QUICK HITS: AUGUST 24
1) Flyers assistant general manager Chris Pryor was a guest on Sirius XM's NHL Network Radio on Wednesday, interviewed while waiting to board a plane for an overseas scouting trip. Pryor talked about the organization's excitement in being able to draft Nolan Patrick, expectations for Brian Elliott to bring solid goaltending, the ups and downs of last season, the rookies knocking on the door of NHL roster spots and the impact of Valtteri Filppula as a two-way player and role model for young players beyond the points he produces.
No topic was covered in much depth during the short conversation. Pryor did say in essence that, from the organization's standpoint, there is not a fixed number (or pre-determined limit) of NHL roster spots being "set aside" for rookies to make the team out of camp. It will be up to the players to battle for spots in camp and the preseason.
2) Speaking to TSN on Wednesday, Flyers All-Star right winger Wayne Simmonds talked about his excitement for next season and his desire to set an example for the group of talented young players who will be in camp vying for spots.
3) Today in Flyers History: August 24, 1982: Twenty-nine-year-old Flyers defenseman Bob Dailey, a two-time NHL All-Star and two-time winner of the Barry Ashbee Trophy, announced his retirement. The previous October, Dailey suffered a devastating injury -- his ankle shattered like a dropped vase -- when he was bumped by Buffalo Sabres forward Tony McKegney and his skate hit a rut in the Aud's ice. Three seasons later, Dailey would try to short-lived comeback, but only played five games with the AHL's Hershey Bears before he realized he could no longer keep up with the pace of play.
4) August 24 Flyers Alumni birthdays: Norm Barnes (1953) and the late Don "Smokey" McLeod (1946).
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FLYERS DIEHARD FAN BIKING CROSS-COUNTRY FOR LUNG CANCER FUNDRAISING
Fifty-five-year-old John Matthews is a longtime executive with business data software giant SAP. While he loves his work, Matthews has found an even deeper passion: raising awareness and funding for lung cancer-related charities. His mother, Kathleen Matthews, passed away from the all-too-common and too-often-stigmatized ('it's just a smoker's disease that is self-inflicted") form of cancer.
Five years ago, Matthews joined with family and friends to form a fundraising team called "Kathleen's Krew," participating in 5k events to raise money for lung cancer related causes, especially the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation. The organization channels most of its proceeds directly into supporting lung cancer patients. He is also a strong advocate for the Lung Cancer Alliance, which provides science-based public education, screening and treatment referrals and fostering advancement in research for a cure.
Matthews and his crew have been effective fundraisers: They have already raised and donated over $80,000 for the fight against lung cancer. Now, he has an even more ambitious plan.
Today, Matthews will embark on a 3,400-mile bike ride that will start at the SAP offices in Newtown Square, PA and end at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, CA by October 14. Matthews has been training for the last six months with Nick Rogers of Philadelphia-based Breakaway Bikes to prepare for the grueling journey. Bob Burke from Guy's Bicycles in Philadelphia helped out on the equipment end.
Matthews' fundraising goal is every bit as lofty as the physical challenge of the 50-day ride across the country: he aims to raise $1 million to be donated to the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation and to the Lung Cancer Alliance. He also hopes that media attention to his quest will help spread the word about lung cancer education.
There is a Flyers-related connection to Matthews' story. The Delaware Valley native is a lifelong Flyers diehard and longtime partial season-ticket holder.
"I was a kid when Doug Favell let in the Gerry Meehan goal with four seconds left that knocked the Flyers out of the playoffs on the final day of the season in '72. It was devastating. But two years later, I was allowed to miss school to go the first Stanley Cup parade. I've been hooked ever since. Later on, rooting for the Flyers became something I shared with my own son, who is in college now," Matthews said.
Matthews, who recently participated in the Toyota Flyers Charity Classic, has befriended members of the Flyers organization and the Flyers Alumni Association. In particular, his story resonated with longtime Flyers defenseman Brad Marsh, who today serves as the Flyers director of community development as well as the president of the Alumni.
Marsh, an avid cyclist, once bicycled coast-to-coast across Canada in a fundraising quest for Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada. He marvels at the planning and preparation that has gone into Matthews' journey.
"When I did my ride across Canada, I basically just got on my bike, rode as long as I possibly could and then picked up again the next day. With John, every detail has been planned and mapped out very carefully. For example, he built in time for the possibility of encountering bad road conditions or severe weather where he might not be able to ride much for a few days. It's very impressive," Marsh said.
Marsh was on hand on Thursday to lend his support as Matthews embarked on his journey from Newtown Square to San Francisco. Beforehand, he presented Matthews with a special gift: a Flyers bike jersey.
"Brad is a great guy and I am happy he's going to be there on behalf of the Flyers," Matthews said on Monday. "I'm going to wear my Flyers jersey periodically during the ride. I'm pretty excited about that, actually."
Matthews notes that fellow Flyers fans can help out his cause in a couple of different ways. He notes that donations in any amount to his "Ride Hard, Breathe Easy" quest are greatly appreciated. Even if someone is not financially able to donate, they can spread the word about his ride and follow, like and/or comment on Twitter (@Ride4Lungs), the Ride Hard, Breathe Easy Facebook page or by checking out and sharing the tour diary blog that Matthews plans to update periodically during his journey.
Happy to be there for John's send off this morning - ride safe and enjoy the journey!@FlyersAlumni @Ride4Lungs pic.twitter.com/5lKZs0EO7L
— Brad Marsh (@BradMarshNHL) August 24, 2017
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FLYERS TOP 25 IN THE LAST 25 YEARS: JEREMY ROENICK
One of the best American-born scorers to play in the NHL, Jeremy Roenick spent three memorable seasons with the Flyers in the 2000s. He signed with the Flyers as a free agent on July 2, 2001. As a Flyer, Roenick played through injury to record 67 goals, 106 assists, 173 points and a plus-53 rating over 216 regular season games. In the postseason, he produced seven goals and 21 points in 36 games.
Most notably, Roenick scored the Game Six overtime goal that ended the Flyers' six-game series with the Toronto Maple Leafs and propelled the team to the 2004 Eastern Conference Finals. That year, Roenick had four goals and 13 points in 18 playoff games.
Noted for his gregarious nature and offbeat sense of humor as well as his skill and tenacity on the ice, Roenick was a fan favorite in Philadelphia during his stint. In one of the most famous episodes of his career, Roenick dressed up as Bobby Clarke for a game on Halloween, wearing a blond curly wig, blacked-out teeth, a number 16 sweater with a captain's C on it and a pair of Cooperall pants on the ice for warmups.
Once a game started, Roenick was among the game's grittiest competitors as well as a high-skill player. He dealt with a variety of ailments during his Flyers career, including a broken jaw and playing through concussion-related issues. Most notably, he had a knack for scoring goals in high-pressure situation.
On August 4, 2005, in order to make salary cap room for the recently signed Peter Forsberg, the Flyers traded Roenick to the LA Kings for future considerations. Roenick had a no-trade clause but did not stand in the Flyers' way, saying that he understood the economics and even admitting that Forsberg was the better player.
After his playing career, Roenick remained in the public eye as a colorfully outspoken national hockey studio commentator for NBC and NBC Sports Network. Roenick is a member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame. Eventually, he could also earn enshrinement in the "big" Hall in Toronto.
While Roenick's time in Philadelphia did not statistically measure up to his offensive output earlier in his career, keep in mind that leaguewide scoring in the NHL was at a low ebb during the era and the Flyers style of play during the Ken Hitchcock era was very much geared toward limiting opposing scoring chances and turning defense into offense. For all of his playful and not-so-playful jabs at Hitchcock, Roenick was first and foremost a competitor who cared about winning. He did his part in making the Flyers a perennial contender and was fearless about wanting the puck on his stick with the game -- or season -- on the line.