Flyers Alumni Game Roster

The Flyers Winter Classic alumni team roster was announced today and here is the team, along with most common number used with the team and years played with the team.  Skater stats include games, goals, assists, points, plus/minus and penalty minutes.  Goaltender stats are games, wins, losses, ties, goals against average, save percentage and shutouts.

Goalies
#33 Mark LaForest (1987-89, 38 GP, 10-16-4, 3.91 GAA, .873, 1 SO)
#35 Neil Little (2001-02, 03-04, 2 GP, 0-2-0, 3.87 GAA, .838)

Defensemen
#29 Terry Carkner (1988-93, 376 GP, 29-103-132, -25, 867 PIM)
#37 Eric Desjardins (1995-2006, 738 GP, 93-303-396, +143, 396 PIM)
#5 Larry Goodenough (1974-77, 129 GP, 15-56-71, +72, 104 PIM)
#2 Derian Hatcher (2005-08, 203 GP, 9-24-33, -17, 193 PIM)
#2 Mark Howe (1982-92, 594 GP, 138-342-480, +349, 323 PIM)
#8 Brad Marsh (1981-88, 514 GP, 14-96-110, +99, 636 PIM)
#28 Kjell Samuelsson (1986-92, 95-98, 545 GP, 35-106-141, +103, 815 PIM)
#6 Chris Therien (1995-2006, 753 GP, 29-130-159, +125, 583 PIM)
#14 Joe Watson (1967-78, 746 GP, 36-162-198, +191, 397 PIM)

Forwards

Time to End the European Experiment

For the past five years, the NHL has hosted regular season games with 17 teams (and the Ducks, Kings and Rangers a second time) taking part.  Host cities have included Berlin, London, Helsinki (three times), Prague (twice), Stockholm (four times).  The past three Stanley Cup champions have started their season overseas.  The NHL is going global, with an increasing number of players coming from the other side of the world.

The Kings and Rangers tangle in Stockholm.

So why is it a bad idea?

The team’s fans get screwed.  Okay, so the NHL gets exposure to overseas fans, but each team that goes over loses a home game.  The Kings will actually lose two home games this year, as they “host” both the Rangers and Sabres in Europe.  So for any Los Angeles season ticket holders, they go from seeing their team 41 times to 39.  With some teams struggling in their own markets, it seems odd to try and promote teams with only ties to (maybe) a couple players of the participating teams.

2011-2012 Preview: New York Rangers

Last season: 44-33-5, 93 points. 8^th East, lost in first round to Washington (4-1).

Additions: D Tim Erixon, C Brad Richards, LW Mike Rupp

Losses: LW Derek Boogaard, C Chris Drury, D Matt Gilroy, LW Alex Frolov, D Bryan McCabe, F Vinny Prospal

Offense:  The Rangers’ offense got a huge punch when they signed Brad Richards.  Richards should be a good playmaker for Marian Gaborik, provided both guys stay healthy.  Their linemate could be Wojtek Wolski, who was traded midseason for the second year in a row.  The second line consists of team points leader Brandon Dubinsky (54), new team captain Ryan Callahan and young Russian Artem Anisimov.  The trio combined for 65 goals and 146 points.  Derek Stepan started off hot in his rookie year, scoring 14 goals by the All-Star break, but tailed off after.  In rookie scoring, he finished fifth in both goals (24) and points (45).  Brian Boyle was an unlikely contributor, scoring 21 goals, shattering his full season career high of 4.  Ruslan Fedotenko is a reliable veteran who can fill any hole in the lineup.  Tough guy Brandon Prust had 13 goals to go along with his 18 fights.  Sean Avery might have played himself off of the team.

Crimespree Roundtable: The Offseason

In this roundtable, Realdeal, Cujo and Joey discuss many topics on the NHL’s offseason.

RD: So who did the best this offseason?

Cujo: I would say the CBJ but that would be very homerish of me.

Joey: I like what CBJ did, Jeff Carter and James Wisniewski fit two points of weakness.

Cujo: They got the #1 center they have always wanted, that was the biggest piece it has taken 11 years to get.

RD: They also got the top pair d-man they desperately needed.

Cujo: But you cannot rule out what LA has done this offseason.

RD: They got that #2 center that they needed, even if they gave up the best prospect in hockey.

Joey: Washington had a solid offseason. Beyond just additions but the picks they got for Seymon Varlamov were huge.

RD: I really like Washington’s moves; they got some sandpaper.

Cujo: And Tomas Vokoun cannot forget him, a solid net minder.

Joey: Yeah when I heard Vokoun signed in Washington I hung my head and said ‘oh crap’.

RD: I think people are sleeping on the effect Joel Ward and Troy Brouwer will bring.

Joey: I really think Brouwer was a good pick up, I am a little on the fence on Ward just wondering if he is riding off a playoff showing.

RD: He’s overpaid but he’ll be a solid 2nd/3rd line producer.

Joey: Speaking of overpaid is Brooks Laich worth all that money? I think time will tell on that one.

Cujo: You’ve got to pay for potential, but he nearly had his 3rd straight 50 point season. He missed it by 2 points.

RD: Is he going to get much better? I think 50-55 points is what we’re looking at.

RD: So who’s a team whose moves were puzzling or needed to do more? I’m kind of curious to see how San Jose’s plan works out.

Cujo: I think San Jose thinks they have most of the pieces they need to make a big run at the Cup.

Joey: Buffalo giving 10 years to Christian Ehrhoff, someone who has never played a game in Buffalo?

Bleeps And Bloops: Offseason Notes And Thoughts (Volume 2)

More tidbits from around the NHL and the world of hockey:

Chris Drury (Photo: Getty Images)

- Chris Drury, unable to find a new team, called it a career on Friday. Drury played 892 games in 12 NHL seasons with 4 teams (Colorado, Calgary, Buffalo, New York). He finished with 615 career points (255 goals, 360 assists) He also played internationally in 3 Olympics, 3 IIHF championship tournaments, and 1 World Cup Of Hockey. He earned 2 silver medals in the Olympics, and one bronze in IIHF competition.

- The once highly touted Fabian Brunnström has earned a tryout with The Detroit Redwings. It will be interesting to see if he can finally show some of what was expected when he came to the NHL, or if this will be his last stop.

CS Hockey Tournament: Starting the 2nd Half

The Battle of Pennsylvania Part II took place in Philly this time.  The Flyers’ Eric Desjardins started the scoring midway through the first, but the Penguins’ Jeff Taffe tied it up with an unassisted goal 17 seconds later.  In the first minute of the second period, Mario Lemieux gave Pittsburgh its’ first lead of the game at 2-1.  Three minutes later, the Flyers’ young star James van Riemsdyk knotted the game at two apiece.  Lemieux scored his second of the game late in the period to put the Penguins up 3-2 heading into the third period.  But that lead wouldn’t last one minute into the third, as Rod Brind’Amour knotted the game at 3.  Brind’Amour scored again five minutes later to give the Flyers a lead.  Eric Lindros scored on a late powerplay (thanks to a Jordan Staal high sticking double minor), putting the Flyers up 5-3 and giving Philly the win.  

CS Hockey Tournament: End of 1st Half

Rob’s Jackets finished the first half in Boston, taking on Andy’s Bruins. Tim Thomas and Steve Mason dueled in the first period, but in the second, Martin Lapointe solved Mason. At 11:40 in the second, Rick Nash took a holding penalty and Ray Bourque made the Jackets pay, scoring on the powerplay to put Boston up 2-0. But the Jackets wouldn’t go away easy. In the third, Andrew Cassels cut the Boston lead to one. Boston’s Dennis Wideman was penalized for holding later in the period and Nikolai Zherdev cashed in to tie it up at 2. Unfortunately for Columbus, two minutes later Lapointe scored again to give Boston another lead. Patrice Bergeron added a goal less than a minute later to seal Boston’s 4-2 win.  

The New York Rangers Summer: Haves and Have Nots

There were a lot of questions for the New York Rangers going into this summer. Many of them were answered within the first few days of free agency, though some are still looming.

What we have:

Glen Sather did what many a Rangers fan thought he couldn’t do; reel in the season’s prized free agent. In bringing in Brad Richards the Blueshirts now have a nifty center to feed Marian Gaborik the puck. Though both the winger and center are oft-injured, the two could make some magic on the ice if they mesh well. Having Ruslan Fedotenko, Richards’ linemate during their Championship in ’04, could help improve their dynamic.

Another free agent brought into New York was Pittsburgh center Mike Rupp. The main question with the 6-foot-5 center was where did that leave 6-foot-6 center Brian Boyle? Apparently it simply meant bringing along a hard-hitting Cup winner (2003, NJ) into the fold, and not the departure of Boyle, who signed a three year contract a couple weeks later.

The last thing Sather did was ensuring the stability of the Rangers ‘core’ by re-signing RFA’s Michael Sauer (2 year, $2.5m) and Artem Anisimov (2 year, $3.75m), relatively good contracts for those who would have otherwise gone to arbitration. The Rangers got away with a lot, considering how well of a rookie season Sauer had in New York. One of the last pieces of the defensive puzzle was a trade with Calgary in mid-June, bringing in Tim Erixon; who was drafted 23rd overall by Calgary in 2009. Since he had not signed a contract with the Flames, Erixon was set to be re-entered into the 2011 draft. Instead, his rights were traded to his father’s former team, with whom he settled an entry-level contract with. With two more years under his belt with the Swedish Elite League, he is considered a top-ten level prospect, and is considered to crack the roster this season.

What we still have left:

CS Hockey Tournament: Part IV

The first game of the night had Rob’s Blue Jackets headed to Philadelphia to take on Dan’s Flyers. Simon Gagne got the party started with an early goal, and the Flyers held the lead through the first period. In the second, Eric Desjardins took a holding penalty, sending Columbus to the powerplay. Rick Nash tied the game towards the end of the man advantage. Kevyn Adams added a goal later in the second to put the Jackets up 2-1. It didn’t last long; early in the third, David Vyborny was called for unsportsmanlike conduct, and Eric Lindros knotted the game back up on the powerplay. Two minutes later, Rod Brind’Amour broke the tie, and it looked like the Flyers were going to win. Until Rick Nash, once again tied it up with 2:12 remaining. The game went into overtime, where Rod Brind’Amour once again broke a tie, and won the game for the Flyers.

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Jeremy’s Kings hosted Andy’s Bruins.  The first period was pretty uneventful, but the fun started in the second.  Nathan Horton opened scoring at 3:25 to put Boston up 1-0.  But the Kings struck back thanks to a Nelson Emerson goal, sending the game into the third period tied at 1.  Both teams peppered the opposing goalies with shots (Kings 42, Bruins 34), but both Tim Thomas and Jon Quick refused to budge.  Wayne Gretzky solved Thomas midway through the third to put the Kings up.  Late in the third, the Bruins pulled Thomas for the extra attacker, but Ian Laperriere added an empty netter to give Los Angeles a 3-1 win.  

CS Hockey Tournament: Part III

In the first game of part three, Joey’s Penguins traveled to Columbus to take on Rob’s Jackets. The game was pretty uneventful for most of the first period, until Ed Olczyk took a kneeing penalty. 26 seconds later, Ulf Samuelsson was given a major penalty and a game misconduct for checking from behind. On the ensuing five on three advantage, Fedor Tyutin scored to head into the first intermission with the Jackets leading 1-0. The Penguins killed off the remainder of the powerplay in the second period and at 7:17, Kevin Miller tied the game. About a minute later, Ray Whitney gave Columbus back its’ one goal lead. Early in the third, Kevin Miller once again tied the game. Two minutes later, Darius Kasparaitis gave Pittsburgh its’ first lead of the game. Ed Olczyk added a goal to give the Penguins some cushion and a 4-2 win.