Lost amidst the debate over the Ray Emery signing was a tidbit that the Flyers are making a concerted effort to re-sign veteran winger Mike Knuble before he can become a free agent on July 1.
It's no secret that the team remains in a salary-cap crunch heading into free agency season, and Paul Holmgren faces some tough decisions on players he would undoubtedly re-sign if the cap wasn't tying his hands. From this corner, I think retaining Knuble needs to be a priority, as long as he is agreeable to a cap figure in the same vicinity ($2.8 million) as his recently expired two-year contract.
Yes, Knuble is at an age (37 on July 4) where his production could drop off the cliff. Yes, the club has enough depth up front that it can withstanding losing his 25-to-30-goal production. In the near future, Claude Giroux is likely to blossom into a top-six role in the offense. And, yes, Knuble has some limitations on the ice (offensive zone penalties, so-so puckhandling ability).
But even when you consider those factors, Mike Knuble remains the type of heart-and-soul
player that is very difficult to replace. The loss of several veteran leaders from the 2007-08 team that went to the Eastern Conference Finals was one of the factors in the team's inconsistency at crunch time this season. The departure of Knuble could widen the chasm.
On the ice, Knuble is still very durable despite his age. Off the ice, he's a leader by example and by word. He always has his finger on the pulse of the club and you will never meet a more introspective and analytical athlete. He never makes excuses, and always has an eye on the big picture of what the team is trying to accomplish. When his playing days are done, he'd make an outstanding coach or commentator. He's a true professional.
Every team that fancies itself a Cup contender needs these sorts of veterans. If the Flyers were to lose Knuble now, they'd try to acquire a similar player near the trading deadline next season, expending a prospect or a draft pick. The cap hit would be pro-rated, but I'd rather have a full season of Knuble than a trade-deadline rental.
The Flyers obviously need to sacrifice significant salaries in order to prepare for next season and, hopefully, land another impact defenseman to upgrade the blueline. It's easy to understand why Knuble may not be back, but it would still be a tough pill to swallow.
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I wanted to acknowledge the recent passing of Peter Zezel in this space and also make mention of the fact that Pelle Lindbergh would have celebrated his 50th birthday on May 24.
Anyone who grew up following the Flyers in the 1980s remembers Zezel's matinee idol status. I can still close my eyes and picture the half-dozen Zezel jerseys I'd see on any given day at George Washington High School or at random locales around Northeast Philly.
Inevitably, the wearers were teenage girls. Among the guys, there was a lot of admiration for the type of player Zezel was on the ice -- he was a skilled and hard-working player.
Zezel was an asset to any team he played for. He was one of those players I always expected to have a second stint in orange-and-black before his playing days were done, but it wasn't to be.
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The Pelle Lindbergh book is more or less finished and is currently with Middle Atlantic Press. The manuscript is being trimmed for length and will be updated as necessary to be as current as possible prior to the September release date of the book.
Here's a short excerpt from Chapter 14 of the book, which takes place in the summer of 1981 right after Lindbergh completed his first professional season in North America.
Lindbergh has become close friends with Kevin Cady, who started as a stickboy with the Maine Mariners and later worked his way up to head equipment manager of the Flyers. Three summers in a row, Lindbergh has Cady come stay with him in Stockholm for six-week periods.
Cady recalls his first visit:
“Pelle and Björn (Neckman) were supposed to meet me at Arlanda [Airport], but naturally they were nowhere to be found. I walked around for a half hour and felt totally helpless. It was my first trip to Europe, and I didn’t know anyone. But at last they come forward.
“We went to Barnängsgatan, and I slept for two hours. Afterwards, we went to Halmstad where Kerstin was competing in windsurfing. It was a long trip to the place where the competition was taking place. The only thing we listened to in the car was Elton John and the Rolling Stones.
“When we got out on the beach, the first thing I see are all these incredibly beautiful Swedish women, and most of them are going topless. I could hardly believe it. Pelle cracked up laughing at my reaction.
“He took my camera, went over to this group of sunbathing girls and asked them if he could take a picture of me with them, because I was an American who had never been on a Swedish beach before. The girls just laughed, and Pelle snapped pictures of me with all of them. He gave all the pretty girls we saw the V-for-victory sign. Typical Pelle: He never saw any problems, only possibilities.
“We were also out on Pelle’s boat in the archipelago. We’d go fishing and camping. The rest of the summer, I stayed with Björn at his place on Skeppargatan, because it was located right next to the Bäckahästen and Daily News. We were regulars there.
“Pelle had tremendous self-confidence and it was infectious. He loved to joke around. When we went out at night to eat or just to drink beer, he refused to tell people that he was a hockey player. ‘Let’s do something cooler,’ he’d say. So we’d tell people we were helicopter pilots, and pretend all night to be pilots.
“Pelle and I spent a lot of time together, especially in the U.S.A. We hung out together on regular days, Christmases, and birthdays. He was four years older than me, and I saw him as a big brother.”
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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