During the NHL playoffs, several Canadian news sources reported that the Flyers had signed former Ottawa Senators prospect Jan Platil as a free agent on May 6. The transaction still appears on both
TSN and
Sportsnet.
There's only one problem. The Flyers never signed Platil. Apparently, the club never even considered it. Wherever the initial report arose, it was based on incorrect information.
Unfortunately, once several sites listed the transaction, I felt it was appropriate to pass along the info in a May blog about Platil, who has spent the last two seasons in Finland's SM-Liiga and the Russian Super League (now Continental Hockey League) and suited up for the Czech Republic at the 2007 IIHF World Championships.
As the weeks passed and there was no sign of an official press release about Platil's signing -- not to mention the fact that the Flyers acquired a slew of NHL and AHL defensemen -- I began to suspect that the reported transaction had never taken place. With a lull in the offseason, I finally took the opportunity to ask the people who'd know for sure if the player was or wasn't signed by Philadelphia.
* Paul Holmgren says, "There is absolutely zero truth to it."
* An NHLPA source said their office never saw anything -- either from the Flyers or Platil -- about a free agent contract with the Flyers.
*The Flyers media staff confirms that the club's 2008-09 media guide won't have Platil listed in it.
So I'd say it's pretty safe to cancel those Jan Platil Flyers jersey orders.
****
Speaking of mystery men,
a wire report says that that the Flyers have signed defenseman Kevin McCarthy to an entry-level contract.
Fortunately, the report gives enough detail to make clear that it's referring to the signing of 2007 second round pick Kevin Marshall.
Thirty-one years ago, the Flyers drafted a defenseman named Kevin McCarthy in the first round of the 1977 draft. McCarthy had two stints with the Flyers during a 500+ game NHL career.
He made his NHL debut as a Flyer during the 1977-78 season, but was traded to the Canucks the following year in the deal that sent underachieving winger Dennis Ververgaert to Philadephia (from the headlines in those days you'd have thought the guy's given name was Disapppointing Ververgaert).
After four-plus seasons with the Canucks and Penguins, McCarthy returned to the Flyers as a free agent in the summer of 1985. He was a fill-in defenseman for Mike Keenan's team, primarily playing in the AHL. McCarthy got into a total of six games in the 1985-86 and 1986-87 seasons.
Now 51 years old, Kevin McCarthy is 20 years removed from his retirement as an active player. After retiring, he worked as a pro scout for the Flyers, an assistant coach to Paul Holmgren for the Hartford Whalers and an AHL head coach. He's been an assistant coach for the Carolina Hurricanes since 1999.
As a prospect, sadly, I don't think Mr. McCarthy stands much of a chance of cracking the Flyers lineup. However, he'd make a fine candidate to fill the assistant coaching vacancy left by the departure of Terry Murray.
****
On IIHF.com today, editor Martin Merk has written an
article profiling the two Swiss defensemen the Flyers have added this summer -- first round draft pick Luca Sbisa and trade acquisition Tim Ramholt.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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