That is always a good indicator right?

by Mitchell Green on Sep 8, 2009 5:07 PM EDT reply actions

Where did you get those numbers?

Because I’m seeing him at 49.3% last year in faceoffs, with 51 blocked shots and 93 hits.

Broad Street Hockey -
Makin' it look mean since 1967.

by Geoff Detweiler on Sep 8, 2009 5:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Way to poach his numbers from three years ago without mentioning what you’re doing.

His actual stats are:

2008: 49.3% (884 FO, 81 GP)
2007: 50.3% (771 FO, 75 GP)
2006: 52.3% (1186 FO, 82 GP)
2005: 53.4% (817 FO, 66 GP)
2003: 54% (~200 FO, 20 GP)

by MarioD on Sep 8, 2009 6:04 PM EDT up reply actions

... Betts

The competion at camp this year is going to intense with Betts, Bell, JVR, Nodl, Kalinski, Powe. There’s only room for 2 assuming Cote is gone. Bell was a 40+ points guy and nasty to play against before he derailed himself. Betts would be a good pickup if he comes at the right price. Madden $2.75 this year…Malhotra $1.5 last year…Betts $615K, I’m sure he’ll get a raise after NYR had the best PK

by Crosby sucks on Sep 8, 2009 9:50 PM EDT reply actions

STOP TALKING ABOUT JVR AS A FLYER.

by MarioD on Sep 8, 2009 10:04 PM EDT up reply actions

dude

jvr is our future .. a good camp and hes on the second line

by jack is better than asante on Sep 8, 2009 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions

ha ha ha

by MarioD on Sep 8, 2009 10:57 PM EDT up reply actions

See, it’s funny because the people who claim JVR is going to win the calder this season are going to be the same people who in December would be screaming to trade him because he’s a bum.

Regardless that, the simple fact is that JVR’s NHL salary would be $1.6 million this season. The Flyers are not going to pay him that much money to learn how to be a professional.

by MarioD on Sep 8, 2009 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Right now, JvR’s not our future: Claude Giroux is. Patrick Maroon is. Kevin Marshall is. Marc-Andre Bourdon is. Joacim Eriksson or Nic Riopel may be. Next year we hopefully will be including JvR on that list. Perhaps next month, or in a few months, we’ll be saying different things. But we haven’t seen anything from JvR yet, and just because he has a high price tag and a big #2 sticker on his forehead doesn’t mean we have to give him a spot on the Flyers so he can not do well instead of giving him more time with the Phantoms to develop properly. I’d love to be proven dead wrong by JvR — that’d be great for this organization — but I’m not holding my breath right now.

I’m more excited about Maroon going into this season than I am about JvR. Everybody, both inside and outside of the organization, says Maroon is progressing exceptionally in a number of areas. His skating still needs some improvement, but unlike vision or soft hands (and he has some of the better hands of any NHL prospect), you can teach that. His conditioning and overall level of fitness have improved dramatically. He may be ready for the NHL, and he’s going to be given more than a fair shot to win a spot on the Flyers.

…Besides, we won’t have cap room for JvR anyway (unless you want to go around with $286,252 of space).

by Ben Feldman on Sep 8, 2009 11:34 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

I share this sentiment

I’ve been excited about Pat Maroon for months now. I have yet to hear a bad thing about him, as everything I’ve read says he’s improved every time they’ve seen him.

I thought he had a good shot to make the team out of training camp, but now I think he simply has a shot. The addition of Blair Betts goes a long way to making his road more difficult. If you pencil Betts in as the fourth-line center, Maroon will have to take a job from somebody (Asham, Cote, Powe, or Carcillo) but also prove worthy of being a third-line wing, since it’s unlikely he makes team only to play 5 minutes a game. It can be done, but it just makes his job that much more difficult.

Broad Street Hockey -
Makin' it look mean since 1967.

by Geoff Detweiler on Sep 9, 2009 11:23 AM EDT up reply actions

Keep JVR on the Phantoms this year – all year. He will need at least one full season of AHL seasoning before he can legitimately challenge for an NHL roster spot.
He was unimpressive in college hockey – he will not suddenly be a 2nd line phenom on this Flyers team – not with all the talent they’ll have in camp.

by SanDiegoScraps on Sep 9, 2009 2:53 PM EDT reply actions

what

you all talk shit on the guy . he was the second pick in the draft .. and what does he do hisr first rookie game..4 goals and an assist .. he is our future .. i love giroux .. but hes not a top line player .. JVR will be .. he is big and physical..hes going to be a better bill guerin

by jack is better than asante on Sep 13, 2009 3:02 AM EDT up reply actions