Return to Play Update
As of this writing, there is no formal return-to-play agreement finalized between the National Hockey League and the NHL Players Association. However, with the financial issues worked out and announcement expected soon on an early January start for training camp and a mid-January start to play, one of the remaining front-end hurdles is the process of being resolved. Specifically, an ever-increasing number of NHL players are returning to their team's home cities to get their quarantine periods out of the way before the start of camp.
For the Flyers, Oskar Lindblom and Robert Hà¤gg -- neither of whom have been playing during the prolonged offseason -- have returned from Sweden to Voorhees. There has not been word yet of other Flyers players announcing their departures from loans to European clubs, but that seems likely soon for players such as winger Linus Sandin, rookie defenseman Linus Högberg and veteran winger Michael Raffl.
In Raffl's case, the player has the Flyers' permission to play in the Channel One Cup tournament from Dec. 14 to Dec. 20. Thereafter, it would stand to reason that he'd return to the Philadelphia area. Linus Sandin's brother, Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Rasmus Sandin,returned on Sunday.
Players are NOT yet required to travel to their team's NHL city. It's being done voluntarily. However, the ones who are doing it are traveling in anticipation of a formal return-to-play announcement coming soon.
Goalie Week Wrapup
The final two content installments for Goalie Week on PhiladelphiaFlyers.com and the Flyers Broadcast Network are now available. On Jason Myrtetus' Flyers Daily show, there is an all-new interview with Carter Hart. The series finale on the official website is a look at the evolution of Flyers goaltenders' masks from 1967 to today. In case you missed any of the Goalie Week features and interviews, below are direct links to all of the content we've posted:
* Flyers Daily: Brian Boucher interview. * PhiladelphiaFlyers.com: A Special Bond: Plante, Parent, and Pelle. * Flyers Daily: Robert Esche interview. * PhiladelphiaFlyers.com: Top 5 Underrated Flyers Goalie Seasons. * Flyers Daily: Michael Leighton interview. *PhiladelphiaFlyers.com: Hart to Beat at Home; an in-depth look at Carter Hart's franchise record-setting season on home ice last season. * Flyers Daily: Martin Biron interview * Flyers Daily: a Bobby Taylor interview that Jason and I did with the Broad Street Bullies era backup to Bernie Parent and longtime broadcaster for the Flyers and Tampa Bay Lightning. * PhiladelphiaFlyers.com: Memorable Masks.
Flyers Alumni 12 Days of Christmas Giving: Day 3
This week, Flyers Alumni Association president Brad Marsh presented a $1,500 check to the New Jersey based Maryville Addiction Treatment Center. The check was received by the organization's Chief Development Officer, Bill Crowe. The money will be used toward supporting Maryville’s Alumni Services Program.
“Maryville’s Alumni Services program is open to all individuals who have completed any level of treatment at Maryville. The program offers a variety of ongoing supports including socialization and recreation opportunities in a healthy environment, skills workshops, guest speakers, and mentoring opportunities. Alumni programs aid in achieving long-term sobriety based on healthy supports and social connections,… Crowe said. i Added Marsh, “Basically, this donation is about alumni helping alumni; in this case, the Flyers Alumni helping support the Maryville program alumni. Sadly, all corners of society have been affected by the horrors of addiction. The hockey community is no different, and addiction issues are something that hit home for many NHL alumni. Even if you and the members of your immediately family have never struggled with addiction issues, there is a strong possibility that you personally know someone who has, either directly or within their family. We hope that our 12 Days donation to Maryville can assist people who have been through their program along their paths to achieving long-term sobriety.…
Today in Flyers History: Flyers Acquire Paul Coffey (December 15, 1996)
The 1995-96 Flyers wanted to add an offensive spark from the blueline, especially on the power play, and a player to mentor promising rookie defenseman Janne Niinimaa. They honed in one of the best of all time: 35-year-old future Hall of Fame defenseman Paul Coffey, who was unhappy playing for the Hartford Whalers and wanted to go to a contending team.
On December 15, 1996, the deal was done. The Flyers acquired Coffey from the Whalers in exchange for defenseman Kevin Haller and the Flyers first-round pick in 1997 (later traded by the Whalers to San Jose and used on defenseman Scott Hannan). The Coffey trade also sees the Flyers flip Hartford's previously acquired 1997 seventh round pick to the Whalers and the Whalers trade their 2007 third-round pick (defenseman Kris Mallette) to the Flyers.
Coffey, hampered by a subsequent concussion and other maladies, posted 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) in 37 regular season games and nine points (one goal, eight assists) in 17 playoff games for the Eastern Conference champion Flyers. He appeared in 57 games in his second and final year with the Flyers, contributing two goals and 29 points.
In other December 15 Flyers history:
1974: Don "Big Bird" Saleski enjoyed a four-point (two-goal, two-assist) performance as the Flyers crushed the St. Louis Blues at the Spectrum, 7-2. Bill Barber also scored twice, while Terry Crisp (shorthanded), Dave "the Hammer" Schultz and Rick MacLeish added to the carnage. 1975: The Flyers traded forward Bob Sirois to the Washington Capitals in exchange for a player to be named later (John Paddock). 1983: The Flyers racked up six goals in the second period -- including shorthanded goals by Mark Howe, Ilkka Sinisalo and Miroslav Dvorak -- en route to a 9-4 blowout of the visiting Washington Capitals. Darryl Sittler had a four-point game (four assists), Sinisalo (two goals, one assist), Brian Propp (one goal, two assists) and Tim Kerr (two goals, one assist) all had three-point nights. Eleven different Flyers record at least one point. Pelle Lindbergh (28 saves) earned the win.
1996: The Flyers trounced the visiting Boston Bruins by a 6-0 count. The Legion of Doom inflicted just one goal -- scored by Eric Lindros late in the third period -- but balanced scoring turns the game into a blowout. Rod Brind'Amour produced a three-point game (one goal, two assists), while Shjon Podein, Trent Klatt, Karl Dykhuis and even defensive defenseman Kjell Samuelsson chipped in one goal apiece while third-line center Joel Otto generated two assists. Ron Hextall made 28 saves to earn the shutout, while the Flyers pepper Bill Ranford with 44 shots. In the first period, all three members of the Dan Line -- Daniel Lacroix, Dan Kordic and Scott Daniels -- had at least one fight. Daniels had two bouts. 2001: Five different Flyers scored -- Mark Recchi, Jeremy Roenick, Paul Ranheim, Ruslan Fedotenko and John LeClair -- as Philly captured a 5-2 road win over the Boston Bruins. Brian Boucher compiled 32 saves. 2011: A backdoor goal by Andrej Meszaros off a pass from Jaromir Jagr broke a 3-3 tie in Montreal midway through the third period and proved to be the game-winning goal in a 4-3 Philadelphia victory. Max Talbot, Harry Zolnierczyk and Wayne Simmonds also scored goals for the Flyers, while defenseman Matt Carle compiled three assists. 2015: A three-goal Flyers second period and an eventual overtime winning tally by rookie defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere lifted Philadelphia to a 4-3 home victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. Michal Neuvirth earned the win with 29 saves.
2018: In the final game of Dave Hakstol's tenure as Flyers' head coach, the Flyers were strafed for three goals in the opening 11:12 of the game and went on to suffer a 5-1 road humiliation at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks. The game, which saw starting goalie Anthony Stolarz get injured and have to leave the game at 8:14 of the first period (Philly trailed 2-0 on four shots) to be replaced by Alex Lyon (17 saves on 19 shots), was perhaps most notable in retrospect for Oskar Lindblom being a healthy scratch in favor of fallen veteran Jori Lehterà¤.
2019: Concluding a hellish road trip in the days following teammate Oskar Lindblom's diagnosis of Ewing's Sarcoma, the Flyers got crushed by the Winnipeg Jets, 7-3 (the second straight season the Flyers suffered a blowout loss in their annual trip to Winnipeg). Flyers rookie winger Joel Farabee was subsequently suspended three games for an interference major he incurred late in the second period of this fame involving a late hit on agitating Jets forward Mathieu Perrault. Back in Nov. 2017, then-Flyers defenseman Radko Gudas received a 10-game suspension for bringing his stick down on the back of Perrault's head.