Quick Hits: March 17, 2020
1) The NHL announced on Monday that, effectively immediately, players could leave their club's home city if so desired, and travel to wherever they make their primary residence in the offseason (presuming there are flights available to that destination). Once back home, the players are instructed to resume the requested self-quarantines through March 27.
The league also provided some instruction in regard to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 60-day guidlines. The NHL's stated goal is for players to be able to begin a training camp with their teams at the 45-day mark of the guidance, with the hope of play resuming in May.
This goal, of course, is a best-case scenario. If the coronavirus continues to spread at its current rate (even with the relatively limited nationwide testing that's been available and performed) and the various nationally recommended, state-enacted and municipality-ordered restrictions on daily life and gathering places remain in place, the NHL "pause" will have to follow suit.
2) On Monday, the American Hockey League issued a very similar directive to the NHL but worded it differently and more succinctly. In a two-sentence press release, the league specified that its own indefinite suspension of play (the NHL consistently avoids the word "suspension" of the season in favor of Gary Bettman's prefered "pause" descriptor) would not be lifted before May, and instructed teams to help facilitate the return of players to their primary residence in the interim.
The AHL, although closely associated with the NHL, is an indepedently operated league, which is why the terminology varies. It is not a lock that the rest of the AHL regular season and/or Calder Cup playoffs will be played even if the NHL returns, but it is likely. The AHL typically mirrors the key decisions and policies that affect the NHL parent teams of its member clubs.
3) Lehigh Valley Phantoms forward Greg Carey spoke with Tony Androckitis of InsideAHLHockey.com about what it was like when the news came down in their league about the suspension of play, and how he and other American League players are coping with the absence of games and practices. The interview was conducted before Monday's AHL acknowledgement that there won't be any games in the league through at least the entire month of April. It's nevertheless well worth the read: Click here.
4) American Hockey League players, at least, will continue to receive their paychecks through the remainder of the season (as, of course, will NHLers). Players in the ECHL, where the remainder of the regular season and playoffs have already been canceled, will not. In a league where the average salary is $600 per week and $16,940 per Sportsnet's Chris Johnston, every little bit extra earned (such as playoff shares) helps and any checks missed hurt.
In the old days in the NHL, and even in the semi-recent past in many of the European leagues, it was common for players to need to work off-season jobs to supplement their income. That is still a way of life for the large percentage of ECHL players who are not under NHL contracts. Eric Engels profiled Maine Mariners assistant captain Terrence Wallin and head coach Riley Armstrong, who discussed the economic realities for those in the North American pro hockey equivalent of AA baseball.
Plain and simple, no one who is in the ECHL is there primarily for the money. They are there to pursue their pro hockey dreams as far as they can be taken, and simply because they love the game and yearn to compete. The Reading Eagle's Jason Guarente looked at the season cancelation both from that standpoint and from the team business side.
For the Flyers-affiliated Reading Royals, who were having a strong season (second place in their division, third-highest attendance rise in the league for the 2019-20 season up to the point the remainder had to be scuttled), the premature end of the campaign left at least temporary feelings of sadness and frustration, while realizing that the circumstances were beyond the control of the team and the league.
5) Tonight, the Flyers will lose their fourth game to the COVID-19 related NHL "pause", and it would have been a marquee matchup at the Wells Fargo Center: Craig Berube's defending Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues were slated to come to town. The Flyers would have had to not only overcome the Western Conference leaders but also do so with a fatigue factor disadvantage, as Philly would have been playing for the fourth time in six nights, while St. Louis would have playing for the fourth time in eight nights.
6) Flyers mascot Gritty was the correct answer (or, more accurately, the correct question) on the March 16 edition of the Jeopardy game show: a $400 clue under the "Recent Events" category. The contestant correctly replied, "What (not who) is Gritty?"
Then again, maybe it wasn't an answer in the form of a question. Perhaps the contestant was simply puzzled aloud as exactly what sort of creature the Flyers' feisty, wild-eyed and orange furred and bearded mascot is.
7) Here's an idea to pass some time on another hockeyless day: Come with an all-time Flyers starting lineup selecting one -- and only one -- player per decade. For example, if you choose 1970s Bobby Clarke as your starting center, you can't choose 1970s Bernie Parent as your starting goalie. If you pick Eric Lindros as your center, you can't choose John LeClair for left wing or Eric Desjardins as your defenseman. If you choose Brian Propp as your left wing, you can't pick Mark Howe, Tim Kerr or 1980s Ron Hextall. You get the idea.
It is OK to move a forward to another forward position. For example, if you chose 2010s Claude Giroux, he could start either at center or on left wing. Tim Kerr could be your right wing or center. Even though Eric Lindros was exclusively a center with the Flyers, you could skate him on a wing if you so desired. Likewise, don't get bogged down in left defense vs. right defense. If you put Ivan Provorov (exclusively a left D) on the right next Mark Howe, that's fine.
Here is my First Team, with the required one selection apiece from the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s( inclusive of 2019-20).
C: Bobby Clarke (1970s) LW: Claude Giroux (2010s) RW: Eric Lindros (1990s) D: Mark Howe (1980s) D: Eric Desjardins (2000s) G: Bernie Parent (1960s)
I wasn't able to get Parent at his peak (his second Flyers stint, where he won back-to-back Vezina Trophies and back-to-back Conn Smythe Trophies) but he was still an above-average goalie as a younger NHLer. The trade-off for selecting the good-but-not-yet-great version of Parent was that I was able to get three-time Hart Trophy winner Clarke at the pinaccle of his game. It also meant reluctantly bypassing Hockey Hall of Fame left winger Bill Barber's all-around abilities, and the scoring capabilities of Rick MacLeish and Reggie Leach.
Howe is a no-brainer pick for the Flyers' all-time best defenseman. However, in making him my 1980s selection, my starting lineup lost the ability to have five-time NHL All-Star winger Propp, Vezina Trophy winning goalies Hextall and Pelle Lindbergh, prolific scoring Tim Kerr, the supreme leadership and Selke Trophy candidacy of Dave Poulin, and other worthy candidates.
In having both Clarke and Giroux on the same line, I'm choosing two players who were primarily playmakers more than goal-scorers. I'm also moving franchise all-time points-per-game leader Lindros out of position. In putting the three of them together on one line, I'm counting on the three to develop on-ice chemistry. Given the talent levels and hockey smarts involved, I have little doubt it would be a prolific scoring line.
Clarke would, naturally, be my team captain. I'd give As to Howe and Giroux.
8) Today in Flyers History: On March 17, 1996, the Flyers enjoyed an 8-2 St. Patrick Day's romp at the Spectrum over the San Jose Sharks. Due to injuries, the Sharks had to recall third-string goalie Geoff Sarjeant to the NHL and leave him in net for the duration to absorb all eight goals. Philadelphia led 4-1 by the time the first period was over and the lead was 7-2 by the second intermission.
A hat trick by John LeClair (goals 35, 36 and 37 on the season) and two power play goals by former Sharks right winger Pat Falloon (22nd and 23rd of the season) led the attack. Dale Hawerchuk, Joel Otto and Shjon Podein also joined the scoring parade. Eric Lindros collected three assists.
Flyers goalie Garth Snow went long stretches of seeing no shots, and finished with 18 saves. The Flyers, who finished with 24 shots, were largely content to play keep-away with the puck in the third period. Hawerchuk's goal midway through the final stanza was his first as a Flyer and completed a three-point game for the Hall of Famer.
9) March 17 Flyers Alumni birthdays:
* Depth forward David Laliberte was born on March 17, 1986 in St. Liboire, Quebec. * Defenseman Ryan Parent was born March 17, 1987 in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. * The late Cliff Schmautz, a right winger for the Flyers in 1969-70, was born March 17, 1939 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. * Aggressive forward Ryan White was born March 17, 1988, in Brandon, Manitoba.