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Quick Hits: Vets Scrimmage, Werenski/Provorov, TIHF and More |
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Quick Hits: Sept. 9, 2019
1) Restricted free agent defenseman Zach Werenski and the Columbus Blue Jackets have reportedly agreed to a three-year, $15 million bridge deal. If the reports are accurate, that could set the market for a comparable deal from Philadelphia for unsigned restricted free agent Ivan Provorov.
In both players' cases, a three-year deal would end with the player arbitration-eligible and one year away from potential unrestricted free agent status; i.e., the player betting on himself that his next negotiation will carry massive leverage to either score a monster contract to pre-empt UFA status or to pick a destination of choice the next year.
2) With a one-day break in the Rookie Camp schedule at the Skate Zone in Voorhees, the Flyers and Phantoms veterans working out ahead of the Sept. 13 start of NHL camp had the ice to themselves on Tuesday. At the end, the player did a 4-on-4 scrimmage (Team Orange vs. Team Black). Oskar Lindblom notched the first goal after Sean Couturier and Kevin Hayes were denied on breakaways. Couturier bagged one about five minutes later.
3) As noted on Saturday, third-year pro defenseman Mark Friedman is not participating in rookie camp due to off-season abdominal surgery. He is slated to fully participate in main camp and has been skating with the veterans. On Monday, Friedman was among the more active skaters on the ice, and seemed physically fine to start camp on time.
4) It may only be a precamp workout but the competitive instincts are always there. Still sporting a Cleveland Monsters mask from last season, J.F. Berube denied 11 straight breakaways (he got help from his goalpost against Oskar Lindblom) and a couple of rebound follow-up attempts. On of Sam Morin's attempts, the hulking defenseman simply lost the handle on the puck and let loose with a one-word expletive that could heard from anywhere on the rink and even upstairs in the press room.
5) Presented here without comment: Claude Giroux ranked 32nd on NHL Network’s "Top 50 Players Right Now" list; one spot ahead of Ben Bishop and one spot behind Seth Jones.
6) The Flyers announced on Monday that they have extended their ECHL affiliation agreement with the Reading Royals. This will be Reading's 6th year as a Flyers affiliate.
7) Rookie Camp invitee Gerry Fitzgerald, who spent last season in the AHL with the Iowa Wild and is a graduate of Bemidji State University. One of the oldest players in camp, he hopes to win a regular AHL spot with the Phantoms in 2019-20. The small-framed but elusive forward scored a dozen goals in 67 games for Iowa last year.
Fitzgerald has an interesting back story. He is one of three hockey-playing triplets, along with brothers Leo and Myles. Early in their childhood, the Fitzgerald triplets were cast by famed director Bob Clark ("A Christmas Story") in the first and second installments of the "Baby Geniuses" movies, starring Christopher Lloyd, Kathleen Turner, Kim Cattrall and Dom DeLuise. The Fitzgerald triplets portrayed twins, Sly and Whit.
All three brothers played for Bemidji State. Nowadays. Leo and Myles are teammates in Europe for Ferencvarosi TC Budapest of the Erste Liga. Leo briefly played in the ECHL (South Carolina Stingrays) before joining Myles in Budapest.
8) Today in Flyers History: On Sept. 9, 1993, the Flyers acquired Stew Malgunas from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a 1995 fifth-round pick (David Arsenault).
9) Sept. 9 Flyers Alumni birthday: Len Hachborn (1961).
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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