Bleacher Report - Articles by Ronnybrook

Suspending Mike Richards Would Be an Outrage

Ronnybrook — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:24:33 -0400

I honestly don’t see how Mike Richards can be suspended for his hit on David Booth last night.

With the image of Dion Phaneuf’s preseason hit on Kyle Okposo still fresh in the collective hockey consciousness, how could Richards possibly be suspended?

Phaneuf’s hit, deemed legal by the NHL and therefore warranting no disciplinary action, set a preseason precedent for exactly the type of hit seen in last night’s Flyers 5-1 win over the visiting Florida Panthers (for excellent recaps and fan reactions, visit Broad Street Hockey and The 700 Level ).

What is completely bizarre is that with regard to the NHL’s decision on the Phaneuf hit, there appears to be no official record of the NHL’s reasoning on the matter.

When searching the news sections of NHL.com, the Calgary Flames' web site and the New York Islanders web site (both affiliated with NHL.com), and just the Internet in general, the only decision handed down by the NHL that you can find on anything related to the incident is that Islanders player Pascal Morency was suspended for five games for leaving the bench to go after Phaneuf in the seconds after Okposo went down.

The Islanders' web site even went as far as to explain the reason for the supplementary discipline handed down, citing NHL Rule 70.2 for leaving his players’ bench on a legal line change .

But as far as why Dion Phaneuf, the guy at the center of the storm, was not suspended, the NHL calls out the crickets?! Are you kidding me?

The closest thing I could find to the NHL’s explanation of their decision not to suspend Dion Phaneuf came from Elliotte Friedman’s Twitter feed, via Kukla’s Korner :

Hit was reviewed…no suspension will be given. Reasons: wasn’t late, was not targeting head, did not launch or leave feet before collision

-Elliotte Friedman via his Twitter.

Well, there you go. Everything you need to deem whether Richards’ hit was “suspension worthy:”

Richards was not late with the hit. It came just as Booth had dished the puck.
There is absolutely zero proof that Richards was targeting the head. None. Zip. Nada.
Richards did not launch or leave his feet prior to the collision.

Verdict: no suspension.

The fact the NHL has no officially stated position on the Phaneuf hit is a huge disservice to the game.

Now that there is hit similar to the Phaneuf/Okposo incident such as Richards’ hit on Booth last night—because there is no clearly defined precedent for such hits available to the media and fans alike—the emerging opinion of Mike Richards this morning is the Flyers Captain is just another dirty birdy who resides at Broad & Pattison.

Fact of the matter is, by the NHL’s previous reasoning on the Phaneuf hit, that is anything but the case, and the whole situation is grievously unfair to Mike Richards, and the Flyers organization in general.

Paul Holmgren’s assessment of the hit was about as spot on as you can get. To paraphrase: Anyone who thinks that hit was illegal obviously doesn’t watch a lot of hockey.

For Ronny's daily Flyers thoughts, visit the Ronnybrook blog.

Philadelphia Flyers To NHL Fans With DirecTV: Suck It Nerds

Ronnybrook — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:58:42 -0400

Okay, well maybe the Flyers aren't directly responsible for the fact that Versus went dark on DirecTV at 12:01 a.m. this morning. That complete and utter dickmove was facilitated by Comcast, owner of Versus and your Philadelphia Flyers.

While I feel a little tinge of sympathy for Delaware Valley residents and Philadelphia ex-pats affected by Comcast's decision to play hardball with DirecTV, at least most folks impacted by this development don't have to go too far to find a friend, family member, or neighborhood bar to catch the games on Verizon or Comcast (in the tri-state area, at least).

In fact, I applaud Comcast for creating a situation that will bring people together to enjoy hockey (snicker).

What I am absolutely delighted about when it comes to this development is that fans of our divisional rivals get totally screwed in the deal.

Atlantic Division games on Versus (by team) in 2009-2010:

Pittsburgh Penguins - 9
New York Rangers - 8
New Jersey Devils - 6
New York Islanders - 2

Oh, and don't forget playoffs. Hahaha.

NHL 2009-2010: the season where the Flyers will take liberties with opponents and their fans!

You like that?! Huh?! Do ya?!

For Ronny's daily hockey thoughts, visit the Ronnybrook blog.

Twitter feed: @ronnybrook_blog

Do the Philadelphia Flyers' Party Habits Need To Be Put on Ice?

Ronnybrook — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:08:46 -0400

One of the more salacious stories of the NHL off-season took place in Philadelphia when Flyers General Manager Paul Holmgren went on the record with Flyers beat writer Wayne Fish as saying:

Holmgren: “First of all, if you want to look for nightlife, action or whatever, you can find it whether you live in South Jersey, Delaware or Philadelphia. Am I concerned about it? Let me say this: The issue has been raised by (coach) John (Stevens) and myself with all the players.

I think this all falls under the umbrella of discipline. It’s on-ice discipline—not overstaying-your-shift discipline—it’s off-ice discipline, it’s night before a game taking better care of ourselves. That’s a natural maturation process that a lot of our younger players are still going through. We’ve addressed that. So am I concerned about it? We’ll see how it goes this year. All our players have been talked to about it. Is it an issue? The fact that we’ve talked about it, I guess it is an issue."

The story took on a life of its own and got a lot of play at both Puck Daddy and DeadSpin for several days before the Flyers back-checked on the story, which I covered with some brief analysis right on my own blog.

Were there any instances in which the Flyers erratic performance last season was the direct result of players spending late nights out in Old City the evening before a game?

Your guess is as good as mine. Only the players know for sure, and without their input, all we have is speculation.

However, according to a recent article at MaxHockey.com, booze-fueled late night celebrations in the middle of back-to-back weekend tilts takes enough of a toll on professional hockey players that the practice has its own glossary term called "playing guilty:"

From Justin Bourne:

"When teams play inexplicably bad, it’s not always as inexplicable to the players as it is the fans. Let me work you through a little equation that can help you in your hockey gambling endeavours:

Friday and Saturday home games, plus Friday night win, plus local event (concert, etc.), minus Saturday morning skate, equals Saturday night loss.

Sorry to all my homies still playing, I hope I didn't blow the whole secret like that TV magician that operates in shadow and sells his profession under the bus."

Of the twelve instances where the Flyers played back-to-back weekend tilts last season (games played Friday-Saturday or Saturday-Sunday), six of those resulted in a win followed by a loss or OTL.

12/20/08: WAS W 7-1
12/21/08: @ NJD OTL 3-2

1/2/09: @ ANH W 5-4
1/3/09: @ LAK OTL 2-1

3/14/09: NYR W 4-2
3/15/09: @NYR L 4-1

3/28/09: @NYI W 4-3
3/29/09: BOS L 3-4

4/3/09: TOR W 8-5
4/4/09: OTT OTL 4-3

4/11/09: @NYI W 3-2
4/12/09: NYR L 4-3

Since Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, and Joffrey Lupul have been the names that surface most often when these allegations of Old City over-indulgence creep up, I thought it would be fun to pull up the combined production that each player posted for the first games and second games of the back-to-back contests listed above:

Mike Richards

First Games (Wins): 1 goal, 5 assists +2
Second Games (Losses): 2 goals, 2 assists +1

Jeff Carter

First Games (Wins): 5 goals, 6 assists +8
Second Games (Losses): 2 goals, 1 assist -2

Joffrey Lupul

First Games (Wins): 4 goals, 6 assists +6
Second Games (Losses): 1 goals, 1 assist -4

If late night celebrations had anything to do with how the core of this team performed on the back end of these series, I would probably draw the following conclusions:

Mike Richards: Functioning drunk.

Jeff Carter: Parties hard, but shows up to work the next day, even if not at 100%.

Joffrey Lupul: Wakes up most mornings with Hitler mustache and "I Heart Cock" written on his face in permanent marker.

But truth of the matter is, it's entirely possible that when you play back-to-back games, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.

Like I said before—until the players chime in (or Joffrey Lupul pens his auto biography titled "Lupes: Just Put Your Head Down and Drink,") the fans will never know.

Just to play it safe, don't let this guy room with "Cartsy" on road trips next season.

For Ronny's daily hockey thoughts, visit the Ronnybrook blog.

Philadelphia Flyers: First-Round Dumpster Diving

Ronnybrook — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 08:35:04 -0400

Unless you're a hardcore NHL draft junkie, it's understandable if you had no idea who Lukas Kaspar, Krys Kolanos, and Jason Ward were as the Flyers announced their additions to the 2009-2010 NHL roster a few weeks back.

Kaspar and Kolanos are first-round draft busts, cast-offs from San Jose (no. 22 overall, 2004) and Phoenix (no. 19 overall, 2000), respectively.

While Jason Ward has spent time as a NHL regular in Montreal, New York, Los Angeles, and Tampa Bay, his contributions have mostly come as a grinder, miles away from the expectations that came along with being selected 11th overall by Montreal in the 1997 NHL Draft.

Dumpster diving for NHL first-round busts in need of a "change of scenery" is nothing new for Philadelphia, although I cannot remember the last occasion where the Flyers scooped up so many of them at at the same time.

So, can any of these turds be polished into a 20-goal scorer or, at the least, a solid NHL contributor? Only time will tell, but the Flyers recent track record with disappointing former first-rounders doesn't inspire confidence.

Let's have a look at Philadelphia's most recent trips to the dumpster and see how they fared.

Steve Eminger

With the exception of a rugged, eye-opening performance against Philadelphia in the first round of the 2007-2008 NHL playoffs, Eminger had failed to live up to expectations as the rough-and-tumble defenseman the Capitals projected him to develop into when Washington selected him 12th overall in the 2002 NHL draft.

Prior to his trade to Philadelphia in exchange for the Flyers 2008 first-round selection (no. 27 overall, John Carlson), Eminger was a healthy scratch for 62 regular season games in his final season with the Capitals, before injuries to Washington's blueline corps dictated Eminger's inclusion into the Capitals lineup for a first round match-up against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Capitals went on to lose the series against the Flyers, but Eminger's solid play in the series was enough to catch the attention of Flyers General Manager Paul Holmgren, which facilitated the draft day trade that brought him to Philadelphia for all of 12 games.

As the Flyers stumbled through the start of their 2008-2009 season, Eminger was shipped to Tampa Bay (along with Steve Downie and a 2009 fourth-round pick) in exchange for Matt Carle.

Eminger has played for four teams in the last calendar year, and as of this writing, remains an unrestricted free agent.

Scottie Upshall

In his time with Nashville, Upshall (no. 6 overall, 2002) spent much of his early career with the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL, cracking the Predators starting lineup just 72 times in the four seasons prior to the trade that brought him to Philadelphia for another former sixth overall selection: Peter Forsberg (Philadelphia, 1991).

Considering his draft position, Upshall's pedestrian offensive production (46 g, 60 a) as an NHL regular with Nashville, Philadelphia, and Phoenix have been underwhelming, to say the least.

Upshall was shipped from Philadelphia to Phoenix prior to the 2009 trade deadline for pugilist Daniel Carcillo, in a move to avoid Upshall's anticipated increased salary demands as his upcoming restricted free agency period approached.

Upshall signed a one-year deal with Phoenix this summer, which will pay him $1.5 million, far short of the $2.75 million deal he had sought.

Upshall's career high as a goal scorer is 15 goals.

Nolan Baumgartner

Baumgartner arrived in Philadelphia as an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2007, playing six games with the Flyers before being shuttled across the parking lot to finish out his one-season stay in Philadelphia with the Phantoms of the AHL.

As the 10th overall selection in the 1994 NHL draft (Washington), Baumgartner's fate will forever be intertwined with the Philadelphia Flyers, as he was selected with the 1994 draft selection previously sent to Quebec in the blockbuster deal that brought Eric Lindros to Philadelphia.

Eric Chouinard

Acquired from the Montreal Canadiens for a 2003 second round pick (no. 61 overall, Maxim Lapierre), Chouinard skated 48 uninspiring games in a black-and-orange sweater, and has taken exactly one regular NHL shift since 2005 (his last in the NHL, with the Flyers).

Pavel Brendl

Selected by the New York Rangers with the fourth overall selection in the 1999 NHL draft, Brendl never went on to bigger things in the NHL.

Brendl arrived in Philadelphia as part of the 2001 trade package that sent Eric Lindros to the the New York Rangers in exchange for Kim Johnsson, Jan Hlavak, and Brendl, along with the Rangers 2003 third-round draft selection (no. 81 overall, Stefan Ruzicka).

Kolanos, Kaspar, and Ward

All three are decent performers at the AHL level, providing the Flyers with solid fourth-line depth.

But the acquisition of these players is most likely a move to bolster the Flyers' AHL affiliate, providing the farm team with players that can help with the development of forward prospects such as James Van Riemsdyk and Patrick Maroon.

The saying goes: one person's trash is another person's treasure.

But with with the Flyers lack of success transforming the first-round disappointments of other NHL teams, Philadelphia has yet to emerge from the dumpster with a keeper.

For Ronny's daily hockey thoughts, visit the Ronnybrook blog.

Martin Biron: Buy Low, Sell High?

Ronnybrook — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 08:50:52 -0400

When considering the fortunes of one Martin Biron this summer, I think Happy Gilmour may have said it best.

“Wow, talk about your all-time backfires.”

Indeed.

Hoping for a long-term deal at $4-5 million annually, Biron ended up taking a 50 percent pay cut to move into the Atlantic Division basement.

Sure, Biron can sound excited about how the Islanders are stocked with a lot of young, exciting, and emerging talent. That’s what happens when a team lies down for years on end with the ambition of collecting high draft selections (see Pittsburgh Penguins).

But it’s still the basement, Marty.

With Dwayne Roloson recently signing a two-year deal with the Islanders, combined with the fact that Rick DiPietro is signed through 2021(!), Biron’s arrival has brought an element of intrigue to Long Island.

It’s always the same question, and it’s a fair one at that:

Why would the Islanders need three starting goalies if Rick DiPietro was ready to play?

The assumption is that DiPietro’s injury must be worse than thought. After all, DiPietro was reportedly expected to begin skating in August, an assessment that came from none other than the franchise goaltender’s father, Richard DiPietro Sr.

But there’s another angle I have yet to see in this analysis of this deal, which is maybe the Islanders bought an above average starting goaltender at rock bottom prices (one year at $1.4 million) with the sole intent of shopping him as injuries start to mount in creases around the league.

The Islanders have close to $20 million in cap space. How much of a burden is it to invest $1.4 million in a player that can be traded to a team direly in need of goaltending for picks, prospects, or roster players?

And at such a low cap number, Biron could become a hot commodity in the trade market should the Islanders hold onto him as the trade deadline approaches.

If that’s the strategy (and I’m totally guessing here), then it could be a very good move for the Islanders as they continue to rebuild.

For Ronny's daily hockey thoughts, visit the Ronnybrook blog.

In Antero Niittymaki, Tampa Bay Lightning Signs A Southeast Division Specialist

Ronnybrook — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:14:46 -0400

If you were under the impression that NHL’s Southeast Division teams were owned by fellows named Leonsis, Karmanos, Cohen, Barrie, Koules and Belkin, you would be mistaken, my friend.

The owner of the Southeast Division is former Philadelphia Flyers backup goaltender Antero Niittymaki, who today has officially joined the Tampa Bay Lightning, according to a team press release issued this morning.

Terms of the deal are reported to be one-year, $600,000 (hat tip to PhilaBrite blog).

Considering Niittymaki’s dominance over Southeast Division opponents these last two seasons (a whopping 17-1-1), what on the surface appears to be a minor roster move for a backup goaltender could actually prove to be one of the shrewdest acquisitions of the 2009 free agent market.

The Lightning play one-third of their scheduled regular season contests (twenty-four in all) against their Southeast Division opponents.

For Tampa Bay to bring in a goaltender that has a lifetime record of 27-6-4 against Washington, Carolina, Florida and especially Atlanta (Niittymaki currently owns a 13 game winning streak against the Thrashers) is a stroke of genius.

If you remove Philadelphia’s disastrous 2006-2007 season from the equation, Niittymaki’s combined record against those same teams is a flabbergasting 25-0-4.

Considering his dominance over the Southeast, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Lightning designate Niittymaki as their “Southeast Specialist,” and give him every start divisional start.

If the Lightning want to make a return to the post season in 2009-2010, they’ll need to be extremely competitive in divisional contests.

Signing the owner of the Southeast Division is definitely as step in the right direction for the Bolts.

For Ronny's daily hockey thoughts, visit him at the Ronnybrook blog.

Chris Pronger Invites You to Dream Up Crosby's Nightmare

Ronnybrook — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:29:05 -0400

The part of this afternoon’s press conference with Chris Pronger that stuck with me was the nonchalance in which he spoke of shutting down world class players like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin next season.

He spoke repeatedly of taking away their time and their space, and casually added that once you’ve taken care of that, you make them pay the price.

I just got the sense there isn’t a player in the NHL that worries this guy, and I honestly can’t remember the last time Philadelphia had a player like that on their blueline.

One of the reporters tried to lead Pronger into giving a preview of what awaits players such as Crosby and Ovechkin when they next meet the Flyers.

“I think you know the answer to that question” was Pronger’s response.

Stating that he did not want to “premeditate anything,” he invited the reporters to dream up their own scenarios of how things would unfold.

The vision that dances in my head involves Crobsy laying crumpled at the Flyers blueline in Game Six Eric Lindros fashion, wondering whether he’d like waffles or Fruit Loops for breakfast when he eventually gets out of bed.

As the NHL’s Golden Child fumbles for the snooze button between the blueline and center ice, he’ll notice the volume is uncharacteristically high, and dreamily wonder to himself “who is this Crosby fellow? And why exactly does he suck?”

For Ronny's daily hockey thoughts, visit the ronnybrook blog.

Some (Much-Needed) Perspective on the Chris Pronger Trade

Ronnybrook — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 17:10:31 -0400

The Flyers just acquired the biggest, meanest, goddamned son of a bitch in hockey since Scott Stevens, and I have to say it Philadelphia, your reaction to the deal sucks.

It’s getting to the point where I’m starting to feel sorry for any player who arrives in Philadelphia via trade or free agency these days.

For those of you disappointed with the deal, let me address your grievances, one by one:

Pronger Is On The Back End Of His Career

The funny thing about truly elite defenseman in the NHL is they tend to be durable, leading to very long, very productive careers right up to the day they decide to hang up their skates.

Ray Bourque helped the Colorado Avalanche to a Stanley Cup in 2001 as a 41 year-old and was anything but a hunched-over, withered old coot by the time he said farewell to the game.

Scott Stevens won two Stanley Cups and competed for another on the “back end” of his career, from the ages of 36-39.

Nicklas Lidstrom won Stanley Cups at ages 37 and 38 and was a Game 7 victory away from winning another at age 39.

Scott Niedermayer will be 36 in August and despite not competing for the ultimate prize in two years, is still one of the game’s elite blueliners.

All of these players are Chris Pronger’s peers. He is among the league elite, and has shown no signs of slowing down.

In fact, considering how fast and wide open the Western Conference is with regard to overall team speed, I can’t see how Pronger’s already strong defensive game does not get even stronger in a slower, more physical Eastern Conference.

The Flyers Paid Too Much

Flyers Receive:

An elite player with more hardware in his home office than the entire Flyers roster combined (name on the Stanley Cup, Hart Trophy and Norris Trophy).

Future first-ballot Hockey Hall of Fame player, who wants to finish the last five years of his career in Philadelphia.

An effective two-way player capable of quarterbacking the power play unit and anchoring the penalty kill unit.

One of the league’s most feared hitters.

The league’s nastiest mean streak.

Ducks Receive:

An overpaid, underachieving right wing with a problematic contract.

A 19-year old defenseman that may or may not become an effective NHL regular.

2009 first round selection (No. 21 overall).

What is certain to be a late first-round selection in 2010.

To our credit as a fan base, everyone seems to recognize the fact that Lupul was about to become grossly overpaid for his production, as his salary was set to escalate to $4.25 million annually over the next four seasons.

But if you’re upset about the inclusion of Luca Sbisa in the deal, I have a question for you:

…Really?

Correct me if I’m wrong: the kid scored five points during a disastrous October in which the Flyers came stumbling out of the blocks with their pants around their ankles. He then virtually all but disappeared for the remainder of his 39 games as a pro before being shipped back to Lethbridge of the WHL.

If Sbisa had Calder Trophy written all over him, I might understand the hue and cry over shipping him to southern California.

But Sbisa has shown nothing to suggest he will ever approach the level of skill displayed by say, Braydon Coburn, let alone players of Pronger's or Timonen’s caliber.

Fact of the matter is, Ryan Parent is a much better NHL prospect at this point, and there’s nothing to suggest that Sbisa would have jumped ahead of him for the sixth and final slot on the blueline as the 2009-2010 NHL season got underway.

In fact, the only reason Sbisa got his opportunity with the Flyers in the first place was due to Parent’s preseason injury last year.

As for those late-round first round draft picks, yes, they have in the past produced players such as Simon Gagne, Mike Richards, and Claude Giroux.

I would conveniently remind you that they have also produced Maxime Ouellet, Jeff Woywitka, and Steve Downie. There’s just no way to know.

Pronger Is In The Final Year of His Contract

Is there really a single person out there entertaining the notion that, after an investment that cost the Flyers a roster player, a prospect, and two first-round selections, Paul Holmgren won’t lock Chris Pronger into a long-term deal?

Pronger’s reported asking price is a five-year, $6 million deal, and despite salary cap concerns, the Flyers can accommodate such demands.

We’re currently in the worst economic downturn in nearly a century, and the NHL salary cap just went up by $100,000.

For a team that has most of its core players locked in long-term, the Flyers will have more and more room with each passing season to re-sign core players, upgrade goaltending, and replace spare parts, despite adding Pronger’s contract.

Conclusion

The Flyers need an elite player to lead them back to the Stanley Cup, and they got one.

His name isn’t Jay Bouwmeester, but Philadelphia still got the right player anyway.

For Ronny's daily hockey thoughts, visit the Ronnybrook blog.

Why It Makes Sense for the Flyers To Trade Down from No. 21

Ronnybrook — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:04:22 -0400

There was an interesting bit from Paul Holmgren’s conversation with Ed Moran in this morning’s Philadelphia Daily News:

According to Holmgren, the Flyers will first look to move up but are more likely to move down. As of yesterday afternoon, Holmgren said he has had conversations with teams but that nothing is likely to happen before the draft actually begins.

“Other than teams asking would you have any interest in moving up or down, a lot of that happens as you get closer to your pick, or the teams you’re talking to get closer to their pick,” Holmgren said yesterday.

“The teams that are ahead of us, they probably have a certain player or two players that are no longer on the board, so they might be in a position to move back and we might be in a position to move up.

“Similar to us, as we get closer to our pick, we might say to whoever, ‘Do you have any interest in this pick for something later on?’ “

The Flyers mantra leading up to today’s NHL Entry Draft has been to select the best player on the board with their first-round selection, No. 21 overall.

Any skater drafted by the Flyers in the first round today will likely have a very long road to the NHL.

Draft a center? The Flyers have Mike Richards locked up through 2016, Daniel Briere through 2015, and Jeff Carter isn’t going anywhere when his contract expires in 2011.

Skating five minutes a night and playing between Gordie Goonchuk and Scrubby McGillicutty somehow doesn’t seem befitting of a player selected in the first round.

Draft a winger? Scott Hartnell and Joffrey Lupul are locked into expensive, long-term deals. Claude Giroux and James van Riemsdyk won’t lose their new car smell for a while, and big things are expected out of them.

There might be an opportunity to slide into a third line slot if Andreas Nodl doesn’t bounce back and show the Flyers something next season. Or if Patrick Maroon doesn’t advance any further up the depth chart. Or if the Flyers don’t sign any one of a million wingers available through trade or free agency in the off-season.

Draft a defenseman? According to Hockey’s Future, six of the organization’s top 10 prospects are blueliners: Luca Sbisa, Kevin Marshall, Ryan Parent, Michael Ratchuk Mark-Andre Bourdon, and Denis Bodrov.

There’s also Danny Syvret to deke past, who just happened to be one of the best defenseman in the AHL last year.

Draft a goalie? NOW we’re talking.

Of course, it doesn’t help that this is one of the crappiest draft classes of netminders in recent memory, to the extent that any team using their first round pick to select a goalie is certain to be laughed out of the Bell Center by 29 other General Managers.

According to Kyle Woodlief at the Red Line Report, there are some legitimate goaltending prospects in this year’s draft, safe picks in the second round and beyond.

In his report for USA Today, Woodlief sees Jean-Francois Berube, Igor Bobkov, and Oliver Roy as the best of this year’s class.

Unfortunately for Philadelphia, after their first-round selection, the Flyers do not pick until the third round (No. 81 and No. 87).

If the Flyers are willing to trade their first-round selection to a team with multiple second-round picks, it’s possible they could begin restocking their barren cupboard between the pipes as early as this year.

In this year’s entry draft, seven teams hold multiple second-round selections:

If the Flyers were to trade their first-round pick to another team for multiple second-round picks and could somehow land two of the top three ranked goaltending prospects in this year's class, Philadelphia would take a significant step toward addressing its most glaring organizational need.

With the Flyers depth at forward and a logjam of defensive prospects, it makes sense for the Flyers to trade out of the first round this year and finally consider their future between the pipes.

Even if it means passing over the best player available at No. 21.

And The Philadelphia Flyers Player Most-Likely To Be Traded Is…

Ronnybrook — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:11:24 -0400

Considering many of the NHL’s most outlandish trade rumors take form deep in the colons of some of hockey’s most prolific writers, I don’t see why I need to be a NHL insider or a member of the Professional Hockey Writers Association to have an informed opinion as to which Flyers players will be shipped off to another city as the NHL free agency period approaches.

In fact, of all the names that get tossed into the rumor mill on a daily basis. I’m going to go out on a limb and say the only Flyer who will leave Philadelphia between today and July 1 will be Randy Jones.

When you consider the Flyers salary cap woes and their desperation to be active in this summer’s free agency market are not exactly state secrets, the Flyers will be negotiating from a position of weakness when trying to move any of their high-salaried players.

Taking that fact into consideration, it’s easy enough to assume many of the offers Philadelphia will receive for players such as Daniel Briere (not going anywhere anyway, thanks to the NTC), Joffery Lupul, or Matt Carle are going to be low ball offers.

In the case of players such as Lupul and Carle, it’s only natural that the Flyers wouldn’t want to just give them away, no matter how problematic each has become to the Flyers salary cap predicament.

The bottom line is that since there were significant costs involved in the acquisition of each player in the form of high draft picks, players, and prospects, the Flyers aren’t going to hold a fire sale any time soon.

Which brings us back to Randy Jones.

Simply put, of all the Flyers players rumored to be on the trading block, Randy Jones is the only one that really makes any sense.

While I can’t tell you which of the 28 NHL cities Jones will soon call a new home (what, you think Boston would want him for anything other than firewood?), I can say for certain the return the Flyers will receive for Jones will not be a significant one.

What makes Jones an attractive trading piece is that he is a player in the final year of a contract that will pay him $2.75 million; an affordable salary that many teams looking for a serviceable top six defenseman could easily absorb, providing the deal is sweetened with the addition of a second or third round pick, or a prospect with some upside.

The Flyers made a similar move as last year’s free agency market opened for business, shipping Denis Gauthier and the Flyers 2010 second round draft selection to the Los Angeles Kings for Patrik Hersley and Ned Lukacevic.

For those keeping score at home, the Flyers sent a hard-hitting, serviceable defenseman and a second round draft selection to the Kings for two players who have spent most of their careers playing for the Reading Royals of the ECHL.

It’s as if the Flyers didn’t want to have to pay for airfare as well, and took the two closest scrubs they could find to complete the deal so they could purge Gauthier’s $2.2 million from their payroll.

Since Jones came to Philadelphia in 2003 as an undrafted free agent, the Flyers have spent no hockey capital in the form of draft picks, prospects, or players to acquire the Quispamsis native. In fact, the only investment the Flyers have put into Jones is the money spent paying him over the last six seasons.

While it would be nice to see an equal return for a player developed in the Flyers system, the reality of the situation is the Flyers are trying to maneuver the same exact salary cap obstacles which prevented them from being serious players in last year’s sweepstakes for Brian Campbell.

As last season’s darling of the 2008 UFA class, Campbell commanded a deal that awarded him a seven year, $50 million contract averaging $7,142,875 per season.

Campbell’s big payday will likely be the starting point of negotiations for Bouwmeester’s services, and since the Flyers current cap number sits, according to GM Paul Holmgren, “somewhere North of $4 million,” the removal of Jones’ $2.75 million cap number would allow the Flyers to take a seat at the adult’s table on July 1.

The Flyers currently have no second round pick in the 2009 or 2010 entry draft, but they do have two third round selections (no. 81 and no. 87) in this year’s draft. Or, the Flyers could continue their habit of using second round picks as trade currency, and package their 2011 selection with Jones to any team willing to take his salary cap hit.

Another option could be to package a prospect with a combination of upside and question marks in the deal.

Andreas Nodl would seem to fit that description. While the Flyers have been high on their 2006 selection, Nodl looked outmatched at the NHL level last season, and produced just six goals and 14 assists in 39 games with the Phantoms of the AHL last season.

Another such player would be Danny Syvret. Despite being one of the AHL’s best defensemen last season, it doesn’t look like Syvret is in the plans for the big team.

Syvret is also in the last year of a contract that will pay him $550,000 before qualifying for restricted free agency in 2010.

Of course, this is all purely speculation on my part. But based on some of the outrageous contracts the Flyers find themselves burdened with, the facts on the ground suggest that the Flyers can free up enough salary cap space by making one, reasonably painless roster move of a player that would probably leave the team via next year’s free agency market, anyway.

Providing they don't expect much back in return.

At least that’s what my colon is telling me.

For Ronny Little’s daily hockey thoughts, visit the official Ronnybrook blog.

Philadelphia Flyers: Reality Unpacks Daniel Briere's Bags

Ronnybrook — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:29:30 -0400

You know how every conversation that involves the Flyers pursuit of UFA defenseman Jay Bouwmeester is almost certain to include a scenario where Daniel Briere conveniently waives his hard earned no-movement clause and obediently allows himself to be shipped to any team willing to take his massive contract?

As it turns out, reality has unpacked Briere’s bags because there is currently no market for his services.

From Pat Hickey at the Montreal Gazette:

"Montreal passed on Briere because, despite their previous interest, the last thing they need is a small centre with a cap hit of $6.5 million for each of the next six seasons.

The 31-year-old Briere is listed as 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, but those figures stretch the truth.

There also are concerns about Briere’s health. He went on the injured list three times last season with a variety of abdominal and groin problems. He did score 11 goals and 14 assists in only 29 games and he might have played more if the Flyers hadn’t been up against the cap."

Imagine that. The same issues that frustrate the Flyers with regard to Briere’s injuries and the size of his contract also raise red flags for other teams “interested” in his services.

And why wouldn’t they?

That being said, it’s easy to look at the size and term of Briere’s contract (eight years, $52 million with NTC) and see it as the root of Philadelphia’s salary cap problems.

However, there seems to be a collective amnesia amongst those who question the acquisition of Briere two summers ago.

It’s almost as if many look back on the deal and wonder why the Flyers went after such a high-priced UFA center, when players such as Richards and Carter were ready to emerge.

When the Flyers committed to Briere at such a hefty price tag, it was because the organization saw Briere as it’s future; not Richards and Carter.

At the conclusion of the 2006-2007 season, there were question marks surrounding Mike Richards. While there’s no indications of doubts about his status as important component of the Flyers rebuilding process, at that point no one could definitively point to where Richards fit into the Flyers plans.

There didn’t seem to be a consensus as to whether Richards would be a second or third line center, and there was little evidence early on to suggest that he would emerge as the first line center he has become today.

As for Jeff Carter, if he enjoys playing in Philadelphia, he has Tomas Kaberle to thank for that. After all, it was Kaberle who refused to waive his no-trade clause in a 2008 deadline deal that would have shipped Carter and the Flyers 2009 first round pick (Luca Sbisa) to Toronto for the long sought after Czech blueliner.

While the non-trade had the unintended benefit of motivating Carter to elevate his game, at the time it was evidence that the Flyers were ready to move on.

What both of those inconvenient facts show is that, when the Flyers committed to the Briere era in Philadelphia, it was likely due to the fact that the Flyers were nervous about their future at the center position.

It was only after the emergence of Richards and Carter as top six players, combined with Briere’s nagging injury issues and the Flyers sudden difficulty with salary cap obstacles, that Briere’s $6.5 million yearly salary began to draw scrutiny.

If Briere can shake the injury bug and continue his point-per-game production next season, Flyers fans may begin to remember what all of the excitement of Briere’s acquisition was about in the first place.

If the Flyers can free up enough salary cap space (by virtue of trading Joffery Lupul and Matt Carle for picks and prospects) to bring Bouwmeester to Philadelphia this summer, Flyers fans may forget there was ever a salary cap problem in the first place.

For Ronny Little's daily hockey blog, visit the official Ronnybrook blog.

Ray Emery's Road to Redemption Goes Through Philadelphia

Ronnybrook — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:17:36 -0400

If you’ve read any of the Flyers fan message boards these last two days, you’d think the Flyers announced they were housing a Guantanamo detainee in their crease next season.

The shrieking hysteria over the signing of former Ottawa netminder Ray Emery to a one-year, $1.5 million contract borders on the absurd, to put it kindly.

Yes, Emery has a checkered past littered with character issues that include brawling with teammates and trainers, road raging senior citizens, and “stunt driving” incidents that have led to dozens of confrontations with Ottawa police.

But the funny thing about being a 23-year-old professional athlete and millionaire is that, if you’re not careful, you can become kind of an asshole. This is hardly an anomaly in the world of professional sports.

Yesterday, a humbled, contrite, and seemingly more mature (26-year-old) Ray Emery addressed the Philadelphia media as the Flyers announced his addition to the team for the 2009-2010 season.

He sounded like a man being released from prison (or the KHL, which sounds similar), well aware of the scrutiny that will follow him around like a shadow as he tries to find redemption.

Lost in all of the character issues is the fact that Emery led his 2006-2007 Ottawa teammates to the Stanley Cup Finals, where the Senators succumbed to a rough and tumble Anaheim Ducks team in five games.

Emery’s 2006-2007 playoff record was 13-7, including three shutouts, one in each round leading up to the Finals.

Of the seven games the Senators lost in the 2006-2007 postseason, just one contest was decided by more than a goal (their 6-2 Game Five elimination from the Stanley Cup Finals).

The following season, as the Senators staggered from a Stanley Cup hangover, Emery’s personal issues came to a head, which led to Ottawa buying out the final year of his contract.

Unable to shake his rep as a locker room cancer, Emery’s career path led to exile with the Atlant Moscow Oblast in the newly formed Kontinental Hockey League for the 2008-2009 season, which he led to a first place finish with a 22-8 record.

In addition to significant NHL playoff experience (playoff record: 18-12), Emery brings a fire and toughness to the Flyers crease that has not been seen since Ron Hextall was in his prime.

Honestly, do you really think Sidney Crosby will torpedo himself, skates first, into Ray Emery’s net and emerge from the twine without a fractured orbital bone or, at a minimum, the puffy raised outline of a goaltender’s waffle across his face?

At just 26 years of age, if Emery proves capable of leading the Flyers deep into the playoffs, $1.5 million will seem exactly like the backup goaltender salary that it is.

At those prices, why not give Emery an opportunity to regain his form of just two years ago?

If he’s a disaster early in the season, nothing would prevent the Flyers from trading for players like Josh Harding, Kari Lehtonen, or Corey Schneider that the message board crowds have been clamoring for.

After all, Philadelphia has shown that it has the ability to shake off a slow start and still skate into the postseason.

It is somewhat encouraging that fans, no matter how opposed they are to this particular personnel decision, at least acknowledge the savings afforded by Emery’s low cap number will allow the Flyers to be more aggressive in this year’s unrestricted free agent market, where they are certain to target the prize of this year’s UFA pool, Florida defenseman Jay Bouwmeester.

But for many of the faithful, Emery’s past deeds outweigh his potential future contributions to a hockey team with an infamous organizational blind spot at the goaltending position.

It’s ironic that a team looking to redeem years of bad goaltending decisions is looking to do so by acquiring a player that is seeking redemption himself.

Lin Jensen once said, “Redemption can be found in Hell itself if that’s where you happen to be.”

Ray Emery, welcome to Philadelphia. It’s about as close to Hell as you’re ever going to get.

Philadelphia Flyers: Scottie Upshall...AND A SECOND ROUND DRAFT PICK?!

Ronnybrook — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:08:25 -0400

How odd is it that, for many Flyers fans, the thin line separating despair and insanity is a second round pick?

I am of course referring to the trade deadline deal that packaged Scottie Upshall along with the Flyers second round pick in the 2009 NHL entry draft, in return for Phoenix Coyotes super pest Daniel Carcillo.

A fan favorite, Upshall's exile to the desert was met with a collective WTF across all channels when news of the deal reached Flyers fans on March 4.

Three weeks after the fact, fans are still lamenting Upshall's departure, unimpressed with the fiery Daniel Carcillo as they evaluate his game with a hairy eyeball.

While I wasn't particularly fond of Upshall as a player (I expect a little more offense from the sixth overall selection in the 2002 NHL entry draft, one slot ahead of Joffrey Lupul), I find the fan outrage over the second round pick intriguing.

Whenever I see fans lashing out about the trade in blogs, message boards, or in conversation, the thing that often strikes me is the use of the draft pick to put an exclamation point on their frustration.

As in "they traded Scottie Upshall AND A SECOND ROUND PICK for Daniel Carcillo?!?!"

The fixation on the second round pick got me thinking; what exactly did the Flyers potentially give away when they stuffed the second rounder into Upshall's pocket and put him on a plane to Phoenix?

A quick visit to the Hockey Database revealed two things:

First thing: the Flyers don't place a whole lot of importance on second round selections.

The club has made exactly four second round selections in the last ten years, with all four of them occurring in the 2006 and 2007 NHL entry drafts (Andreas Nodl, Michael Ratchuk, and Denis Bodrov in 2006, and Kevin Marshall in 2007).

In other words, the Flyers regularly use second round picks as trade currency to complete deals.

Secondly, the Flyers are TERRIBLE at uncovering talent in the second round of the draft.

To find a Flyers second round draft product that has spent any meaningful time in an orange and black sweater, you'd need to hop into the Way Back Machine and travel back to 1993, when the Flyers selected Janne Niinimaa with the 36th overall pick.

If you want to go back another ten years, you'd have to sift through the debris that is Denis Metlyuk, Patrick Juhlin, Pat Murray, Jeff Harding, Jukka Seppo, Kent Hawley, Bruce Rendall, and Jeff Chychrun as you search for Mikael Renberg, Chris Simon, and Scott Mellanby.

Analysis: the second round of the NHL draft has historically been an organ-i-zational blind spot. The Flyers must know this, because they toss second round picks around like candy.

It's time for the Flyers fans to accept it as well:

Scottie is gone.

And so is that SECOND ROUND DRAFT PICK!!

End note: Just to tie up a loose end, for any smart ass out there that wants to point out that Bobby Clarke was a second round draft selection of the Flyers in 1969, please keep in mind that being selected 17th overall (as Clarke was) in today's NHL would put him in the first round of a (now) 30 team draft.

*Doink!*

For more articles, visit the official Ronnybrook blog.

Philadelphia Flyers: Luca Sbisa Sent Down To Juniors

Ronnybrook — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:30:10 -0500

Luca Sbisa, you have been banished to the kiddie's table.

Oh, don't look so surprised.

In a long anticipated move, the Philadelphia Flyers announced that Luca Sbisa will be returned to his junior team for the remainder of the season.

The 19-year-old defenseman plays for the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the WHL.

A surprise roster addition out of training camp, Sbisa collected six assists in his first eleven games as a Flyer. However, the rookie defenseman has been a healthy scratch recently, playing just two games since Jan. 10.

The roster move will free up $875,000 from the Flyers payroll as the club continues to maneuver around the salary cap.

Danny Briere is expected to return from abdominal surgery in February, along with his $6.5 million paycheck.

Salary challenges aside, Sbisa stands to benefit from regular playing time with his junior club. A player can only learn so much from the press box.

Sbisa will be in uniform for the Lethbridge Hurricanes when they face off against the Portland Winter Hawks on Wednesday, Feb. 4.

Ronnybrook on the Donnybrook: A Different Approach to Fighting in the NHL

Ronnybrook — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:45:18 -0500

Fighting in hockey is a tradition quite possibly older than the Stanley Cup itself.

It is an element of the game that is sewn into very fabric of our sport.

Hockey without fighting would be like...

...it would just be weird, okay?

Two unfortunate events surrounding the culture of pugilism in professional hockey have brought national scrutiny to the sport in recent weeks.

First, there was the tragic death of Don Sanderson, who died from injuries sustained in a fight on Dec. 12, 2008. A 21-year-old rookie defenseman with the Whitby Dulops of the Ontario Hockey League, Sanderson fell into a coma after hitting his head on the playing surface at the conclusion of the fight.

He never regained consciousness and died three weeks later.

Then there was of Garrett Klotz of the AHL's Philadelphia Phantoms, who required hospitalization after he lost consciousness and went into convulsions after an on-ice altercation last weekend.

Both players were injured when their heads hit the playing surface without the protection of a helmet.

Klotz has since been released from the hospital, but the incident made national headlines, intensifying the soul-searching and debate between hockey purists and hockey progressives with regard to the validity of fisticuffs in the modern age of hockey.

In newspaper columns, online magazine articles, blogs, message boards, and reader feedback forums, advocates and detractors have been squaring off in recent weeks, dropping the gloves for a bare-knuckled debate on the subject of hockey's violent but time honored tradition, often with a vitriol reserved for few subjects within the sport.

As a hockey fan, I find myself conflicted with regard to the subject of fighting in hockey. After all, I would be lying through my fingertips if I were to tell you that I didn't enjoy the mayhem associated with the occasional donnybrook. Just look at my name as your proof.

Conversely, I'll be the first to call bull spit on the righteous indignation of the purist who insists that fighting is a necessary element of the game; that it gives the players the ability to police themselves with the threat of mutually assured destruction for those that would make a living off of cheap hits and wild sticks.

The "policing" argument falls flat on its face every time two goons line up next to each other at the face-off circle.

You know the drill.

The puck hits the ice.
The gloves come off for no reason whatsoever.
Then the two guys on each team's bench that play three minutes a game go at in a whirlwind of haymakers.
The stadium erupts into wild (and dirt cheap) applause and, somehow, hockey players are all the safer for it.

Riiiight.

I cannot be counted amongst the ranks of hockey fans that want to ban fighting from hockey. After all, it does occasionally add an element of excitement to the game, and it is indeed a facet of the game that makes hockey unique in the realm of team sports.

However, I will be the first to say there needs to be some controls in place to ensure the safety of the combatants.

For all of the debate that has resulted with regard to fighting in hockey, the lack of compromise amongst all parties involved has been surprising. To fight or not to fight has been the sole focus of the argument, without the slightest indication of either side finding any kind of middle ground on the subject.

I propose two suggestions that will reduce the incidents of fighting in hockey, but will leave the tradition of fisticuffs in the sport intact, and will hopefully shut everyone up.

That being said, I welcome your comments and suggestions below the fold.

The Ronnybrook Accord mandates:

Amend the "Rob Ray" Rule to Include Helmets

Rule 47.13 of the NHL Rulebook, also known as the "Rob Ray Rule" states:

A player who engages in fisticuffs and whose sweater is removed (completely off his torso), other than through the actions of his opponent in the altercation or through the actions of the Linesman, shall be assessed a game misconduct penalty.

A player who engages in fisticuffs and whose sweater is not properly "tied-down" (sweater properly fastened to pants), and who loses his sweater (completely off his torso) in that altercation, shall receive a game misconduct.

In our most recent examples of how dangerous fighting in hockey can be, both Sanderson and Klotz were not wearing helmets when their heads struck the playing surface. With Sanderson, his helmet became dislodged during the altercation. In the incident last weekend, Klotz willingly removed his helmet before engaging with his opponent.

If the NHL were to mandate that helmets are required to be properly secured before and during any altercation, the risk of head injuries as a result of falls and take downs would plummet.

In short: the helmet stays on at the beginning of the fight, and if at any point during the altercation a player's protective head gear becomes dislodged, the fight is over at once, with the linesmen instructed to intervene immediately. Players who continue with fisticuffs as the linesmen intervene would face mandatory disciplinary action by the league.

Three Strikes Rule

The top 10 players leading the NHL in fighting majors have combined for offensive production of 29 goals and 40 assists for a paltry 69 points of offensive production through 418 contests this season.

If you remove David Clarkson (a New Jersey Devils forward with an impressive mixture of offensive and pugilistic abilities) from the list, along with his 10 goals and 10 assists, your average goon who makes a living riding the NHL pine for 55 minutes a game is currently on pace for an average of 11 points or fewer this season.

If the NHL is to allow fisticuffs to continue, the culture of fighting must carry as much risk to the outcome of a game as it does reward, with mandatory game misconducts and suspensions for players who exceed a threshold of three fighting majors in a season.

Such a threshold would force NHL players to pick their bouts carefully, if at all. If such a mandate was in place this season, offensively significant players such as Ryan Getzlaf, Mike Richards, Jerome Iginla, and Dion Phaneuf would all be one step away from depriving their respective teams of their services with league mandated suspensions.

The luxury of having players such as Eric Godard, Derrick Boogaard, and Riley Cote—who have combined for one goal and five assists in 116 games this season—on an NHL roster is that when they skate to the penalty box, there is zero impact to the offensive or defensive fortunes of the team.

With a three strikes rule in place for fighting that carries accelerated suspensions for each infraction beyond the threshold, the NHL goon will become extinct, and fighting will live on in the sport of hockey through the participation of those that bring more to their hockey teams than the ability to throw down and have at it.

If the NHL is to allow fighting, let there be a price tag attached to the altercation that actually carries some meaning, effectively putting an end to the UFC sideshow that is the fight at the drop of the puck.

Joe Sakic and the Snow Blower: D'Oh! Say It Ain't So!

Ronnybrook — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 04:14:18 -0500

First there was Kellen Winslow and the motorcycle accident that forced the Cleveland Browns' tight end to miss the entire 2005 NFL season after sustaining a serious knee injury.

Then there was Plaxico Burress and the shooting accident that ended his 2008 NFL season, after the New York Giants' wideout accidentally shot himself in the thigh with the gun he was carrying in the waist band of his sweatpants.

And now, there's Joe Sakic and the...

(...pausing for a moment to gain my composure...)

...snow-blower accident that has broken three of his fingers.

That's right.

Add "snow blower" to the list of dangerous items that standard player agreements in all major sports should expressly forbid players from operating while under contract.

Add it to the list that includes motorcycles, firearms, parachutes, wheat threshers (thanks, Pat Verbeek!), airplanes, helicopters, Jessica Simpson—and now snow blowers.

If you haven't yet heard, Sakic, ignoring the "don't feed the machinery human flesh" signs clearly posted all over his Powerland 6.5 HP Snow Thrower Blower, was injured while clearing snow from the machine earlier this week. (Whether or not the actual machine was a Powerland 6.5 HP Snow Thrower Blower or a different manufacturer remains in dispute, but it sure does sound manly, doesn't it?—ed).

Already sidelined with a back injury, Sakic is expected to miss three months while he recovers from surgery to repair tendon damage to his fingers as a result of the accident.

According to a Consumer Products Safety Commission study conducted in 2005, snow blowers ranked as the "fourth-leading cause of finger amputations" in the United States, at over 1,000 a year. It noted there were over 5,000 emergency-room visits due to snow blower-related injuries.

In light of those facts, Sakic appears to be lucky to escape the incident with all three fingers intact.

He is expected to make a full recovery.

Philadelphia Flyers Pharm-Hand Report: Danny Syvret

Ronnybrook — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 05:37:32 -0500

What does Danny Syvret need to do in order to get a call from the Philadelphia Flyers?

In his 26 games with Philadelphia’s AHL affiliate this season, Syvret leads the Phantoms in scoring with 25 points (five goals, 20 assists). This is good enough for second among defensemen in the American Hockey League, and 20th overall among AHL scorers.

So far this season, Phantom players such as Andreas Nodl, Darroll Powe, Jonathon Kalinski, Josh Gratton, Jared Ross, Boyd Kane, and Nade Raduns have all gotten ice time in front of the Flyers.

Despite being among the most productive players within the AHL this season, Syvret has yet to roll his hockey bag across the parking lot to the Wachovia Center for some NHL action.

With Matt Carle, Randy Jones, Ossi Vaananen, and Ryan Parent all sidelined with injuries for stretches of time at various stages of the Flyers season thus far, it is surprising Syvret has yet to get a look with the big club, even as the seventh defenseman occasionally rotated into the lineup.

Is Lasse Kukkonen (a player deemed expendable by Philadelphia earlier this season when the Flyers placed him on waivers), so important to the Flyers that he can’t be sent down to the Phantoms to free up a few games for a hungry overachiever like Svyret?

Of course, it’s entirely possible the Flyers are taking the same cautious approach with Syvret as they have with top forward prospect Claude Giroux.

Both Paul Holmgren and John Stevens have publicly stated that, absent significant opportunity for ice time with the Flyers, and highly-regarded prospects are better served remaining on the farm where they have the opportunity to play big minutes in all game situations.

Syvret, acquired in an off-season trade that sent Ryan Potulny to the Edmonton Oilers, arrived in Philadelphia with an impressive resume.

His accomplishments include a spectacular junior career that had Syrvet win the 2005 Memorial Cup as the captain of the London Knights, along with gold medals in the 2005 World Junior Championship (playing with Flyers' Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, and Braydon Coburn), and 2007 Spengler Cup.

A small defenseman at 5’11", and 203 pounds, Syvret is not known for his physical play. The diminutive defenseman’s offensive game has been compared to Boston Bruins defenseman Dennis Wideman.

Six months after the trade that brought him to Philadelphia for Ryan Potulny, Syvret’s success at the AHL level this season have all indicators pointing to another superb trade engineered by Flyers General Manager Paul Holmgren.

However, conclusive evidence won’t be available until Syvret gets a long look at the NHL level.

Tampa Bay Lightning Place Radim Vrbata and Chris Gratton on Waivers

Ronnybrook — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:26:23 -0500

According to TSN, the Tampa Bay Lightning placed Radim Vrbata and Chris Gratton on waivers today.

Vrbata, citing a lack of confidence in his own game, asked to be placed on waivers in order to return home to finish his season in the Czech Republic.

According to Lightning owner Oren Koules, Vrbata “just wants to take the rest of the year off and try to get his game back over there.”

Vrbata is under contract through the 2010-2011 NHL season, earning $3 million per year. Koules did not dismiss the idea of Vrbata returning to the Lightning next season.

“If he wants to come back next season, great. That’s his call. This is all very amicable. He’s a great guy who’s really struggling right now.”

Vrbata’s departure could possibly open a full time roster spot for recently acquired right wing Steve Downie, who has played well in his four games with the club since being recalled from the Norfolk Admirals.

Vrbata is expected to clear waivers and return to the Czech Republic. Gratton, however, may draw interest from several teams looking for a capable checking line center.

Gratton, earning $1.25 million this year, is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

Steve Downie: 1082 Miles Away From the Dog House

Ronnybrook — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 07:24:22 -0500

It's hard to imagine a bigger motivation for Steve Downie.

Three weeks after Steve Downie was shipped 1,082 miles away from John Stevens' doghouse in Philadelphia, the volatile rookie returns to the Wachovia Center to face the team that drafted him 29th overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, when the Flyers host the Tampa Bay Lightning at 7:05 p.m.

Downie, sent to Tampa Bay along with Steve Eminger and Philadelphia's fourth round 2009 draft pick in exchange for Matt Carle and Tampa Bay's third round 2009 draft choice, is playing in just his third game with the Bolts after being assigned to the AHL affiliate Norfolk Admirals. There he is currently serving a three-game suspension for an illegal hit on former NHL player Kyle McLaren.

According to the St. Petersburg Times, Lightning management are projecting Downie as a future third line player. Having played 44 professional games (regular and post season) in an orange and black sweater, the secret to unlocking Steve Downie's potential may reside in an examination of his playing time with the Flyers.

In the thirteen games where he was awarded more than 10 minutes of ice time per game (an average of 13:08 per game), Downie produced four goals and six assists with a plus-minus rating of +6 and 13 PIM.

By contrast, in the 31 games where Downie was given less than 10 minutes of ice time per game (an average of 7:06 per game), Downie's performance plummeted to two goals and one assist with a plus-minus rating of -8 and 77 PIM.

Downie is currently averaging just 6:52 per game, taking a shift on the Bolts fourth line as an injury call up for David Koci (broken hand).

With the information at hand, Downie would appear better suited for duty on the third line, as opposed to the checking line assignment he drew for much of his career as a Philadelphia Flyer.

Tampa Bay Interim Head Coach Rick Tocchet doesn't sound opposed to the upgrade. In today's Tampa Tribune, Tocchet was quoted as saying "he's had two good chances getting five to seven minutes a game. Some guys are playing 17 or 18 minutes and not getting chances. So we got to get this kid a little more ice time. He's got some game there."

As a player the Flyers gave up on, it's hard to imagine a better opportunity for Downie to show that he belongs in the NHL than with a strong performance in Philadelphia tonight.

Philadelphia Flyers Finances: Is Joffrey Lupul Worth $4.25 Million Per Season?

Ronnybrook — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 02:43:31 -0500

Is it realistic to keep Joffrey Lupul in an orange and black sweater?

Lupul’s NHL salary cap number currently sits at $2.31 million for 2008-09, but beyond this season his salary will escalate to $4.25 million annually for the remainder of his contract, which extends through the 2012-13 season.

As the roster currently stands, going into the off-season next summer the Flyers cap number will be at $51.2 million. Key players such as Martin Biron and Mike Knuble will be available for unrestricted free agency, with secondary players such as Antero Niittymaki, Andrew Alberts, Ossi Vaananen, and Lasse Kukkonen also designated UFA status.

Scottie Upshall will be a restricted free agent, with only a 10 percent increase in his $1.25 million salary necessary to retain his services.

Assuming the Flyers re-sign Biron and Upshall, Paul Holmgren will likely find that he will be in the familiar situation of bumping into the same exact salary cap obstacles that prevented Philadelphia from competing for marquee UFA players last summer, most notably Brian Campbell.

With the need to upgrade the blue line and procure a reliable backup goaltender (or retain Niittymaki at a significant raise over his $1.25 million salary), the Flyers could once again find themselves on the outside looking in as other teams swoop in and sign a deep class of UFA defensemen that includes Jay Bouwmeester, Scott Niedermayer, Jaroslav Spacek, Sergei Zubov, Darryl Sydor, Filip Kuba, Philippe Boucher, Mattias Ohlund and Derek Morris.

As a third line right wing that has a history of struggling with consistency in his game, at $4.25 million will Lupul be overpaid? When comparing his production with high-end players at his position in other NHL cities, it would seem so.

Below is a list of other players at the right wing position with salaries comparable to what Lupul will earn when his salary escalates to $4.25 million next season.

Alexei Kovalev ($4.5 million)

Shane Doan ($4.5 million)

Daniel Alfredsson ($4.3 million)

Milan Michalek ($4.3 million)

Ales Hemsky ($4.1 million)

Brian Gionta ($4 million)

Pierre-Marc Bouchard ($4 million)

J.P. Dumont ($4 million)

Patrick Sharp ($3.9 million)

Milan Hejduk ($3.9 million)

Justin Williams ($3.5 million)

Miroslav Satan ($3.5 million)

Dustin Brown ($3.1 million)

Jonathan Cheechoo ($3 million)

Teemu Selanne ($2.6 million)

Petr Sykora ($2.5 million)

In terms of scoring and consistency, with the exception of Jonathan Cheechoo, Lupul’s production does not approach any of his peers, yet he is poised to earn more than many of them.

Not included on the list above are players such as Steve Bernier ($2.5 million), Marek Svatos ($2 million), and Kyle Wellwood ($1 million), who each produce offensive numbers approaching (but not exceeding) Lupul’s offensive production, but as of next season, each of those players will seem vastly underpaid in contrast to the salary numbers of their colleague in Philadelphia.

With Claude Giroux waiting for his opportunity in the big league at a salary of $812,667 and the Flyers in need of one more high-end defenseman to solidify their blue line, it begs the question: Can the Flyers afford to keep Joffrey Lupul next season?

Four Reasons Flyers Fans Should Want Brendan Shanahan

Ronnybrook — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:22:58 -0500

If you’ve spent enough time over the past week cruising Philadelphia Flyers message boards or viewing the reader’s comments at the bottom of news stories covering the Brendan Shanahan rumors, you've probably come away with the assumption that the Flyers fan base is divided.

For those fans who like the idea of Shanahan pulling an orange and black sweater over his head, the discussion usually centers around the Hall of Fame bound left wing’s scoring touch (still present at age 39), along with his three Stanley Cup rings, and the addition of his leadership qualities in the locker room of a team adrift in the standings this year.

For fans opposed to the thought of Shanahan possibly ending his career as a Philadelphia Flyer, many point to the fact that the Flyers have other more pressing areas of concern—namely a shaky blue line that has struggled in its own end this season.

Other fans lament the brief and fruitless Philadelphia tenures of Hall of Fame players at the end of their career such as Paul Coffey and Adam Oats (both of which were trades— Shanahan is currently an unrestricted free agent), and wonder what the point is?

Others worry that Shanahan would take away opportunities for younger, up-and-coming players such as Andreas Nodl or Claude Giroux.

While I can see the merits of each argument, it’s my opinion that the Flyers would do well to pounce on Shanahan. Listed below are four reasons why Flyers fans should feel the same way.

He’s Still Got It

Brendan Shanahan has scored less than 20 goals just once in his twenty-year career. That season was his 1987-1988 rookie campaign with the New Jersey Devils, where he scored seven goals.

Even at the age of 39, Shanahan finished the 2007-2008 season with the New York Rangers with 23 goals and another 23 assists.

To those who would point out that the Flyers don’t need more goals but more defense, my reply is as follows—six of Philadelphia’s nine losses were either by one goal or in overtime. Sounds like the Flyers need just a few more goals to get them over the hump.

Bang for the Buck

Shanahan is thought to be looking for a salary in excess of $1 million—which is a bargain for a player who has potted 20 or more goals in 19 consecutive seasons. The closest 20-goal scorer with salary in that neighborhood on the Flyers roster is Joffery Lupul at $2.3 million.

With the Flyers' cap room set at a little over $800,000, does anyone really think the Flyers will address their blue line without moving significant roster players? At the price, Shanahan is a steal.

Buy Low. Sell High

Alright, worst case scenario time; Shanahan’s presence on the ice does little to reverse the fortunes of the Flyers this season, and as the trade dead line approaches, Philadelphia’s playoff hopes look all but out of reach.

The Flyers would certainly have some Eastern teams banging on their door for the rental services of one Brendan Shanahan.

For an investment somewhere in the neighborhood of $1 million, the Flyers could possibly seek a high pick or prospects in return for a player who costs them nothing more than the money they paid him (which at that point would be pro-rated, as the Flyers would not be on the hook for remaining salary).

That Eighth Playoff Slot

The Flyers are in a dogfight in the Atlantic Division. Do fans really want the teams the Flyers will be fighting tooth and nail with for that eighth and final playoff slot in the East to get even better—when Shanny can be had for a song? Think about what's being left on the table in that scenario.

Shanahan is said to be giving Philadelphia serious consideration. If his salary demands are indeed reasonable, and the Flyers do not need to do anything other than open their wallets to get him, Brendan Shanahan can help this team.

Whether the Flyers make the playoffs or not.

Philadelphia Flyers: A Tale of Two Streaks

Ronnybrook — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:18:09 -0500

That dull thudding noise you hear is the sound of my head banging repeatedly against a flat screen computer monitor as I sit here and try to hazard a guess as to where your Philadelphia Flyers are heading this season.

Will Flyers fans have the opportunity to attend two victory parades in one year? Or will the hockey hopes and dreams of Philadelphia fan-base be reduced to the non-playoff suckers walk that is the NHL lottery pick (projected to be John Tavares)?

It’s hard to tell.

Eleven games into their 2008-2009 campaign, the Flyers have already put together two streaks: A stretch of six winless contests which saw the orange and black stumble out of the tunnel with a dubious 0-3-3 record to start their season, followed by a four game unbeaten streak, which began with two consecutive victories over the hockey world’s worst…neighbors…ever, the New Jersey Devils.

Each streak contains some illusory qualities. There are facets of the winless streak that can easily explain the Flyers lack of success at the onset of the season. There are also aspects of the recent four game unbeaten stretch that should give fans some pause before they start casing which Broad Street businesses they plan to loot in advance of next June’s parade.

The Winless Streak: 0-3-3

It’s easy to look at 0-3-3 and attribute that kind of performance to distractions or a lack of desire on the Flyers part. However, with eleven games in the books, a different picture has come into focus.

It should be pointed out that as John Stevens tinkered with his lines through the first six games of this season, he inadvertently dismantled two key components of the Flyers success in 2007-2008: depth down the middle, and the consistency of his best defensive pairing.

As Stevens experimented with his top line, by stacking it with an impressive collection of goal-scorers that had Mike Richards centering Simon Gagne and Daniel Briere, his second and third scoring lines suffered.

One of the Flyers’ strengths in the 2007-2008 campaign was their depth down the middle. Last year, the Flyers attack benefited from the passes that came off of the sticks of the club’s three top centermen: Briere, Carter, and Richards.

But as Briere and Richards began taking shifts together early this season, the lack of skilled playmakers distributing the puck across three lines upset the scoring balance the team enjoyed last season.

On the blue line, Stevens’ experimenting had a similarly negative effect as he separated last season’s most successful defensive pairing. He spread Kimmo Timmonen and Braydon Coburn across the Flyers defensive corps in an effort to shore up a blue line that began the 2008-2009 season with injuries, inexperience, and new faces.

Not only were Timmonen and Coburn the most productive offensive pairing from the blue line for the Flyers in 2007-2008, they were also the team’s best shut down defenders.

With both Timmonen and Coburn suddenly skating with new partners, the Flyers goaltending found itself being torched for 28 goals in through the first six games.

As Stevens moved to return to the lineups that had worked for the Flyers in the past, the Flyers fortunes began to turn.

However, the blame for 0-3-3 cannot be laid solely at the feet of John Stevens. As the NHL standings have begun to solidify, it has become apparent the Flyers were dealt a tough schedule to start the season.

Three of the Flyers first five opponents this season currently sit at the top of their respective divisions: the Rangers in the Atlantic, the Canadiens in the Northeast, and the Sharks in the Pacific (which the Flyers played in two consecutive games).

With these three teams combining for a current record of 28-6-1, you might say the Flyers had their work cut out for them through those four games. Throw the Pittsburgh Penguins into the mix, and that’s a tough two weeks in the National Hockey League.

What’s encouraging about the Flyers six game winless drought is the fact that, despite their inability to make it into the win column early on, their guns never went silent.

With the exception of an uninspiring 5-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche, three of Philadelphia’s five losses to start the season were decided by one-goal margins; the two goal margin for the Montreal Canadiens 5-3 victory was the result of a Steve Begin empty net goal in the final minute of the contest.

Despite sitting in 11th place in the Eastern Conference standings, the Flyers lead the East in goal scoring with 43 goals. League-wide, only the Detroit Red Wings have scored more, with 44 tallies through twelve games.

The Unbeaten Streak: 4-0-0

What has been most surprising about the Flyers sudden reversal of fortunes is the fact that the transformation from winless in six to unbeaten in four began with the New Jersey Devils.

While it is a commonly held misconception that Ed Snider owns the Philadelphia Flyers, anyone keeping score at home knows that Martin Brodeur has owned the orange and black since the moment the future Hall of Fame goaltender pulled a red and black jersey over his head.

With Philadelphia mucking through a six game winless streak, there was little expectation the Flyers would march into the Prudential Center (a building where the Flyers had not won in their last twelve visits) and not only beat the Devils, but sweep New Jersey in two consecutive days to conclude a home-and-home series against Brodeur and Co.

BUT, for all of the excitement generated by a pair of wins over the Devils, the Flyers thumping of the hapless Atlanta Thrashers and the New York Islanders hardly puts an exclamation point on “we’re back!” Especially when it’s taken into consideration the two clubs have five wins between them in 22 games played this season.

The Flyers four game unbeaten streak came to an end yesterday with a 5-4 loss to the Edmonton Oilers, leaving fans to wonder if the Flyers can string together wins consistently against opponents that have a winning record.

The Long View

With the Atlantic Division competitive from top to bottom, the Flyers could find themselves in a struggle to make the playoffs this season. A resurgent Southeast Division could lead to a three team battle for the eighth and final playoff spot between the Flyers and teams such as the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning.

To be certain, the slow start to the Flyers season has significantly reduced their margin for error moving forward. If Philadelphia finds itself in one of the annual double-digit winless funks that seems to overtake the team every January, the Flyers will most certainly find themselves out of the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.

Mike Knuble: All Production, No Respect

Ronnybrook — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 16:42:54 -0400

Mike Knuble most likely is not in the habit of reading his own press clippings, let alone fan blogs or message boards. But if he was, it’s safe to assume he’d feel a little underappreciated.

After all, when you are among the leaders on your team each year in offensive categories and power-play production, posting no fewer than 24 goals or 55 points in three years of service, ranking among the top-10 league leaders in power play goals in 2007-2008, and remaining a durable, consistent player, you’d think fans would want you to stick around.

Since the summer, there has been a ground swell of chatter in both the hockey media and amongst fans on blogs and message boards that Knuble’s $2.8 million salary cap number might be put to better use shoring up areas of need on the Flyers roster. In fact, there are times when it seems many fans would love to pack the lumbering power forward’s bags for him, drive him to the Market East bus terminal, and toss him under the first Greyhound bus out of town.

How does one of Philadelphia’s most productive offensive forwards over the previous three seasons go from hot-diggity-dog to plain ol’ dog dirt in Philadelphiafandom?

As Knuble approaches the back end of his career, there seems to be an anxiety amongst many Philadelphia fans and observers that the 36-year-old right wing might run out of gas while outfitted in an orange and black Reebok jersey. Never mind that as a player, Knuble has only gotten better with age. A late bloomer, No. 22’s first voyage across the 50-point mark came as a 31-year old. He has consistently posted similar numbers four of his last five seasons.

During his time in Philadelphia, Knuble has been the closest thing to an immovable force the Flyers have had since big John LeClair opened an office in front of opposing netminders over a decade ago. Knuble plays a similar style, scoring many of his goals in close as defenders struggle with his size and strength. With a new emphasis on team speed, Knuble is one of the few big body forwards on the Flyers roster capable of creating problems for opposing defensemen in close.

Perhaps it’s the specter of Leclair’s dramatic physical decline toward the end of his career in Philadelphia that has so many people spooked, creating a sense of urgency amongst fans for the Flyers to sell while Knuble still holds value as an asset. But the facts point to Knuble being quite durable, missing just 25 games over the last five seasons, averaging 77 games played per season over that time span.

There could be a myriad of reasons, both logical and illogical, that have Flyers observers wishing for another right wing to fill Knuble’s spot on the Flyers bench. However, it’s quite possible the sudden mob of Knuble bag-packers can be explained in two words—Brian Campbell.

As free agency approached this past offseason, it suddenly dawned on Flyers observers that—for the first time in years—Philadelphia was in no position to take part in the July 1 feeding frenzy that is the start of the NHL free agency period. For the first time in recent memory, Philadelphia was in no position to sit at the table with other free agency serial spenders such as the New York Rangers, Dallas Stars, and Toronto Maple Leafs.

The result of past offseason spending habits and free agent windfalls has understandably conditioned Flyers fans to expect marquee signings each summer. If free agency were similar to say, sport-eating, the free-spending Flyers would contend for the Wing Bowl crown year in and year out.

So, on July 1, 2008, imagine the horror of the Philadelphia faithful as Flyers management heaved up Glen Metropolit, Aaron Asham, Ossi Vaananen, Danny Syvret, Nate Raduns, and Janne Niskala before finishing their first plate of wings.

As top-tier unrestricted free agents began signing dotted lines in 29 other NHL cities—especially coveted free agent Brian Campbell, who landed in Chicago—Flyers fans dejectedly picked the chunks that were Patrick Hersely and Ned Lukacevic out of their collective playoff beards.

The Flyers' inability to participate in the Brian Campbell sweepstakes was unfortunate, but hardly unforeseen. The previous summer’s spending spree that saw the team acquire Daniel Briere, Scott Hartnell, and Kimmo Timonen transformed Philadelphia into an Eastern Conference finalist, dramatically reversing the fortunes of a team that finished last in the NHL standings in 2006-2007.

But that progress came at a price, pushing Flyers management up against the constraints of the NHL salary cap.

Despite shedding the salaries of several players through attrition, long-term injury designations, trades, and retirement, the need to re-sign key unrestricted and restricted Flyers free agents such as Martin Biron, Mike Richards, Joffry Lupul, and Jeff Carter all but assured Philadelphia would be quiet on July 1.

It is hardly a coincidence that people began to take note of Knuble’s salary-cap number (set at $2.8 million for 2008) in the days leading up to free agency and during the post-mortem afterward. The Flyers entered the free-agency period with its blue line as the top priority, but failed to land a marquee player to solidify its top four on the defensive unit.

In the minds of many, Knuble’s $2.8 million approached nearly half of what was needed to bring Brian Campbell to Philadelphia, suddenly making Knuble an expensive luxury rather than an invaluable component of the Flyers attack. Age catches up with every professional athlete at some point, and with Knuble approaching his 252nd birthday in dog years, some fans have come to see him as the odd man out on a team loaded with kids.

But the fact remains that, at $2.8 million per year, Mike Knuble has been a bargain. Of the 30 NHL players in his salary range—between $2.5 million and $3 million annual salary—only five players have been more productive than Knuble in total points last season. Of those 30 players, only Henrik Zetterberg had scored more power-play goals (16) than Knuble in 2007-2008.

What’s more, Knuble is an unrestricted free agent heading into the 2009-2010 season, adding further incentive to perform well as he enters into what may be a negotiation for his final pro contract.

Based on his consistency over the last five years, along with his durability and the added incentive of entering a contract year, there is no reason to expect anything other than a productive year from Mike Knuble. However, as an affordable, productive, power-play specialist, it is all but assured that his name will surface as a potential rental player in trade rumors throughout the season.

In a league where power-play production is at a premium, it's unlikely Mike Knuble is going anywhere this season, with the Flyers' aspirations set at moving beyond the Eastern Conference Finals.

Whether Knuble will be in Philadelphia next season is a different story.

Which Current Flyer Best Fits the Bobby Clarke Mold?

Ronnybrook — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 07:27:44 -0400

Since the day he was drafted in 2003 until the day he was anointed the 17th captain in Philadelphia Flyers history, Mike Richards has been touted—by the "organ-I-zation" and the hockey media alike—as a player in the mold of Bobby Clarke.

Really?

Maybe I’m being a little thick, but I’m having difficulty drawing the parallels between Michael Richards and Robert Earl Clarke. With the exception of both being widely regarded as gritty, physical, gifted two-way players trapped in smaller men’s frames in a larger man’s game, the similarities appear to end for No. 16 and No. 18.

There are a lot of players that have passed through Philadelphia since Clarke's retirement in 1984 that have fit that bill.

Sure, both Richards and Clarke were bestowed the Flyers' captaincy at the tender age of 23. But when you take into account that the Flyers have spent the past five years cultivating the Clarke/Richards paradigm, that decision seems to be more by design rather than the result of some mystic stroke of orange and black fate.

What’s interesting is there is a different player on the Flyers' roster that appears to be cut from the same cloth as Philadelphia’s most beloved and reviled hockey player, yet nobody really wants to say it. His name is Steve Downie.

Yes, that Steve Downie. The undisciplined, poorly socialized pit bull, who would certainly benefit from a steady diet of Prozac, professional counseling, and hugs. Yes, that Steve Downie.

When Philadelphia Flyers fans think of Bobby Clarke, they tend to think of the highlights of a storied Hall of Fame career; the four trips to the Stanley Cup finals; the three 100-point seasons and three Hart Trophies; the biggest pair balls in the history of Philadelphia sports; the single-minded determination that No. 16 brought to the ice every season, which helped transform the Flyers from an expansion team to an elite team in the NHL.

However, when you step outside of the bubble of Philadelphia sports and look at Bobby Clarke from the perspective of other hockey fans, their memories of Philly’s toothless grin is, well, less flattering.

Beyond the Delaware Valley, a Bobby Clarke Mad Libs exercise would probably include the adjectives of “cheap,” “dirty,” and “criminal.” Appropriate nouns would most likely be “bastard,” “cheap-shot artist,” and “impaler.” Verbiage would most certainly contain “hack,” “slash,” and “hide behind Dave Schultz.”

To be a Bobby Clarke fan outside of the safe environs of the Philadelphia sports scene would have most likely gotten you shouted down in any other hockey city in North America. In the Soviet Union, it might have gotten you shot.

Because he played his entire career in Philadelphia, and because every other NHL city has been on the business end of a Bobby Clarke hockey stick (whether it was burying a puck in the twine or a taped up blade in the gut), it’s pretty easy to come to the conclusion that Bobby Clarke was a hockey player that only Philadelphia could love. To be a Clarkie fan outside of the tri-state area would raise questions about your morals, ethics, and worth as a human being.

Sound like anyone on the current Flyers roster you might know?

Make no mistake. If it had been Valeri Karlamov in 1972 instead of Dean McCammond behind the Flyers net in 2007, “The Hit” would have seen Steve Downie become the toast of the NHL, rather than burnt toast in the NHL. In Clarke’s era, punching Jason Blake in the face (as he was being restrained by the officials) would have been another day at the office at Broad & Pattison, and not a call for banishment.

Because Downie’s rookie campaign was marred by suspensions and banishment to the Flyers' checking unit for most of what remained of his 2007-2008 season, his overall grade as a rookie player remains largely incomplete. However, his accomplished junior career (also marred by controversial incidents and behavior) says that he has many of the tools Mike Richards possessed before making the leap to the professional ranks.

Bestowing the Bobby Clarke mantle on any player so early in their career seems a little foolish, but if Steve Downie can approach the quality of play that Mike Richards has produced heading into his fourth season as a Flyer, we may need to rethink who fits into the Bobby Clarke mold.

Bobby Clarke was not only a great hockey player. He was a great villain.

Downie has the villain part down to a science.