EDI-Flyer

He needs his speed to come back full though, if he's to have a shot

This ^^^^^^ is the key. If he recovers fully he has a good chance of a career IMO. If not a few years of AHL or overseas leagues before retiring seems more likely. Great to see him getting involved in the coaching side of things, it's another opportunity should things not work out on the playing front. And if he does get back I think it will help his understanding of the game.

@jammer2

That is great news to see him back on the ice and skating at least. Time will tell whether his foot speed has been impacted severely or not by the injury, which may determine his future career prospects. 

To me, if he recovers his ceiling is probably 3rd line winger/PK specialist but would love to be proved wrong. I do think he has more to offer than what we have seen so far...

Some hilarious stuff in there, could definitely see him broadcasting in the future. Good to see he doesn't take himself too seriously...

It's great to see him putting on muscle over the summer. I would love to see him up at around 220lb by next summer, to me that would be a decent playing weight for a 6"6 guy with a decent frame. The main thing is to make sure that the extra weight doesn't impact his mobility and skating. 

@yave1964 I would agree with also. For my money Kane is the only real first line offensive talent on that team. I know the kid has his detractors but I saw a load of him when he was playing for the Giants in the W and he is an outstanding talent.

Per NHL.com

At first glance it seems a lot of money for a career 0.6 ppg player but I guess it is just the going rate right now. And to be fair to Wheeler if he can build on last seasons 41 points in 48 games over the course of an 82 game season then it will probably look very good value.

The Winnipeg Jets have agreed to terms with forward Blake Wheeler on a six-year contract worth $33.6 million, the team announced Friday.

"Thrilled to be a Jet for 6 more years," Wheeler wrote on his verified Twitter account.

The sides were scheduled for an arbitration hearing Monday.

"Blake is very comfortable with the direction [general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff], ownership and his staff is taking the organization," agent Matt Keator told the Winnipeg Sun.

Wheeler, 26, had 41 points (19 goals) in 48 games last season. He led the team in goals and was second in points (Andrew Ladd, 46).

Wheeler has played 372 NHL games with the Boston Bruins, Atlanta Thrashers and Winnipeg, with 232 points (93 goals).

He was chosen by the Phoenix Coyotes in the first round (No. 5) in the 2004 NHL Draft.

Monday, the Jets and forward Bryan Little agreed to terms on a five-year, $23.5 million contract, also avoiding arbitration.

"It's a very good core that will keep growing together in the years to come," Keator told the newspaper.

Another thing I love to see is the Devils selecting "Forfeit Pick". I think he's going to work out really well for them.

@jammer2

Thanks for this link, an interesting early look at next years draft.

I see they have Kasperi Kapanen (Sami's son) at #22, from what I had read I didn't think he was projected quite so high. Will be interesting to see what happens to his ranking during the course of the season.

If it sits on the market for a long time, you can be sure the asking price was just too high.

+1 on this...

@jammer2 I don't blame Luongo at all, the team has treated him like crap, totally disrespected him, and now they expect him just to forgive and forget? I don't think so. Sure, he will play some games for them but he will be gone sooner or later IMO.

@goalnut3133 I think there are teams that would happily take him, even with the cap hit. But for this to happen the Canucks need to realise that they are only going to get pennies on the dollar in trade terms. Gillis needs to seriously have a word with himself over his management of this situation. Or better still the Aquilini brothers need to have a word with him. Italian origin guys with construction companies... hmmmm... I'd be getting nervous if I was Gillis!

This has gotten some Vancouver fans nervous

I am not surprised they are nervous... I think this could be the start of Bobby Lou becoming a little more pro-active in getting himself traded out of Vancouver, I just don't see him staying with the Canucks long term.

Seems like a great idea... If I streamed content from more devices I would seriously consider it but I only really stream from my laptop to the TV so it's just as easy to plug in an HDMI cable to the laptop interface. Certainly one to keep an eye on.

@EDI-Flyer When Gillis was asked at the Summer Summit what date next season he'd have the ceremony for Bure, he said they haven't decided yet, as the schedule had just come out & there were some other items to consider. So we'll have to see when it'll happen, it should be a great nite.

Yeah, will be interesting to find out when it will be, would love it to coincide with one of my visits but I doubt it. I am sure it will be a special night.

@peter puck I think a couple of injuries will happen in camp and a few players will respond to the challenge and surprise us. Could be someone we know, could be a relative unknown. The Flyers have decent enough scouts that someone could come out of left field and throw us for a loop, especially from the NCAA ranks. Maybe one of those NCAA tenders stands on his head for instance....who knows?

Jammer,

I think the biggest issue is there isn't much in the way of unknown quantities... None of the guys we drafted this year are ready to make the leap and we are pretty tight up to the contract limit so not much prospect of bringing in colleges FA's unless we get shot of some contracts. If you said to me Gus and Ollie might make the team for example then I would agree, but wouldn't categorise it as a huge surprise... Other than that we pretty much know what we have, and having seen most of the prospects play it would be a big surprise to me if Tye McGinn (just a random choice) turned into a 30 goal scorer for example.

Short answer... no.

Laughton will play well and possibly challenge for 3 fourth line center role. IMO Cousins will challenge likewise but will probably play the season out in the AHL barring major injury problems.

The Canucks are going to retire Pavel Bures number this season, per The Vancouver Sun. Whilst I ain't a lover of players going on strike to get their own way I think this honour is deserved, Bure was an incredible player for the Canucks, just a pity his career was cut short by injury.

The Vancouver Canucks announced Tuesday night what had been hinted at last spring: they will retire Pavel Bure’s No. 10 jersey and hang it next season from the rafters at Rogers Arena.

Bure joins former captains Stan Smyl, Trevor Linden and Markus Naslund in the elite group that have had their jersey numbers retired. No actual date was given for the ceremony. The groundwork for the jersey retirement was laid last April 4 when Bure made a surprise visit to Vancouver, did some promotional work and then received a standing ovation later that night when he attended the Canucks’-Edmonton Oilers’ game at Rogers Arena.

“It’s a huge honour,” Bure told reporters Tuesday night after appearing at a Canuck season-ticket holder’s event.

“I’m just really proud and happy to be next to Stan Smyl, who I just saw today. We were talking about how we started together (in 1991), me as a player and he was starting as assistant coach. It just brings lots of good memories to be next to those great guys.”

Bure played seven seasons for the Canucks, was NHL rookie of the year in 1991-92, scored 60 goals twice and then 51 in his final season with the team. However, his relationship with management had soured and he withheld services to start the 1998-99 campaign to back a trade demand. He still had one year left on his contract. He was eventually dealt to the Florida Panthers on Jan. 17, 1999, in a blockbuster trade that involved seven players and two draft picks.

Asked if he was surprised it took this long for the Canucks to retire his jersey, Bure deftly stickhandled around the question, just as he did to his many opponents on the ice. “I’m just happy with what I have now,” he replied. “I’m happy and really proud. I’m thrilled.”

Bure, now 42, said his memories in Vancouver were too numerous to list when asked to name just three.

“I have great memories but it’s really hard to choose only three,” he responded. “There were so many of them. My first game, my first goal, and obviously in 1994 when we went to the final. I can keep going and going so it would take a long time.”

Canuck GM Mike Gillis was Bure’s agent for the latter portion of his career and, not surprisingly, heartily endorsed the jersey retirement.

“I don’t think there is anybody as deserving to be honoured in Vancouver for what he did for this organization and for what he did to make this team relevant,” Gillis said.

On a social note, Bure became a father three months ago and named his son — are you ready for this?— Pavel Bure Jr. Obviously his old Canuck pal Gino Odjick, who named one of his sons after Pavel, will have to wait another day.

Read more: http://www.vancouver...l#ixzz2a0HFblG1

Add Darius Kaspararaitis to the list... Not dirty in some senses but the outrageous knee on knee stuff lives on in the memory.

Just give him playing time against the Habs. isn't he bigger than all of their forwards?

@AndyS

I don't think he is too small for the Phantoms, although it wouldn't hurt him to put on another 15lbs over the next year or so IMO, as long as it doesn't impact on his mobility.

I just think that it might do him more good to have at least one more season developing on a decent team (Union) as opposed to one that sucks (Phantoms). He is going to see plenty of ice time for them next year along with the best part of 40 games.

2014/15 will be plenty soon enough to move him to the Phantoms if he decides to go pro. He would probably need a year of seasoning in the A before we could reasonably expect to see him on the Flyers so 2015/16 season in all likelihood, small cameos on a call up basis notwithstanding.

Edit, just checked on NHL.com and by way of comparison Kimmo is 5"10 and 194lbs... Ghost is an inch taller at 5"11 and 24lbs lighter. putting on 15lbs as mentioned above would seem a reasonable next step towards NHL strength and conditioning...

Welcome indeed... tell your friends too!!!

@AndyS @flyercanuck

In fairness to Ghost I don't think this is something that he was bragging about (Spearing the guy). To me it comes across as a journalist who knows jack about hockey (that'll be any of the writers on Philly.com then ) trying to make up a story. I could be wrong but I am pretty sure that the quote re the stick sliding up came from a question asked on the opening day of the rookie camp as I remember seeing it in the shoutbox IE a while ago.

Personally I think he had a strong season with Union and liked what he did in the Worlds (spearing the guy in the groin aside...). I would like to see him have at least one more college season, he isn't going to break the Flyers line up this year IMO so you might as well let him develop.

Longer term I do think there will be a place for him on the Flyers given his mobility and skill set, even if that is 2nd unit PP QB rather than first. The fact that there will potentially be some big nasty guys on D means that you can accommodate a smaller skilled player.

Nice filler piece on Ghost in todays Daily News, with some recycled quotes etc but interesting nonetheless...

SHAYNE Gostisbehere is not usually the biggest guy on the ice and he has never gotten in a fight, but he has earned a reputation of a guy you might not want to mess with. Gostisbehere was selected by the Flyers in the third round of the 2012 NHL draft after spending his freshman year at Union College. He returned to the Dutchmen last season and plans to return for his junior and senior seasons, as well.

During the offseason, Gostisbehere is focusing on gaining weight and filling out without losing his speed, quickness and agility. This summer, the 20-year-old defenseman said that he has gained 10 pounds and that the Flyers would like to see him gain another 10. Right now, he is 5-11, 170 pounds, but thinks his size is no reason for players to pick on him. "Just because I am a little guy doesn't mean guys can pick on me," Gostisbehere said at the Flyers' recent development camp for prospects. "I'll have guys on my team that can take care of those guys, but I like to take care of myself sometimes. Not saying I'm a big fighter, but I'm not going to take any crap from anyone."

Gostisbehere made it known in the most recent World Junior Championships that he would not let anybody push him around on the ice. He was ejected in the USA's 9-3 victory over Slovakia last New Year's Eve after striking Matus Matis in the groin. He was handed a one-game suspension following the misconduct. "I just saw red, and something snapped in me, and I really haven't ever seen that in myself before, and other people haven't seen that in my game, either," Gostisbehere said. "My stick just kind of floated up there, I guess."

A native of Margate, Fla., Gostisbehere said he never had trouble finding ice to skate on, as a top-notch rink was only 10 minutes from his home. Although he acknowledges he is a Florida Panthers fan, Gostisbehere added that it was an honor to be drafted by an organization with a history as rich as the Flyers'. After two seasons with Union College, Gostisbehere has tallied 13 goals and 35 assists in 77 games. In his first seasons with the program, he was a major factor in the Dutchmen's runs to the 2012 Frozen Four and 2013 East Regional finals. "It was a quick learning process when I got to [union College]," Gostisbehere said. "I didn't touch the offensive side of my game, but they definitely polished off the defensive side of my game and they helped me a lot. You play with guys that are 23 to 24 years old, and you have to put all your effort in each day."

Gostisbehere entered his second straight year of Flyers' development camp on Sunday, and his progress was monitored by John Paddock, the Flyers' player personnel director. "He has a really, really good skill package. He went from being drafted last year to opening some eyes and now making the world junior team," Paddock said. "He is a highly skilled guy. A lot of people are going to say that he is small, and, well, he is, but when you have the right mix, it doesn't really make a difference, and I guess the right mix is size. His skill level around other players is going to make a team better."

At the collegiate level, players are not allowed to fight on ice. While Gostisbehere has had his fair share of arguments and encounters, he said he has never been in a fight, but thinks that will come once he advances to the next level. For the time being, he will stick to what he is best at, shutting down offenses, while also contributing offensively. "I'm an offensive defenseman, and I'm no slouch on defense, either," Gostisbehere said. "I got that little snot, I guess that little Flyer in me, but definitely my offensive side is my best attribute."

While Gostisbehere thinks he is still a couple of years away from putting on a Flyers uniform, he said he would need to consider his options if Philadelphia were to offer him a contract this season. "I would definitely be tempted to sign," he said, "but I made a commitment to 4 years with Union College and my coach, Rick Bennett, and that is what I intend to do."

http://www.philly.co...lVYoH4drjPM1.99

Some reports are 20/year. He's not going to miss that 77.

For sure...

On the other hand I guarantee you his personal security costs will go up hugely... Mafia will need to be paid off big time!

Bad news for the franchise... But they did just gain a lot of cap flexibility!

He just threw away $77 million dollars remaining on that contract.

I really wouldn't be surprised to see him make a "comeback" with SKA St Petersburg in the the near future. And if he does you can guarantee he will make $10-15 million a year, and tax free at that. I don't think his financial future is too uncertain

@goalnut3133 I still wouldn't put the kettle on for it... More than likely greed takes over IMO. I have yet to see any of the outdoor games where the tickets were cheaper than a regular season event. Would be a great move if they do sell tix cheap though.