Friday Morning Fly By: Almost Gameday
by Geoff Detweiler on May 28, 2010 11:03 AM EDT
in Morning Fly By
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PrintToday's open discussion thread, complete with your daily dose of Philadelphia Flyers news and notes...
- The NHL announced their teams for the Winter Classic next year, and it will be Washington at Pittsburgh in Heinz Field. [Puck Daddy]
- But there will also be Montreal at Calgary sometime in February: [Hockey or Die]
- You love to hear this: "I can’t wait to wake up Saturday and get ready to play. It took me 12 years to get to this point and I’m sure the rest of the guys feel the same way." - Kimmo Timonen [DelcoTimes]
- A nice compilation of the different paths both teams took to get to the Finals: [Hockey or Die]
- Comparing Duncan Keith to a young Chris Pronger. [CSNPhilly]
- It never gets old remembering how the Flyers acquired Ville Leino: [SBNation]
- Really good articles on Patrick Sharp. Always a favorite. [CSNPhilly] [Daily News]
- Looking at the time Chris Pronger spent playing for Joel Quenneville in St. Louis: [From the Rink]
- It's worth clicking just to see the picture, but any Chris Pronger press is well deserved. [Daily News]
- Hey, did you know Michael Leighton was drafted by Chicago? [CSNPhilly]
- Ian Laperriere is a "heart and soul guy." Yeah, he is. [Inquirer]
- Brian Boucher says he's medically cleared to back up Leighton, but it's up to the coaches. [John Boruk]
- But goalie coach Jeff Reese deserves a lot of credit that he isn't exactly getting: [The700Level]
- Paul Holmgren feels vindicated, but he didn't ever need to. [Daily News]
- The much-hyped scoring depth is finally showing up in the playoffs. [CSNPhilly]
- So who has the better forwards, Chicago or Philadelphia? [Puck Daddy]
- A series of articles by the Daily News, comparing former Flyers to current ones. MacLeish to Richards; Barber on Carter; Schultz on Carcillo; Parent on Leighton; and Van Impe on Pronger.
- An interview with Second City Hockey: [From The Rink]
- Bill Clement enjoys working in the booth. We enjoy you too, Bill. [Daily News]
- The NHL released a new ad entitled "No Words". It's pretty good. [Puck Daddy]
- More quotes from Sami Kapanen regarding his retirement. [EuroFlyers]
- Only because he's been discussed around here, recapping Michal Neuvirth's season: [Japers' Rink]
- Patrick Thoresen has "a good feeling that things will work out with the Flyers within a few days." [EuroFlyers]
- The worst and weirdest no-movement clauses. [Bangin Panger]
- Great read on goalies and short-handed save percentage. [Brodeur is a Fraud]
- Lastly, the Flyers are one of "only three teams that consistently try to avoid selecting goaltenders early in the draft." [The Copper & Blue]
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Leave it to Bettman to take the one good thing he has created and overplay it (in terms of teams and adding a 2nd game). Ugh- I hate that guy.
"Game 7's are tough... It's a game that's made for men and our guys proved to be men today." -Laviolette
by PatterPoet95 on May 28, 2010 11:20 AM EDT up reply actions
It comes down to that he can really only use a small amount of teams. 6 Canadian teams, and maybe 10 US teams (Buff, Bos, NYI, NYR, Pitt, Phl, Was, Minn, Det, Col). so he really only can use 1/2 the league. Again, its still only a regular season game, and after witnessing all the concerns about the ice and what not, I’d rather the Flyers play on a normal rink then in some football or baseball stadium.
Pilgrim: Be gone pest, and give me the Bird
Yakko: We'd love to but the FOX censors wouldn't allow it
Not really true, he can only use half the league in terms of where they play… L.A. can play in a winter classic at Vancouver they just (probably) can’t ever host one. Though I do remember something about a game being played in a Vegas parking lot.
I, as a Flyers fan, don’t want to see them play in one for a little while because that is the big part of the draw for me as a hockey fan; it is a rare occurance. But doesn’t look like it will stay that way…
"Game 7's are tough... It's a game that's made for men and our guys proved to be men today." -Laviolette
by PatterPoet95 on May 28, 2010 11:37 AM EDT up reply actions
True, but I can’t see him using low market teams in it. Especially LA or Ann, because the Lakers usually play someone on new years. Same with Phoenix, or Dallas, or TB, they just have too low local/national ratings to put in a game like this. The NHL is a business, and their gonna try to make as much money as they possibly can from this.
Pilgrim: Be gone pest, and give me the Bird
Yakko: We'd love to but the FOX censors wouldn't allow it
LA is a much better market than Minn, especially for a once a year type event. Wild fans are Wild fans, they are gonna watch no matter what. The Kings have much more of a market across the US, a much younger and more exciting team, and is a much bigger market in general, so I don’t think your logic here really makes a lot of sense for excluding LA, especially while including the Wild. I would love the Wild to host, they just don’t draw nationally, LA would make much more sense financially.
I love the Kings (I use them in NHL 10) and would probably get a kings WC jersey. But the people that watch the Wild in Minn > people that watch the Kings in LA. And im not too sure about numbers here, but Im pretty sure Wild fans draw as much nationally and Kings fans. Im just going by the rules of business, the NHL is in no position to risk putting a lower market team in the winter classic. I’ll use the NBA example again, but you see every year for Christmas and New Years and Easter, they use the same teams (Lakers, Suns, Cavs, Nuggets, SA, Bos). They continue to use the same matchups because they work. Now im not saying that they wont play these teams, but I personally don’t think that the NHL will. If they do use sun belt teams, the options would most likely be Carolina or San Jose.
Pilgrim: Be gone pest, and give me the Bird
Yakko: We'd love to but the FOX censors wouldn't allow it
You are missing the point. This goes outside the scope of hockey fans, it’s a “event.” LA is a much more marketable city and team than the WIld, from a business stand point you are doing the incorrect thing if you were to include the Wild instead of the Kings. The Wild exist in a pretty isolated market and don’t have many familiar faces on their roster to market to the casual hockey/sports fan.
Trust me I get the business side of the NHL, you just seem to be miscalculating which team would be more marketable to a North American audience on the whole. To use your argument, casual interest for Kings >>>> casual interest for the Wild, regardless of casual hockey or casual sports fan.
I just dont understand how LA is a more marketable team. The Kings arent even #1 in terms of market share of hockey teams in the area (the ducks hold a better share locally and nationally). Yeah the city of LA has a huge market, but that doesnt mean that every person in LA will watch the Kings in the WC. Look at NY, will the rating be higher if the Rangers or Islanders are in the WC? Most people would say the rangers, because they have a vast majority of the market share in NY and have a strong following nationally. Now the kings dont have the market locally or nationally. Minn may not have the national following that some teams do, but at least the majority of the City will watch the game. The Kings are boom or bust, they can be a huge hit, or the ratings will flop. At least you can calculate what the rating will be if the Wild play in the game.
Pilgrim: Be gone pest, and give me the Bird
Yakko: We'd love to but the FOX censors wouldn't allow it
See Patter below, you are focusing in on regular games during the course of a season, which is incorrect for this analysis. And if you want to talk numbers, the whole state of Minnesota is around 5mil, and LA is almost 10mil, that doesn’t mean everyone is watching, but if Minnesota only really draws from it’s home area, you are starting with a much smaller #. But again, that’s not even my point, the point is this even is focused on the casual fan which LA will have a superior draw than Minnesota.
And are you serious how LA isn’t more marketable. Go down the lineup.
1. Brown, Johnson, and Quick: All members of the US Omlypic team, can draw on that. Johnson is a stud DMan that has plenty of exposure.
2. Kopitar: One of the games brightest offesnive young stars
3. Doughty: Norris Candidate, Young Star, Canada will watch him
4. Smyth, who is captain Canada already.
5. Handzus, I’ll tune in to where ever Zus is playing (joke but still, I know Flyers fans that will watch solely for him).
Okay now Minnesota:
1. Koivu and Backstrom: Okay 20 households in Finland just tuned in
2. Havlat: It’s not good when that’s your biggest star
3: burns: Kid is awesome but not even close to being any kind of a name
By names alone, LA is a much better team to build hype around to market for a SINGLE GAME EVENT. You are failing to realize this is a SINGLE GAME EVENT. Market share for meaningless home games is irrelevant in this example as they ar enot a point for comparison.
And you’re right you can calculate that the small audience in Minnesota that will turn on that game, the problem is, they already turn on every other Wild game, so you aren’t increasing your viewing audience from any other Wild game. There is a reason the Wild don’t get picked for national TV games, they don’t have the star power to be appealing on the national level.
There’s only one thing that scares me about LA being in a Winter Classic and that’s the Rose Bowl (and Parade) on New Year’s Day. I think, for all the reasons you mentioned, the Kings are a very marketable team and can be in a Winter Classic. But the Rose Bowl is a big deal out there, and if USC or UCLA are in a bowl game on NYD, that could also hurt ratings. The latter is just one of the risks you take when picking teams far in advance, but the whole Rose Bowl thing would be an interesting battle for viewership in LA.
"I did my walk of shame this morning and everyone was so much nicer," she said. "People were inviting me to parties at 9 a.m."
But my main point is, this whole thing is to draw from people outside of the cities the team is playing in. With that respect, LA is a team more familiar to the casual fan and has the players that will garner more attention from the casual fan than the Wild. So nationally (not locally in LA) you will get more of a draw, and that’s the point, to grow the game right? You will still get the LA hockey fans I’m sure, but you will get far more of a national audience with their lineup. If you swap rosters, I’m not going to make this argument, b/c frankly there aren’t a lot of names to sell on the Wild’s roster (and that’s not to say they don’t deserve more praise, I love Burns, it’s just a fact).
This is not a who is a bigger hockey city, it’s who will draw more of a national audience, b/c that’s where the sponsorships and the additional new revenue will be coming from, those households that don’t normally tune into regular season hockey. Obviously Minnesota is USA hockey, but for marketing, LA’s on ice product is far more marketable.
You’re right, which is why the Winter Classic will never be in Canada anytime soon. They don’t need to grow the game there.
"Tortorella’s got it all wrong ... Gaborik shouldn’t be messing with our skilled player." -Peter Luukko
Well they have the secondary game there now in February, which I’m not sure how I feel about yet. I do like it b/c this way those teams still get a chance at a special game. It won’t be like the Winter Classic for the US audience, but I’m sure it will be huge in Canada (which might end up being bigger than the WC is in the states), or I’m hoping so. I think that is a decent way of doing things I guess. I’m kind of thinking out loud here, but at least Canadian teams will be involved in a yearly outdoor event.
Yeah, but it’s not the main one, which I am sure is not lost on the Canadian audience. It could end up diluting the product a bit, but with every passing year, that’ going to happen regardless.
"Tortorella’s got it all wrong ... Gaborik shouldn’t be messing with our skilled player." -Peter Luukko
Supposedly it’s in Calgary after Pittsburgh…
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylt=AtJdac4Pkx2o1GfVSlRw6z17vLYF?slug=ap-winterclassic
#1 Flyers fan in England (originally from Southeastern PA)
by Orange and Black Forever on May 28, 2010 4:22 PM EDT up reply actions
Wait a minute...
I confused the Heritage Classic with the Winter Classic.
Still, I don’t think Montreal should be in it – another Canadian team should be, IMHO.
#1 Flyers fan in England (originally from Southeastern PA)
by Orange and Black Forever on May 28, 2010 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions
The players are more marketable, but not the team. And you keep going with different answers of how the Kings CAN be a good winter classic team. But there are too many variables with LA. At least Minn you can tell how the ratings will come out. Its more of a sure thing. Your right LA has far superior talen, but the casual hockey fan doesnt know that. They dont know who the Fuck Dustin Brown is or Kopitar, because they dont see them. At least Minn gets Vs. airings once and a while. To the Casual hockey fan, Kopitar may be as known as Randy Jones. like I said, Its more risky for the NHL to but a low market team in the Classic then a Team that is largely followed by its home town.
Pilgrim: Be gone pest, and give me the Bird
Yakko: We'd love to but the FOX censors wouldn't allow it
Assuming the casual fan watched the Olympics (and unscientifically a lot of my friends did) they probably do know at least some of the players and if they watched the olympics they better know who Drew Doughty is. That guy is good.
"Game 7's are tough... It's a game that's made for men and our guys proved to be men today." -Laviolette
by PatterPoet95 on May 29, 2010 8:04 AM EDT up reply actions
I agree the point of the Winter Classic is to market to more casual Hockey fans on a day (New Years) when there is not much going on in the world of professional sports.
This is why I understand the draw of Washington vs Pittsburgh (Ove vs Cros) but why I also think it makes more sense to hold off on Pitt for a couple more years and do NY Rangers vs Washington or some other team… etc
"Game 7's are tough... It's a game that's made for men and our guys proved to be men today." -Laviolette
by PatterPoet95 on May 28, 2010 12:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Oh, it’s not me complaining about the Flyers not playing in another one, it’s just that I’d rather see some other teams in the Winter Classic.
Heck, why not fly some warmer-climate teams up to a backwoods Saskatchewan pond and set up some wooden bleachers. That would be awesome.
I love the Flyers so much I even went to Bobby Clarke Day Camp.
by billy_pilgrim on May 28, 2010 11:51 AM EDT up reply actions
Does anyone blame Flyers for not drafting goalies after busts like Ouellet and Pelletier? Thanks Detroit for Leino. You know what I find funny about this years’ finals? That the arch rivals of last two years teams are playing. Boy either Pens fans or Wings fans are going to be having nightmares of either Richards or Toews lifting the cup. Welcome abroad Red Wings fans
by historywillbemade on May 28, 2010 11:13 AM EDT reply actions
Not at all. And that’s what the article (and the series of articles) was setting out to show. The quote I grabbed was a compliment.
Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
by Geoff Detweiler on May 28, 2010 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions
Sportsnite had a special interview with Ben Eager and talked about that Phantoms team that won the Calder in 2005—how Carter/Richie and playing against Sharp/Eager and just how much talent there was on that team. Pretty cool.
"Tortorella’s got it all wrong ... Gaborik shouldn’t be messing with our skilled player." -Peter Luukko
the sad part is, we traded Eager so we could play Cote. Top 5 worst Flyers trades, maybe.
Pilgrim: Be gone pest, and give me the Bird
Yakko: We'd love to but the FOX censors wouldn't allow it
At the time, Eager was less disciplined in picking his fights. He ruined the flow of play a lot and took a lot of unnecessary penalties. So I was fine with getting rid of him then, because Cote was somewhat more of a contributor.
Now of course it looks stupid (as does any trade involving Jim Vandermeer), but what can you do?
Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?
Anyone else in favor of referring Vandermeer as “the one who shall not be named”. Like Voldemort from Harry Potter.
Pilgrim: Be gone pest, and give me the Bird
Yakko: We'd love to but the FOX censors wouldn't allow it
How fucking idiotic is the Winter Classic decision?
Last year, the rink was completed on December 14th, and I know it took several days to build but I can’t find when they started. BC and BU played on the rink on January 8th, I can’t find when it was finally broken down.
This year, the Steelers have a home game on December 23rd, and could host a first round playoff game on January 8th.
So basically they’ll be throwing up a rink and tearing it right down again, and not doing any of the cool stuff.
Great plan!
this.
i have a friend who lives up in boston, and his league actually got to play their finals in fenway on said constructed rink. talk about a once in a lifetime oppurtunity, and he actually scored a goal!
and if the grounds crew at heinz is any indication of venue competancy, that ice will be slurry-like in consistancy.
Eat what the monkey eats, then eat the monkey. -U.S. Navy survival guidance
Here’s hoping both teams stink next year just so the decision looks even worse.
"Tortorella’s got it all wrong ... Gaborik shouldn’t be messing with our skilled player." -Peter Luukko
there’s a distinction here, i believe.
the flyers were slumping and the fans showed up. if/when pitt or washington slumps…
personally, i would have liked to have seen washington vs. vancouver, or chicago.
Eat what the monkey eats, then eat the monkey. -U.S. Navy survival guidance
Maybe their own fans won’t show, but the ESPN-watching casual fan won’t know!!!
Cидни Kросби: Александр Oвечкин, он твой папа теперь
Red Line Station: for Capitals fans who can bear reading something less intelligent than a story at Japers' Rink
(note name change)
by red army line on May 28, 2010 12:09 PM EDT up reply actions
Like the Steelers are going to make the playoffs much less host playoffs games.
I think it’s stupid b/c it’s not “Classic” matchup at all. Seriously what jerseys will Caps wear since they already are wearing throw-backs? I beat Pitt will wear yellow throwbacks to the Mario 90s era so that they can sell more jerseys. NHL messed up on the Canadian game too. It should be Leafs vs Habs not Habs vs Flames. NY Rangers have gotta feel screwed this time since it was essentially their turn. This also spoils the dream Flyers-Pens at Beaver Stadium matchup
by historywillbemade on May 28, 2010 11:28 AM EDT up reply actions
i don’t believe the caps are currently wearing throwbacks.
and the flyers/pens matchup should not happen at beaver stadium. this is coming from a psu alum.
Eat what the monkey eats, then eat the monkey. -U.S. Navy survival guidance
Caps are wearing similar ones to their old ones, but it’s a “new” design technically.
Cидни Kросби: Александр Oвечкин, он твой папа теперь
Red Line Station: for Capitals fans who can bear reading something less intelligent than a story at Japers' Rink
(note name change)
by red army line on May 28, 2010 12:10 PM EDT up reply actions
Maybe this guy will come back for the game:
Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?
lol you know what I was thinking would be funny. Caps wearing throw back CCP jerseys, which would be really funny considering they play for a DC team.
by historywillbemade on May 28, 2010 1:03 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m PSU alum too and I think it would be great. PSU is a great place for Pitt-Phi game because it’s neutral territory and the rivalry already happens on campus (see football season). It’d be great for tailgating too. The only problem is that State College isn’t really a happening place to hold a big game (outside psu football)
by historywillbemade on May 28, 2010 12:59 PM EDT up reply actions
it’s a logistics problem:
ever see footage of no man’s land in WWI? that’s what the parking fields will be turned into in a january game.
that, and what if psu actually makes it to the rose bowl?
and my god, no matter which team wins the fights between these two fanbases would be horrible.
while the rivalry is there, at this point, there is way too much to overcome.
Eat what the monkey eats, then eat the monkey. -U.S. Navy survival guidance
Again, just another reason I would rather the Flyers not play in more winter classics. at the end of the day, its just a glorified regular season game.
Pilgrim: Be gone pest, and give me the Bird
Yakko: We'd love to but the FOX censors wouldn't allow it
Heinz field is a gay. Playing at Wrigley and Fenway is way more classic. That was part of the allure of the Winter Classic. Hockey being played somewhere special. Heinz field was build in 2002 and N’Sync opened the stadium with summer concert how gay is that. Plus any more of the NHL sucking off too Crosby and Ovi I mean come on now.
I think the Classic part is having the game outdoors. I for one am happy they put this back in a football stadium. It’s much better than paying big bucks to sit in seats where you can’t see the ice. At least the site lines are greatly improved. And honestly the stadium aspect really only plays in to the people attending the game IMO (TV viewers can’t experience the aura of Fenway via a broadcast), and I would think they’d prefer a view of the action then a view of the green monster.
Anybody see this on Puck daddy?
the Tampa Bay Rays are jumping on the chicago bandwagon and wearing Blackhawk jerseys on their next road trip. Jim Hickey of their coaching staff (the ringleader in this) said “I thought we could share our mutual dislike for Philadelphia sports teams”. So the Phillies beat the Rays two years ago and now they want to get back at us by cheering for a city that is thousands of miles away from Tampa and has no connection to that team at all? what a bunch of bitches
Very mature. Well, we know they can’t counter with Lightning gear. Since when are we their freaking rival?
"Tortorella’s got it all wrong ... Gaborik shouldn’t be messing with our skilled player." -Peter Luukko
So what if the 15 Rays fans route for Chicago. 5 years ago all the Rays fans could have seen the Blackhawks at the United Center for less than 100 bucks including the air fare. I am pretty sure most of their home games add enough empty seats to accommodate the entire Rays Nation as well.
Classic and Sharp
A message to Mr. Gary Bettman…..Could you please keep us out of your Crosby wet dreams please just go get urself a civil union. Yuo must be looking into the a team from the winter classic makes it to the cup every year. Dude what u do in the shower with Ovi’s picture is ur biz keep us out of it.
As for Patrick Sharp I just wanted to say I enjoyed ur time in Philly especially in this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KNCYeWHUVk ……….DOWN GOES SPEZZA!!!!!!
lol that’s what I remember the most about sharp
by historywillbemade on May 28, 2010 1:01 PM EDT up reply actions
I really liked Sharp. There just wasn’t any room on this roster for him at the time and the Flyers did the right think by him and traded him to a team where he could get more playing time. He probably won’t be with Chicago after this season with their cap mess I would love to have him back in Philly to play RW with JVR and GIroux 3.9 million cap hit would be a lot for us to handle as well but you never know.
bad memory for me, had tickets but ended up going away for the weekend. Was on my way out of town and started getting texts, still haven’t lived it down
by JerseyDriver on May 28, 2010 7:20 PM EDT up reply actions
NHL Live
Just had Chi Rep Mike Quigly on the show and he was comparing this year’s Blackhawk team to the ’85 Bears. wtf?
Also, had the gaul to lay the verbal smackdown that Philly doesn’t have near enough in the way of food to compete with Chicago and what they have to offer. EABOD, Quigly. We don’t have all those fat people in our city for no reason. He’s in a competish with Rep Murphy from PA.
Politicians are so stupid.
"Tortorella’s got it all wrong ... Gaborik shouldn’t be messing with our skilled player." -Peter Luukko
Does that mean that the ’hawks are putting out a “hit” single with a terribly awkward music video? Because I would never stop laughing.
to be fair...
I miss Chicago food.
when it comes down to it, very few American cities have built up strong regional culinary histories. Philly and Chicago are amongst them.
Patrick Thoresen ?
Do you think we should sign him to the one way contract he is looking for ? MVP of the KHL and a + 45 in 56 Games. He does play wing but on the left side and the Flyers are in need of wingers who can score but right wingers. Giroux JVR Thoresen 3rd line ??. You guys who are more in-tuned to international hockey what are you thoughts on this. He would come cheaper than a big name and I can see him as a 3rd line guy. We could then put that money to fix the Doomsday Pairing (Kraijek Parent) we are currently somehow getting by with.
I’d welcome him back. I mean he took a puck to the jollies for us that earns him a roster spot in my mind
by historywillbemade on May 28, 2010 3:46 PM EDT up reply actions
He seems fairly confident. In a Jonathan Willis story posted today, he was quoted as saying he can score 20-25 goals a year in the NHL. The problem is that he wants a one-way deal (meaning he gets paid the same amount in the NHL or AHL) to further protect him from being sent to the minors. The Flyers probably don’t like that, and would rather re-sign Mika Pyorala than Thoresen right now.
But that could change if he will come cheaper than an Asham or Powe. I like the fact that he’s available and we have right of first refusal, but I’m not on the “sign him now!” boat yet.
Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
by Geoff Detweiler on May 28, 2010 3:48 PM EDT up reply actions
Would you rather have him over Asham or Powe ? I would he has more offensive upside and JVR should develop in the physical presence that line needs during this offseason making smash’em Asham less relevant. Boruk reported on his twitter that the cap could go up 2 million in the players agree to the 5% escalator. So we would have more money to go out and add something better that Thoresen. Powe should the be the extra forward we carry next year however he might not agree to that and we might not need him to be that with Nodl under contract.
I honestly wish I knew more about Thoresen, Looking at the 2007-08 stats again paints a confusing picture. He didn’t score (5 points in 21 games), he didn’t create offense (1.72 GFON/60 between EDM and PHI), but he wasn’t very lucky either (932 PDO, by far the worst among Flyer forwards).
He certainly has impressed outside of the NHL though, scoring 63 points in 48 games in Switzerland last year and 57 points in 56 games in the KHL this year. He’s worth looking at, but I with what little information I have, I’d still prefer Asham, Powe, Pyorala, Thoresen in that order.
Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
by Geoff Detweiler on May 28, 2010 11:31 PM EDT up reply actions
The Copper & Blue
finished their look at drafting goalies. The 1997-2005 post can be found here:
http://www.coppernblue.com/2010/5/28/1491560/drafting-goaltenders-1997-2005
Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
by Geoff Detweiler on May 28, 2010 3:49 PM EDT reply actions
CSN Poll
Which Flyers player has changed your perception of him the most in the playoffs?
Danny Briere
44%
Braydon Coburn
8%
Scott Hartnell
6%
Michael Leighton
22%
Mike Richards
19%
"Tortorella’s got it all wrong ... Gaborik shouldn’t be messing with our skilled player." -Peter Luukko
To which I say—shame on you, Philly fans.
"Tortorella’s got it all wrong ... Gaborik shouldn’t be messing with our skilled player." -Peter Luukko
Which would have been your choice, if I may ask?
I would have said “Leighton”, but he did have a good stretch in the regular season.
#1 Flyers fan in England (originally from Southeastern PA)
by Orange and Black Forever on May 28, 2010 5:54 PM EDT up reply actions
Hartnell, considering his play through much of the season. He really stepped up.
As for Richards, if people didn’t know they had a great player in Mike, well…good day to you, I say.
And Briere has always played well in the playoffs. He’s no superstar that will carry an entire team, but on this team he doesn’t have to be.
"Tortorella’s got it all wrong ... Gaborik shouldn’t be messing with our skilled player." -Peter Luukko
I voted for Coburn
Pilgrim: Be gone pest, and give me the Bird
Yakko: We'd love to but the FOX censors wouldn't allow it
I think Danny went from being a bit overrated (he wasn’t the superstar that could carry the Flyers) to being hugely underrated. I think a big part of that’s how he played on the third line when he returned last season, and how Richards, Carter and now Giroux have emerged, leaving him in their shadow. Good to see him showing the fans his true worth to the team.
by PursuitOfLappyness on May 28, 2010 10:05 PM EDT up reply actions
out of those definitely Briere. Sometimes I just forget we have him because he gets overshadowed by Carter and Richards and then he just comes out with his nifty moves and then I remember we have Danny freaking Briere on our team. Overall I’d say Leino. I had heard about his potential but was meh on it. What a find that guy was! Best trade deadline acquisition for any team and to think we got him for OKT. Anyone who said Richards or Leighton really wasn’t watching during the season. Leighton surprised me during regular season, not in playoffs b/c we saw this then and we all know Richards is a beast. I think it was only a matter of time before Hartnell got back on track to playing the way he did last few years.
by historywillbemade on May 29, 2010 9:01 AM EDT up reply actions
So I just got done reading that
thread on the Blues site — you know the “We Hate Chicago Fans, but….OMG a RED WINGS TROLL, Let’s help the Hawks fans BURN HIM!!!!” thread.
yeah, that was interesting. strange bedfellows indeed, but it’s kind of amazing how wings fans have this incredible ability to unite people who wanted to club each other to death just seconds before. Pure entertainment.
Referenced thread
Would we ever get that kind of unity within the division over another team? I’d think that the Flyers/Pens/Rangers/Devils fans all hate each other to such a degree that it wouldn’t happen, but who knows?
by Aphilfan on May 29, 2010 1:17 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
thanks Aphilfan
for making me feel better about being a sleep-deprived idiot. I’m glad at least one Flyers fan found it entertaining as well.
by puppetmasterp on May 29, 2010 1:25 AM EDT up reply actions
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