Philadelphia Flyers: President and General Manager Chuck Fletcher's Update

*My best to all readers, their family members, friends, and colleagues during these challenging times.

The following update was provided to media members on the date of this post by the Philadelphia Flyers, due to the ongoing effects of the virus in North America and in the world. 

Philadelphia Flyers President/General Manager Chuck Fletcher

Since you don’t know how long this pause is going to be, do you have them treat this like it’s an off season or try to have everyone stay in shape? How does it go?

Well before I answer that question, I want to acknowledge the obvious that we’re in different times right now and want to certainly mention that our entire organization, and certainly my family and I, we want to thank all the people working on the front lines of this pandemic, the doctors, nurses, hospital workers, our first responders and everyone working hard to keep our essential services operating for the benefit of all of us. I certainly want to mention that before we start talking about the small piece of the world that I work in, which is ice hockey. With respect to our players, we haven’t given them any sort of specific direction. Most of them have returned to their off-season homes. A lot of them have the ability to work out there. I don’t think anybody is skating, obviously, at this point. I think guys are doing the best they can to stay in shape and they are all hopeful that in time we get to a better place in this world, where we’ll be able to come back and play hockey.

Chuck, does this help Nolan Patrick at all? Can you give us an update on him?

Nolan’s returned home. Generally speaking, he’s feeling well in terms of where he has been over the past few months. That’s hard to say what exactly it will mean when we do come back to play. He’s been trending in the right direction all along. I don’t know if that would have a positive or negative impact other than obviously, the benefit of time that he will have to continue to heal and get back.

Chuck, how have you been coordinating with the rest of your front office, from Brent to the rest of your scouts and make sure everyone is making use of their time?

I speak to Brent and Barry every day. We have a group text that we keep pretty active in terms of different things that each of us may be doing. Brent is working first and foremost with our scouting staff, our amateur scouts. They’re working hard on getting their lists for the draft, watching video, doing reports, having discussions on players and doing things that they would typically do at this time of the year with the obvious exception that we were are not able to watch games live right now. Barry is working on contracts and cap related issues going forward. Obviously, we’ve been able to sign a couple of our unsigned draft choices, Tanner Laczynski and Wade Allison recently. Barry’s been on the forefront of those conversations. We stay in touch every day and try to coordinate things that we do. Personally, I am trying to reach out to a lot of our support staff and scouts as well as people like Bob Clarke, Paul Holmgren, Bill Barber and Dave Scott to keep the lines of communication going. To speak to people on a regular basis and just to do what we can to stay busy.

You mentioned Laczynski and Allison. Do you see them battling for a job next year or do you think they need a year or two of seasoning in the AHL?

I don’t know if they need a year or two of seasoning. These are players that will be 23 years old next season. They both have put a lot of time in it at the collegiate level. They both have size and strength attributes that typically takes a 19 and 20 year old kids a lot longer to acquire. They’re men. They are good hockey players. I expect that they’ll challenge for spots right away. Whether they can make it, time will tell. They’re players that are very close to being able to step in and play.

With the spread of the virus, was there any fear that a player or a staff member was affected or exposed in any way?

I think all of us are concerned about everyone’s health and well-being and trying to take all the precautions we can. I am not aware of anybody that we had to take any particular precautions with, other than once we got back from Tampa Bay, everybody tried to heed the advice of the NHL and self-isolate and do what we can to keep ourselves and our families safe. Be smart members of the community and try to stay out of everyone’s way. Everyone’s doing the best they can to self-isolate and be home with their families.

Similar to the discussions with Brent and the scouting staff, how often do you check in with AV and his staff and kind of touch base with him to see what he’s working on with this time off?

He had been working on his golf swing for a while, but right now he’s like the rest of us, he’s going through notes and trying to stay safe. I speak to AV every week, just once a week. I’ve reached out to quite a few of the coaching staff, scouting staff and supporting staff and try to stay in regular contact with them, whether it’s by a phone call, text or email. We’re all trying to stay in touch and do what we can. Again, for obvious reasons, a lot of our business has been shut down right now. Most of the things we can focus on are matters going forward, whether that’s the draft or signing some of our players. Maybe planning some things for the future.

There are a lot of proposals floating around. Is there any one that you prefer that the season starts with the playoffs? Obviously it’s going to be later than normal. Is there any playoff format that you prefer?

Not really. We’re fine with anything that they put forward. To me, the more hockey the better. Whatever it ends up being, it ends up being. I’m not particularly led to anything. There’s a lot of ideas out there. A lot of creative solutions. It’s a good way to pass the time right now, but until things change and we have more information, it’s going to be hard to know what will happen.

Chuck, is it important to you that this season does get handed it out, even though it will be late? Is there some point where you just call it and get started again next season?

Well when you have time, use it. I just think there’s no sense in making any decisions until you have to make them. If we’re able to come back and play, that means the world is at a much better spot than it is right now. I think that would be a tremendous sign. Obviously, I hope we have that ability to finish up this year. A lot of work was put in and we got to the majority of the regular season. I think that we’re all competitors and we all want to play. Again, if we’re playing that means the situation is changed dramatically and we’re in a much better spot.

Can you give us injury updates on Myers, JVR and Nate? If the season does return in May, all three would be back?

Myers is doing well. Over three weeks now post injury, he’s doing very good. I believe he would have been cleared to play prior to the end of the regular season as originally scheduled. Thompson’s issues have resolved. He’s cleared to play. JVR’s finger is healing really well. He’s still needs a little time before that is fully healed, which is kind of what we expected when we announced the initial time frame, I believe of 4 to 6 weeks. It would have been somewhere either just as the playoffs started or with the first week of the playoffs. I think he’s still trending that way. Everybody’s doing well and feeling better. That’s all positive.

Can you give an update on Oskar Lindblom? Is he still in the area? Did he go back home?

No, Oskar’s still in the area, continuing treatments. He’s doing well.

Chuck, you mentioned earlier about Barry and contracts. You have a bunch of pending UFA’s and RFA’s. It’s a weird situation but have you opened negotiations with any of them? Since the cap is uncertain and the season starting back up is uncertain, do you look at that as on the back burner right now?

We haven’t started any negotiations with any of our RFA’s or UFA’s at this point. Part of it is there is a lot of uncertainty at this point. What the cap number will be and when things will start up. There is some uncertainty. Having said that, I think we have some RFA’s, in particular, that we have worked hard on the file for the negotiation. I think we’re certainly willing to have conversations with some of those players. The younger players that we will need to sign under any circumstance. I think if we can get ahead on some of those situations, we’ll look at it. I think there are some situations where we’ll wait to see the lay of the land before we can get too involved. We’ll try to use some of this time to our advantage. Certainly, whether we start the negotiations or just prepare for them, typically this time of year is when you start building your files for the summer negotiations, this year isn’t any different.

Has there been a lot of discussion with the governors about new dates, when arbitrations will be filed and free agency periods will be shifted to?

No, we just don’t know right now. I think the league has a long list of items, critical date issues and issues relating to all the things you mentioned in addition to formats and all that stuff that will have to be resolved once we have more information.

Chuck, how concerned are you about revenues’ being down and how that might affect the salary cap?

Look, we all read what’s going on in the world. I think our industry is no different from any other industry. I think there’s going to be challenges for everybody as we move forward here. Again, at the end of day, there will be host of issues that the league will have to sit down and come to conclusion on and figure out what makes sense for the industry to move forward. Until we have more concrete answers, it’s just hard to speculate on the types of things that we need to be worried about.

You mentioned Laczynski and Allison being signed. Does it look like any of the other college prospects, Kalynuk and Cates specifically, are looking to sign and turn pro?

I think Wyatt Kalynuk and his family are looking at all his options and deciding what they want to do and what Wyatt wants to do moving forward. Again, there’s really no urgency right now with the pause in the NHL season and the NCAA schedule being cancelled. I think he’s taking the time that he has to think through what he wants to do, which is his right. I believe that Noah Cates will return to school next year. Cam York is going to return to school. Bobby Brink will return to school. As they should, I think that’s the best route for all three of those kids.

Chuck, your team was arguably the hottest in the league when the season came to a stop. What have you like about what you have seen either during the winning streak or since January?

Well, I think all season we’ve been showing a high level of resiliency. I think it took us time to get everybody on the same page and to get playing our best hockey, which I think was predictable with the number of changes we made last off-season. I think as the season progressed, we all got on the same page from a system standpoint. Our culture grew and the expectations of the group increased. I think we’ve become a pretty good hockey team. I think what I like is the buy-in, everybody is accepting of their role and try to do what they need to do to help the hockey team win, whether it’s Claude Giroux or Joel Farabee. It runs the gambit from our most experienced guys to our rookies. Everybody’s accepting of the role and doing what is asked of them and doing with a smile on his face. I think that’s why this group is so close and we were having the success that we were having at the end of the year.

Obviously, Kevin Hayes is one of the guys that you brought in over the summer because you needed a second line center. His impact is as much off the ice as it is on the ice. The viral videos of him during walkouts before the games. Did you have any idea that he had the much personality and can bring that much impact in the locker room and off the ice as well as on the ice?

Yeah, he’s a beauty. I think we all knew he had a strong personality, but you are right. He’s had a very positive impact on our franchise. He’s played very well. He plays a very important role on our team in that second line center spot as well as power play, penalty kill, even strength, 3 on 3 and even shootouts. He’s had an impact in every area that a player can have an impact in. He’s a good teammate. He’s a really good human being. He cares about winning. He cares about the people in the organization. He cares about the fans.  You can’t make that stuff up. His personality is who he is. He’s a real fine human being.

How has the communication been like with players? How frequently have you been in touch with them? Or do you rely on Claude Giroux, like one player to relay information?

I’ve spoken to JVR a few times. He’s our player rep. They have regular calls with the NHLPA. Just making sure everyone is safe and their families are safe and if there is anything they need from us to get through this time and stage where we are all at. We want to help out any way we can. Obviously we have some injured players that we have been trying to get healthy and make sure they are in a good spot. Jimmy McCrossin has been working very hard at keeping in touch with the players that were banged up. Right now, it’s about doing what we can to make sure players are in good spot. Again, as things resolved itself and things get to a different stage and we can start talking about playing hockey again in a more realistic manner, communication will ramp up.

Chuck, have you found yourself having more or less conversations with other GMs now that the league is paused?

Fewer. We have a lot of texts going. Some group chats going. We’re communicating a lot, much more informal. I do reach out and speak to about 4 or 5 managers every week. It’s only been a couple weeks so I certainly haven’t spoken to everybody in the league. Again, trying to stay in touch and see how people are doing. Get ideas for maybe some things that are going. Checking in to see if they are signing anybody. Just things like that. At this stage, it hasn’t been a real big factor on what I am doing on day to day basis.

If and when you get a green light to start again at some point, do you think a couple weeks of a camp would be enough to get these players at least close to playing shape?

Guys take care of themselves. We have had other instances where we have had work stoppages and we’ve had shorter training camps to get ready for the season. Players have been able to manage it. These guys are tremendous athletes and they take care of themselves. I don’t know what the exact number would be. Certainly two weeks, in my opinion, would be sufficient to get guys up to speed. Obviously you have normal conditioning and you have game conditioning that may take a little time for guys to get to be where they were when the pause happened. Again, these guys are great athletes and I think that could be sufficient.

Classic Post: Retired NHL Referee Kerry Fraser Is Still Making The Right Calls

Due to the current National Hockey League shutdown, it's time to review one of the more popular Insight posts. This interview with former NHL referee Kerry Fraser, about his autobiography, The Final Call: Hockey Stories from a Legend in Stripes, was enlightening and informative. It's also one that any hockey fan should enjoy.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemeiux, Mark Messier, and Guy LeFleur are indelible hockey names. Some of their greatest moments on the ice came while they were as young as Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin, Jonathan Toews, and Steven Stamkos.

There are other individuals who skate on those same frozen ovals. These father-like figures, whose striped uniforms signal authority, maintain control of the game. Most officials offer solid efforts that are worthy of respect. Then there are those who, like legendary players, transcend the game through their vision, performance, and longevity.

On a dually historic day in Philadelphia last April, the Flyers beat the rival New York Rangers in a season-ending shootout. It was the first time that a team clinched a playoff spot in that fashion. It was also the last of 2,165 games that Kerry Fraser, then the League's senior referee, worked.

“During my career I learned how to pay attention to detail, recognize my imperfections, and drop my wall. It takes some in-depth soul searching to make progress. I was just shy of my 58^th birthday when I retired last season and I felt that I had given enough,” Fraser said.

The hockey world recognized more than his trademark hairstyle during Fraser's thirty-year NHL career.

“In that final season, it all came together. The players and coaches around the league were proactive in approaching me and their recognition meant a lot. I knew I was ready to move into another area of life, spend quality time with my family, and look for new challenges.”

Preseason:

Fraser was born in 1952 and grew up in Sarnia, Canada, which is 60 miles north of Detroit, Michigan. He and his brother Rick enjoyed watching the Toronto Maple Leafs on television. They spent their early years playing on a backyard rink that their Dad, a player in the International League, had built for them.

That backyard practice eventually helped Fraser to become the 19-year-old captain of the Southern Junior “A” League's Sarnia Bees. In 1972, the Bee's played a game against the Detroit Junior Red Wings. Detroit's roster included a 16-year-old forward with a famous hockey name.

“I sat with Mark Howe recently in the press box at Madison Square Garden. Back in the 1970's he was a boy in a man's body. I was 5'7” and about 140 pounds, while he was a number of inches taller and about 50 pounds heavier than me. Mark had just returned from playing in the 1972 Winter Olympics, in Japan, where the United States had won the Silver medal.”

Fraser vividly recalled a confrontation with a much younger Mr. Howe, which he detailed in his new book The Final Call: Hockey Stories From A Legend in Stripes.

“During one game we played against his team, in my final season of Jr. A hockey, I gave Mark the hardest open-ice check that I possibly could. You never want to let another player see if you're hurt, but my insides shook after I checked him. That hit let me know that I needed to look for another type of work.”

Regular Season:

Through a referral of his Dad's hockey teammate, Ted Garvin, he attended the Haliburton Referee school in August, 1972. He worked through that decade, before earning a promotion to the NHL in 1980. He dropped his first puck in Colorado, when the Rockies faced off against the Minnesota North Stars.

“Ted said that, to be a good official, I had to understand the game and not over-referee it. I had to know the difference between a good hit and an illegal one. He also told me that I needed to get inside the player's heads, so I would know how they think. As such, the game really needed former players who could share this background knowledge.”

Fraser re-married in June of 1988 and that September he, his wife Kathy, and their young children moved to a home in New Jersey that they bought from former Flyers coach, Mike Keenan.

Kathy's three daughters: Marcie, Jessica, and Jaime, were all adopted by Fraser after they were married. In 1990, Kerry and Kathy also had a daughter, Kara, together. They also have five grandchildren: Kiera, Daryn, Madyn, Brady, and Harrison, who are between the ages of one and nine.

Kerry had three sons from his first marriage: Ryan, Matthew, and Ian. During the 2006-2007 season Fraser was on a rehabilitation assignment in the AHL. While there, he was able to work a game with son Ryan, who is a referee in that league.

Due to the travel involved in Fraser's career, he missed some important family occasions. However, his position allowed for unique access to the hockey world. Kathy and the kids were often able to join him for regular season games in various cities and for special events including: playoff games, 12 Stanley Cup finals, the 1996 World Cup, the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, and All-Star games in 1990 and 2000.

Faith has become an important part of Fraser's life. He received the call to it in 1995, converted to Catholicism in 2001, and attempts to attend Mass daily.

A career that spanned three decades naturally included working games with all of the greats, including Wayne Gretzky. The two “legends of the game” formed a lasting bond through an unexpected event.

“During a game in Los Angeles, I placed my hand on the bench while I was talking to their coach, Barry Melrose. Kathy had bought a pinky ring for me as a gift and it had gotten turned around on my finger, so the crucifix on the front side of it was not showing. Wayne was sitting on the bench, saw my ring, and was not impressed. I turned it around, so the crucifix was showing, and told him that it had been a gift from Kathy. He nodded his head, looked at me in way that showed he understood, and said, “That's great Kerry.”

“From there, Wayne and I developed a unique relationship. He has a very special, quiet spirituality about him and was raised by two wonderful parents. I recognized his ability to accept his role as the face of the game and to do good for others.

“He has tremendous recall and is a hockey historian. One time, when Kathy and I were having dinner with him in Phoenix, he told me that he remembered watching me play in the junior leagues when I was a teenager and he was a youngster.”

Al Arbour and Scotty Bowman are two coaches Fraser felt were the best he ever saw. He offered accolades for two current coaches as well.

“I love what Craig Ramsey is doing in Atlanta. He is a quiet, methodical, guy who has a great understanding of how to play the game and is so good with young players.

“Peter Laviolette, in Philadelphia, is another person who has connected with his team.

He is taking the talent that he has and is allowing it to mature. He has a pulse on the game and is a perfect fit for Flyers.”

Like coaching, developing officiating skills takes time and effort.

“Not unlike the great players who demonstrate a superior field of vision on the ice, good referees must learn how to adjust their positions in advance, so they can have the best sight lines of the play as it develops to observe the action without becoming tangled up in it. Over time, you form judgment as well. It was once stated that through Experience a referee acquires Judgment; through Poor Judgment he will acquire Experience! An academic mind is always thinking about getting better. You want to be astute, stay honest, and analyze your own work to become the very best that you can be.”

In the 1990's, the NHL tested a two-referee system. By the 2000's, they fully implemented it into the league.

“There was an adjustment period to the two-referee system. We strove for consistency, similar to a defensive pairing. We had to learn how to work together as a team.”

After the 2004-2005 lockout season, obstruction was addressed by the league, but head shots have remained a controversial topic. It is one that Fraser was involved in during his career, he even made a presentation about it at a Mayo Clinic Hockey Summit that he was invited to attend this past fall.

“The restraining tactics that were coached and utilized following NHL expansion and we, as referees, allowed were horrific. A wise decision was made by the League to allow the skilled players to play, which added more excitement to the game. I have always taken a strong, opposing view of head shots. As officials, our first responsibility is to provide safety.

“After returning from the lockout season, I assessed two game misconducts in separate games, but Colin Campbell (NHL Senior Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations) and Steve Walkom (then NHL Director of Officiating) deemed them to be “good hockey hits” and rescinded the game misconducts. That sent a bad signal to everyone, officials and players alike, that those types of hits to the head were okay. Suspensions and loss of player salaries is the strongest deterrent that can be offered. The Players Association and the League need to decide this matter.”

During two of his final three seasons, including his last, the league did not allow him to work in the playoffs. An interesting decision, as he had often been voted the best referee in a League-wide vote of the players. It is worth noting that Fraser was an active member of the NHL Officials Association during his career and played a key role in their 1994 strike negotiations.

“On the labor side, I was able to exercise a voice for those that may have been improperly disciplined, or terminated.”

Growing financial issues among some teams and player association matters have now formed on the NHL's horizon.

“A potential labor situation is developing. Donald Fehr (recently named NHLPA Executive Director) gets the most for the people he is representing.

“The salary cap is being increased. But, there are troubled markets. Atlanta needs to win to survive. Florida is struggling and the league-owned Phoenix team is going to be sold. Winnipeg and Quebec are two locations that could gain franchises in the future.”

Playoffs:

At the beginning of his final season, Fraser accepted an offer from Fenn Publishing to write a book about his career. Published in the fall of 2010, it became the number one selling hockey book in North America. The forward to it was written by Wayne Gretzky.

He credits his wife with keeping him on a schedule that began a week after his last season ended and for helping him to recall many of the great hockey anecdotes that fill the pages. He generally wrote for 18 hours a day in order to meet a 75,000 word commitment.

“The fans want access to be in the game. The book allowed me to do that for them.”

Beyond the humorous, sometimes controversial, and great behind the scenes stories from Fraser's 30-year NHL career, his book also offers a very human narrative. It draws the reader into a world only previously viewed from their arena seats, or in front of a television set.

“I have received a lot of positive feedback, including a recent message from a 28-year-old USA hockey referee. He told me that he was ready to quit the game, because he had suffered such abuse. But, he credited my book with helping him to take the chip off his shoulder and to refocus on developing relationships with players and coaches.”

Fraser has recently joined TSN, in Canada, as a post-game analyst. He will be featured on “That's Hockey 2Nite”, during segments called “C'mon Ref”, with host Steve Kouleas and fellow panelist Matthew Barnaby.

“I'm comfortable in front of the cameras and love to share insights. I think I can provide a unique perspective and help to educate viewers about the rules of the game, in addition to sharing personal experiences and stories like those that have made The Final Call a best seller. There is a market and a desire for people to learn something different. In the future I might start a blog, or even write another book.”

Overtime:

As a boy, he played hockey on backyard rink in Sarnia. As an adult, he became a professional referee who will likely gain entrance into the NHL Hall of Fame. At the end of our interview Kerry Fraser, the grandfather, said that he was going to go watch his nine-year-old grandson Harrison play hockey. A final comment that combined his love of family with his continuing passion for the game.

(I hold all copyrights to this article which originally appeared on Yahoo's Voices platform in 2011. Photo credit - Kerry Fraser.)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Inside Access: Philadelphia Flyers vs. Winnipeg Jets - February 22, 2020

Philadelphia Flyers vs. Winnipeg Jets

Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia

February 22, 2020

Game Time – 1 p.m.

Pregame

Philadelphia Flyers (34-20-7, 75 points)

Winnipeg Jets (32-25-5, 69 points)

Starting goalies: Flyers – Carter Hart. Jets – Connor Hellebuyck.

Other pregame tidbits – Philadelphia lost 7-3 to the Jets in Winnipeg in December. Today's game is the final contest of the season against this Central Division opponent. Brian Elliott started that game, surrendering six goals before he was replaced by Hart, who handled third period duty.

This is the final contest before the National Hockey League trade deadline. Philadelphia in the best position to qualify for the playoffs in a number of years. Head coach Alain Vigneault's influence is noticeable, as he and his veteran coaching staff, including new additions Michel Therrien and Mike Yeo, along with holdover Ian Laperriere, have combined to produce 200-foot stability.

The Flyers aren't an elite team. They could use another impact forward and defenseman. Their goaltending situation is stable, but hasn't produced a standout to-date. So, it's fair to put Philadelphia near to the top 10, if not at that mark, in the League.

Philly's fourth-best NHL home record is good, but they'll need to prove better on the road down the stretch to convince hockey loyalists that they are playoff ready. The Flyers are 5-2-2 in their last nine road games, which is an improvement, as the team is 14-15-3 away from the Wells Fargo Center overall this season.

The Jets enter the tilt on a three game winning streak in fourth place in their division and in the seventh playoff position in the Western Conference.

On a personal note...

The transformation of the interior of the Wells Fargo Center is nearing it's completion, as Steve Coates was telling me while we were heading toward the press elevator on the event floor prior to the game.

Coates joined the Flyers broadcast team in 1980, following his professional playing career. He worked on the television side for a number of years before becoming a part of the team's radio broadcast, along with Tim Saunders, in 2014-15.

Coatesy, which is the fond nickname everyone knows him by, has sustained a long career off the ice due to his affable nature. His love of the game and hockey sense is detectable to all who listen to him during broadcasts, or have the opportunity to talk to him in person as I have on multiple occasions.

First Period

Quick start, with Scott Laughton (11th goal) lifting a puck over Hellebuyck's left shoulder at 2:06 into the period. Ivan Provorov raced down the left side boards, tipping a short pass to Laughton. Justin Braun also received an assist.

Laughton got his second goal of the period (12^th goal) as he crossed over in front of the net and potted the puck past Hellebuyck, while a number of players were in and around him. Braun received the lone assist.

As Laughton moved up the ice later in the period, thoughts of a natural hat trick and one occurring in one period, in this case the first came to mind. A brief internet search revealed that the Great One, Wayne Gretzky had 50 (FIFTY) hat tricks in his career, including ten hat tricks in the 1981-82 and another ten in the 1983-84 season for the Edmonton Oilers. Mike Bossy had nine hat tricks in the 1980-81 season for the New York Islanders. Different era? Sure. Incredible performances regardless? Yes, without debate.

The Flyers last natural hat trick occurred on January 16, 2019. Sean Couturier scored two in the second and one in the third against the Boston Bruins in a 4-3 home win.

Shots Flyers – 12. Jets – 10.

Score: 2-0, Flyers.

Second Period

Flyers only had two shots through just over ten minutes of a lackluster period for both teams. Jets had ten shots, with no real threats.

Konecny took a shot off what appeared to be his sternum that resonated throughout the building. He doubled over and slowly glided toward the bench, where he remained bent over for a few minutes. However, a video review showed that he was hit in his left hand.

Couturier (19th goal) took the puck and back away from the net toward the face off circle, before he wristed a shot into the net, over Hellebuyck's left shoulder at 14:15. Assists to Jake Voracek and Matt Niskanen.

Josh Morrisssey (4^th goal) took a slap shot, over Hart's left shoulder, while falling to his knees at 18:04. Assisted by Mark Scheifele and Nikolaj Ehlers.

Shots Jets – 15 Flyers – 4

Score: 3-1, Flyers.

Third Period

Patrik Laine (26^th) blew a power play slap shot past Hart at three minutes into the period. Assists to Neal Pionk and Blake Wheeler. Robert Haag was in the box at the time with an interference penalty.

After avoiding disaster through heavy pressure and then killing off a power play a few minutes later, Tyler Pitlick (7^th) scored a one bounce pinball shot, with assists to Justin Braun and Haag.

Third period shots: Flyers – 14 Jets - 4

Final shot total: Flyers – 30 Jets – 29

Final score: Flyers – 4 Jets - 2

Next up - The Flyers host the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.

Postgame Quotes

Responses to media scrum questions, postgame in the locker room and at the press conferences of both head coaches:

Philadelphia Flyers RW Scott Laughton

How are you feeling after that one?

What one?

A little beat up?

Yeah, it was a good win. Always fun to play an afternoon game here, I think. It was a good win for a club, and we will continue to move forward.

Was Brian (Elliott) laughing with you on the bench?

He was good all night. I always look to him when I score. He always has a smile on his face. Good to see there.

How much does it mean to have a game like this one?

It was big. We came out and got a lead early and rode it all the way to the end of the game. I thought we had a better job of closing gaps and not giving them as much space in the third. I thought in the second we weren’t really giving our D support, so we had a tough time getting out of the zone. Other than that, clean game I guess and continue to move forward.

Have the goals of the team changed now that you are only 3 points out of 1^st place?

Day by day. I think we just continue to grow as a team. Wherever we finish, we finish. Take it day by day, continue to grow and try to get wins. We are at home a little bit this month, so continue what we have to do at home.

How badly did you want that 3^rd goal?

Pretty bad. I don’t know if it touched Wheeler there, but I talked to Raffy and he said he was going to try to find me. Obviously it didn’t go in, but it happens.

Winnipeg Jets W Blake Wheeler

Looked like you guys did a number of things well tonight, generating chances. Did you feel that the momentum shifted at all in the third period, or how did you see this one play out after you guys got it to 3-2?

I think we played a pretty good hockey game. The bounces didn’t go our way tonight, obviously they’re a good team in this building. It was tough for us to get those. We weren’t very opportunistic tonight, I guess would be the right way to put it. They had a couple bounces go their way around the net. You go down 2 in this building, it’s tough. We fight back to 3-2 and then a bad bounce on the fourth one.

Theory at all on the slow starts, 7^th game in a row you guys have been scored on first. Efforts there obviously, but tough to play from behind with that much regularity?

We just won three straight, we were 4-2 on the home stand, 5-2 overall in our last 7. So if anything, it’s worked well for us.

What didn’t maybe work well tonight then?

I think we played a pretty good hockey game. I think we had a difficult time sometimes moving the puck up the ice, but outside of that, I thought our forecheck was right. For the most part we were trying to make plays with speed. Spent some time in their zone, had some chances and that was basically my first answer. I don’t want to take away from a good game that they played, but sometimes when two teams are playing well, it’s a matter of that bounce of the puck here or there. They cashed in on their chances, they played well tonight.

Philadelphia Flyers G Carter Hart

Did you feel pretty much locked in, especially for the second period on?

They made sure they didn’t get too many second opportunities and a lot of big blocks. The one in the first period Braun blocks a shot on the line and then we go down and score. That’s the hockey that we’ve been playing lately. It’s sometimes not always pretty, but it’s effective and the guys are really buying in right now.

Talk about playing at home. You’ve been on top of your game when at home.

I just prepare the same as any other game. We for sure love having the fans support us and when we’re not playing well, they get on us and let us know about it too. We just prepare the same as any other game no matter who we are playing.

What did it mean to see Oskar.

It’s great to see him, I haven’t seen him in a couple weeks. I’m sure he was happy to come to the rink and see the boys and all of us are happy to see him and he’s looking great.

Philadelphia Flyers C Sean Couturier

Kind of similar to that first Columbus game. Not your best, but you got a win. How big is that?

I thought the first was either way. It was tight. Second, obviously we didn’t play too good. We gave them a lot of opportunities. I thought the third we kind of took over. We had some great goaltending when we needed today. Hartsy was big today, making saves, making it look easy. That obviously helps us out front. We have to stick together through those tougher times and find a way to win.

Do you feel your line is starting to really click?

We are creating stuff. Maybe not finishing as much as we would like, or getting extended o-zone time, but I think we are smart enough to figure it out and get going. Obviously, you saw it both ways when we aren’t finishing, I’m sure it will come.

AV said Oskar is here. Did you get to talk to him?

Yeah, he looks good. It was awesome seeing him. He’s going through a lot, and we are there for him. Anytime we can hang out with him, it is always nice.

How important are the other 3 lines?

Yeah, I think we have some good depth this year compared to the past. Different guys are stepping up in different moments. That is what you want. When you make a playoff run or go deep, usually the depth players, role player guys have big impacts on games, and we need everyone every night. That is the kind of team we are.

Philadelphia Flyers RW Tyler Pitlick

What did you think of the way Scott Laughton played tonight?

He was great. He came out flying and got a couple of big goals for us right away. He played great all game.

What was the key for your line?

I think it was just playing simple, getting pucks in deep, skating hard and doing simple stuff and the plays open up.

All the lines have produced, what does that do to the team? AV’s trust in bottom two lines increasing?

Yeah, for sure you can see it at home and on the road. You can’t get the matchups as much on the road, so we just try to role 4 lines and whoever gets whoever, it is what it is. He is trusting us to go out there and play the right way and get the job done.

What was it like to see Oskar today?

It was great. He looks great. We are all very happy for him. Things are going good, so we are happy they are going that way.

Philadelphia Flyers D Justin Braun

Feel good to be back?

Yeah, that was a good way to come back after a little sickness. Not the prettiest of outings I’ve ever had, but you’ll take them.

Did this feel like the Columbus game where you aren’t at your best but still find a way to win?

Yeah, I thought at first, we were all right, pretty even matched. They came out in the second and took it to us a bit. In the third we woke up and we outshot them pretty good and out-chanced them. I think that was huge. We didn’t want to fold going into the third, and we locked it down.

AV said Oskar was here, what does it mean to see him?

It’s awesome. That smile you know. He is a great guy to have around, just brightens your day. The fact that he is doing well and able to come to the rink to see the boys is just fantastic.

Was it a surprise?

Yeah, I didn’t know he was coming today. It was awesome. It always cheers the boys up to see him.

Winnipeg Jets Head Coach Paul Maurice

Paul, after you get down two goals, did you see more of what you liked from your hockey club as this one went on this afternoon?

We gave up a goal on the first shot just off a misread. But at 1-0 through the first period, I liked our chances better than theirs. I mean at two, I liked our second an awful lot. And then we get behind it a little. They got a big long flurry there and cracked two posts. Which the problem was that it’s an offside play, so that was coming back.  I think we needed to get the puck to the net a little differently. I think that some of our best opportunities, we didn't get to the net. We missed and other than that, I’m not going to complain about the game.

Is it difficult though when you get down one or two or three?

It’s difficult when you get down one. When you get down three, it's real difficult. That's a problem, you’re in behind it for sure. Like I said, we came out of that first down. We don't like the first one because it's a read. You don't want to get on the power play and get a shot blocked and now they come out of the box and the timing goes against you on that one. But other than that fact, I didn't think we moved some pucks as clean as you'd like to. And they're going to say the same thing, because we knocked a bunch down their end of the ice, it was pretty even.

Was neutral zone an issue again tonight?

A different look. A lot of stretching in their game. So on the times that we held it right, we countered back, so it looked really good. And the time we couldn't hold, we had a problem.

What did you see from that top line?

There is your line, right? They were they were good. They had opportunities, good puck control. They released it when they should, didn't over handle it. They were our best, probably the best line on the ice.

Decision to make on Connor back-to-back or going LB [Laurent Brossoit]? Would you have a sense of this game at this point?

Not yet. Wait, Wade will talk to him, see how he’s feeling. We put ourselves in a position to do it if we want to go back to back with him. Doc will talk to him and see how he’s feeling.

Winnipeg Jets RW Patrick Laine

Patrick, you and your team had a lot of opportunities but couldn’t get more than 1 past Carter. How did you see this one play out?

Yeah, we had a sleepy start. We knew that they were going to come hard right out of the gate, especially here. So they score 2 right in the beginning, so it was a rough start. After that I think we played better. The second we were controlling the game. In the third we had a couple mistakes and it was a tough loss.

What was better by your club in the second?

I think it was try to play simple. Try to get as many pucks to the net as we can. Try to create some O zone time and that is where we are going to win games, if we are going to win. I think that was one.

You haven’t had the first goal in a while. Is that a concern?

It would be fun not to be down right away every game. That is something we need to work on, to get the opening goal. It can’t be just that. We can’t just give up if we end up giving up the first goal. We still have to battle back and hopefully score a couple. Two wasn’t enough this afternoon and we have a new chance tomorrow.

What do you think of what your GM has done?

I think hopefully they will bring a lot of energy to the locker room and on the ice. I think we have made some good moves for the team, and something we need for the playoff push we are in right now. Hopefully, we can spark this team, get a couple in a row and make the playoffs.

Philadelphia Flyers Head Coach Alain Vigneault

“mentions about Oskar*

Big smile and I knew he was coming tonight. I just saw him after the game, he smiled and looked beautiful. It makes everybody feel good when he comes around and there is no doubt that we’re all behind him and his teammates are obviously checking up on him on a regular basis and so is the whole staff but to see him live is beautiful.

Is this one like what you spoke about the other day in that winning when you’re not exactly playing the best.

I thought in the first period it as a little sloppy on both sides and in the second they had a real strong push. When you look at their top two lines, they are big skilled, fast, lines so they were tough to handle in the second but I thought in the third once they made it 3-2 on their powerplay goal, we played the best we played all night. When the game was on the line, we played the right way, we make the right plays defensively, we made the right plays with the pucks and we were on our best when the game was on the line tonight and I thought that was a real positive sign.

You’ve moved Scott Laughton around, scores two goals tonight. What have you learned about him and his versatility and his importance to this group?

I thought he played one of his best games tonight, the 200-foot game real solid defensively and both our first two goals are his line, driving to the net, going hard. Him going to the net on the second one, Pitlick stopping there. They did a lot of right things and got rewarded for it and he blocked a couple of big shots. You need your team to do that and he obviously did that tonight.

What have you seen from the top line? It seems as they are building towards an exploding game.

I expect this from our group, and I’ve said this many of times that teams that improve during the season are the ones that get in and we are improving. We are getting better and, in that line, those three veteran players are playing the way that you have to play to win and to win against good opponents in tight games. I thought when the game became 3-2, we didn’t get tight, we played and that’s what you got to do. We were on our toes; we were checking when it was time to check and we made some real good plays with the puck.

Are you able to point out where you are finding balance in your former lines as you have now?

This rotation right now is permitting me to play a good four-line rotation, to have a good pace. In the third in the last five I went down to three a little more. For the most park we do have good balance. The fourth line with Raffi, Bunny and Q when they get the puck deep and they get on the forecheck they are tough to handle.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(My photo - Overhead shot from press level, pregame.)

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

Spring Training 2020 - Classic Post: When Baseball Cards Were King

Here's a classic post that I wrote about a favorite childhood hobby. It's fitting to re-read as the first games of spring training 2020 get set to begin...

St. Louis Cardinal Albert Pujols has hit over 400 home runs, but has never hit more than 49 in one season. Alex Rodriguez, who is in sixth place on the all-time home run list, was traded by the Texas Rangers to the New York Yankees in 2004. In 2010, Roy Halladay pitched a perfect game and a playoff no-hitter for the Philadelphia Phillies.

All of the information shown above is easy to access through any baseball website, could be shown on a number of cable television sports programs, or heard on a variety of sports talk shows. But, back in the day, baseball fans learned that type of information through newspaper box scores, magazines and on the backs of baseball cards.

Finding your favorite players

My elementary school friends introduced me to baseball cards in the 1970's. During that pre-internet, pre-video game era, those thin, rectangular encyclopedias were our passion.

While complete sets could be ordered through Topps, it was so much more fun to buy packs at local convenience stores. Opening the wrapper, smelling those pink gum-scented cards and earnestly looking for our favorite players was thrilling.

Local card shows, which were similar to farmer's markets, offered another collection building option. A kid convention filled with a buffet of bubble gum cards. Instead of testing the tomatoes, you looked for that Tom Seaver who was sorely needed to complete the Cincinnati Reds team set.

Those events were nothing short of paradise.

Trading

The free market is a wonderful thing and we had no summer trade deadlines. Duplicates of a Ron Guidry, Catfish Hunter and Thurman Munson could be just the incentive that was needed to obtain the Oakland Athletics' Reggie Jackson card my buddy finally was willing to deal in September.

If there were any disputes about the balance of a deal, Becket's Baseball Card Price Guide was used as a silent arbitrator. We didn't know who Beckett was, or how he determined the card values, but using his book made us feel like we were operating on the up and up.

Proper Storage

Like fine wine, all cards needed to be properly stored. Plastic cases, with individual slots for each team, had to be obtained through the use of accumulated allowance money. Price was no object, as $8 was well worth the investment.

From there, the bedroom closet served as the primary storage vault. As part of a mental fire drill, if the house ever went up in flames, I would grab the dog along with my baseball card boxes and head out the side door to safety. Let the homework burn.

Bygone days

Baseball cards are still available today in larger chain stores, in specialty hobby shops and at card shows. They also continue to hold a spot in the hearts of all who learned to love the game through them.

(I hold all copyrights to this article which originally appeared on Yahoo's Voices platform in 2011.)

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