If today's opening of full training camp in Voorhees is anything like it has been the last few years, expect the building to be packed when the Flyers take to the ice. On-ice workouts at the SKateZone will begin at 9:30 a.m. and, as always, are free to the public to attend.

Yesterday's news that Chris Pronger has been named captain and Danny Briere and Kimmo Timonen will be the alternates came as a surprise to no one. The fact that the announcement came right now is the bigger news. As Pronger later acknowledged, the timing of the decision has to do with the player's thus-far smooth recovery from off-season back surgery.

Even more than the large-scale personnel changes to the forward corps this season, Pronger's health is the biggest question mark this team faces heading into the season. If he is able to stay healthy, this team's outlook improves considerably.

*****

At 1 pm today, Jaromir Jagr will have his official introductory press conference. He did a media conference call in July after signing with the Flyers as a free agent. I expect the PC to be essentially a repeat of the same things that were said in July. Jagr made an interesting comment the other day that he's feeling a little bit now like he did before he attended his first NHL camp as a rookie with the Penguins. There's no longer a language barrier or culture shock but he doesn't know the other players on his team or around the league and he has to re-adjust to the small rink game.

As far as Jagr goes, I hold with the production estimates I made over the summer. I expect him to score between 20-25 goals and tally about 55 to 60 points overall. I have no question that he can still play decently at the NHL level, even at his age.

Whether you like Jagr or not, you have to respect what he's accomplished in his career. When you've been a six-time Hart Trophy finalist (one time winner), won five Art Ross Trophies, three Ted Lindsay Awards (formerly Lester Pearson Awards) as the league MVP chosen by fellow players, own a pair of Stanley Cup rings, won an Olympic gold medal and IIHF World Championship gold medal, no one can question your credentials as one of the all-time greats of the game.

If Teemu Selänne can still be effective in his late 30s-early 40s, there's no reason why Jagr can't do it, too. Jagr even a bit healthier than Teemu, and has proven many times over that he misses few games to injury.

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