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Meltzer's Musings: Flyers Arbitration Dates, Flyers Alumni

July 14, 2016, 9:34 AM ET [191 Comments]
Bill Meltzer
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • RSSArchiveCONTACT
FLYERS ARBITRATION DATES

The National Hockey League has set hearing dates for all remaining players who have filed for arbitration and have not, as yet, reached negotiated settlements on new contracts. In most cases, a settlement is reached before a hearing is held. If there's no settlement before the hearing, the arbitrator will determine a one-year or two-year award to the player.

Brayden Schenn's hearing is set for July 25. There is a decent possibility that negotiations come down to the 11th hour because Schenn's case is one of the trickier ones around the league this summer. Even in the event there is no settlement beforehand, it is unlikely the Flyers would choose to walk away (thereby making Schenn an unrestricted free agent) if Schenn wins the case. A worst-case scenario would be a two-year award, making Schenn UFA-eligible upon its expiration. A one-year award would make him a restricted free agent again next summer. One way or another, though, Schenn will remain a Flyer.

Brandon Manning's hearing is set for August 2. In each of the last two years, he has been the last player to reach a contract agreement with the Flyers. While no one can say for certain what direction a player and his agent will take, Manning's case does not seem especially strong to earn a raise significantly above the Flyers' qualifying offer. It would be a bit of a surprise if there is no pre-hearing settlement.

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TODAY IN FLYERS HISTORY: JULY 14

1992: Eric Lindros signs his first contract with the Flyers; a six-year deal.

1993: The Flyers re-sign defenseman Terry Carkner to a two-year contract extension.

1997: The Flyers sign unrestricted free agent defenseman Luke Richardson to a five-year contract.

2006: The Flyers re-sign Joni Pitkänen to a one-year contract extension.

2009: The Flyers sign Finnish free agent forward Mika Pyörälä to a one-year contract.

2014: The Flyers sign 2014 seventh-round pick Jesper Pettersson to an entry-level contract.

FLYERS ALUMNI BIRTHDAYS: MCCARTHY & FREER

Kevin "Kato" McCarthy was born July 14, 1957 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Drafted by the Flyers in the first round of the 1977 NHL Draft, McCarthy was a fast-rising young player who suited up in 84 games for the Flyers over parts of the 1977-78 and 1978-79 seasons before the team traded him to the Vancouver Canucks in a Dec. 1978 deal to acquire former 37-goal, 71-point scorer Dennis Ververgaert. McCarthy went on become a standout offensive-minded defenseman for the Canucks, especially in the early 1980s.

Later, in the summer of 1985, McCarthy returned to the Flyers organization as a free agent. No longer an NHL regular by this point, McCarthy spent most of the next three seasons with the AHL's Hershey Bears but did see spot duty (six games) with the Flyers over parts of the 1985-86 and 1986-87 seasons.

After his retirement as a player,McCarthy went into coaching. A trusted assistant to Peter Laviolette in several NHL organizations, McCarthy served as the Flyers defense coach during Laviolette's coaching tenure in Philadelphia.

Mark Freer was born July 14,1968 in Peterborough, Ontario. Signed as a free agent in 1986, Freer spent parts of five seasons with the Flyers, but primarily played for the AHL's Hershey Bears, where the former Peterborough Petes star was a standout forward.

Freer's best AHL season came in 1988-89, when he scored 30 goals and posted 79 points in 75 games for the Bears. Fifty of Freer's 59 career games with the Flyers were played during the 1990-91 season, in which the smallish center chipped in six goals and 13 points. The Ottawa Senators claimed Freer from the Flyers in the NHL Expansion Draft on June 18, 1992. Freer made his home in the Hershey, PA area even after his playing days, where he owns a brokerage business and coaches hockey for the Hershey. Jr. Bears.

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2016 FLYERS ALUMNI GOLF INVITATIONAL

 photo Alumni Golf 2_1.jpg

The 2016 Flyers Alumni Golf Invitational will be held on July 18 at the Philadelphia Cricket Club. The event will raise money for the Flyers Alumni Association, Flyers Charities and BLOCS.

The Golf Invitational will offer a round of golf, lunch, cocktail reception and dinner program.

Subject to changes and additions, the following Flyers Alumni -- widely representing every decade of team history -- will be attending: Ray Allison, Bill Barber, Frank Bathe, Craig Berube, Brian Boucher, Jesse Boulerice, Danny Briere, Terry Carkner, Lindsay Carson, Jeff Chychrun, Bob Clarke, Bill Clement, Steve Coates, Riley Cote, Doug Crossman, Barry Dean, Eric Desjardins, Andre "Moose" Dupont, Doug Favell, Todd Fedoruk, Ross Fitzpatrick, Mark Freer, Larry Goodenough, TJ Gorence, Paul Holmgren, Ed Hospodar, Mark Howe, Kerry Huffman, Bob "the Hound" Kelly, Tim Kerr, Orest Kindrachuk, Mike Knuble, Ian Laperriere, Mitch Lamoureaux, Neil Little, Brad Marsh, Phil Myre, Bernie Parent, Dave Poulin, Brian Propp, Chris Pronger, Luke Richardson, Don Saleski, Dave "the Hammer" Schultz (attending but not golfing), Ilkka Sinisalo, Derrick Smith, and Joe Watson.

For more information, click here.
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