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Written by Ryan
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Thursday, 04 March 2010 08:28 |
 We've got a decent 13th forward, for what it's worth. If there was one bright spot in last night's game it was the offensive creativity of Ville Leino, our February trade deadline acquisition. Of course, I'll be tearing him to pieces in a couple of weeks when his shifty moves result in a 3-on-2 going the other way, but last night in his 9:49 of ice time he made more right moves than wrong. Hell, I think he might even be able to play 10 minutes some day.
I don't know if it was the standard definition, the Olympic hangover, the lady mandated flipping back and forth between the depressing girls of American Idol, or what, but two fights in the first five minutes used to send me into the bathroom to dance for myself in the mirror I was so excited. Last night as I shoveled Chipotle into my mouth I could hardly find the interest to care about any of the fights that happened. I thought it would have been ironic if Richie crumpled Booth, but also that it would have been a bit rude. And then listening to JJ and Keith Jones recount the sceond Asham fight like Tarnasky wasn't already falling before Asham threw that bomb annoyed the shit out of me.
Finding out Michael Leightonov is a secret Russian spy sent here to destroy the Flyers didn't make anything better.
You know what this symblon is, Robert Langdon? >>2
It's double fast forward and it's how I watched the second half of the game because dude's got a real job. I saw all the goals without having to waste my time, which was much preferred to staying up to the witching hour and watching a drubbing. So thank you Time Warner employees for equipping your cable boxes with that.
Scott Hartnell, you jerk idiot - 4 on 4 goal.
Dan Carcillo, on the day I herald your play in a post? - powerplay goal
Michael Leightonov, you turkey fucking liar - weak goals 1,2,3,4
When Power's foot heals Scott Hartnell's gotta spend a game or two in the press box. Is the trade deadline over in the KHL? I'd send that thief to the Russia for Jaukub Klepis in a second. 8 more minor penalties than points. What a stupid. |
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Written by Fran
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Wednesday, 03 March 2010 18:04 |
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Much like David Booth, we're scared to death to report on the Flyers when they play the Panthers. So we'll just leave you with this as a warning.
Apologies for the late and half assed gameday preview. All this blue balled trade deadline happenings, I looked at the clock and it's already warm ups time. So whatta ya thing? 7 goals again tonight? How many times will we hear about "Vokoun for Carter". Who even plays for the Panthers anymore? Sheesh. Maybe we'll get a Carcillo-Tarnasky bout. I want to see alot more of Asham-Giroux-Reimer. That line last night was working hard and looking good. Another winnable game against guys probably happy to still have jobs. Vokoun is tough, but beatable. Keep on keeping on boys. Let's Go Flyers. |
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Written by Ryan
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Wednesday, 03 March 2010 08:28 |
The Flyers did their best to convince Paul Holmgren they're ready to eat last night with a swift skating, back loaded 7-2 win over the Lightning. Mike Richards brought himself up to 50 points in 61 games, Simon Gagne to 29 points in 37 games, and Claude Giroux to 38 points in 61 games. But the guy I'm most interested in is Daniel Carcillo, who earned himself the Flyers second Gordie Howe Hat Trick of the season. It being trade deadline day makes it an even more appropriate time to reflect on how the Upshall-Carcillo trade has panned out a year later.
When Scottie Upshall was traded by the Flyers last season he had 7 goals and 14 assists through 55 games. And after fighting back tears at the airport, the internet backlash, and a great season for Scottie in Phoenix, Daniel Carcillo has 9 goals and 7 assists through 57 games - 2 more goals, half as many assists. But maybe the most surprising part of Carcillo's game is that while he's currently 5th in the NHL in penalty minutes, which is to be expected, he's tied for third with Danny Briere in minor penalties among Flyers at 22 (Scott Hartnell leads the Flyers with 43). He's not even in the top 50 in the league.
It's hard to compare Upshall's numbers this year with Carcillo's because Upshall was always slated as a top 6 forward in Phoenix, but from a myopic Flyers point of view I would be surprised if anyone can argue that what Carcillo's brought to the team this year has been anything less than what Upshall brought last year. Yes he has 5 less points, but he's also served as the team's chief enforcer, setting a course of action that would eventually see Riley Cote become redundant as a Flyer and allow the club to eventually free up $550k. He brings the same energy Upshall brought even if it's in his own sometimes overly dramatic way. He also doesn't stand to set the Flyers back financially if they choose to resign him at about $1M as an RFA this summer, where as Upshall will be seeking close to $3M.
In past seasons Homer hasn't negotiated as shrewdly as he probably should have when signing multi-million dollar players and we have been experiencing the nickel and dime pains that caused for the last two seasons. But in a move he made primarily for salary shedding reasons Homer just might come out looking decent on the other side. |
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Written by Fran
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Tuesday, 02 March 2010 13:21 |
 Tonight we get back into the swing of things. We un-pause the ol' hockey DVR and continue the 2009-2010 rollercoaster season. Tonight, the Flyers take on the Tampa Bay Lightning in their first game back from the Olympic break. Olympians are back, the trade deadline is approaching and the playoffs loom. Ready for the best month of your life?
Way back when...two weeks ago, the Flyers rickrolled the Devils and Habs to finish the pre-Olympic schedule winning 4 in a row and feeling pretty good about their 6th place positioning. They have games in hand, scorers are coming around and the defense is playing very well in front of Michael Leighton. With a two week, no practice break, its hard to imagine that the fire didn't get a bit less bright, less intense. Sure, Richards, Pronger, Kimmo Timmo and Osakars 'Huber' Bartulis all got to play at a heightened level for the past two weeks, but nobody else. We all have to assume that the Flyers all worked out on their own, ate well(looking at you "extra cheese" Hartnell) and stayed mentally sharp to finish out the break. My guess is, being professional athletes who make money based on the shape of their body, they did just that. Lavvy probably gave them some good practices in preparation for a tough home stretch.
The Lightning always pose a good matchup. They shoot well, have a talented offensive corps and can roll lines that match up well against the Flyers. The 'Ning are in 9th place, and in the East, that means they are a two game win streak away from a playoff seed. Every game for them, as well as for Philly is important. This game might start out a big sloppy...errant passes, off target shooting, but by the midpoint these teams should be right back into it.
So cheers to you, Flyers fans. We're back. Our Olympians are here, ready to spread their winning ways. We get to play the poop-filled Lightning right off the bat. Haven't you missed Lappy? Carbomb? X, Rabbit, Betts, Breeze, Gags, Powerhouse, Leights, Carts, Ashy Larry and company? I for one, can't wait to drink on a Tuesday again without shame of society. Welcome back, Flyers hockey, I fucking missed you. Let's Go Flyers |
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Written by Ryan
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Tuesday, 02 March 2010 07:57 |
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Like a Saved By the Bell clip show it's time for us to look back on our time with Riley Cote, as it would seem regardless of whether he clears waivers or is claimed, he has played his last game as a Philadelphia Flyer. So cue up 'On the Wings of Love' and settle in, it was an emotional ride.
In the beginning of the 2007-08 season we looked at him as our defender of justice against the corrupt Collin Campbell.
By January of that season it looked like Cote was well on his way to his first Man Byng award.
When February hit we were singing his praise as "an incredible middle-weight fighter."
And then Cote earned himself a 3 year contract with a single punch against Andre Roy.
When the playoffs came around that spring we got a taste of what the 2009-10 season would be like when Cote only played in 3 of the Flyers 17 games. But the next October we still believed in him, citing his surprisingly impressive junior scoring numbers.
But then only weeks later it looked like Josh Gratton might steal Cote's job.
And then right before Christmas Cote fought the fight that would eventually lose him favor among Flyers fans, in which he got stomped by Donald Brashear.
By the end of the season even we were doutbing him publicly. A little bit.
And then when everyone said he wouldn't make the squad this year we thought that he would.
Which he did, technically. But it's been a rocky road since then. The writing has been on the wall for about 4 months now, as Riles has become a fixture in the press box. It's been a rough year for the NHL fighter in general. Donald Brashear is in the AHL, Georges Laraque is teamless, and it seems as though good clubs in general would rather have a 4th line player of any type except the old fashioned enforcer.
Even though he is not useful to the team we have today, you have to have some respect for the guy that sacrificed more than the others during our turn around years. He took a lot of beatings for the Flyers and their fans, and then in a strange twist of fate among the fans for not being good enough. The AHL is exactly what this guy needs. He needs to sharpen his hockey skills and beat up some young punks.
Flyers Goal Scored By...thanks Rockin' Riley Cote for his service as a Flyer. We appreciate all the nights you spent more time in the penalty box than on the ice, and will always have a special place in our hearts and pants for "Down goes Roy!" |
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Written by Ryan
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Monday, 01 March 2010 14:13 |
 Frank Seravalli is reporting that this guy kicking Kirk Maltby in the dick could be your next Philadelphia Flyer. And I'm reporting that Frank is reporting it. I'd have to say I'm all for this if it's something that can be done. If what Seravalli's claiming is true, and we can get a tough, defensive-minded but offensively capable defenseman for Ryan Parent, who I'm pretty sure is going play about 30 games a season for the rest of his career, I'd have to say that's a no brainer.
If they want Parent and a pick I'd have to tell them to touch my balls. And they'd say "what?" and I'd say "exactly." If they want Parent and Jared Ross...sure...why not. |
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Written by Ryan
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Monday, 01 March 2010 13:47 |
Kind of.
In March of 1998 the Flyers aquired Roger Neilson (the coach) from St. Louis in exchange for a 6th Round pick in the 1999 Draft - I'm not sure how something like that happens but it did. Until recently the player chosen with that pick was an unknown European who was just one of many Euro(trash) picks that never end up panning out. But then with a hat trick against Switzerland and a 4 goal in 4 game performance overall during the Vancouver Olympics, his name became synonomus with destruction by goals in the many small towns and villages that surround Vancouver.
And while I rarely play the "that draft pick turned into" game because you never know who the Flyers would have picked, you can be 100% sure that a player name Tore Vikingstad would have been it. Because of his ball crushing name and too little too late goal scoring ability.
And with that, we conclude our Olympic Coverage until we decided we want to write something else about them. |
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Written by Ryan
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Monday, 01 March 2010 09:02 |
 What a run. Call me un-American if you want, but I thought it was kind of fitting that Canada won the gold yesterday, especially in the manner they did. The US, the underdog dark horse from the get go came one shot from winning the gold medal. In a one game championship that's basically the equivalent of deciding the two teams are evenly matched and then leaving it up to a coin toss. What I'm saying is that the US did what I wanted them to do - went to Vancouver and had a great tournament, and beat Canada. We let them know.
I've never really cared for any of this "their sport" versus "our sport" crap when hockey is quite obviously their sport. Just like no matter how many times Japan wins the World Baseball Classic baseball is still going to be our sport. I like Canadians, I like their sport, and I'm glad that we could win the World Juniors this year and come as close as we did to winning the Olympics. I look forward to watching the Games in 4 years when I'm a dried up old turd in my early 30's.
Now what I'm most excited about is that Philadelphia Flyers captain Mike Richards can put 'Olympic Gold Medal' at the top of his resume. His confidence coming back to the NHL season has to be through the roof. He went into the Olympics as Team Canada's 13th forward and by the medal ceremonies he was Chris Pronger's personal photographer…and a left wing on Canada's energy line, a line that Mike Babcock put on the ice in key situations. He had 5 points in 7 games, was +5, and was a key penalty killer for the Gold Medal Champs. And no matter what happens in Philly he'll always be a champ on the most skilled stage in the hockey world.
Ah yes, and the hockey is far from over. In fact, the real tournament is just beginning. The next 6 weeks are going to be a slap to your hockey face with so much hockey that you're going to be like "what's with all this hockey?" The Flyers have 22 games over the next 42 days. That's a game every other day. For instance, the Flyers play Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday before you have to do this Monday morning bullshit again. And then it's Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday for the next 3 weeks. It's going to off the hook chain.
And who knows who those Flyers are going to be. If Fran had his way we'd be exchanging Scott Hartnell for Ryan Kesler. If Kesler had managed to score in overtime he would have had to have been moved somewhere. If the internet gets its way we have anyone from Peter Mueller to Raffi Torres to Corey Schneider to Tim Gleason coming to Philly. I don't see how any of these trades are going to happen without some major reorganizing on our part, but it'll be fun to see what kind of moves happen through the league over the next couple days. I'm not expecting much from Homer.
We're back. We're reenergized for the playoff push. And we're ready to have Mike Richards and Chris Pronger take pictures over the summer while wearing their gold medal and hoisting the Cup over their heads on a mountain. It's the NHL season. |
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Written by Ryan
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Friday, 26 February 2010 14:00 |
 Thanks to everyone who voted, and to Will Hunting for tabulating our results.
The people have spoken! |
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Written by Fran
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Friday, 26 February 2010 12:57 |
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