Winter Classic Blues

The city of Philadelphia has been presented with one of the greatest gifts in hockey: The honor of hosting the 2012 Winter Classic! Thanks to the attention whores of the NFL, the Classic will be held on January 2nd instead of the 1st. The Flyers will go head to head with the New York Rangers at approximately 1:00PM. Citizens Bank Park was sadly abandoned before the month of October got the chance to turn red, but the stadium will be taken over by Philly fans once again as it will be the host of this historic event.

So why so blue Philadelphia? Oh yeah, tickets to the Classic are reserved for season ticket holders. Unfortunately to many fans demise, there will be no public on-sale as of yet, unless you're willing to pay thousands of dollars from online vendors. Although, I have faith that us working class fans will dominate the parking lots in attempt to get a tiny taste of the action. So get your gear and some hand warmers ready because its going to be a hell of a good time.

So as non-season ticket holders wallow in their Winter Classic blues, they can rise again and feist on the fact that the Legion of Doom is projected to make its return with the orange and black. Yes Flyers fans, dig your jerseys out of the dust and get ready for this much anticipated reunion. I know I'll be taking my signed Lindros jersey off it's hanger and wearing it proudly as my childhood returns. So if you can't make it to the big event, the Alumni game on New Years Eve will be a sight to see.

-Gwen

It's only October

As per usual, it already feels like the season has been going on for months. The Flyers are pretty damn good at screwing with our emotions aren't they? We start off strong and find a savior in newcomer Illya Bryzgalov, but the second he lets that frozen little puck past his pads he instantaneously turns into the devil rising to sabotage our season. Lets all just simmer down and realize that yes, it is still only October. Veteran hockey fans know you cant always blame the goalie, so lets take a look at our defense thus far. With Timonen, Carle, and Pronger, were looking pretty tight. Although the problem that we seem to have been facing lately is penalties. Our D is working a lot harder and serving a lot more ice time than it necessarily should, and Laviolette seems to know that. In Monday's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, there were significantly less penalties, and more power plays which is exactly what we like to see. Unfortunately our defense is gonna have to make up for a lot of man mass now that Pronger is out with an eye injury. Hope he gets better soon and wears that visor proudly, maybe he can decorate it?

Offense! Now theres something we can get on board with. Between Giroux and Jagr, our dreams of a stellar season are looking to be a pretty imminent future. Giroux has already racked up 10 points at almost a point per game pace. On Monday Jagr finally got his first goal as a flyer and topped that off with a second and added an assist. Laviolette has been experimenting with lines and I have to say, I'm pretty damn excited to see them progress. Maybe they can create a cool withstanding nick name that we will remember for years to come? Then again Maybe not.

Two players that I would really like to see step up to their well known potential are JVR and Max Talbot. Being two of the players on my wish list, I have been disappointed with their efforts as of late. JVR has been looking a little sloppy with his hands and Max Talbot has been nowhere to be found. Everyone knows that JVR is one of the best young players in the league and is projected to do incredible things with age. My question is, where is the JVR we saw in the playoffs last season? Perhaps he is being suppressed by the attention our new faces have been given? Whether this be the case or not, James Van Riemsdyk is not the kind of player that will allow himself to be left in the dust. I cannot wait until he breaks out of this current predicament and dominates everyone with his awesomeness.

As for Max Talbot, the answer is simple, he is a Penguin. I can't imagine being separated from a chemistry you've dedicated to building and then being thrown into a group that has worked so hard to work against that very chemistry you have built. The thing is that it is going to take some time for Max to shed that Penguin tux and rise up to the Broad St Bully challenge. I just hope he has enough time to show the Flyers fans the powerhouse center I've known him to be!

Go Flyers!

-Gwen

Pronger's Gonna Prong

“O Captain! My Captain! Rise up and hear the bells" as Walt Whitman said... Or hear the sweet sound of the fans as the Stanley Cup is hoisted perhaps? This week the new Captain of the Philadelphia Flyers was announced. The Result is exactly what almost every Flyers fan saw coming. Chris Pronger, also known as the guy who steals pucks in the playoffs, was named the 18^th captain in team history. Along his side both Danny Briere and Kimmo Timonen will be wearing the “A” as alternate captains for this upcoming 2011-12 season.

Ladies and Gentlemen, our Captain. 

Now, I am going to refrain from agreeing or disagreeing with this decision (disagree). The reason is because it doesn’t really matter, there is nothing that we as fans can do about it. Also because I have a complete split decision and I am solely waiting on this season to form my opinion.

Obviously this decision was based on Prongers extensive experience in the league. With a Stanley Cup and two gold medals under his belt, I am expecting big things out of him this season as Captain. Having just been acquired by the Flyers in June of 2009, it surprises me that he was named captain. Even though being captain doesn’t necessarily entail a whole lot of knowledge and connection with the city they are playing for, it would be nice.

Pronger has scored 14 goals and 66 points in 132 games these past two seasons. As a defensemen for the Flyers he has acquired a total of 80 points and currently has a plus-29 rating. I guess being captain does not mean you have to be the star of the team eh?

Personally, I really would have liked to see Danny Briere with that “C” on his chest and an “A” stitched onto Pronger and Giroux’s. I guess the team will have to get used to some tough love and sarcastic remarks spewing from the giant’s mouth.

Pre-season starts tomorrow folks, time to get Flyered up!

-Gwen

Orientation

On Monday September 12^th I ventured down to the Wells Fargo Center for my game-night presentation orientation. After hitting every single red light and getting stuck behind the oh so fantastic drivers of Philadelphia on Broad Street, I finally arrived at the beloved arena. After meandering up to the Flyers executive offices where I was interviewed I came face to face with my fellow interns. Everyone seemed to be pretty up to par and fairly excited to be there. Although, there was one person there who has never been to a Flyers game, and I couldn’t help but wonder what the hell they were doing there. After being given a run down on why we were there, what we would be doing, and what we shouldn’t do, we took a lovely tour of the innards of the arena. 

This was especially exciting for me considering this establishment has contained some of my favorite artists and sports teams. After traveling up and down a good amount of elevators and stairs, I pretty much got a feel for the place (not really). It is definitely going to take me some getting used to. My favorite part of the tour was when we were guided through the event floor. Here we got to see the loading dock and my favorite part, the ice. At the time of our tour, the Flyers ice was in the process of being painted and prepared for the pre-season. The course in which us interns take during our walk in to the arena happens to be the area where the players kick around a soccer ball before a game. We were strictly reminded to not engage with the players and to say hi back if they were to do so to us. I’m hoping this isn’t a problem for me considering I am a total nerd around people I look up to. 

My first day will be on September 15th at the Flyers vs Capitals Rookie's game. It is sure to be a good time!

-Gwen

Paul's Fall

The streets of Avalon, NJ seem to have left a big old boo-boo on the Flyers GM, Paul Holmgren. He was hospitalized on Monday and is in “stable condition” following a bike accident in the lovely shores of New Jersey. Apparently, he has suffered a broken arm, broke ribs, and other injuries. This confuses me, especially since I don’t remember the streets of Avalon turning into a giant body mangling monster; otherwise there is no other explanation as to how a nice bike ride could turn into something as detrimental as this. What is also confusing is that after the accident he was taken to Cooper Medical Center in Camden, N.J. for treatment. I may be wrong, but my geographical knowledge tells me that Camden is over 2 hours away from Avalon. I’ll let this one slide, medics of New Jersey, but just know that I am onto you.

This is Paul Holmgren.

The only word coming from Holmgren is that he is “sore but otherwise in good spirits”. Well no shit you’re sore, but good spirits? You just got eaten and spit out by the streets of Jersey! I digress, but Avalon even has special lanes for bikers so that things like this don’t happen.

Since its not hockey season yet, news is far and few between. So we thank you, Paul Holmgren, for entertaining us with some juicy injuries outside of the rink. Maybe this is karma for letting Gagne fly off into the Florida sun.

In other news, Ilya Bryzgalov toured the 2^nd dirtiest city in America, Danny Briere had a kick ass summer, and Ian Laperriere became a U.S. Citizen.

Happy Tuesday!

P.S. – 14 more days until the first pre-season game against the Maple Leafs!

-Gwen

EDIT: This just in. Not only did he not break any bones, he wasn't taken to a Camden hospital either. The police report states that he suffered a cut on the right side of his head, and a shin abrasion. Also, he was actually taken to Cape Regional Medical Center just a few minutes away. I knew it was too good to be true.

Take a walk on the wild side

Max Talbot "shushing" Flyers fans during a game in '09

Flyers fans are going to have to deal with a lot of changes this season. One of the biggest changes is going to be learning to love a player we loved to hate. The very well-known Max Talbot, who proceeded to “shush” us Flyers fans during an in-game fight in 09, has crossed over to the dark side and onto the beloved Philadelphia Flyers. Now before we get our orange and black panties in a big old bunch, let’s try and breathe and think about what Max could do for our team. Personally, I think we took one step forward by ditching the gap toothed wonder Dan Carcillo, and went one step back by signing the “bad boy” Max Talbot. Although, I have a slight feeling that he’s going to be one of those guys that stirs up a lot of trouble, and then wins everyone over by scoring a goal every now and then. Sound Familiar? (Hint: the gap toothed wonder).

To my surprise, some fans and players have taken a liking to Max Talbot. In an interview with NHL.com, Claude Giroux stated “He’s that kind of player that, when you play against him, you can’t stand him. He’s in your face, won’t leave you alone. When he’s on your side he’s doing the same things to the other players on the other teams. I think he’s going to be able to help us a lot this year. I know the fans here are going to love him. He works hard, he can hit, he can fight, he can score goals. He’s the kind of player the Flyers fans can like.” This, I believe, is a very true statement. Once we see someone we hate in that infamous orange and black jersey, we throw our caution to the wind.

Despite the rivalry, I am very excited to have Talbot on the team. I liked him on the Penguins and I will ultimately like him on the Flyers, only a little better. The only thing I am a bit nervous about is what he will do when we face the Penguins on the ice. Will he play nice? Will he have manners? Or will he beat them to a pulp for leaving his ass on the streets? Oh the questions to be answered.

Have a lovely time soaking in the bitter sweetness of a rivalry gone awry.

-Gwen

May the force be with you?

Absolutely tragic news hit the hockey world today. The Hockey Gods must be assembling an epic team of enforcers because they have now taken 3 of them far to early in life. Former NHL player Wade Belak was found dead in his Toronto condo this Wednesday evening. The cause of death is unknown though no foul play was suspected. The NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman released a statement soon after the news broke saying “The National Hockey League family mourns the passing of Wade Belak, who competed to the utmost every minute of his NHL career. Our hearts go out to the Wade’s loved ones, his friends, his former teammates and to all who feel the horrible void left by this tragedy.” Belak finished his career with the Nashville Predators and played on various teams including the late Quebec Nordiques, who were transferred to Colorado becoming the Avalanche, the Flames, Maple Leafs, Panthers, and eventually ending with the Predators.

(From left: Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien, and Wade Balek)

Wade Balek joins an unfortunate list of players that the NHL lost this offseason. Earlier this summer Derek Boogaard of the New York Rangers and Rick Rypien of the Winnipeg jets were also found dead in their respective homes.

It’s an eerie occurrence seeing 3 of the NHL’s enforcers pass away in the comforts of their own homes. We may ask, is there a connection? Is this an anomaly? Or just an awful coincidence? We will never know, but nevertheless, may these brave hockey playing souls rest peacefully in what is said to be a better place.

-Gwen