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Will Flyers Go with Eight 'D' or Seven?

September 25, 2006, 4:30 PM ET [ Comments]
Tim Panaccio
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The look on Derian Hatcher’s face was truly priceless.

“We’re really going to go with eight?” Hatcher asked. “I have never really seen that. But if that’s what they do, then it is out of our hands.”

The Flyer cut down to 25 players yesterday. Lars Jonsson beat out Alexandre Picard, who was sent back to the Phantoms.

That’s eight defensemen now in camp.

For the remainder of the week, the Flyers will go with eight and coach Ken Hitchcock didn’t rule out the possibility of starting the season that way, either, although his goal is to get to seven by opening night.


“What has happened is Lars Jonsson has come in and had an excellent camp,” Hitchcock said. “No other way to put it. He has an element that is very intriguing. He is a defenseman who is not afraid to jump up into the play, he shoots the puck really well … He brings the puck to the net on the power play all time. He is adjusting to the NHL game quickly.”


This week, the coaching staff will focus on defensive pairs. Only one pair is set _ Joni Pitkanen will work with Mike Rathje. The next priority, Hitchcock said, was finding Hatcher’s partner. Probably Freddy Meyer.

The fifth and sixth d-men or third set is going to be used differently this season. Hitchcock said he wants his top four-D to play the most minutes. He wants the fifth and sixth D to eat up minutes on special teams. Jonsson will work power play. He already knows that given all the time he spent working on the first unit.

Who goes to penalty kill for more minutes? Nolan Baumgartner? Denis Gauthier? Or Randy Jones? Does Jones every make the team? Probably not because the Flyers have to lose two players next week.

Jones and Boyd Kane look like the odd guys out, although it was interesting to hear Gauthier express concerns today that he could fall to seventh if he’s not careful.

Gauthier said having Jonsson and Picard around the last week, “certainly kicked my ass.”

“Our goal is 7, 14 and 2,” Hitchcock said. "I don’t know where it goes to what we want to do. But I can tell you right now, the only 3 definites are the same as before_ 44 [Joni Pitkanen], 3 Mike Rathje] and 2 [Derian Hatcher]. We know where they are gonna play. The rest we don’t know where they play.”

Hitchcock stressed he is trying to find chemistry among pairs and roles for everyone to play. He admitted that Baumgartner had a slow start to camp and is just now catching up to speed.

Three names that Hitchcock seldom spoke of in camp: Jones, Gauthier, Baumgartner. Read into that what you want but it looks like it is playing out in roster cut down and playing time.

Hatcher looks quicker on the ice than Baumgartner. Hitchcock is emphasizing one-touch passes and not skating the puck. In fact, the only player who still seems to skate the puck longer than a few seconds is Pitkanen. Everyone else is in a one-touch pass mode which Hitchcock says can make up for any speed issues the Flyers have on the back end.

“All the speed in the world doesn’t do you much good if you can’t pass the puck quickly up to the forwards,” he said.

***

Steve Downie was sent back to junior as was Josh Beaulieu. Stefan Ruzicka was sent to the Phantoms with Ryan Potulny and Ben Eager. All three were trying to win a spot at forward.

***

Flyers will open the season without an enforcer.

“We’re team tough,” Hitchcock said repeatedly today … More on that later this week.

The irony? The Flyers 40th season celebration has begun with a short video making the rounds everywhere and being shown at home games. It’s titled, “40 Years and Still Fighting.”
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