Zzeke

Reports on the 4 Flyers' players from Sweden: OR reported that Linus Sandin is leaving Sweden and will arrive at the Flyers Training Facility soon (post above). Also, Sam Carchidi reported this afternoon - Defenseman Robert Hagg and his best friend on the team, left winger Oskar Lindblom, are the latest Flyers to arrive in the area, complete their quarantines, and start working out at the club’s Voorhees practice facility. They both traveled on separate flights from Sweden, and in the coming days, more teammates are expected to arrive as the start of training camp approaches. The NHL hopes to open camps Jan. 3 and start the season Jan. 13. Hagg said Lindblom has been “working his butt off” in the offseason to get ready for the season. The two live about an hour away from each other in Sweden, “but we saw each four or five times this [offseason] and went on some road trips together. It’s been a lot of fun.” As for Hagg, based on the way he was used over Shayne Gostisbehere in the playoffs, he appears to have a good shot to be in the regular defensive rotation. Hagg, 25, is coming off another quietly efficient season, one in which he had 13 points in 49 games, had a plus-14 rating, and was the Flyers’ most physical defenseman. The 6-foot-2, 204-pound Hagg led the Flyers in hits (136) and was fourth in blocked shots (79) despite playing in only 49 games. Hagg, a second-round selection in the 2013 draft, said he is not taking his spot in the lineup for granted. We have a pretty stacked D corps, and now we have Erik [Gustafsson] here, too. He’s another Swede, so it’s really fun for me.” In the offseason, Hagg worked out in Sweden with Gustaffson — something they have done during the last two years — and Flyers prospect Linus Sandin, a promising right winger who has been playing in the Swedish Hockey League and is expected to arrive in the area next week. Hagg called Gutsafason a smooth puck mover and offensive defenseman whose “hockey IQ is on another level.”

Per Jordan Hall today - Instagram post by Alma Lindqvist, Lindblom's girlfriend, shows he has remained cancer-free since his fight culminated with the completion of his radiation treatments in July, when he was deemed without evidence of cancer. Ten photos - link: https://www.instagram.com/p/CI1ptdVl3_s/?utm_source=ig_embed

Dec 15, 2020 Wingers Twarynski and Laczynski have been working out and skating at the team’s Voorhees practice facility for more than two months. Laczynski played center and both wings at Ohio State, where he had 143 points and a plus-49 rating in 138 career games over four seasons. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Able to play center or wing, Laczynski has skated on the Buckeyes' top forward line each of the last two seasons. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Illinois native is heavy on the puck and plays a responsible 200-foot game. “He plays a mature two-way game, he’s a proven leader, and we see him as a versatile forward for the Flyers organization going forward," Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr said. During his freshman season at Ohio State, Laczynski beat out some more highly touted prospects to earn a roster spot on Team USA’s gold-medal-winning squad at the 2016-17 World Junior Championships. His ability to adapt to a fourth-line role helped him win the job. Overall at the NCAA level, Laczynski appeared in 138 games and posted 143 points (48g, 95a) over his four seasons. The Buckeyes reached the Frozen Four in March 28. Laczynski was selected as a second-team All-American and first-team All-Big Ten in 2017-18. This season, as a senior, he led his team in scoring after ranking second in his junior year. Q & A with Flahr - Do you foresee any of your older first-year pros coming in this season -- Linus Sandin, Wade Allison, and Tanner Laczynski specifically -- to compete for a NHL job this upcoming season? All through are physically mature and 23- or 24-years old. Brent Flahr (BF): First of all, Laczynski and Allison like you said, and Sandin, they’re older players. They’re physically more mature than typically players that are coming out of junior that are 19, 20 years old. Their mindset coming to camp is to make the team. Whether they’re ready for that, it’s up to them and their performance. At the same time, we expect them to help and challenge the internal competition. In reality I would say, I would assume that each of them are going to play games this year. Hopefully one of them grabs it and makes the best of their opportunity. With the NHL moving toward the temporary expanded 26-player roster and a taxi squad of 4 players, Laczynski may very well stick with the Flyers to start this new season. Here is my guess: Lindblom-Couturier-Voracek Farabee-Hayes-Konecny Giroux-Patrick-Sandin (G will settle P and S) Laughton-Bunnaman-Aube Kubel (ideal AV 4th line) #13-Raffl If Patrick not healthy, then Frost at 3C. Provorov - Gustafsson Sanheim - Myers (RH) (don't break them up) Hagg - Braun (RH) #7 - Friedman (RH) Hart Elliott That is 22. Add 4 to make the 26-player roster: JVR LW (until traded) Ghost D (until traded) Frost C Zamula D Plus the 4-player Taxi Squad: Twarynski LW Laczynski C/LW/RW Allison RW Lyon G All IMHO. Tanner Laczynski 6-1, 205, shoots Right

In the news today - the latest on back-to-play: Sources: NHL teams to play home games in own buildings this season By Adrian Dater Colorado Hockey Now December 15, 2020 Mind you, this is not official yet. Nothing with the NHL’s 2020-21 regular season is official yet. But Colorado Hockey Now can report this with good faith: Even though the likelihood of fans being in the stands is next to zero, NHL teams will play their regular-season home games in their own buildings. The concept of any “hub cities”, like there were in the playoffs, is not on the drawing board anymore, NHL sources tell me. Sources also tell Colorado Hockey Now that the travel will only be to games within a team’s division, however. [In a schedule with the temporary East Division – expected to be 56 games – our Flyers will play NJD, NYR, NYI, Bos, Buf, Wash, Ptbg.] The schedule is not set just yet with regard to every opponent. Could there be a special one-off type of game played, say, outdoors, between teams from other divisions or conferences? Sources say that’s still possible. Because of the new vaccines against the coronavirus, the league feels confident it can execute a regular season in which teams travel from city to city, though the precautions are still expected to be lengthy and formidable. The NHL remains adamant, however, that it will not seek to jump the queue in obtaining vaccinations ahead of others, such as hospital workers, the elderly and first responders. It is highly unlikely that fans will be in the stands, at least at the start of the regular season, which still has a Jan. 13 target date. Could there be some fans, though, given that the NFL, MLS and MLB all have allowed a limited number in the building? That question is still essentially on a day-to-day basis. No one really knows what the landscape might look, say, two months from now with regard to the virus. The league knows it will take another financial hit this season, but feels very optimistic that things will be back to normal for the 2021-22 season.

NHL Power Rankings: The top 25 second year players for this season By Adam Gretz Pro Hockey Talk NBC Sports Dec 14, 2020, 2:29 PM EST This is not a ranking of the best rookies from a year ago, or even necessarily a list of who will have the best overall career. This is simply a projection as to which rookies from 2019-20 are going to have the best performance this season. 14. Joel Farabee, Philadelphia Flyers. A very strong rookie season and impressive postseason for the Flyers. Farabee has top-line potential and could be in line for a breakout year. 18. Philippe Myers, Philadelphia Flyers. He was one of the Flyers’ most effective defenders a year ago and should get an even bigger role this season following the retirement of Matt Niskanen. Adam Gretz is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @AGretz.

Wow!

Yes, the good ol days. Thx. Tim Kerr. My favorite Flyers player of all time: 1) Kerr 2) Lindros 3) Behn Wilson Take note who is in the background in this one:

@CoachX In this video, you can see how quick NAK is. His acceleration, his ability to change direction so easily, and overall his grit and forechecking is incredible for a player of his stature.

@CoachX @Podein25 Ha! This is going to blow your mind CX. I was going to wait some more - - after waiting 3 days - - but it seems like only P25, and you, are playing. P25 got 2 of 4. CX got 2 of 4. Correct answers are: In a skills competition, what players from the Flyers' roster of this past season would win - 1) fastest skater? Nick Aube-Kubel 2) shooting accuracy? Morgan Frost 3) hardest shot? Phil Myers 4) breakaway skill? Claude Giroux (The correct answers are documented in an article from June 2020.) I don't expect anyone to get all 4. Impossible. Especially numbers 1 and 2. If anyone does, he/she will be crowned Flyers HF expert of the year. In fact, if anyone gets 3 of the 4, it's outstanding, brilliant - - knows our Flyers! CX got the hardest one - - NAK. Neither got the second hardest - - Morgan Frost. Sharp, CX knows his Flyers! Good job P25 with your 2 of 4.

@CoachX Do you want to take a shot at this? So far, only P25 has played.

I'm surprised. I'm a rookie here, and I am impressed with the members here. We all have learned to not 'shoot from the hip' when it comes to young players. Some take years to mature and emerge in the NHL game. As an example: Chris Pronger is arguably the greatest defenseman to ever wear a Philadelphia Flyers uniform. He was a Flyers anchor for his 2 seasons here before the eye injury ended his career. In young Pronger's first 3 seasons in Hartford, the fans were unmercifuly on him and on the GM. Pronger was subsequently traded to StL. Pronger became one of the greatest defensemen in NHL history. He is the only defenseman to have won the Hart Trophy, as the league's MVP, since Bobby Orr. Patience, patience. Patience with Konecny. Patience with Patrick. Patience with Farabee. Patience with Frost. Patience with NAK. Patience with Gustafsson when he initially plays here to fit in under AV's system.

A good reminder today (12/14/20) from Jordan Hall on one of the multiple reasons why this 2020-21 season will show that our Flyers will be a top team - Our two 28 YO Centers - - Couturier and Hayes: A scary thought is that Couturier, coming off a Selke Trophy-winning season, can get better. The Flyers' 6-foot-3, 211-pound alpha dog at center doesn't take his foot off the gas in his work. His game is built for longevity and sustainability. A snapshot of his ongoing growth: over the last three seasons, only three NHL centers have more even strength points than Couturier's 166 — Connor McDavid (219), Leon Draisaitl (194) and Nathan MacKinnon (188). "He’s an elite player and you realize how good he is when you see him at the rink every day and you see how he goes about his life," Hayes said of Couturier in July. Had the 2019-20 regular season finished normally in a full 82-game slate, Hayes would have broken his career high of 25 goals (he scored 23 in 69 games). He still ended up with career highs in shots (175), game-winning goals (five) and shorthanded goals (four), a year after the Flyers scored four shorthanded markers as a team in 2018-19. He capped off his productive Year 1 in Philadelphia with 13 points (four goals, nine assists) and a plus-7 mark over 16 playoff games. "He’s a huge part of our team," Couturier said about Hayes in August. "He can make the difference in a game." Patrice Bergeron's career season came at 33 years old. Anze Kopitar's was at 30. Claude Giroux put up 34 goals, 68 assists, 102 points and a plus-28 rating at 30 years old. Players are still reaching their primes in their 30s. The Flyers will continue to find out more about 2017 first-round picks Nolan Patrick and Morgan Frost. With time and development, those two centers could begin to fill out the Flyers' picture frame down the middle. It's why the Flyers have to like the possibilities at the pivot, led by Couturier and Hayes. Full article is at NBC Sports - Philadelphia website.

USA's Players to Watch at the 2021 World Junior Championship Even with a few missing stars, the United States look primed to challenge for another gold medal. The Hockey News December 13, 2020 Cam York, D (Philadelphia Flyers) With Alex Vlasic out of the picture, York's presence is even more important in 2021. The lone returning defenseman from the 2020 world junior squad, York was off to a strong start at the University of Michigan before joining camp, playing alongside projected 2021 No. 1 pick Owen Power on a stout blueline. York is a smart defenseman who doesn't find himself out of position often and he does a fantastic job of setting his forwards up with long stretch passes – his teammates trust him with the puck. He'll get heavy minutes for the Americans. Bobby Brink, RW (Philadelphia Flyers) Speaking of Flyers' prospects, Bobby "Orr" Brink (yes, his middle name is Orr) is one of the more intriguing forwards on this deep squad. For a small player at 5-foot-8, Brink brings a type of energy to his game that you can't ignore, and he's always been noticeable when he's suited up for his country internationally. Brink's biggest asset is how he alludes defenseman and sets his teammates up with patience, not willing to throw the puck away to just simply make a play but would rather make the right play instead. He'll be setting up some of the United States' best players in Edmonton.

- Not lazy. JVR just does not have the physical tools anymore. He does not have the skating required. Also, his reactions to loose pucks is not good. He lacks the reaction-time and quickness required to pursue. - At 6-3, 217, age 31, his body has slowed down. His NHL career of 10 years and 802 games has caught up with him. - We wish him well. With Fletcher's need to open up space in the 23-man roster for young players Patrick, Lindblom, and Frost, (and keep Farabee), JVR must be moved as one of several changes. - The challenge for Fletcher is how? JVR's contract has 3 more seasons at a 7M Cap Hit. And, teams have the video of his play. Perhaps the only way is a package trade where team X, that has big Cap Space, strongly wants something of value from Fletcher, and Fletcher requires them to take JVR as part of the package in order to complete the deal.

Repeat - - Flyers trivia question. In a skills competition, what players from the Flyers' roster of this past season would win - 1) fastest skater? 2) shooting accuracy? 3) hardest shot? 4) breakaway skill? (The correct answers are documented in an article from June 2020.) I don't expect anyone to get all 4. Impossible. Especially numbers 1 and 2. If anyone does, he/she will be crowned Flyers HF expert of the year. In fact, if anyone gets 3 of the 4, it's outstanding, brilliant - - knows our Flyers! P25 has guessed: In a skills competition, what players from the Flyers' roster of this past season would win - 1) fastest skater? TK 2) shooting accuracy? JVR 3) hardest shot? Phil Myers 4) breakaway skill? Giroux Anyone else want to try?

Winner !! Wow, 2 correct answers and 2 points for P25 in the Weekly Flyers Photo Puzzler. Tune-in next Saturday, kids, at 12 N, for the next challenge that nobody will get - - a Flyers player of the past and a contemporary Flyers player.

The hidden hint is that #5 is RH (left hand on top of stick). Coburn and Morin are both LH, shoots left. In the photo, both Friedman and Myers (#5) are RH defencemen. Good job by P25.

Correct. (You are older than I thought ) Winner for #2! Good job P25. On #1, no hints. The photo itself provides a hint.

Weekly Saturday Flyers Photo Puzzler 12 N Every Saturday Winners: week 1: CX - Hexy and Gretzky week 2: today Today are 2 photos - - one for the members who remember Flyers' 'times past' and one contemporary for all. First member with the correct answer(s) is declared the week's winner. This week - 2 winners. No cheatin !! Visual recognition only ! 1) Who is the Flyers' player in the foreground? 2) Toughest Flyers' Player ever IMO

Flyers trivia question. In a skills competition, what players from the Flyers' roster of this past season would win - 1) fastest skater? 2) shooting accuracy? 3) hardest shot? 4) breakaway skill? (The correct answers are documented in an article from June 2020.) I don't expect anyone to get all 4. Impossible. Especially numbers 1 and 2. If anyone does, he/she will be crowned Flyers HF expert of the year. In fact, if anyone gets 3 of the 4, it's outstanding, brilliant - - knows our Flyers!

Tomorrow is this forum's 'Saturday Flyers Mystery Photo Contest'. Last Saturday CX won - Hexy and Gretzky. He won't get tomorrow's Flyers Photo Puzzler. Every Saturday at 12 Noon.

Ah. You got it. Before Podein25 comes on-line here. Good job pd.

Bingo! Nailed it. Waiting for our member from Manitoba to get the 4th ex-Flyer at the table.

What?? Please NO !! Elliotte Friedman | @FriedgeHNIC December 10, 2020, 3:10 PM Quickie blog for Thursday afternoon: The NHL is investigating selling ads on players’ helmets. It was brought up on Wednesday’s Board of Governors call; there won’t be any formal comment until team presidents are briefed on Monday. It’s an interesting move. Across the league, there’s an understanding of the need for more creativity in revenue development. Ads on jerseys will come eventually, but there is a desire to be careful with it. The other reason the league may “test drive” with helmets is to get an idea of where the market stands during COVID. You don’t want to rush into a below-market deal. No, no, no ! Our Flyers' LW Linus Sandin (Flyers maybe this season), playing in Sweden - Ads ! Forwarden Linus Sandin återvänder till HV71 och lånas ut från Philadelphia Flyers.

Incorrect. Think 'big Center' and 'overtime'.