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Meltzer's Musings: Rookies Game vs.Capitals, Quick Hits

September 9, 2013, 9:29 AM ET [525 Comments]
Bill Meltzer
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Flyers Rookies vs. Capitals Rookies

Canceled last year because of the NHL lockout, the annual Flyers vs. Capitals rookie game returns today with a match between the teams' prospects in Arlington, Va. The opening face will drop at 3 p.m. and the game will be streamed live on the Flyers' official Web site.

This year's game should be an interesting one. I doubt that any player on either side will do what James van Riemsdyk did in the 2009 game -- singlehandedly take it over en route to piling up four goals and an assist -- but it should still be an entertaining match with the combatants on both sides trying to make an impression.

On the Philadelphia side, most eyes will be on center prospects Scott Laughton and Nick Cousins as well as offensively talented wingers such as Petr Straka and second-year pro Marcel Noebels. On defense, keep an eye on Mark Alt and second-year pro Matt Konan as well as 2013 first-round pick Samuel Morin. Goaltenders Cal Heeter, Anthony Stolarz and Carsen Chubak are likely to play one period apiece, but I do not know the order in which they will play.

The notables on the Washington side include power forward prospect Tom Wilson, talented 2013 draftee Andre Burakovsky, and offensive-minded defenseman Nate Schmidt and Connor Carrick. The goalies are second-year pro Brandon Anderson and undrafted 18-year-old tryout Louis-Philip Guindon.

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Monday Quick Hits

* The practice portion of rookie camp concluded yesterday with a lengthy session at the Skate Zone in Voorhees. Flyers coach Peter Laviolette worked directly with the prospects on the ice, and the players switched ice surfaces twice (Phantoms rink to Flyers rink and back to Phantoms rink). One player who stood out for me was Phantoms defenseman Matt Konan, who looks stronger and more confident that he did as a rookie this time a year ago. Defense prospect Mark Alt also looked good in one-on-one drills, and top 2013 draftee Samuel Morin was moving well to his left (an area where some observers thought he struggled in one-on-one drills at development in July).

* I asked a member of the Flyers organization about the performances of the unaffliated tryout players -- forwards Stephen Harper and Andrew Ryan and defensemen Jared Hauf, Colin MacDonald and Mark Nemec -- at the camp. I was told that the feeling was "they all handled themselves well in the three practices but, as you know, practice is just part of the equation." They will get their shot to make an impression in game action today.

* Flyers veterans will skate today in Voorhees at 10:30 a.m. in preparation for Thursday's opening of full camp at the Wells Fargo Center. No one will skate tomorrow.

* Today in Flyers History: On this date in 1993, the Flyers acquired defensemen Stew Malgunas from Detroit in for a 1995 fifth-round pick (David Arsenault). Malgunas became a regular starter on a shallow blueline for Terry Simpson's 1993-94 club. Although far from the fastest or most skilled of blueliners, the scrappy Malgunas acquitted himself reasonably well (four points, 86 penalty minutes, plus-two in 67 games). A pair of knee injuries set him back and he fell out of the organization's plans when newly re-hired general manager Bob Clarke and new coach Terry Murray overhauled and significantly upgraded the starting blueline. Malgunas spent most of the 1994-95 season in the AHL with Hershey. The following year, he moved on as a free agent and signed with Winnipeg, where he was reunited with Simpson. Malgunas also subsequently played for the Capitals and Flames in his 129-game NHL career.

* Alumni Birthday: Len Hachborn turns 52 today. A late-round pick in the 1981 Draft, Hachborn was an offensively talented but undersized center who became a highly productive AHL scorer but a marginal NHL player. Hachborn did well for the Flyers as a rookie under Bob McCammon in 1983-84 (11 goals, 32 points in 38 games) but Mike Keenan was not as impressed by the player. Hachborn dressed in 40 regular season games and four playoff games for the Stanley Cup Final-bound 1984-85 club, recording five goals and 22 points mostly in lower-line duties. In December of 1985, Flyers general manager Bob Clarke sold Hachborn's contract to the Los Angeles Kings in a straight cash transaction.

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