Classic Post - Martin Brodeur - NHL Legend: Interview

I spoke with New Jersey Devils' goaltender Martin Brodeur after his team defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0 on April 18, 2013. 

Brodeur won his first National Hockey League game on March 26, 1992, when the Devils defeated the Boston Bruins 4-2. He initially wore number 29, before switching to his trademark number 30. During the past two-plus decades this 1990 first round draft choice (twentieth overall) recorded 121 shutouts, scored three goals, reached numerous other high marks and has redefined the art of goaltending. 

I've learned through the years that individuals who achieve and then maintain greatness in any field share common character traits. With that subjective point in mind, it was reaffirming to hear what this high-achiever had to say. 

Marty

Brodeur replied to my question about the elements that create a shutout in very telling form:

“It's a team game. That's the bottom line. If you don't have a team that's committed to play a certain way in front of you, you're not getting shutouts. You can't do it by yourself.

“Once in awhile you can stand on your head. But, I think when you get a bulk of as many as I've gotten through the years, it's the commitment of the team.

“When it's 3-0, it's easy to try to get the fourth goal, or to win 3-1. Who cares? 

"But, when you take pride and people want your goalie to have them (shutouts), it's a big difference,” Brodeur said.

The affable legend is set to turn 41 on May 6. As he plays out the final games on his current contract (that runs through 2013-14), this 20-season veteran has the clearest understanding of what the Devils-Flyers' rivalry means.

“Oh yes, it's great. We have a couple teams, especially in the area because there are so many teams around. I'm sure the Flyers will tell you the same.

“The Rangers-Flyers and a little bit of the Islanders. I'm sure it's going to grow in the next few years because they (the Islanders) are getting better and better.

“But, for us to come into this building, it's always a fun game,” Brodeur said.

Digital hockey card

Clicking on the back of this veteran's digital hockey card reveals that he ranks first in NHL history in the following categories:

Games played (1,217). Patrick Roy is second (1,029).

Minutes played (71,609). Roy is second (60,235).

Wins (667). Roy is second (551).

Shots against (30,513). Roy is second (28,353).

Saves (27,853). Roy is second (25,807).

Shutouts (121). Terry Sawchuk is second (103).

Playoff shutouts (24). Roy is second (23).

Someone who won the Calder Cup, five Jennings trophies, four Vezina trophies, three Stanley Cups, has a .913 career save percentage and a 2.23 career GAA will obviously be inducted into the Hall of Fame. 

Any reasonable debate about the greatest goaltenders of all-time, using any criterion, should always include this Quebec native's name.

(Martin Brodeur photo credit - Sean O'Brien)

Let's connect on Twitter @SeanyOB and on Facebook.

Filling a blank page

I've always loved a blank page. 

Having the ability to fill an open space with ideas is exciting. Some people (including some writers) dread the thought of starting that first paragraph, chapter, story, book, or whatever. I've never faced that self-imposed block. 

Rationalizing reality

I also find it interesting that some people talk about the characters they create in fiction stories as though they were living human beings whose spirits they somehow channel through their minds, onto the page, and out into the world. (However we need to rationalize the processing of ideas that come from our individual life experiences and are transferred into written words, right?)

Writing is a method of talking by typing. Sometimes it's also accomplished by pushing that old school pencil (or pen) across the page. 

Your talent comes from within you

Whatever stage you are at in life or in your career be sure to keep one fact in mind: Your talent comes from within you. For some (including me) that means a balanced God-given, genetically received, and environmentally produced process. For others it means something undefinable and vague.

Write, write, and then write some more. Through that process you'll learn if, or how good you are. Depending upon how successful you are, public opinion will also serve to enlighten your ego along the way. 

(Originally published on Insight 7/13/15. Photo via CNBC.com)

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Feel free to contact me if you feel that I can be of help to you, your family, or friends. 

I look forward to becoming friends on Facebook. 

Let's connect on LinkedIn and on Twitter @SeanyOB.

How to become a sports writer

          (My own image from inside the Philadelphia Flyers locker room at the Wells Fargo Center.)

As the game begins: Life is your perception of reality. You are mostly responsible for almost everything that happens in your adult life. Own your dreams. Work toward them every single day, in some way, even if that means that you are simply thinking forward. Always continue to make friends, at all stages of life. And, ALWAYS be a friend, which means that people don't need to ask for your help - you offer it, or simply give it, including to people that you don't even know. 

Many talented people strive to work in the world of sports. But, how does someone actually make that dream come true? For starters, consider adapting your goals.

My own background includes a degree in Communications, front office experience at the start of my professional career in the Philadelphia Phillies' farm system, and work as a 'stringer' back in the old 'newspaper is king' days. But, everyone doesn't need to have that specific experience in order to gain access to the world of professional sports.  

1. Make friends

Always treat everyone you meet with respect. That sounds simple, but can be hard to implement at every moment. However, we never know how far good impressions can go. 

I've had many experiences where someone I met voluntarily connected me to another person who became a sports' connection. 

2. Work smart and work hard

Natural intelligence, or past success, doesn't automatically equal future success. That 'strategy' relies on random chance.  

Work, work, work, work, work, work, and keep on working. Yes, you should make certain choices in the efforts that you pursue. But, stay focused, honest acknowledge if your goal(s) need to be adjusted based on realized outcomes, and progress will (not should) result in unexpected ways. 

3. Be resilient

I voluntarily left the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons organization because some people who were important in my personal life needed my help. I chose to move in order to help them, rather than allow those great people stand alone. I have never regretted that choice, as it was the right thing to do on every meaningful life level.

After making that choice I didn't drop my dream of working in professional sports. But, I did adapt it as the years passed. 

As time flowed I wrote for a newspaper and then, many years after that, adapted my print skills to the online world. Doing so allowed me to create new sports' contacts. 

I literally attempted to make connections with more than one thousand people since 2010, when I returned to writing about sports again. That approximate number isn't exaggerated, but represents efforts across many life 'platforms'. Doing so eventually led to the creation of business contacts with the Philadelphia Flyers. And with that, access was gained that allowed me to gain a media credential. 

Similar efforts have allowed me to interview current and former athletes, in various sports beyond hockey, and also to interview people who work outside of the sports' world. 

End Game: I ask that you re-read my introduction in order to reinforce all points made. So here it is, again: Life is your perception of reality. You are mostly responsible for almost everything that happens in your adult life. Own your dreams. Work toward them every single day, in some way, even if that means that you are simply thinking forward. Always continue to make friends, at all stages of life. And, ALWAYS be a friend, which means that people don't need to ask for your help - you offer it, or simply give it, including to people that you don't even know. 

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Let's connect on Twitter @SeanyOB, through Facebook, or on LinkedIn.

Flashback Philadelphia Flyers' Feature: What if Ed Snider hadn't taken a risk?

The start of training camp provides an opportunity to revisit one of my classic hockey features...

Ed Snider traveled to see a sporting event with a friend nearly 50 years ago. That New York Rangers hockey game made such a positive impression on him that he later took a business risk. In so doing, the Philadelphia Flyers were born.

Risk and reward

Rewards aren't guaranteed in business, or in life. Snider used his free will when he decided to invest in a National Hockey League expansion franchise in the late 1960s, with no guarantee of success. If his team would have flopped, it might have gone the way of the Cleveland Barons. A hardcore reference that has been noted for all hockey aficionado's. 

Brains and talent

As the Flyers built their 1970s reputation and won back-to-back Stanley Cups against the Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres, arenas around the League were filled to capacity along the way. Everyone wanted to see one of the world's greatest shows. 

Yes, the team hasn't won the Cup since then. But, it has gone to the last round six times since those fabled 1973-74 and 1974-75 seasons.

So, what if?

If Snider hadn't taken the risk, hockey may not have started in Philadelphia as soon as it did. Where's the evidence that any other person, who may have founded the franchise at any other point in time, would have made a go of it?

The sheer amount of media members that cover the team's home games indicate that there is more than a small, hardcore, contingent of Flyers fans in the region, as has been suggested over the years. It's likely a broader group, as evidenced by the amount of street and inline hockey programs that exploded in the 1980s and ice hockey programs that have been created at high schools across the surrounding region during the past two decades.

In other words, the base has grown since the fall of 1967. Also, the Reading Royals wouldn't exist if it weren't for the Flyers. And that ECHL hockey team, located in a small town over an hour from Philadelphia, attracts almost four thousand fans per game.

Loyalty counts

Don't forget that Snider built the CoreStates Center in 1996 (now known as the Wells Fargo Center) with almost total private funding. All sports facilities could be built without making the public become a partner through forced, back door, taxation.

There is no sense of entitlement within the Flyers organization. They have earned their way through Snider's example. His straightforward business approach is simply this: Work hard, don't be afraid to spend money and try to win every single season.

Flyers' fans are smart and have always recognized that their team consistently tries to succeed. And with that, loyalty will continue to reign.

(I hold all copyrights to this article which originally appeared on Yahoo's platform in 2011. Photo credit: cdn1.vox-cdn.)

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Let's connect on Twitter @SeanyOB, through Facebook, or on LinkedIn.

Reboot: An interview with Philadelphia Flyers' legend Bernie Parent

Spending a few hours with Philadelphia Flyers' legend Bernie Parent was well worth the trip to his office in New Jersey. The one-on-one conversation we had easily ranks among the most memorable interviews that I've had in my professional career, which dates back to 1990. Here's a full replay of an online feature that originally premiered in the fall of 2010...

“Today, my philosophy has changed tremendously. Everything comes from what you think about. Whatever you are thinking, you are going to attract. When you are happy, good things will come to you, ” Bernard Marcel Parent.

A week prior to his participation in the Spectrum's demolition ceremonies, I had the chance to discuss hockey, business, and philosophy with Bernie Parent. In doing so, I learned about the man who was a steady rock on those Flyers 1970's Stanley Cup teams. The former goaltender's candor and warm demeanor revealed how he has transitioned from a Hall of Fame sports career to life after the game.

“The last time I was in the Spectrum, I went down to the floor and stood where the holes for the net used to be. I was there for about 10 to15 minutes looking at the whole building. I relived the memories one last time. It was a beautiful thing,” Parent said.

Parent, who will be honored by the Flyers on December 8^th at “Bernie Parent night”, has remained a member of the Flyers' family, serving as an ambassador for the team.

New book to be released

He also is the author of a forthcoming book, My Journey Through Fear and Risk, which was developed through his experiences, conversations, and motivational speeches that he has given since his playing career ended. The book will be available to corporations, schools, non-profits, and individuals. In it, he discusses life after hockey and how each person can develop a proper philosophy. It also contains a menu of 15 topics to select from which facilitates Parent's in-person presentations.

In addition to authoring a book, he has continued to represent a number of different corporations, and make public relations appearances around the country and in Canada.

Business requests can be made through his manager, Dean Smith, who can be contacted at:

856-988-0001 and through Parent's website.

“When I talk with people, I tell them to find out what their purpose is. They need to find what they love to do and dedicate their lives to it. That's when you get involved in fear and risk. You may have to change everything in your life, but risk is a beautiful thing. That is when things happen. All successful people have taken risks,” Parent said.

Learning from the master

Parent's hockey career was partly inspired by Hall of Fame goaltender Jacques Plante, whose sister lived aside of his family home.

“I was a shy kid, so when Plante would come to visit his sister I would always watch him. I can see in my mind exactly what his sister's house looked like, how he got out of his car, stood in front of the house smoking a cigar, and how he walked up the steps,” Parent fondly recalled.

“My goal as a little leaguer was to get to the National Hockey League and then to win the Stanley Cup. When I was a kid I might have had 200 people telling me that I wasn't going to make it. They said I

wasn't big enough, or strong enough. But, when you have passion and are good enough, the obstacles fade away,” Parent said.

After playing in the junior leagues for the Niagara Falls Flyers, he was drafted by the Boston Bruins in the mid-1960's. Later he was selected in the 1967 NHL expansion draft by the Flyers and played in Philadelphia until he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1971. Their starting goalie at the time was none other than Jacques Plante.

“When I was traded to Toronto, I had some doubts at first. That was a low point in my career because I wasn't looking at the right side of the coin. I was thinking about the Flyers not wanting me, rather than the fact that the Leaf's did want me. Plus, the person who I admired as a child, Plante, was their goalie. I learned a great lesson from that whole experience,” Parent said.

“I was there (in Toronto) for two years. I watched Plante play from the bench. He was incredible! You don't want to copy someone, but take what they have an add it to your own style. So, one day, I said to him, 'Jacques, can you teach me?', Parent said.

In 1972, Parent took a risk and jumped to a rival league called the World Hockey Association. While playing for the Philadelphia Blazers during that 1972-73 season, he faced an average of 55 shots per game, but used that as an opportunity to apply what he had learned from Plante. When the Blazers moved to Vancouver at season's end, he decided to go back to the NHL. Toronto then traded his rights to the Flyers.

Fred Shero

Newspapers heralded his return as a move that could help the team to win the Cup in 1973-74.

“The first time I met Fred Shero he came up to me and said that he believed in team work, but didn't know anything about goaltending, so I was on my own. As soon as he said that, I knew I had the right coach,” Parent recalled.

“I got a standing ovation when I stepped onto the ice at the Spectrum during our first pre-season game that year. But, ten minutes into the game, the Rangers had scored eight goals against me. I heard a lot of boos and Freddy (Shero) pulled me out. That was my reintroduction to the city. But, when you think you have hit your lowest moments, it doesn't mean it's over. You are just being sent in a different direction,” Parent said.

A few weeks after that Rangers game, Shero had Parent start in goal for the regular season opener against Toronto. He shut them out 2-0. As we know, the Broad Street Bullies went on to famously win their first Stanley Cup that season and have “walked together forever”, just as Shero's locker room chalkboard message had encouraged them to do.

Parent earned many awards after his return to Philadelphia, including winning both the Vezina (an award given annually to the league's best goalie) and the Conn Smythe (an award given annually to the league's best playoff performance) trophies in 1973-74 and 1974-75.

Post-hockey career

A five-time All-Star, he was the toast of the town in the 1970's, adding another Cup win in 1974-75.

But, after a career-ending eye injury against the Rangers, in 1979, his life changed dramatically.

“After retirement, the problem is that you can't perform in front of large crowds anymore. That is the biggest adjustment that you have to make. Money is separate adjustment,” Parent said.

He joined a self-help program that he credits with turning his life around.

“In your greatest despair, you can have your greatest victory. As long as I was the hockey player, I had a purpose. Once that stopped, that purpose was gone. I went in circles. I wasn't happy and I hung around people who had a similar outlook. I have learned that you become what you attract. So, I like to share what I went through because I want to help people to learn through my experiences,” Parent said.

During that time period he also was a goaltending coach and scout for the Flyers. Neil Little, drafted on Parent's recommendation, went on to win two Calder Cups for the Flyers AHL affiliate and today is the Flyers worldwide goalie scout.

In 1998, he was willing to let a doctor perform a new procedure on his damaged right eye. The procedure worked, restoring his vision to 20/20.

Pelle Lindbergh

Thomas Tynander and Bill Meltzer's book Behind the White Mask, contains a sharply detailed description of Lindbergh's life, career, and the father-son type relationship that he had with Parent. We discussed the book and his remembrances of Lindbergh.

“Pelle was here on Earth for a brief moment that was cut a little bit short. We are spiritual people and

I believe that when someone passes away they move onto a new place in their eternal life,” Parent reflected.

During the 1981-82 season, Lindbergh was struggling. When he was sent to the Flyers minor league team in Maine, Parent suggested that he go with him. Through his guidance, Lindbergh returned to the Flyers during that season. He went on to win the Vezina trophy in 1984-85, which Parent presented to him at the awards ceremony.

“I opened the envelope and his name was listed as the winner. He came up on stage and gave me hug. It was a big moment,” Parent fondly recalled.

“I was very grateful that I was a part of his life. A paradigm was passed from Plante, the master, to me and then I passed what I had learned on to Pelle. He had a lot of good qualities that could benefit us today,” Parent said of his former protege.

Recent pursuits

He has remained an avid hunter, fisherman, and golfer. He values family greatly, having two sons, a daughter, and six grandchildren.

“It is a different phase that I'm going into now. I love children. When you watch a child, you are seeing happiness. Watch them for a half of an hour and you will learn a lot,” Parent said.

A few years ago one of Parent's sons gave him a popular DVD. He credits what he learned from it (along with it's related book) as helping him to gain a deeper understanding of life.

“The Secret helped me to see that we attract good and the bad things in life by how we think. When you have a positive view of life, good things happen to you. The greatest power on Earth is the power to choose. Once you understand the process, you can create anything that you want,” Parent said.

Ed Snider

“I believe that he is one of the best owners in professional sports and has built his own economy. He is wise enough to realize that he needs a team. He is involved with his company, but allows people to have confidence in themselves and lets his team perform. Back in 1967-68 (the team's first year) he was sitting at the kitchen table with his wife, trying to determine how they would meet payroll. Now, he is one of the most successful individuals in the Delaware Valley,” Parent said.

Flyers 2010-2011

“I think this team has the whole package. They have a great coach (Peter Laviolette) who I really like. They have great forwards and great defenseman. They also have three good goalies, who understand the game. It's exciting because the Flyers have their deepest team in a long time. They aren't hoping to win, they know they can win. If they stay healthy, they have a good chance to win the whole thing,” Parent enthusiastically said.

Packs

“I consider myself to be a wolf, because I like the freedom of choice. Choice is very, very important to me. A wolf works in packs. So, everyone doesn't have to be like me, because people all have different talents,” Parent said.

He has employed the same strategy in his current pursuits that he did when he studied Plante's goaltending techniques. He studied successful business people for five years, so that he could begin to build his own business pack.

Parent concluded by saying, “Material possessions, like us, will come and go. I am grateful for what I have been able to attract. Life is a wonderful journey.”

Postscript

Growing up in the 1970's, I was naturally a Flyers fan and spent many great days playing street hockey with cousins and elementary school friends. My uncle created cool foam goalie pads that my cousin wore during our games in his garage. Every Sunday, while my Mom was making dinner, I would put my Bernie-style mask on and fend off shots from my Dad in our own basement rink.

After completing the interview, I began my journey back through the roads that I had traveled on a few hours earlier. As I did so, I could see in my memories that we all wanted to be who Bernie was back then. I also knew that I had just spoken with someone who enjoys being who he is today.

(Thank you to Dan Morroni, who is a custom tailor in the Philadelphia region.)
(Photo courtesy of Sean O'Brien.)
(My interview was initially provided to philly2philly.com.)

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Feel free to contact me if you feel that I can be of help to you, your family, or friends. 

I look forward to becoming friends on Facebook. 

Let's connect on LinkedIn and on Twitter @SeanyOB.

Enlighten your ego

I've always loved a blank page. 

Having the ability to fill an open space with ideas is exciting. Some people (including some writers) dread the thought of starting that first paragraph, chapter, story, book, or whatever. I've never faced that self-imposed block. 

Rationalizing reality

I also find it interesting that some people talk about the characters they create in fiction stories as though they were living human beings whose spirits they somehow channel through their minds, onto the page, and out into the world. (However we need to rationalize the processing of ideas that come from our individual life experiences and are transferred into written words, right?)

Writing is a method of talking by typing for me. Sometimes, it's also accomplished by pushing that old school pencil (or pen) across the page. 

Your talent comes from within you

Whatever stage you are at in your life, or career, be sure to keep one fact in mind: Your talent comes from within you. For some (including me) that means a balanced God-given, genetically received, and environmentally produced process. For others, it means something undefinable and vague.

Write, write, and then write some more. Through that process you'll learn if, or how, good you are. Depending upon how successful you are, public opinion will also serve to enlighten your ego along the way. 

(The image at the top of this post is via printhut.co)

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Feel free to contact me if you feel that I can be of help to you, your family, or friends. 

I look forward to becoming friends on Facebook. 

Let's connect on LinkedIn and on Twitter @SeanyOB.

Philadelphia Flyers vs. Florida Panthers December 18, 2014

A special sidebar to all readers as 2014 draws to a close...My fellow media members serve as positive role models who always advance my hockey knowledge whenever I cover Philadelphia Flyers home games at the Wells Fargo Center. The media, as a whole, represent hard-working people, in both old, new and hybrid media forms. Their efforts help the public to better analyze one of the globe's greatest sports.

There are plenty of quality hockey resources available. Bill Meltzer's ever-great HockeyBuzz blog, David Strehle's always-insightful Twitter feed @DstrehleTFP and connected articles, and new colleague Charlie Flowe's WorldSportsShow.com are worth regular digital reads.

Iced Pregame Tidbits

Entering tonight's action the Florida Panthers front a 13-8-8 mark (34 points), while the Philadelphia Flyers have a record of 11-14-5 (27 points).

This is the last date of a four-game homestand for Philadelphia. Next, the Flyers are off to Toronto (Dec 20), Winnipeg (Dec 21), and Minnesota (Dec 23) before a short Christmas break. Philadelphia continues its eight-game road trip in Nashville (Dec 27), Phoenix (Dec 29) and Colorado (Dec 31), Carolina (Jan 2, 2015) and finally, in New Jersey (Jan 3). While this road trip won't seal the season. The available points to be gained could determine playoff viability in the very near future.

Steve Mason started in goal for the Flyers. His 6-10-4 record is reflective of the Flyers' team issues this season, as his .918 save percentage and 2.58 GAA are both better than his counterparts were entering the game.

Roberto Luongo started in net for the Panthers. He had a 11-6-6, .908 save percentage and a 2.70 GAA.

First Period

9:47: Scottie Upshall (4). Assists – Tomas Kopecky and Dylan Olsen.

Shots: 12-8 Panthers.

Flyers looked sluggish. 

Lecavalier back in action. Little to report in this first frame.

Second Period

4:07 Jacob Voracek (12). Assists – Nicklas Grossmann and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare.

Number 93 continues to open eyes around the League this season. His off-season focus and career maturity are evident on nearly each shift. He also recently became only the sixth Flyer in team history to record 10 multi-point games over the first 19 games of the season, joining Peter Forsberg, Brian Propp, Tim Kerr, Mark Recchi and Bob Clarke.

Total shots: 23-17 Panthers.

Third Period

No goals.

Back-and-forth action. Flyers had some scoring chances, but were unable to push the puck past Luongo to secure the extra point. 

Total shots: 30-22 Panthers.

Overtime

Total shots: 32-26 Panthers.

Flyers had sustained pressure. Luongo made a few key saves, including a sharp glove save with less than a minute to go in the game. However, it was on to the...

Shootout

Panthers scored first (Brandon Pirri).

Lecavalier missed.

Panthers missed.

Giroux missed.

Panthers missed.

Voracek scored.

Panthers missed.

Read missed.

Panthers missed.

B. Schenn missed.

Panthers scored (Dave Bolland).

Couturier missed.

Panthers win 2-1.

Final thoughts

The Flyers continuing inability to finish during the shootout is costing them valuable points. It seems challenging to believe that Craig Berube's team will suddenly become more than what it is at this moment in time.

General manager Ron Hextall has limited options as he moves through his first season. Some players may be dealt by trade deadline day. But, the long-term strategy story number 27 told when he was hired surely means that a few-season rebuild is underway.

The Flyers travel to face the Maple Leafs at 7pm on Saturday night. At 19-10-3, that Canadian team will provide another point of measure for an organization that continues to develop its future plans. 

Insight Overtime

Here's a past post about some past transactions in history...

5 Stunning Philadelphia Flyers' Trades

The Philadelphia Flyers have made many trades in franchise history. Here are ten of their most surprising. Some of these deals are only known by the hardest of hardcore fans. Others, are enlightening because of the historic names that are about to be mentioned.

This list has been prepared in chronological order, verses that of chosen importance.

#5: Rick MacLeish “traded” to the Boston Bruins - October 18, 1967

Yes, this trade took place in the 1960s, but MacLeish didn't officially become a member of the Bruins until 1970.

The Flyers obtained Rosaire Paiment from the Boston Bruins for their number one pick in the 1970 National Hockey League amateur draft. That number one pick was used to select MacLeish with the fourth pick.

#4: Barry Ashbee obtained for two no-names – May 22, 1970

A vital part of the Flyers' first Stanley Cup team, Ashbee suffered a career-ending eye injury in April 1974. He was originally acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Darryl Edestrand and Larry McKillop in the spring of 1970.

#3: Bernie Parent traded to Toronto Maple Leafs – January 31, 1971

Parent told me directly, during my one-on-one interview with him at his business office in the fall of 2010, that being traded from the Flyers to the Maple Leafs helped his career. While in Toronto he asked Hall of Fame goaltender Jacques Plante, who was the Maple Leafs' starting netminder at the time, to teach him how to play goal.

Plante's lessons helped Parent to turn his career around and helped him to set the bar for excellence upon his return to the Flyers in May 1973.

#2: Reggie Leach obtained from the California Golden Seals five days after the first Cup was won – May 24, 1974

It's not just that the Golden Seals dealt Leach after he had scored 51 goals for them in slightly over two seasons of play. But, they traded him to the Flyers for Larry Wright, Al MacAdam and the Flyers 1974 first-round draft pick. That draft pick was held by the team that had just won the Stanley Cup five days earlier.

Wright, who was a free agent, re-signed with the Flyers in September. MacAdam had only played five games for the Flyers until that point, but did later score 240 goals in his NHL career. The first round draft pick was used to select Ron Chipperfield, who jumped to the World Hockey Association and never played for the Seals.

#1: Fred Shero traded to New York Rangers – June 2, 1978

The Flyers received a first-round draft pick, as agreed upon compensation, in return for Shero being allowed to accept a job as the Rangers' head coach. The Flyers selected Ken Linseman with the seventh pick in the 1978 NHL amateur draft.

(My feature, which I hold all rights to, originally appeared on Yahoo Sports-YCN.)

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Let's connect on Twitter @SeanyOB, through Facebook, or on LinkedIn. Visit my Examiner Contributor Page.

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My illustrated children's book: Maddie: Teaching Tolerance with a Smile officially became a Top 10 Amazon best-seller as of January 29, 2014. The print and ebook editions were initially released in August, 2014.

Children's Alopecia Project

50% of all proceeds from the sale of our book (in both print and ebook forms) are being donated to the Children's Alopecia Project (CAP).

What a ride

This incredible and unexpected ride began in the spring of 2011. By August 2013, the book was published by the Children's Alopecia Project in print form. We have been very pleased with sales of that edition. Use, or share, this link --->>Maddie: Teaching Tolerance with a Smile to purchase the printed book directly from CAP.

I published a special ebook edition within weeks of the print book release. After starting in the tens of thousands (in terms of Amazon's children's book rankings), Maddie broke into the Top 50 just prior to Christmas. It climbed through the 30s and settled in the upper 20s before breaking into the Top 10.  

Use, or share, this link --->>Maddie: Teaching Tolerance with a Smile to see a 'free-view' of the special ebook edition. I've included extra bonus features in this version that provide background information, extra photos, and illustrations. Each item helps to tell the complete story of this book's birth. 

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Here's a link to this great (print and online) article that the Reading Eagle recently published about our story Maddie: Teaching Tolerance with a Smile: Book chronicles Wyomissing teen's journey since being diagnosed with alopecia

Thank you to Stacey Stauffer (Fox 29 Philadelphia). She interviewed Madison Woytovich, her parents (Jeff and Betsy Woytovich) and me about the latest chapter in this inspiring story. Here's a video link to Stacey's wonderful feature. 

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Amazon.com is the number 1 online publishing platform in the world. That's why I used it to publish my first ebook: Fast Fiction and Other Stuff.

This mini-tome is a collection of stories and poems for readers who don't take themselves too seriously. I hope that you enjoy it and am always interested in your feedback.