pags569

Now is the perfect time to bring up Schenn. With all the injuiries, the lines are pretty much F'ed anyway so this could work out pretty well for the team. There should not be any disruption to chemistry or whatever since Lavi is scrambling anyway to find healthy bodies.

I don't think the alumni game has ever been televised before. I remember them showing hightlights, but not the actual game.

Does anyone know if this game will be televised? I can't seem to find a definite answer anywhere on the net.

What I'm seeing are all things that can be worked out. Our team defense has been terrible. The defensemen have been okay with the exception of clearing out the front of the net on occasion. The forwards need to do a better job of picking up the loose man in the slot or back door. Maybe Bryz is expecting them to be covered and not ready for the shot. I'm not defending him for letting those goals in but that could be the case. If March comes around and those softies are still going in, then I'll gladly admit I was wrong. I hope this all works out with time playing together.

I hear you zep, but I but I'm curious why the icing rule never applied for shorthanded teams. Take the Flyers out of the equation, I still think you shouldn't be able to ice the puck while shorthanded.

Great story PhlyersPhan! I'm hoping to have one of those moments with my boys. I want them to see thier first game like I did....up against the glass! No idea how I'm going to score those tickets, but I have a few years to figure it out.

Holy hell, idaho! You're grandfather is nuts! Love it!

Lots of really good posts here from you guys recalling those games! Great stuff!

I say leave the current icing rule alone, but I often thought about changing it for a team that is short-handed. If you're short-handed normal icing rules would apply....after all, you took a penalty so why should you get to ice the puck?

Fat girls need love too, Pods

Oh boy....here we go.... I know we all want him to succeed, but not at the expense of the teams success.

Bert - You are absolutly right. USA hockey made the swtich a long time ago to use birth years. Imagine how excited I was that my twin boys were born in January! it does give them a bit of an edge over players born later in the year. Pods - a "Can do" attitude will go a long way for sure. I think some players get discouraged become some things come easier to others, but if they have the will to imporve and press on that will build charcater. Weight lifting can't build that.

Nice Rux. I wish I could have seen the Flyers in their Broad Street Bullies days. Clips don't do it justice. Do fans even get into like they did back in the 70's - 80's? I remember my dad coming home with mustard and beer all over his Flyers jersey from wearing it to the Garden. Bad move on his part

Most hockey players are good guys. I'm sure he would have gotten a chuckle out of a little friendly ribbing.

Doom - wow you have some really good ones there! I can honestly say I remember every one of them! Awesome you got to see them. The Tie Domi fight with a fan is hysterical. Flyers97 - Ah, the good ol sens brawl. I still look that up on youtube from time to time. Great game! Down goes Spezza! Vincent - Can't say I've ever experienced a Flyers playoff game, but I'm sure it was insanely loud. That's awesome

Bravo!

While coaching one day, an 12 year old player skated up to me and said, "Hey Coach, what can I do to make it to the NHL"? I was taken back at first because I saw the seriousness in his eyes and he was very sincere with his questions. At first I gave the typical "hard work" line that we've heard so many times, but after giving the question more thought I would have liked to, and should have said more than just work hard. So what does it take? First off, the most important thing for a young player is to keep up their grades! School work should be a top priority. The dream of making it to the NHL are slim, but no child wants to hear that. Parents we have a responsibility to prepare them for "Plan B" if they don't wear an NHL sweater which means they need to have decent grades for other options to open up. It takes more than just lacing up the skates every day and a work out regime to add muscle mass to increase your chances. There obviously needs to be some talent and a good understanding of the game, but what I really see making an average player into an effective player is heart and passion. Players who play with heart and a passion to be there always seem to win out with the coaches over a talented player who is lazy. It's like the old saying that we've seen hanging up in a locker room somewhere reminding us all the time to give it 100%: "Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn't work hard." Speaking of the coaches; listen to them! Ok, so we know that you have to have some talent, heart, a brain, and a passion. What else is there? To be honest, a little luck. There are eyes everywhere around the hockey rink. You never know who is watching you play and who that person is connected to. If you have "the right stuff" word will get out and you will be found. There are many places you can play to increase your visibility but if you are really that good, you will be found. I remember filling in for a coach who had been suspended and coached a game in Brick against some kid name James Van...something. When the puck hit his stick, it made a different sound. You could just tell that this kid was going to be found and he was. He didn't play AAA at 12 to be found. He was playing AA the time he was noticed (and probably was noticed a lot earlier than that). The point is, he wasn't traveling all over the country while his parents shelled out thousands of dollars to be recognized. He just played and someone heard about him. So what would I say now to that players question? It would probably sound something like this: "Johnny, if you want to play in the NHL then I support your dream 100%, but there is nothing I can say or do to help your chances. It's really up to you. I will guide you the best I can, but remember that this is just a game and your family and school should be the top priorities right now. Keep working hard in practice. When I ask you guys to skate to the blue line that means all the way to the blue line. Don't short yourself in any drill and always keep trying things that are outside your comfort zone. If you fall down, get right back up. If you lose the puck, go back and get it. At the end of the day, if you do everything in your power and do not make it to the NHL, just remember why you play this game to begin with. To have fun." I guess I'll have something to tell the next person who asks me that question.

I still have a video tape of that game somewhere that my dad made. I know watching it on TV was one thing....being there, I heard, was insane!

Very nice! Did you bust his balls at all or was just a quick "hey, nice to meet you?"

This was also a concern for me, but I didn't think it was so much as the quantity but the quality. I felt that with the talent we lost the types of goals we would be getting would need to be those "dirty goals" created from rebounds and crashing the net. I am still dead wrong as I can't believe some of the goals I'm seeing from this squad. Some have just been absolutely executed perfectly and have me saying "wow, that was nice". Its nice to see the offense still cranking out some pretty goals. As long as we get more than the other team we can't lose, right?

Think back on all the games you've attended over the years. Which one game stands out for you and why?

That team with those players mean a lot to people like us. Those teams in the 80's were the reason for many of us becoming flyers fans and a big part of the way we bleed orange and black. The blog article I wrote "I am Rick Tocchet" kinda sums up a lot of this and made us into who we are today as fans.

Well if he would have used the 3rd person I would have caught on right away. I usually just ignore anything from Kuato since after I'm done reading his posts I want to stab my eye with a fork.

Still learning everyones joking habits. Now that I read your comments again knowing it was a joke.....good one Aziz

I don't think twodocks was trying to predict, but rather share his excitement and optimisim with the board about this team. I agree with you that 13 games is pretty early to show what a team is capable of, but there are a lot of positives and intangibles that make up this team. Maybe it's the energy some of the rookies are bringing to the table. Maybe it's Talbot playing "Lappy" like. Maybe it's the lighter locker room. There is no formula, but we all can see a differnet squad on the ice this year then teams in the past. There is reason for optimisim and excitement, but there is still a long road ahead for this squad. The potential to be a special team is there, but its still too early to give them that title. When March comes around and the rookies are still putting up good numbers and playing they way they are now, I'll be more apt to jump on the special bandwagon offically. Right now, I'm just excited for the possibility and enjoying watching the flyers play.