Quick Hits: April 15, 2022
1) The Flyers will hold an 11 a.m. EDT practice on Friday at the FTC in Voorhees. Afterwards, they will depart for Buffalo for the road half of a home-and-home set with the Sabres on Saturday and Sunday. The team had a day off on Thursday. There should be updates on Carter Hart and the team's other recently injured players forthcoming after Friday's practice.
2) On Thursday, the Flyers reassigned emergency recall players Felix Sandström and Tanner Laczysnki to the AHL's Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Earlier this week, Flyers interim head coach Mike Yeo indicated that -- although there was no official timetable yet -- he would not be surprised if Hart missed the final couple weeks of the season.
3) The Phantoms (27-30-11, .478 points percentage) host the Bridgeport Islanders (29-28-11, .507 points percentage) at the PPL Center in Allentown on Friday night. Over their remaining eight games, the Phantoms would have to leapfrog in the standings two of three among Bridgeport, the Hartford Wolf Pack (30-29-8, .507 points percentage) and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (31-29-8, .515 points percentage) in order to land the sixth and final playoff spot in the AHL's Atlantic Division.
4) Would like to participate in the Flyers Alumni's Walk, Run, Stroll fundraiser for the Flyers Warriors and the YMCA of Doylestown's Veterans Wellness Initiative but cannot attend the April 23 event at Washington Crossing Historic Park? As an alternative, you can do it virtually (on a day, time and place that's convenient to you). Do it in your neighborhood, a local park, on a treadmill at the gym or in your basement.
The sign-up process is the same, any which way. If you can't attend in person, just indicate that you are doing it virtually and your event t-shirt and finisher's medal will be sent to you.
Multiple Flyers Alumni who cannot attend in person are doing their walks virtually. Joe Watson, who is currently on a two-week trip through Italy, did one with friends last weekend at Ridley Creek State Park and is presently in Perugia, Italy, where he and wife Jamie have strolled the hilly streets. Bill Clement is doing his walk from near his home in North Carolina. Original Flyers forward Garry Peters is walking in Saskatchewan.
Alumni who will be attending the April 23 event in Washington Crossing are variously doing one of the three different courses and distances. There are 1k (family-outing geared stroll near the barracks, boat house and officer housing), 5k (run/walk) and 10k (run) options. Participating Alumni include Bob Clarke, Mark Howe, John LeClair, Paul Holmgren, Brad Marsh, Dave Brown, Dave Schultz, Bob Kelly, Jim Watson, Todd Fedoruk, Steve Coates, radio play-by-play broadcaster Tim Saunders and more.
The Alumni are also welcoming a special guest as part of their team at the event: Air Force veteran Robert Joe Kirchner will be participating virtually. He is a Neshaminy High School graduate, a former hockey player, coach and University of Western Ontario alum.
“Joey… is a 100% disabled veteran who is currently dealing with lymphoma. Nonetheless, he wanted to participate in the Walk, Run & Stroll to show his support for the Flyers Warriors and for the Doylestown YMCA's Veterans Wellness Initiative, which is offered free of charge to veterans and their families.
“I grew up playing hockey in Philly. The 1974 Stanley Cup club was the team that drew my passion. I attended both parades. Although I played defense, my favorite player was Bobby Clarke, I copied his game because we were the same size and I admired his work ethic,… he said.
“I graduated from Neshaminy High School. Went into the Air Force upon graduation. I got stationed in Germany and played in the city of Kaiserslautern. I was one of 2 foreigners able to make the team. The other player was from Czechoslovakia. This was in the German 3rd Division (Oberliga). During this time, I was a member of the Armed Forces national team for three years.
“I returned to the States and was stationed in Rome, New York. I made the Senior A team and played for the Copper City Chiefs where we played in Ontario. It was there I received an academic grant to play for the University of Western Ontario. I believe I am the first player from Philly to get a such a scholarship. This was 1982. Later I was a volunteer hockey coach for 25 years. I was not interested in receiving money, just to fulfill my passion of hockey that I got as a child watching the Philadelphia Flyers.…
Recently, the Flyers Alumni donated $10,000 to the Doylestown YMCA for their fledgling Veterans Wellness program. Members of the Flyers Warriors were also on hand for the check presentation and to meet fellow veterans who took part in the first WVI sessions at the Doylestown Y this year. The Alumni and Flyers Warriors spoke about the upcoming Walk, Run and Stroll to help raise awareness of the event.
The Walk, Run, Stroll will feature child-friendly Revolutionary War era historical demonstrations by the Marbleheaders, and other family-geared activities. VIP package registrants will also have access to a post-event private afterparty with the attending Flyers Alumni and Flyers Warriors.
For more information about the Walk, Run, Stroll, click here.
If you, like @BillClement10, cannot come out to Washington Crossing Park on April 23 but want to virtually join in the Run, Walk, Stroll for @FlyersWarrior and @YMCADOYLES' Veterans Wellness Initiative, here's how:https://t.co/DfwlN6Yloh pic.twitter.com/y8EGlczLyl
— Flyers Alumni (@FlyersAlumni) April 15, 2022