1) Flyers captain Claude Giroux took his share of maintenance days off from practices and even some "maintenance mornings" from day-of-game skates without missing games this season. On Wednesday, reporter Elliotte Friedman revealed the nature of Giroux's nagging injury:
Not wanting to make excuses, especially during the playoffs, Giroux constantly brushed aside questions about his health this spring. However, it was clear that he was physically hampered. The Flyers player wearing number 28 in the Capitals series scarcely resembled the team's franchise player, to the point that speculations about a concussion, various upper body ailments (wrist? ribcage issue?) and/or lower body injuries were rampant during the playoff series with Washington.
For his part, Giroux repeatedly insisted that he was no more banged up than the average player this time of year. That's part of the conundrum of hockey: players are expected to play through injuries if at all possible and to not use it as an excuse if their performance is hampered in any way. On the other hand, if a player has issues of the types that Giroux and Jakub Voracek (not-fully-healed foot fracture) played through, how much can they really help the team?
I've seen players play at a high level despite needing surgery. For example, Ville Leino had off-season hip surgery after his career-making run during the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Peter Forsberg's foot issues had become a major problem (eventually a career-ending one) by the time he almost singlehandedly carried the Flyers in their six-game loss to Buffalo in the first round of the 2006 playoffs.
Sports hernias are a real bear, though. It's very hard to play through those successfully.
2) WHL: The Seattle Thunderbirds stayed alive in the Western Hockey League finals by laying a 6-1 whipping on the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings in Game Four on Wednesday. Flyers prospect Ivan Provorov was minus-three at even strength before assisting on a late-game Wheat Kings power play goal that served only to break up a Landon Bow shutout bid (30 saves on 31 shots). Game five is in Seattle on Friday (the series has a 2-3-2 format).
3) QMJHL: The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies will try to win the QMJHL President Cup on Thursday night as the Quebec League finals shift back to Rouyn-Noranda for Game Five. Flyers defense prospect Philippe Myers has two goals and four points in the series to date and is plus-two at even strength with 10 credited hits.
4) The Flyers Alumni Team raised more than $440,000 this season for a variety of charities and community organizations. Here's a look back at the nine benefit games of the 2015-16 season:
click here.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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