EDI-Flyer

Sometimes it's the only strategy to employ. Saves a lot of blunt trauma to the head from butting the walls...

Also see my signature rod

Exactly... The biggest problem the last two years has been there five on five play. The PP bailed them out offensively but was just papering over the cracks.

Nice article featured on THN.com regarding the relationship between Adam Oates and Alex Ovechkin. Oates seems to have some great soft skills which have paid dividends in the shape of Ovi's resurgence. It's an interesting contrast to Dale Hunter's "my way or the highway" approach. Source

Great stuff from Richie, I guess the player bond is strong enough to have survived his trade to LA. I'm pretty sure that there would have been some stuff in there about ignoring the herd of incompetents that represent the Philly media...

@AFF, The 160lb's referenced was his draft weight, since then he has gained around 7lbs, taking him to 167lb's. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect him to put on 15-20lbs over the next couple of years with good off season training. By way of reference Kimo Timonen is listed at 5"11 and 195lb's and he has managed to make a pretty good career of it. Would I like Ghost to be 3" taller and 40lb's heavier? Sure, but would that quite possilbly affect his speed negatively and detract from his overall game.

Nice write up on Shayne Ghostisbehere on NHL.com by Adam Kimelman. Looks like his offensive game has picked up even more than last year. Would love to see him put on a few pounds and get to around 185-190lb. IMO that's the weight range he will need to reach in order to have a shot at playing in the NHL on a full time basis. Having said that he still has time, with at least another year and a half of college. Also good to see him learning the defensive side of things, he needs to learn how to play in his own end a little smarter. But overall it's a real positive when you get a kid drafted in the 3rd round with a real chance of being on the Flyers team 2-3 years down the line. If (and it's a big if) he, Morin and Hagg develop as hoped then the future of the D corps looks in good shape, certainly these are some of the best D prospects we have seen for a while.

I don't think you'll find a huge number of football supporters that are enthusiastic about the penalty kicks deciding tournaments either... Exactly right... Personally I'm all for making the shooutout disappear but 3 on 3 just seems a ridiculous way to decide a hockey game IMO. My first preference would be simply to allow tie games with each team getting a point. If you really must have OT then play 5 minutes and remove the loser point.

100% agree with this. Win, lose, or draw make him understand that he to answer for hits like this. Even deliver a solid elbow to his head when he's not expecting it, make him pay the price even if it costs you. I do appreciate that this is not the 70's but what do you think Dave Schultz would have done in a situation like this? He would have destroyed the guy, and I guarantee you he would learn the lesson. Just ask Dale Rolfe.

Very disappointing story from the the Vancouver Sun. It does sound like a party that went bad and probably wouldn't make the paper if it didn't involve two junior hockey players. However the two guys concerned will have to face the consequences of their actions. Any convictions could potentially cause some serious damage to their careers...

From the QMJHL: http://theqmjhl.ca/article/qmjhl-announces-2012-subway-super-series-roster_151379

Apparently Igor Larionov is heading to Edmonton to discuss how Nail Yakupov is being used... Let the trade rumours commence... For the record I think it is ridiculous that this is even being mentioned unless it is Larionov's way of trying to take the heat of Yakupov. Even then I think it is counterproductive at best. Given his struggles defensively it is hardly surprising that his ice time has been cut and he is playing on the 3rd or 4th line. Welp, that doesn't sound too good. Sometimes things can be hashed out and understandings can be reached but any time an agent feels the need to essentially vent to a team about his client's role and is said to be unhappy, it's not a positive sign. Larionov didn't stop there, though. With that the ears of 29 general managers across the league perked up to pay attention. Already some are getting worked up but I'd preach caution here. The important part of that tweet is where it says if Edmonton is unhappy. Eakins didn't sound like a guy who was unhappy with Yakupov and his career trajectory. However if Larionov says he and Yakupov are already at the point of considering it, it doesn't bode well. Yakupov gave a reminder on Sunday night why it would probably be very unwise to trade Yakupov away with a bullet of a one-timer on the power play for an Oilers goal. However those have been too infrequent this season as it was just the second goal and fourth point in 17 games. For the time being, the book remains open on the Yakupov buzz; it doesn't help that the Oilers continue to struggle as well.

And for anyone unaware of the comments made by the mayor of Montreal...

Late to the thread a bit, but here's my 2 cents. I have no problem with this trade whatsoever. I like Max as a player but we have a logjam at centre and he can easily be replaced. Think Laughton next season or possibly even Cousins. In the mean time we got an offensive upgrade in Downie who can potentially play on the first or second line. This was posted by me in a thread in the Avalanche forum and I stand by it: Posted Oct 12, 2013 - 08:46 PM yave1964, on 11 Oct 2013 - 9:30 PM, said: He has certainly matured since his time with the Flyers and even if it should all go wrong he is UFA at the end of the season. I really don't see a huge down side to this trade.

I always used to hear these words: hate the sin, not the sinner Seriously though, I don't have a lot of time for the guy on a personal level but he has done a great job so far. I think his time with the Rempart has given him the tools to understand and motivate a young squad. I would love to be able to fast forward a couple of years and see just how this all turns out.

So it's nearly a month into the season and the Av's sit at 9-1 atop the NHL. Not their division. Not their conference. The whole damn NHL. And they haven't done it in the way most people would have thought, by winning high scoring shootouts. Oh no, not this team. Sure they are averaging 3.2 goals which is a pretty decent rate of production, but the most impressive thing has been the goal tending and the D. 2 shutouts 10 games into the season. 14 goals against. I 'll say that again: 14 goals against. The only team with better goals against is Boston with 13, having played one game less. Think about that for a second. Last year they averaged 3.17 goals. Not goals for, goals against. Granted it is only 10 games into the season but they have reduced GAA by 1.77 per game. A big part of that is their commitment to team D. The whole team is playing for one another and there doesn't seem to be any ego problems from "Star Players" Another huge part has been the stellar play of their goaltenders. Semyon Varlamov is sitting at .948 save % having played 7 games, with a GAA of 1.73. JS Giguere has played only 3 games but has pitched two shutouts. He has a .981 save % and a ridiculous GAA of 0.67. Bear in mind that both shutouts came on the road against arguably the Eastern Conferences top two teams in Boston and Pittsburgh, neither of whom usually have a shortage of offence. (By the way, for the Flyers fans reading this, JS Giguere has more shutouts in 3 games than the Flyers managed in 48 last season. And judging by the way this season is going there is a fair chance that those 2 shutouts will be more than the Flyers manage collectively this year but I digress...) Incidentally don't think I am making light of the contribution that Patrick Roy has made to this team, while he may not have assembled it he has certainly been instrumental in getting them to play well together. Two weeks ago I said this: Well, six games further on they are still on top of the league, still playing great D and have added a shutout. I stand by what I said in terms of them remaining in top of the rankings. This is still a young team and I think they will hit a wall at some point. However having barring major injuries I definitely see them as a playoff team, and potentially a threat out of the West. I hope they continue to play with the same enjoyment they are showing and I certainly am continuing to watch this fun team.

@flyercanuck, @jammer2 I had heard about the skating, not so much about the work ethic to be honest. I would agree not a top ten pick but at 20 I would say he represents good value as a prospect. IF he can translate his scoring game to the NHL (and there have been plenty of junior stars who couldn't) the Wings could do very well with him. One thing you can say for the Wings scouting team is that they aren't wrong all that often. One can only assume they haven't seen any insurmountable obstacles with him.

Per the QMJHL: Anthony Mantha is the CHL player of the week. I really like this kid, late first round pick by Detroit and has one heck of an instinct for goals. Yes it's the Q but his stats are strong by anyone's measurements. . Also considered for the award this week was Toronto Maple Leafs prospect and OHL Top Scorer Connor Brown with three goals and four assists for seven points in three games, while Matt Pufahl of the Everett Silvertips scored four goals with two assists for six points in four games last week.

I appreciate what you are saying FC, and I say this as someone who enjoyed watching Evander Kane play for the Vancouver giants, BUT: I am concerned by the lack of consistency. If it is in the interests of CHL players to be returned to their clubs what of those players from US and Euro teams who aren't afforded that same protection? IMO it is not about player development so much as business and brand development for the CHL. And I have no problem with that but lets be honest about it. And while I agree that not all players are suited to make the jump to the AHL there are many players whose game would be enhanced by the chance of playing against men in a pro environment. Sean Monohan springs to mind. Calgary have decided to keep him rather than send him back to jr but he may have been better served by going to the AHL.

@yave1964 I fully agree with you. We have now come to a situation where the tail is wagging the dog. I would also say that the inability to place a talented junior in the AHL because of his age is ludicrous. I understand the CHL wants to protect its talent but the drafting club should have a right (along with the player) to decide where would be best for their development. Using your example of Jonathan Drouin, can anyone tell me that he is better served by another season in the Q against boys rather than a year in the AHL adjusting to the pro game? I doubt it. The crazy thing is that this just applies to the CHL. Come from collegiate hockey? US NDTP? No problem, place them where you want. The interests of the younger players are not being well served here IMO and the NHL should act. That said the youngsters were the first thrown under the bus by the NHL and NHLPA in the last two CBA's...

http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/the-magazine-chris-pronger-still-at-large/ Nice to see an article by Ken Campbell that I don't violently disagree with for a change. Best wishes go out to Chris and his family, sorry he's left the area but you can understand that he wants to be in his family home.

Preaching to the choir on that one man Equally though, until "Mr Snider" (sorry, can't quite manage Coatsies grovelling tone) is pushing up the daisies the issue will continue, doesn't matter if you change the puppet when the man with his hand up its arse stays the same...

You can win with a strong D and poor O but you can't really win with a strong O and poor D. Also it's a lot harder to get good D men then it is to find a good forward. So Ekblad without a doubt. However IMO this is moot as we won't suck quite badly enough to get 1 or 2 overall. We will suck for most of the season and then win the meaningless games leaving us picking 9th or 10th. Oh wait, that's what happened last year too...

After what must have been a challenging summer (the partying reports, the trade, the tweets) Tyler Seguin finally seems to be letting his play do the talking. Four points last last (2G, 2A) and displaying the skills that made Boston draft him. Hopefully he has had a wake up call and is belatedly maturing a little. The change in scenery certainly seems to be helping him, as does playing in a relatively anonymous market. An interesting article in the Dallas News: