Quick Hits: August 28, 2018
1) One of the most highly awaited days of the late offseason calendar finally arrived yesterday: the painting and creation of the new rink surface that the Flyers will use for their Wells Fargo Center games during the next hockey season. The Flyers are keeping the familiar double logos at center ice (the Canadiens are switching to a single logo for 2018-19, leaving Philly as the only team that still has the dual logo look at center ice). There is now additional ice surface advertising, located behind the nets on either side of the trapezoid. The four ads near the neutral zone faceoff dots also remain.
2) The new offseason prospect series edition of FlyerBuzz on Flyers Radio 24/7 is now available for download. In this edition, Connor Bunnaman and Pascal Laberge are interviewed by Brian Smith. In the final segment, Brian and I discuss Laberge's uneven development path thus far and his high level of natural ability: Download here. Note: If you are region-blocked from the main site, the podcast can alternatively be downloaded here. The series concludes next week with Carter Hart, and then Brian and I will have a brand new "regular" edition of FlyerBuzz, which which we will preview Flyers training camp.
3) Flyers TV caught up recently with Flyers right wing Travis Konecny to look at what the 21-year-old forward did while the Ontario native spent time in Port Stanley and while visiting his family in Clachan.
4) Today in Flyers History: On Aug. 28, 1989, the Flyers acquired the rights to young Czech defenseman Jiri Latal from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a 1991 seventh-round draft pick. Latal had considerable natural ability and the Flyers believed he had a chance to develop into an impact player but he was derailed by injuries and inconsistency in his game. Nevertheless, the offensively talented defenseman produced a respectable 48 points (12 goals, 36 assists) in 92 career NHL games, while posting a minus-14 rating at even strength.
Here's an obscure trivia question: Latal is one of three players in Flyers history whose last name is a palindrome. Can you name the other two?
5) Allsvenskan preseason: Flyers goaltending prospect Samuel Ersson could get the start in goal when Và¤sterà¥s IK takes on Tingsryds AIF in preseason action on Tuesday. Assuming Ersson plays, it will be his first game action since his one start for Team Sweden at the Word Junior Summer Showcase.
6) The 2018 Powerhockey Cup champion Philadelphia Flyers PowerPlay, the wheelchair hockey affiliate of the Flyers, have announced their 2018-19 schedule: Click here.
7) Obscure trivia answer: The other two Flyers Alumni whose last names are palindromes are Joel Otto and Joffrey Lupul. Not only is the former a palindrome but the all-capital letters of "OTTO" are visually identical when viewed in a mirror: the only player for whom that is true among the 600-plus to play for the team in franchise history.
By the way, when we resort to discussing center ice logos, palindromic names and mirror images, you can tell it's the dog days of August! We really need training camp to get here.