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STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS: FLYERS "ROOTING" FOR RED WINGS, BLACKHAWKS
The Philadelphia Flyers may not have qualified for the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs but that does not mean they have no stake in the outcomes of the series. As a result of in-season trades that sent Braydon Coburn to the Tampa Bay Lightning and Kimmo Timonen to the Chicago Blackhawks, the Flyers have draft pick positioning tied to the playoff fates of those teams.
The Flyers already know they will receive Tampa Bay's first-round and third-round picks in the 2015 NHL Draft to complete the Coburn trade. What has yet to be determined is the spot where these picks will fall. Picks 27-30 are set according to the playoff semifinalists with the Cup winner picking last (30th) and the losing finalist picking 29th. From there, it is based on record and the division winners who get knocked out in either the first or second round.
If the Lightning lose to the Detroit Red Wings in the first round of the playoffs, the picks could move up in the draft order from their end-of-regular-season spot (i.e., 26th in the first round) based on Tampa having the league's fifth-best regular season record and not winning the Atlantic Division. The Bolts currently trail the Red Wings by a three games to two margin.
If the Wings knock out the Lightning, the pick might fall in the 22nd to 24th overall spot based on the outcome of the series involving the remaining teams.
The St. Louis Blues trail the Minnesota Wild by a three games to two margin. The Flyers could get the 23rd pick if both the Lightning and Blues (or Montreal) lose. Meanwhile, the Montreal Canadiens lead the Ottawa Senators three games to two after holding a 3-0 lead in the series at one point. In order to get the 22nd pick, the Flyers would need for Montreal, St. Louis and Tampa all to lose early.
Likewise, the 3rd round pick spot also depends on how the various playoff series turn out. The Anaheim Ducks and the New York Rangers have already advanced.
The scenarios for Chicago are a little bit simpler. The Flyers already know they will get the Blackhawks' second-round pick in this year's draft. The Hawks had the seventh-best regular season record in the NHL this season and just knocked out the sixth-ranked Nashville Predators in a head-to-head matchup in the first round. The final selection number will be determined based on how far the Hawks and other teams ultimately go in the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Flyers will also get a 2016 draft pick belonging to the Blackhawks. By default, it's a fourth-round pick. However, if the Blackhawks win their second-round series, the Flyers will get a 2016 third-round pick instead. If the Blackhawks win the Western Conference Finals to advance to the Stanley Cup Final AND if Timonen dresses in at least half of the Hawks' playoff games, the pick moves up to the second round of the 2016 Draft.
Thus far, Timonen has dressed in every game for the Blackhawks although he has received very limited ice time. The 2015 playoffs will be the soon-to-retire Timonen's final shot at a Stanley Cup ring. That is yet another reason why everyone around the Flyers would like to see the Blackhawks emerge as a Stanley Cup finalist, even if it does knock down the 2015 second-round pick slot a couple notches along the way.
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FLYERS JUNIOR PROSPECT PLAYOFF UPDATES
* QMJHL: The Rimouski Oceanic took a two games to zero lead in their semifinal playoff series with the Val-d'Or Foreurs after a 3-0 shutout win on Saturday. Flyers 2013 first-round pick Samuel Morin was even with two shots and a first period cross checking penalty for the winning side. Flyers 2014 second round pick Nicolas Aube-Kubel was even with two hits, zero shots, an end-of-game roughing minor and two faceoffs taken (1-for-2) for Val-d'Or. Neither player recorded a point for his respective team. Game Three is in Val'd-Or on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. EDT.
* WHL: The Calgary Hitmen fell into a two games to zero deficit in their semifinal series with the Brandon Wheat Kings after a 3-2 overtime loss on Saturday. Flyers 2014 first-round pick Travis Sanheim was even (plus-one in regulation, minus-one for being out for the Brandon OT goal by Tyler Coulter) without recording a point for Calgary. Teammate and Flyers 2014 sixth-round pick Radel Fazleev assisted on the Michael Zipp goal that forced the short (51-second) overtime. Game Three is in Calgary on Tuesday at 9:00 p.m. EDT.
* WHL: The Kelowna Rockets lost home ice advantage in their semifinal series with the Portland Winterhawks, dropping a 3-2 regulation decision on Saturday. Flyers 2013 third-round pick Tyrell Goulbourne did not record a point and was even on the night for Kelowna. Game Three is on Tuesday in Portland at 10:00 p.m. EDT.
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FLYERS ALUMNI UPDATES FROM FlyersAlumni.org
* Today in Flyers History: The Flyers close out their 1997 Eastern Conference Quarterfinal playoff series with the Pittsburgh Penguins with a 6-3 home victory in Game Five. A pair of Rod Brind'Amour shorthanded goals on the same penalty kill in the first period proves to be the turning point. In the postgame handshake line, retiring Penguins superstar Mario Lemieux tells Flyers captain Eric Lindros that it's now his turn to shine. For more, click here.
* The Flyers Alumni will host a fantasy hockey camp from August 21-24 in Atlantic City, open to anyone age 21 and older. Instructors and Alumni participants will include Bernie Parent, Brian Propp, Ian Laperriere, Todd Fedoruk, Andre "Moose" Dupont, Dave "the Hammer" Schultz, Joe Watson and Bob "the Hound" Kelly.
The registration deadline is June 1. Participation costs $3,000 apiece but it is free to register a spot online. Over on the Flyers' Alumni website, there is more information on camp-related activities and on-ice schedules.
* The Flyers Alumni Team's benefit game in Voorhees on Saturday raised approximately $10,000 for the Willis Foundation and Historic Philadelphia. Meanwhile, the Alumni's participation in the Goals for Giving"> fundraiser in conjunction with NHC Human Services has raised nearly $120,000 ($119,744) thus far.
* The late Peter Zezel would have celebrated his 50th birthday on April 22. The Flyers Alumni website has a special remembrance of one of the team's most popular players of the 1980s.
* Flyers Hall of Fame inductee Reggie Leach celebrated his 65th birthday on April 23. The Flyers Alumni website looks at Leach "Then and Now.
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