Showing posts with label Paul Holmgren. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paul Holmgren. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 8, 2021

Philadelphia Flyers 2021-22 Hall of Fame Finalists - One Clear Candidate Stands Out?

It would be hard to argue against inducting Bob Kelly into the Philadelphia Flyers Hall of Fame. His two Stanley Cup rings serve as credentials that no other former player has on his hockey resume. The other finalist candidates on the 2021-22 induction list include Simon Gagne, Paul Holmgren, Lou Nolan, Mark Recchi, and Rick Tocchet.


Lou Nolan has worked for the organization since 1967. He served as the team's public address announcer during the championship seasons of 1973-74 and 1974-75. So, the Cup argument can be used on his behalf as well.


According to the Flyers - "A nominating committee selected the six finalists, and now, a voting committee comprised of current Flyers Hall of Fame members, Flyers alumni, members of the Flyers front office, broadcasters, and members of the Philadelphia chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) will vote to decide which individual(s) will be enshrined in the rafters of Wells Fargo Center. The voting committee is not limited to selecting only one inductee."


The current members of their Hall of Fame and their induction years are:  

1988 - Bob Clarke and Bernie Parent
1989 - Bill Barber, Ed Snider and Keith Allen
1990 - Rick MacLeish and Fred Shero
1991 - Barry Ashbee and Gary Dornhoefer
1992 - Reggie Leach and Gene Hart
1993 - Joe Scott and Ed Van Impe
1994 - Tim Kerr
1996 - Joe Watson
1999 - Brian Propp
2001 - Mark Howe
2004 - Dave Poulin
2008 - Ron Hextall
2009 - Dave Schultz
2014 - Eric Lindros and John LeClair
2015 - Eric Desjardins
2015 - Rod Brind'Amour
2016 - Jimmy Watson

(Hockey card image via O-Pee-Chee.)

Saturday, January 5, 2019

Inside Access: Philadelphia Flyers vs. Calgary Flames


Pregame

Philadelphia Flyers vs. Calgary Flames
Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia
January 5, 2019
Game Time – 1 p.m.


The Philadelphia Flyers (15-20-5, 35 points) entered the game in last place in the Eastern Conference's Metropolitan Division. The team was also tied for last place in the National Hockey League with the Ottawa Senators and the Los Angeles Kings. The Calgary Flames (25-13-4, 54 points) were in first place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. The team was also tied for second place in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Las Vegas Golden Knights.

The Flames beat the Flyers 6-5 in Calgary on December 12, 2018. Today is the second and final game of the season series.

Today's forty-first game of the season represents a disappointing halfway point, but more importantly the unmasking of the organization. Chuck Fletcher is now the General Manager, with Ron Hextall being relieved of his duties in November. Then, head coach Dave Hakstol was dropped weeks later, which caused the elevation of Lehigh Valley Phantoms head coach Scott Gordon to the interim head coach slot.

The lack of enough effective players turned this campaign into something like the 2006-07 season. However that era quickly brought a bounce-back to next season's deep playoff run and the 2010 Stanley Cup appearance.

On a personal note...The pregame meal on the Event Level dining room always provides the opportunity to talk with a wide variety of people who are connected to the game in one fashion, or another. Today, I had the opportunity to share brunch with a Korean War Veteran, who, like my own dad (in Vietnam), served his country. These men represent the reason why the casual freedom of a hockey game can be taken in on this rainy, early-January day in 2019.

Thank you isn't a two-word cliché. It represents our culture's maturity, in that people rightly see what so many great military people sacrificed to make America unique in modern world history. That point isn't rationally debated.

On a much lighter note - President Paul Holmgren was seen in the halls on the press level. Gritty was later spotted, meaning that his services have been retained during this season of change.

First Period

Carter Hart started in goal for Philadelphia. David Rittich was in net for Calgary.

Only six total shots on goal, through the first five minutes and fifty seconds of the afternoon tilt. Yes, it wasn't overly compelling.

A “Let's Go Flyers” chant was heard with around nine minutes remaining in the period. It's lack of velocity reflected a deflated fan base that knows this, in all likelihood won't be another Cup-winning year.

While Fletcher's track record is sound. He'll need to make a series of wise trades leading to the Trade Deadline in February and then follow that with impactful free agent signings this summer. In contrast, these analytical thoughts are not ones that are rampant among Flames' writers.

And then...the rather full crowd's cheer pulled this scribe's eyes from the keyboard, as Travis Sandheim potted a puck past Rittich at 12:10. Ivan Provorov and Jordan Weal got the assists. It was Sandheim's fourth goal of the season and it came on the power play.

Post-Christmas and New Year's, the Wells Fargo Center's stands were filled with plenty of people. Talk of empty seats earlier in the year weren't applicable today.

Travis Konecny's frenetic energy is fully evident when the full ice can be seen. He should remain a keeper for this team. He, along with Hart, Claude Giroux, Provorov, and Sean Couturier comprise what is (or should be) the team's core five.

Shots – Flyers 13, Flames 11.

Second Period

Johnny Gaudreau tied the game at at 8:51 with an even strength goal, his thirteenth of the season. Assists to Sean Monahan and Noah Hanifin.

Credit to the Flyers for hanging with one of the better teams in the League. They can secure at least a point, or more with a full-period effort in the third.

Shots – Flyers 25, Flames 21.

Third Period

Konecny, referenced earlier, glided into the offensive zone, took advantage of a Flame's misplay, and buried the puck into the net. Rittich was ten feet away the crease, in the left side faceoff circle, and was attempting to corral the puck. It was the Flyers top right winger's (in this game) tenth tally of the season, coming at 5:57, and was unassisted.

Matthew Tkachuk (his nineteenth of the season) wristed a shot past Hart at 15:43. Assists to Sam Bennett and Hanifin.

Flyers have rarely set up in the offensive zone during the entire game, or haven't been there for many rebound shots. So, they were fortunate to have led so late in the game.

Into OT both teams go.

Overtime Period

At 1:59 into the free hockey frame, the Flyers' flaws exposed, as Flames scored to win game. T.J. Brodie scored his fifth of the season, with the assist going to Tkachuk.

The breakdown in this extra period revealed what happens when Philadelphia has less bodies on the ice and can't compensate for errors, such as the one Jordan Weal made when he turned over the puck in the offensive zone and the Flames took it the other way to end the game.

Final shot total: Flyers 34, Flames 32.

Final score: Flames 3, Flyers 2.

Next up the Flyers host the St. Louis Blues, who started today only one point ahead of Philadelphia in overall points (36-35). That game will be played Monday.

Postgame Quotes

Responses to media questions after the game:

Philadelphia Flyers D Ivan Provorov

Does a loss like this kind of define what’s happened the first half of the year, you guys played 50 minutes of good hockey and then something seems to just not go right?

Yeah, honestly I’m not sure what happened, we were playing well, I think we sat back a little too much after the five minute mark and gave up a goal.

Was that pretty frustrating on the guys in here?

Yeah, we keep having the lead and then all of the sudden we just give up goals and end up losing in overtime or at the end of games. It’s frustrating, but we have to learn from it and move on.

Carter Hart, what have you seen from him so far, this in anyway wasn’t his fault?

He’s a great player, great goalie, battles hard, and he’ll only get better for now.

You guys have had so much of the same story, this being the halfway point of the season is this one game where you can turn the page and say forget the first 41 and focus on the rest?

I don’t think we’re waiting for the 41st game for the mark to just turn the page, we’re trying to turn the page, sometimes it takes longer than you want, but we’re sticking with it and we’re going to continue to work. 

Philadelphia Flyers C Travis Konecny

You guys played a lot with the lead, did it just feel like there was a lot less pressure when you were in that scenario?
Obviously we want to play with the lead, it’s a lot easier that way. It’s hard chasing games and it’s tough on us as well. We played a pretty solid game tonight.”

[Inaudible question]
I think we know what it is, I don’t really know right now. It’s tough because like I said, we’re playing good hockey. It just seems like teams are just scoring on those one opportunities that they’re getting. It usually doesn’t go that way, but that’s just the way it’s going for us right now. It’s happened two times to us. We keep going back, we’re playing really solid games, I think tonight was one of our better ones.”

Flyers D Travis Sanheim

For as much you played in that game with the lead was it hard, these days, to even feel good about that?
Yeah, it’s obviously pretty frustrating. Felt like we had control most of the game. A couple breakdowns and that cost us the game.

The way that we talk about offensive opportunities, where it’s if you’re getting them and one bounce here or there it doesn’t go your way, do you feel like the opposite on the defensive side now? Where you make one mistake and it ends up in the back of your net?
Yeah, kind of feels that way lately. Because they’re not giving up a ton and yet you have one breakdown and it’s in the back of your net. They have their players on the other side, and they capitalize with their opportunities.

First half of the season and today, does it seem like a game like this sort of typifies the frustration of you guys play a good game for 55 minutes and then something goes wrong?
Yeah, it’s kind of been the course where first half we play the majority of the game pretty well and do a lot of things well yet, we end up on the wrong side of things.

Flyers C Jordan Weal

Did you just lose it there on that last goal?
Oh yeah, it bounced. Just bounced on me, plain and simple. Gotta be a little harder on that though, bear down make the right play.

Does it feel like with any simple little mistake that gets made, it ends up blowing up in to a goal against?
That seems like what it’s been like the past couple weeks now. Something little happens and it just snowballs in to a goal against. We got to play smart 200-foot hockey if we’re going to get out of this and that wasn’t it.

How hard does that make it mentally to really kind of delve in to the x’s and o’s and really look at a game and try and take away positives from it? If any little thing becomes a big thing.
Well I think we’ve gotten better at it. If a guy makes a mistake out there, because it’s going to happen it’s hockey, we’re really backing the guys up. There’s a couple of plays out there where guys had great back checks and stole pucks. TK comes to mind there, that’s just helping your team mates out and that’s what a team is for. We’re starting to get better at that, but got some room to go, just got to eliminate those little things that are shooting ourselves in the foot.

Philadelphia Flyers G Carter Hart

Considering the job that the guys did in front of you on the Monahan, Gaudreau line, do you feel pretty comfortable with the way you were able to see the puck and the chances that they were getting, not being the grade A all alone out front?
Like you said, we did a good job of limiting their chances. Shut down their top line for most of the night. It’s disappointing to come out with a result like that. I thought we really battled hard tonight and the guys really wanted to win. It’s tough when you come out with result like that.”

What was clicking in your game tonight that wasn’t the last time?
I was seeing the puck, I felt comfortable, I wasn’t overthinking things and just stuck to my game.”

How difficult were the days after that Carolina game?
I think after that night happened you just put it behind you the next day and move on.”

Did you know Tkachuk was there on the second goal?
Yeah, it was a good shot above the pad. It was definitely a savable puck for sure.”

Philadelphia Flyers RW Dale Weise

Dale this being the half way point of the seasons, kind of the craziest first 41 games you’ve seen?

By far, with coaches, GM’s, goaltenders, lines changing, it’s been really wild and the craziest thing I’ve ever seen.

You guys were in the driver’s seat for most of the game today, what did you see on your line going up against the Monahan line for most of the game?

I thought we did a good job on them, that line is dangerous, you don’t have to give them very much and they create a lot. I thought we did a really good job, a couple d-zone draws were they run a couple good plays there and we did a good job, it’s just frustrating. We played really well for call it 55 minutes it would be 50 and then the last 10 we’re just playing not to lose and kind of let our foot off the gas, which has kind of been the story for us.

It’s easy to take away the positives, but is there enough resiliency in the room just to get over this and start something new?

I feel like every game we’re trying to start something new, we got on a streak here we lost five in a row or whatever it is, every day we come to the rink we’re trying to start something new.   There was a lot of positives tonight. I think when you get into something like this the only thing you can do is try to look at the positives.  That’s a really good hockey team over there and we played really well, we had enough chances to win the game. I liked our power play, they had some good looks, we had good contributions from everybody, we just need to find a way to win games in the last 10 minutes. We lose a lot of games in the 10 minutes where I don’t know if anybody is doing anything that special to beat us, we’re just having mental breakdowns and we’re giving teams the game in the last 10 minutes.

Do the guys have positives like you have too, to maintain that and look at it?

Yeah, I think so, like I said we try to mentally reset every game.  That’s really all we can do at this point, you can’t really look at the standings that’s not going to do anyone any favors. We come to the rink every day, put a smile on your face, we bust to be an NHL hockey player and try to build something here the best way we can.


Philadelphia Flyers Interim Head Coach Scott Gordon

For most of that game until you got down to the overtime, what did you see (inaudible) when you it break down?

Jordan had the puck, made a nice cut to the middle, almost had an opportunity and then it came back to him and it looked like he was going to go to JVR and they closed that off. I think he had the right idea to move that puck to Ghost but I think he got it on his heels and he didn’t get all of it and it rolled on him so the rest of the story we know but it was the right play, I think he just needed to take a step towards Ghost.

This is the first half mark of the season, I know you haven’t been here that long but it seemed like today, this kind of game shows what you do, dominate for 40 minutes and then something goes wrong, would you say that that’s the frustrating part of this whole thing?

I wouldn’t say that we didn’t play well in the last 15 minutes, I thought obviously they had two power plays in the third right? So, you lose 4 minutes there but the winning goal, I think the guys were just too cautious; we backed off the initial fore-check, there should be someone steering the puck and not allowing the play to be able to get to the red line without any pressure and you know that’s not from being reckless or anything.  That’s just probably from being too conservative so we’ll talk about it tomorrow in practice and before we go on the ice.

When you talk in practice, is the message building something in game 41, you’re relatively new to the program, how do you balance you’re message from we’re building to we’re running out of time?

Yeah, well no matter what your situation is, you have to build the right things and obviously there’s a lot of good things.  Their goalie had a hell of a game and I thought defensively we did a lot of the right things. Their team loves to get the puck behind the net and find somebody open in front and we shut that that down really well tonight and that’s not an easy area to sell to your team to consistently do that because it involves playing a little more in the defensive zone for the wingers and it has to have reads and it has to have patience.  To our player’s credit, I thought they did an excellent job and that’s something whether it be that or how we play in the offensive zone or through the neutral zone, just getting a level of consistency that is happening all the time.


The power play, besides the one you scored on, where you did everything and anything you wanted to do to go to the net. A psychiatrist would say there is something to say about confidence. 
We did get the one goal. 9 shots. We had 2 power plays against us and gave 1 shot. Again you are up against a goaltender that’s playing well and you’re creating your opportunities. They are not going in. A couple power plays in the second, I didn’t think we did a good job, getting through the blue line area. That would have been the only thing I would have liked the power play to do better. 

You don’t usually see a fourth line matched up against a first line, especially a first line as good as Calgary’s. What was your thought process putting up the Laughton line against the first line?
Well, it wasn’t just them. Coots line was also out against them. I didn’t want to get consumed by one line being against the top line, or whatever you want to call it. I think the one thing that you can say about all three of those guys and what makes it hard to play against them is if they  manage the puck well, which means they’re going to get in on forecheck and going to be hard to play against. That’s not what top offensive lines like. They like to play against top lines, because they know they are going to make mistakes, turn pucks over. We have balance with that, with Coots line and with Laughts. As far as being able to have two lines you feel comfortable with. The rest you sort from there. ​

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Monday, December 17, 2018

Philadelphia Flyers' Era Shift - Dave Hakstol Departs, Cart Hart Arrives


This isn't what Ron Hextall, or Dave Hakstol projected a little less than one week before Christmas, 2018. Both men, now equally relieved of their orange and black duties, have taken the fall while the players remain, or at least those goalies who are healthy.

Who would have bet heavy that Michal Neuvirth would still be employed, and that Carter Hart would be recalled, while Hextall and Hakstol were looking for work?

Scott Gordon is a good, potentially temporary choice as the Flyers interim coach. The Lehigh Valley Phantoms fourth-year chief knows the organIzation and many of its young players, including Hart, who could be a short-term recall, meaning as short as one game. He could also stick longer, depending upon existing goalie(s), or a to-be-obtained netminder.

Chuck Fletcher has done what he felt he had too, just as Paul Holmgren did a few weeks ago. And now the team goes on.

Another lost season, as the always elusive third Stanley Cup won't be won this June? Probably. But what else can fans gone wobbly in recent weeks, months, seasons do except hope that their team improves, ever...so...slowly, if that what it is to do from this point on.
(Hakstol via my own photo. Hart, via the LHV Phantoms.)


Flyers press release regarding Hakstol and Gordon: 
The Philadelphia Flyers have relieved head coach Dave Hakstol of his duties and have named Scott Gordon the interim head coach of the team, according to Executive Vice President/General Manager Chuck Fletcher.

Gordon is in his fourth season as the head coach of the Flyers’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He was named to the position on July 13, 2015. In 254 games with the Phantoms, Gordon has a record of 144-86-15. He led the club back to the playoffs in 2017 after a seven-season absence, and in 2018 guided the Phantoms to the AHL’s Eastern Conference Finals.

Gordon was the head coach of the New York Islanders for parts of three seasons (2008-09 to 2010-11), and also served as the head coach of the Providence Bruins, the AHL affiliate of the Boston Bruins, from 2002-2008 after working as an assistant there for two seasons.  Gordon’s 2004-05 team reached the AHL’s Eastern Conference Finals, where it lost to the then-Philadelphia Phantoms, the eventual Calder Cup champion that season. His 2007-08 team finished with the AHL’s best regular-season record in that campaign, going 55-18-7.

Prior to joining the Phantoms, Gordon was an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2011-2014. He also has head coaching experience in the ECHL with Roanoke (1998-2000) and was an assistant coach in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (Quebec, 1996-98) and the International Hockey League (Atlanta, 1994-96).

Hakstol was in his fourth season as the head coach of the Flyers after being hired on May 18, 2015. He posted a record of 134-101-42 in 277 games.

Flyers press release regarding Hart: 
The Philadelphia Flyers have recalled goaltender Carter Hart from their American Hockey League affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms; have reassigned goaltender Alex Lyon to Lehigh Valley; and have placed goaltender Anthony Stolarz on injured reserve, according to Executive Vice President/General Manager Chuck Fletcher. Hart will be available for Tuesday night’s game against the Detroit Red Wings, wearing #79. 

Hart, 20 (8/13/1998), is in his first professional season. He’s appeared in 17 games for the Phantoms, posting a record of 9-5-2 with a 3.05 GAA and a .901 save percentage. Hart has won four of his last five games, going 4-1 with a 1.80 GAA, .939 save percentage and one shutout since November 30.

A 6-2, 181-lb native of Sherwood Park, Alberta, Hart turned pro this season following a five-year career with the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League, where he became the first two-time winner of the Canadian Hockey League Goaltender of the Year Award.  Hart first earned the honors following the 2016-17 season when he was 32-11-2 with a 1.99 GAA and .927 save percentage in 54 appearances. He improved upon those numbers in winning the award last season, posting a 31-6-3 record with a 1.60 GAA and .947 save percentage in 41 games while guiding the Silvertips to the WHL final for only the second time in the franchise’s history.

Hart was a member of Team Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championships in both 2017 and 2018. He played in four games in 2017, helping Canada to the silver medal with a 2.38 GAA and .906 save percentage.  In 2018, Hart posted a 1.81 GAA and .930 save percentage in six games to help Team Canada win the gold medal. 

Hart was selected by the Flyers in the second round (48th overall) of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.
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Monday, November 26, 2018

Ron Hextall's Firing - Philadelphia Flyers' Next Steps Await



Ron Hextall's firing was surprising, but not truly a stunner when the news is peeled and depending upon one's perspective.

If Philadelphia Flyers' followers have been questioning head coach Dave Hakstol this season, or in recent seasons, they also know who hired him.

If issues about the team's ongoing goaltending problems have been chewed at length, again, fans know who approved of Brian Elliott's contract and that of Michal Neuvirth's.

If orange and black devotees believe that the team doesn't have enough talent on its NHL roster, or that said prospects aren't available to fill holes, they also know who made those forward, defense, and goaltending calls.

Fans also understand that Hextall guided the organization to positive salary cap territory. That, along with a series of obtained draft picks, provided a good hand to whatever GM is hired next.

President Paul Holmgren's thoughts, via the team's press release on the day of Hextall's termination was as follows, "The Flyers organization has decided to relieve Ron Hextall of his duties as Executive Vice President and General Manager. We thank Ron for his many significant contributions, but it has become clear that we no longer share the same philosophical approach concerning the direction of the team. In light of these differences, we feel it's in the organization's best interests to make a change, effective immediately. I have already begun a process to identify and select our next General Manager, which we hope to complete as soon as possible."
(Photo courtesy of Philadelphia Flyers.)
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My own experience in interviewing Hextall was pleasant. The arguably second-greatest goaltender in team history, trailing only Hall of Famer Bernie Parent, was up front, honest, and reflective.

Rather than offer any detailed take on what's happened, I'll instead choose to observe what happens during the remainder of this season and in the next few years. Yes, that's not standard in an age where people's instant (often emotionally-based) reactions are encouraged and perceived as some type of right. My take reflects my principals and allows all involved parties to be offered respect for efforts and decisions made.

I look forward to becoming friends on Facebook and connecting on Twitter @SeanyOB.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Baseball All Star Game + Philadelphia Flyers Potential Free Agent Move

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Phillies

Some Phillies in the All-Star game reflect the last positive moments at the end of this current era.

All is not lost, as the Phils have plenty of people to swap for new heroes and a lot of cash to buy their way out of the cellar. It may take a year, or two to do so. That would be an ideal timeline, as nothing is guaranteed.


Flyers

Paul Holmgren will make a strong push for Coyotes winger Shane Doan. This guy would be a great Flyer. Let's hope it happens, as the competition for his services will be strong.



Baseball cards

For those of us who are old enough to remember When Baseball Cards were King, the spring is always a special time of year.

Bygone days spent with elementary school days and family members opening packs of Topps cardboard gold never truly fade away.


Hockey


Here is a hockey story that all ice fans will like: The mystery behind these 1970s Topps hockey cards is revealed.


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Friday, October 7, 2011

Phillies – Cards – Game 5 - & Flyers win season opener

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Phillies -

Well, it all comes down to this. Halladay vs. Carpenter.

After 104 combined wins in the regular and postseason, if the Phillies win number 105 they will advance.

If they end the season with an overall record of 104-63 it will be a disaster.

If they lose this series, they will actually be in the midst of a three-year decline.

Win the World Series in 2008.
Lose the World Series in 2009.
Lose the NLCS in 2010.
And then … I don't even want to type it.

Can they win? Of course. But, to have blown two games so far is hardly inspirational.

Flyers -

Meanwhile, off in Flyerville... they beat the Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins 2-1 in the season opener.

Everyone looked sharp. Bryzgalov, Jagr, Couturier, Pronger, etc.

This hockey team will fly way under the radar in Philly for a long time this season. Somewhere after Christmas the fans will realize that the house cleaning that happened was a positive, gutsy decision on the part of Ed Snider and Paul Holmgren.

A decision that has set the team up for a good, long-term, road ahead.

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