As a season ticket holder I’ve always enjoyed this opportunity to interact with the people who are responsible for our game-day experience and for the construction of the Philadelphia Flyers we see on the ice. And once again, I’m sharing my notes on what was asked and answered.

Most of the attendees started with dinner, but I decided to get there a bit late and go straight to the main course.  Each session lasted about 20 minutes.

Peter Laviolette

My first stop was with head coach Peter Laviolette, who appeared to be wearing one of the orange game night ties.  Lava had some opening remarks before the questions.

First, obviously, it’s a busy time of year. But coming down the stretch, last year it was all up in the air, one of the most remarkable stories he’s ever seen in hockey. And if you do what the Flyers did, the story is supposed to end with you winning it all. It was painful for it to end the way it do.

The run to the finals led to a short summer, with many guys who played extremely hurt dealing with surgery and rehab or just rehab from injuries that ate much of their summer.  From training camp on they played on a high level, but the stretch run didn’t go the way you would want. Regardless, he’s proud of them. It’s not bad to finish third overall, second in the east, and first in the division. Would have loved to have been 20-0 in the last 20, but overall it was a good year. The team ended with the second-highest point total for a team that had been in the finals the previous season (Detroit finished with 112 after winning it all in 2008).

Right now, the team is working on the power play and getting ready for the opening of the playoffs on Thursday. It’s exciting. The 82 games were just for the right to play for the cup again.

Then he showed the video that he had created for the team for after they won the division. In the fall, at the end of training camp, there’d been a video that ended “To Be Continued 4/9/11.” This is the continuation. Laviolette said the intention was to draw a line between the season and the playoffs. It opened with plenty of scenes of team mates celebrating goals set to “I Can’t Get Enough of Your Love.” Lava talked about how teams have to play for  each other. These celebrations are part of the team dynamic. Camaraderie is so important and if you love each other anything is attainable.

Then a series of good plays (and no drop passes at the blue line) shown to Florence and the Machine’s “Dog Days Are Over.” I can imagine Mike Richards’s eyes rolling out of his head when there are running horses superimposed on the hockey images.

Then the good part came. Lava said, “Desire is the difference between average performers and champions.” On the video, there was a poem, voice overed while it scrolled. A Letter from the Stanley Cup, which the Flyers were kind enough to provide for me to reproduce here. They don’t know the source.

To Those Who Dare,

There are too many things in life that are easy to get. If you have the
means, then anything is attainable. But there are some few things in
life that can’t be bought. I am one of them.

Many say they want me but few have the courage to dream big enough to
reach that high.

I demand work ethic, character, and an unrelenting
belief that the right to touch me is worth the price you are willing to
pay in blood, sweat, and tears.

I will test you mightily. I will take you to the highest of high’s, but
only first if your resolve is strong enough on the darkest of day’s to
fight for me.

Some will ask why I do this to the men who will try to call themselves
champions; and for me the answer is simple. There is nothing in life
more meaningful than that to which you have committed your all and
rightfully earned—that dream in which you and your brothers are willing
to sacrifice, not only for yourselves, but for each other. Only then you
can have me. You can hold me high above your head and scream from the
top of your lungs in glory. I promise you no greater reward in life.

I am worth the fight. Don’t ever quit on me. Stay true. Stay strong and
above all. Be relentless.

Lord Stanley’s Cup

The video ended with “It’s Time! We Will!”

I think at this point, everyone in the room was ready to lace them up and go. Not for nothing is Laviolette successful.

Then Q&A began and rather predictably someone asked about Nikolay Zherdev. Laviolette said Nik has had at times a good year and at times they were looking for more consistency. His attitude and work ethic changed for the better after he passed unclaimed through waivers. In the playoffs, whether he plays will depend on his play. It is important, too, to have the right mix. He was told, “You will play in playoff games. You have to keep yourself in great shape and keep working.”

On shootouts, Lava said that the guys who are good in breakaways seemed to be stymied down the stretch. It’s hard to go away from Briere and Giroux even if they’ve been on a cold streak.

He sees Buffalo as having two skilled lines, a checking line, and a fourth line that can cause havoc. Miller is very good, but without knowing what his injury was and how well he was it was hard to know what to expect. He expected the Flyers to be able to score against their defense.

A season ticket holder asked about the lag down the stretch. Laviolette felt there were six to eight games played without enough determination. Did they lose steam? He doesn’t know, but there are no excuses. “When we’re not on our game it’s noticeable.” When they are playing well, they are jumping into the play, working, have a strong forecheck and cycle.

If you compare the stretch for 2010 and 2011 they are pretty much the same, although the seasons were clearly different.

As for the playoffs, Lava mentioned there are a lot of players on the team who’ve proven to be big-game players. He is confident they won’t give in and won’t quit.

When questioned about Bobrovsky, Laviolette said he was pulled four times all year. Both Bob and Bouch had terrific years. There were games in which Bob played well when the Flyers lost, for example in Buffalo when the team did not play well in front of him. Without him the Flyers would not be in first in the division or second in the conference.

The overall health of the team? Everyone but Pronger, Bartulis, and Laperriere are healthy. Walker is a Black Ace, not a roster player. Leino had it tough coming off major surgery but is expected to be excellent along with his line in the playoffs.

Locker Room Tour

Typically I don’t mention the tour, because what can you say about empty rooms of gear. But the Flyers did something very special this year. Greeting us at the locker room door was our tour guide, Ian Laperriere. As Ian has said before, he wasn’t going to get his nose fixed until he was finished playing. I’ll tell you his nose looks marvelous, so put any idea of a miracle comeback out of your mind. He clearly misses playing, but he clearly doesn’t expect to play again. One thing he shared is that winning the Yannick Dupre award was special to him because he and Yannick were junior team mates and very good friends.

On the lighter side, he said we couldn’t see it, but in the shower room there’s a really big jacuzzi. You wouldn’t want it to be small, with 23 guys you really want there to be a lot of space.

Peter Luukko and Shawn Tilger

The business guys started with a discussion of the rationalization of the ticket price increase for next season. The Flyers have been the fifteenth in the league in average ticket price, but are in the fifth largest market. Over the past six years the cap has gone up 52% but Flyers tickets went up once, 5%. The league is a gate-driven league. Ticket sales are the biggest portion of the money going into the team.

The decision was made to segment the building so that the most desirable tickets (based on sales and the resale market) are now the most expensive. Having all the seats in the lower bowl (except for row 1) continue to be the same price wouldn’t have been fair. So the center six are most expensive (and easiest to resell for the highest prices), while some seats in the upper corners where the Flyers shoot once did not change in price. (My seats, at the Flyers shoot twice end, went up $5 per game.)

In spite of all of the other things they do for the fan experience they still believe the best value they give their customers is their decision to compete.

In the Q&A Luukko was asked about potential rule changes. He believes more general managers at the most recent GM meeting were willing to discuss the idea of eliminating the instigator rule, especially since the game has opened up and you can’t really afford to goon up your roster.

Asked about Donald Fehr, “He’ll be tough.”

Philly Live is expected to open by next year this time. It will consist of various concepts all run by a single entity.

Chris Pryor and John Paddock

The Flyers’ director of player personnel and assistant GM brought video to talk about a number of young players in the Flyers system they expect to have an impact on the NHL club in future years.

Matt Read is a college free agent signed out of Bemidji State after his season ended this spring. He is special offensively, with good speed, and all around. He’s a playmaker with 13 points in just 10 games in Adirondack of the AHL at the end of the year. It looks to them like he’ll be with the Flyers in training camp.

Luke Pither was an overage junior signed from Barrie last spring. He has a lot of skill and can skate with good speed. But parts of the game he has yet to figure out. He’s expected to produce points.

Kyle Wellwood, who had a cup of coffee with the Flyers this season, has extremely good speed, is responsible, smart, and hard working. He learned a lot this season in Adirondack playing in unfamiliar situations.

Ben Holmstrom from U Mass Lowell is a character, hard working player in the mold of Blair Betts–a good faceoff guy. He’s ultracompetitive with great hockey sense, but not the most highly skilled. His team mates at Adirondack voted him team most valuable player this season. He’ll be a more defensive type to make it into the NHL.

Harry Zolnierczyk from Brown was described, “He’s a Flyer.” He plays hard, is always around the action, not a big body but a big heart.

Erik Gustafsson, who played at Northern Michigan, is not a real big guy but there is room for guys who think the game like he does. It’s all about making plays. He’s a hockey player. He was an AHL all star and on the AHL all-rookie team. He could be a Flyer as early as this fall.

Kevin Marshall is a Flyer type hack and wack to make others accountable. He’s a good defensive defenseman.

Mike Testwuide is big with good hands who just started coming into his own in the second half of the Adirondack season. He has just begun his upward curve as a pro and will for the Flyers to look at him this fall.

Zac Rinaldo has to learn to pick his spots. He’s a tough guy. Although the game is changing, you need a little of that and he can play the game two. He needs to figure out how to play within the rules.

Ben Holmstrom, Mike Testwuide, Eric Wellwood, Zac Rinaldo, Kevin Marshall, and Erik Gustafsson are Black Aces for the playoffs. Matt Read is not eligible.

Paul Holmgren

The general manager started out by saying he was still holding out hope Chris Pronger would play Thursday, it is a matter of flexion and strength in the hand. He says Chris will play in this series. He’s mean as ever and as for his readiness, he’s played 1200 NHL games, he won’t have any problems.

Although there is no roster limit after the trade deadline, until the season ends there is a cap. Now there is no cap limit. But Leighton can play only if someone gets hurt.

While the team has struggled, he doesn’t feel Bobrovsky has. He believes Bob will be a star in the NHL. Asked if Bob will be next year’s starter, he saidd “I don’t know. This year we planned to have him in the AHL and look how that turned out.”

Past three years coming to the end of the season the team was in survival mode. This year, they weren’t. He’s not happy they blew being first overall or in the conference. They didn’t handle it well and he hopes if it happens again they will handle it better. However if you’d been at practice this week you wouldn’t be concerned about their readiness for the playoffs. The regular season boulder has been lifted off their shoulders. This is what they were playing for, to get another chance at the cup.

As for the experts’ picks, “Who cares? I believe in our guys.” The focus is where it needs to be and there are big game players–Ricahrds, Giroux, Danny Briere.

Leino’s contract? Can’t do anything about it until the summer. Based on what he did last playoffs, what else can you think but that he’ll play like that this spring.

Is there any consideration being given to getting rid of the shootout? There’s been some discussion among GMs of four minutes 4 on 4 and four minutes 3 on 3. He believes there are 25 GMs opposed to the shootout. But in any poll you see 78-80% of the fans are in favor of it.

Equipment is always being discussed to reduce injuries, but he believes players themselves need to be responsible, too.

Asked about Versteeg, Holmgren said he’s liked Kris for a while. Now that the playoffs are here his role will expand. He is useful in many different situations. He has one more your under contract and then another year under Flyer control.

His late-season visit with the players was one of two to three he’ll have in any season. He’s always telling this team that he loves them. This time he told them he didn’t like them and why.

Although he likes Eric Cole, he believes that Cole will re-sign with Carolina and end up retiring a Hurricane.

He does call Gregson and Campbell from time to time but believes you get nowhere if you’re always bitching about officiating and discipline. The Flyers are no angels and we have guys who can get away with things.

Holmgren isn’t sure the Flyers are in the market for free agents, with the desire to keep the team together. Particularly if they win the cup, he wouldn’t mind keeping them all together.

He loves the Flyers centers, can’t have too many. Loves the defense. Would like to have a couple of bigger wingers. Is high on a couple of Phantoms he sees as being ready next season.

As for Richards’s play, Mike’s a smart kid. He’s not going to take the chance of being suspended with bad hits. But he’ll hit in the playoffs.

And that’s about it from the 2010-11 Flyers Town Hall Meeting. Let the playoffs begin.

Fans and media are always looking for catchy names for lines. It hit me right then that there is no better one for this line than “The High Speed Line.” It has the advantage of being the name of the New Jersey Transit line that brings so many Flyers fans into Philadelphia for the games.

Since I know it is often hard to determine just where a moniker came from, I want you to know, when you look back on this with fondness, that The High Speed Line was coined right there in seat 103-4-4 at the Vault on December 18, 2010, by me, The Sports Diva.

Luukko and Tilger–Operations

My first stop was with Flyers President Peter Luukko and his right hand, Shawn Tilger (Sr. VP of Business Operations). They started out with a conversation about the Flyers having bid to host the NHL Draft. (When I said I hoped it would be when we actually had draft picks, Tilger did say it was a three-year cycle. I’m pretty sure the underlying agreement with us not having draft picks was not intended.)

The Flyers have also bid to host the NHL All-Star weekend. Because the Flyers hosted back in 1992, just a few years before the new building opened, they put themselves behind the other new buildings in the league to host again. But they believe they have a good shot at hosting soon. This process, too, is a three-year cycle.

I’ll admit to having missed a bit of the next topic. There was some discussion of the HBO documentary on the Broad Street Bullies, which will premier on May 4. The Flyers will be holding a preview screening for season ticket holders (since Monday, it has been announced that this will be at the Wachovia Center  on April 13).

A season ticket holder asked if the Flyers would wear the Winter Classic jerseys more and Luukko said, yes, that will be the Flyers away uniform next season.

On the progress toward moving the Phantoms to Lehigh Valley, the Flyers are working with the Brooks family (new Phantoms owners) and the governor to get it done. It will be funded with incremental funding, not with direct state grants.

A rather belligerent fellow asked if General Manager Paul Holmgren’s job is safe, no matter how the season turns out. Luukko said yes. The guy persisted, with complaints about inconsistency, lack of results, and was pressing for Mr. Luukko to waver. But Luukko stood firm, and seemed genuine.

One attendee said if nothing changed he’d cancel his seats. And Luukko said that was his decision, with language about this being a team and you win and lose as a team.

At one point, the guy in the back with the Holmgren questions was pretty animated and was standing, a security guy discreetly came in and made his way up the side of the room. But there was no altercation. The STH was really het up, though.

There was a question about groin and abdominal injuries and Luukko said the Flyers had studied this but the issue is a league-wide one and really isn’t more prevalent among Flyers players. The fans didn’t want to hear this. I piped in with support for the Flyers position. If you follow the injuries of other teams, there are plenty of groin and abdominal injuries across the league. What do you expect in a violent game played by men on skates. Although I must admit, I do wonder at the REinjury rate of the Flyers.

Don Luce and Chris Pryor

Player Personnel and Player Development were the next presentation on my tour. Don Luce and Chris Pryor had brought a series of film clips (admittedly not the highest quality) of Glens Falls Phantoms players who are the Flyers’ next generation of prospects.

They started with Joonas Lehtivuori, whom they described as a good skater, and smart player–a Timonen type (I’m hoping not only because he’s Finnish) who had a good year in the AHL. They feel he’s come a long way in the physical aspect of the game, which is usually the toughest thing for young European players to get used to. They say he has good offensive instincts and likes to move up in the play. I’m a little disturbed his clip didn’t show any evidence of his defensive skills.

Kevin Marshall was described by Luce as a hard-nosed player who is physical and tough to play against. He can move the puck, is consistent, and is primarily a defensive defenseman who makes the simple play. He’s a competitive guy who will get in the other team’s faces and will scrap. I’m hoping this does not mean he is a tough guy who can’t really play a lick.

Next up was Marc Andre Bourdon who was described as a player with good puck skills. Luce said Bourdon had a tough start this year in the AHL. He was dominant offensively in juniors and had to work on his defense and conditioning moving up a level. In the second half they’ve been happy with his play, saying he’s a strong kid with a good shot.

David Laliberte is a player we saw a bit of in the NHL earlier in the season. Luce says he’s improved every year offensively. He has a knack around the net and knows how to get open. This year David has struggled with injuries but has come on down the stretch.

My inner goon hater came out in the discussion of the next player, Garrett Klotz. He was described as a role player–considering the first film of him was of a fight, I’d say that’s a not too nuanced way of saying he’s a goon. Luce said Klotz’s skill and defensive ability have come miles and his hands have improved as they showed him fighting. I said, I hope it wasn’t his hands doing that that had improved. Which took Chris Pryor back a bit. But this let to an exchange between primarily Pryor and I about the role of dinosaurs in the NHL and the importance of finding guys who can play and be tough, in order not to leave the bench short throughout the game. He agreed with me (although some of the fans of the more goon-loving variety were appalled at my insistence that this is an issue). I really will never understand the guys who think there is still room in the NHL for players who can’t play, no matter how big and tough they are. Fortunately, I think the Flyers development and personnel guys may agree with me.

We’ve seen Andreas Nodl at the NHL level a few times. Luce described him as an offensive player who lacked knowledge of the defensive end when he joined the organization. Now he’s developed into an excellent penalty killer who is becoming more physical–beginning to use his body more effectively. They consider this a two-three year process. His offensive game has suffered a bit from his concentration on the defensive game. But they expect him to put it all together. That’s the whole point of having a young guy learning at the AHL level.

Pat Maroon, Luce says, is probably the most skilled guy with the phantoms. He’s got good size (an understatement–he’s 6’3″ and 220 lbs.) and great hands. He needs to work on the defensive side. After being hurt earlier in the season he came back more consistent and is picking up his defensive responsibilities.

Johan Backlund is a rather old player to be considered a prospect at 28. Luce described him as the backbone of the Glens Falls team who played well all year long. The toughest thing for a European goalkeeper is to get used to a game in which there is less passing and different angles. Backlund reportedly got used to being more challenging and playing at the top of the crease, rather than back in the net. The organization feels he’s done a tremendous job this season and is a good competitor with lots of skill.

Another player we’ve seen from time to time is Jon Kalinski, who suffered a rather gruesome injury last year when on a Flyers West Coast trip. He’s considered the best face-off guy on the Phantoms and very good defensively. He’s a good penalty killer and checker but they are trying to get him to be more offensive minded.

Finally, we come to the lone Russian on the horizon, Denis Bodrov. He came late in the season and his conditioning was off. But he’s worked hard and gotten into good shape. He has great skills and is getting used to the greater intensity and more physical nature of the North American game.

Unfortunately, there was no time for questions at the end of the session. I’d have liked to have their reaction to the Flyers not having anyone in the system judged as one of the top 50 prospects.

Paul Holmgren

Our group of STH’s arrived next at General Manager Paul Holmgren’s station. John Paddock was there, as well, and I teased Holmgren, asking if he needed a body guard this year. He either is very dry (certainly possible) or has no sense of humor (also possible) because he explained Paddock hadn’t been with the team last year. Ah well, I tried to lighten the mood. But then the session started and it wasn’t light at all.

Holmgren said he’d heard we were a tough group; took off his jacket, folded it, and laid it on the table; rubbed his hands together, while telling us he wouldn’t start with remarks but we’d go straight to questions. Let me tell you, when you are sitting down and Paul Holmgren is standing in all his serious size he is an intimidating figure! But the word that came to mind right away was feisty. He was in a feisty, challenging mood. And maybe that’s what the situation required.

Belligerent man from the Luukko session started right in. He wasn’t really asking questions though, he was basically explaining all the mistakes he felt the GM had made. And Holmgren was challenging him to ask questions and to allow him to answer questions. It took a minute or so, but belligerant man was disarmed and not really heard from for the rest of the session.

When true question and answer started, the tension in the room seemed to ease and Holmgren was as forthcoming as we’ve come to expect from prior years.

Holmgren was asked what could be done with all the no movement/no trade clauses. He said there was no reason they’d ever be a problem. No player wants to stay where he isn’t wanted. He was asked about Hartnell specifically. And he said there were 10 teams inquiring about Hartnell at the trade deadline but the Flyers weren’t interested. Was it the NTC? No, Homer said Hartnell hadn’t been asked, but Holmgren knows that if Hartnell were asked to give the Flyers 10 teams he’d be willing to move to that he’d present the Flyers with a list.

Someone asked if Emery’s injury was career ending. Holmgren said Emery would have surgery next week, and that it was possible he’d need hip replacement. But it was unlikely they’d know for sure for six months. But yes, it is career threatening. (Obviously, if Emery needs a new hip, he won’t be playing in the NHL again.)

He was asked about trading Carter straight up for a goalie and said moving Carter is not a good idea.

Another STH asked about the persistent consistency problem over the past three seasons. Without a lot of content, there was a lot of heat. But Holmgren said he’s as upset about it as the fans are. However, it is up to the players to find a way to win. Chemistry and heart are not in short supply on this team.

On the question of Mike Richards. They’re not trading him. He is a gem of a player and captain. When they were leaving Pittsburgh after Saturday’s game, the bus got to the airport and Richards asked nonplayers to leave the bus. He then held a team meeting on the bus, keeping the plane waiting for a half hour. The results of that meeting were clear Sunday.

A questioner asked why now. Holmgren said there had been meetings before. “Then why didn’t they work?” he was asked. “How do you know they didn’t?” he replied. There was disbelief expressed by the audience. But Holmgren stood his ground.

Another ticket holder asked about the importance of finding, signing, and developing Russian players, something the Flyers are notoriously ineffective at. Holmgren discussed the realities of Russian players in the time of the KHL. That a player can make so much more money in Russia right off the bat, he must be really committed to the NHL to be willing to come to North America at the lower salary and be developed.

The Caps were brought up as a team with many Russians, and Holmgren pointed out that Ovechkin’s goal was always to play in the NHL. And that now that he’s in DC, the Caps have an ambassador to other Russian players. It is important for the Flyers to develop ambassadors. They believe Bodrov is the beginning of that. They also believe they are very close to signing Andrei Popov. But in the draft it is very important to know not only how good a player may be, but whether he is signable before you use a pick on him.

The team’s consistency came up again and Holmgren said they didn’t respond well to injury, bad goals, or disallowed goals. But Sunday Coach Laviolette gave them a list of excuses and told them that if they are thinking of any of those they are no good to the team. Holmgren said Laviolette tried the speech out on him and he was ready to suit up and play.

With Laviolette the subject Holmgren said it had been hard for him to make the decision to fire John Stevens, who is his friend and whom he respects, but he feels the style of play Laviolette favors is more suited to the current Flyers team. Holmgren was asked if Laviolette is safe and said, “Peter’s our coach.” Holmgren believes next season, with Laviolette able to take the team through a training camp and all start on the same page will really benefit the team.

The final question was about Jeff Carter’s injury. Jeff was examined today and will have another MRI on April 8. The earliest day he could be cleared to skate is April 9, so it is unlikely he’ll play again in the regular season. But he’d be ready to play for the playoffs.

Peter Laviolette

Again we were greeted by someone saying he’d heard we were a rowdy bunch.  Coach Laviolette didn’t look happy to see us, but he assured us he was very happy to be there and happy to see us, and he was never happy to see the media.

Asked how he’d felt when the Flyers contacted him he said that before there was a job available he felt choice number one for him was Philadelphia, or “Man, I’d love to be in Philadelphia.” He understands that it is a big market with passionate fans (like Boston, where he grew up).

He sees the season since he got here in segments. The first 10 games were disappointing. They didn’t get off the ground the way he’d wanted to. And after selling Holmgren on his system and how the team would work with it, the losses weren’t what he’d hoped for. But from Christmas to 10 days ago the Flyers were the hottest team in the NHL, moving from fourteenth to fifth. Over the past two weeks, with pulling pieces out of the lineup, he’s unhappy with the consistency.

The point is to strive to find success on more nights than not. The team had it before the Olympics, but he’s not happy with them since. Sunday night it was important to stop the bleeding. The message is no excuses. No one outside Philly cares if the Flyers are struggling.

A guest asked about Carcillo and his development since Laviolette got here. He said there’s not a team who wouldn’t want him because he can agitate, irritate, and still score goals. Playing on the line with Richards he’s so much more effective against Parise and that type player than he’d be playing on a fourth line. But Laviolette gets no credit, give all the credit to Carcillo. They wind him up before the game and then just before going out say, “But don’t take any penalties.”

Does he think the Flyers are overpenalized? “Yes. More so now that [he's] been here.” That got a good laugh.

The team has been more disciplined since Laviolette has gotten here. At first, he’d skate the team, and then the transgressor, for every bad penalty. The players are much better at controlling their “extracurricular activity” now. Too often the 2-minute penalties are phantom or back calls now. Overall the team is much better about taking bad penalties.

When asked about the Flyers and how they deal with officials Laviolette said, “Referees don’t like coaches. They think they yell and whine too much.” The team and coaches are trying to control that, but on Sunday that control didn’t help, either.

On the new rule about blind-side hits–you can always talk about rulings. But when does the blind side start?

Another question from the crowd, this one about the Flyers play around the nets. Laviolette said the most important places on the ice are the creases. It is important to find consistency in the game and he’s not happy with how that is going. A team needs to get into that area when they aren’t scoring goals. That’s been the topic for the past 10-12 games.

Laviolette likes the team’s defense. He believes Timonen is the most underrated guy in the league. He isn’t big but he plays a very effective style.

At the other end, the loss of Knuble did affect the team, but Knuble is the best in the league in front of the net. Hartnell has had an off year.

Asked about Coburn’s play, Laviolette said that being a young defenseman learning the game in the NHL is not an easy thing. Coburn is big, strong, and can skate. The best thing the coaches can do is keep teaching them (young players) and hopefully they keep learning and get better and better.

The final question was about the condition of James van Riemsdyk. They expect him to be available to play on Thursday.

Conclusion

Thus ends another year’s Town Hall. I’m never sure that what the Flyers participants say is as important as that they are there and making themselves available. This year the questioning was more pointed and the fans were less happy and less likely to accept the answers at face value. But it’s good for the fans to have the chance to vent their concerns and important for the team not to isolate itself from those impressions.

But there was a better story right in front of them. A more heartwarming story. Vancouver-area native Maelle Ricker had been in that same final four years ago. And unlike Jacobellis, Ricker didn’t walk away from the hill with egg on her face. Maelle was airlifted off the hill after a scary crash the product of trying too hard to win.

When I finally heard that story last night (belatedly told in midcompetition by NBC talking heads looking for some redemptive quality for the final once their golden girl choice had failed again), I had no trouble cheering for the Canadian snowboarder to take the gold she won with an aggressive but controlled ride.

While Jacobellis post competition was trying to sell herself as having learned a lesson because at least she didn’t just quit in the consolation heat like she normally would (why, how noble of you angelic one!), Ricker was celebrating a home field hard fought victory.

Maybe by the time Jacobellis finds her way to the other side of 30 she’ll have figured out what it means not to take the competition for granted.

Why? Well that’s easy to answer.

First, I’m from Illinois. Then, it’s the crest on the sweater. The renaissance of a once moribund franchise. It is the determination and execution of a plan by a man who had years to stew about what should be done and finally got to do it (he’s my favorite Rocky!). It’s the long-suffering fans who were desperate for a reason to keep supporting their team and when they finally got an owner who cared about them and cared about winning they came back with open hearts and embraced the team that finally was there to embrace them in return. It’s the young players–Kane, Toews, Byfuglien–and the old ones–Havlat, Khabi–and the in between–Sharpie, who couldn’t be more likeable and turned out to be a heck of a player, Mr. Hitchcock.

So starting tonight it’s yet another chapter in the remarkable rebirth of a legendary hockey franchise. GO HAWKS!

This year again we started with a quick meal in the Lexus Club. Then we moved on to sessions with Peter Luukko and Shawn Tilger, Premium Seating and Parking, Chris Pryor and Don Luce, Paul Holmgren, and John Stevens (who was on the road for the session I attended last year).

Peter Luukko and Shawn Tilger

Peter Luukko, President and Chief Operating Officer of Comcast Spectacor, and Shawn Tilger, SeniorVice President Business Operations, were set to talk about the business side of things. First, the Phantoms sale. There was concern expressed from the STHs about the situation with the Flyers not having an AHL affiliate if the Phantoms new owners did not have a place for them to play in 2009-10. Luukko said that every NHL team is guaranteed an AHL affiliate. So there should be no concern there. But because the Phantoms have an abundance of young talent, which is finally apparent in their play now that the Flyers are healthy and the Phantoms have been able to play with a full roster, there are a number of AHL teams that are currently unaffiliated that would like to be the Flyers farm team. The worst case scenario would be a shared affiliation. But there will definitely be a place for the Flyers to put their developing players.

Philly Live, the development that is planned for the lots directly north of the Wachovia Center and the location of the Spectrum, is on track for government approvals and it is expected that ground will be broken soon, with completion in 14-18 months. Because the location pretty much guarantees significant traffic, there is not the same concern about finding tenants that the developer has at some other sites. And although financing is tight, it has been loosening up and they believe that there will not be a delay for that.

I asked the question I’ve been trying to get clarified for some time. If the cap comes down, will existing contracts stay at their level or be adjusted in some way. The contracts will stay at the same level, so it is possible that in 2010-11 there will be significant problems for teams bumping up against the cap.

As for free agency in the future, because teams are moving younger players into the lineups faster in order to get cap flexibility, free agents may find themselves unable to command the same kind of  contracts they have. Luukko expects many free agents will find themselves settling for less in order to be signed quickly or hanging around unsigned until November or later. There is no real remedy in the collective bargaining agreement to prevent the hanging players. For some teams, the prorated contracts are a benefit, they aren’t really a benefit to the players.

At this point, someone asked about Mike Knuble. Luukko said Knuble will have to think about what he wants. There s nothing wrong with making $1 million for three years if the alternative is making nothing for not playing. We get a much more positive spin on the situation later from General Manager Paul Holmgren.

Chris Pryor and Don Luce

Chris Pryor, Director of Hockey Operations, and Don Luce, Director of Player Development, concentrated on young players and the draft.

Asked about James van Riemsdyk and when the Flyers could reealistically expect him to crack the lineup, Pryor said that it is “up to James.” The Flyers are “hoping he’ll be pushing.” “We’re going to be patient…we think the world of him.” His readiness will depend on his own timetable and his work ethic. He noted that Bobby Ryan spent two years in the AHL before being ready but Claude Giroux spent two months. It just depends on the player. But the Flyers tend to “overcook” players, preferring they be in the AHL a bit longer rather than rushing a player.

Someone was under the impression Europe would dry up as a source of talent with the emergence of the KHL, but Luce said the KHL is “disintegrating” and that some teams “weren’t paid for the second half” of the season. But the Flyers aren’t unhappy with the North American talent they’ve found.

Luca Sbisa is expected to be back soon, because his junior club is down 2-0 in a series with the best team. I asked if they expect him to fill out and they said he has to stop growing first. He’s up to 6’2″ and they expect him to top out at 6’3″. They do think he may need to temper his style of play to stay healthy but they love the way he plays. They expect him to play with the Phantoms if the AHL club makes the playoffs (which is contrary to what I thought–I thought he had one more year of junior eligibility, so wouldn’t be able to play with the Phantoms), the be available as defensive depth for the Flyers in the Playoffs.

Asked (by me, at the behest of my friends at HockeyBuzz.com) about the dearth of goalie talent in the pipeline they were a bit put off. Pryor discussed the recent signing of Backlund and talked about there being a gap between Marty Biron, who is in his prime, and the younger developing goaltenders in the system, who are in their early 20s and not ready for prime time. But they said there really are very few teams well set up in the pipeline or really happy with an elite goaltender and they feel the Flyers are in good shape. Luce fined me $25 for asking that question.

Then they played a video of highlights of Sbisa and van Riemsdyk.

Paul Holmgren

I couldn’t expect the Paul Holmgren session to be as rich a vein as it was last year. How often is a general manager that forthcoming? But he doesn’t duck any question.

On the goaltenders–it is not out of the question that both goalies re-sign. They haven’t been great this year. But the “modest success” the team achieved last year was due to Martin Biron.

The cap is not yet set for 2009-10, they should hear by June 30 (doesn’t leave a lot of time before the draft) and expect it to be close to what it was this season.

Mike Knuble wants to be back and the Flyers want him back. He will be the first veteran player they’ve signed where the bonuses may come into play. He doesn’t see any reason the Flyers can’t get a deal done with him.

Someone asked about the Jeff Carter for Thomas Kaberle deal rumored from last year and he said, “Don’t believe everything you read.”

At the recent GM meetings he was on the fighting panel. There were a number of groups, but NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman never left the fighting discussion. But he doesn’t see fighting being out of the game.

To manage the cap, a team needs to add one or two young players a year or they will fall by the wayside.

Claude Giroux is one of the smartest players the Flyers have had in a long time.

On James van Riemsdyk–the biggest step a player takes is from juniors or college to the AHL. The step from the AHL to the NHL isn’t as big. JVR needs to learn to work to compete.

Other topics covered at the GM meetings were “a lot of crap [he doesn't] listen to,” hits to the head, and goalies taking a beating. Homer agrees that is an area of concern.

John Stevens

Flyers Coach John Stevens was the last stop on our rotation. Not having had the chance to meet with Stevens last year, I was wondering how this would go. He was as straight shooting and open as everyone else in the organization.

He started with the Identity Video. It’s really a statement of the Flyers brand. He uses it to remind the players who they are. What it means to be a Flyer. What is expected of a Flyer each time he steps on the ice. They should be the same team every night.

Of course, this was followed by someone asking why, if they know they should be the same team every night, aren’t they? The Flyers are the sixth or seventh youngest team in the NHL. That has some impact. The starting centers are 24, 24, and 21. He also feels that 15 games in 30 days in March wore them down mentally and physically and the significant changes in the team caused by trades and guys getting healthy disrupted things.

He is concerned a little bit, but is confident the Flyers can get back to being aggressive and disciplines. Now it’s time to go. This week is important–”that we win games and how we play them.”

There was some discussion of lines. He said they like Giroux in the middle. He has “elite vision.” In addition, when he was on the wing he’d stand still and was easy to take to the boards, but in the center he’s “dynamic.”

Asked about turnovers, he thinks the main issues are the youth of the team and that they are so aggressive offensively. But puck support is getting better.

As for consistency, they have scored more goals and allowed fewer than they did last season. So they are an improving team.

The question of penalties came up. He said they did think they’re beginning to avoid the avoidable penalties–like throwing a glove on a breakaway. But things like Carcillo getting a misconduct for mouthing off to an official need to go. Any time you find yourself venting emotion to an official that’s wasted energy and can’t happen.  They want to avoid penalties from lack of effort–keep the feet moving and you won’t find yourself out of position and hooking or tripping–but they will always accept agressive penalties.

Stevens’s demeanor came up and he said he can get animated in the room but “this group responds well to objective matter-of-fact reasoning” so that’s usually the way to go with them.

I asked about Lupul possibly being a candidate for the mental exercises R.J. Umberger benefitted from two years ago. Stevens said the company that did that training is out of business–they had a good product but a bad business model. But he said Lupul is perhaps sometimes unfairly criticized because Carter shoots so much, there isn’t as much opportunity for him to score as he might if he were with a more assist-minded center. That’s why the try of Lupul on Mike Richards’s line. But the Scott Hartnell/Carter/Lupul line had been very successful and it is likely the line combinations they have now, with Simon Gagne/Richards/Knuble and Briere/Giroux/Aron Asham are likely to stay that way, with occasional rotations based on penalty kill and power play play.

Final Impressions

It’s interesting to see the personalities running this team. None of them are exactly high-energy guys. They’re solid, perhaps stolid, men. Luukko is the most animated. But both Holmgren and Luce have active, perhaps slightly acid, senses of humor. They’re sharp, remarkably open. The only time I felt I might not be getting their full honest opinion was on the goalkeepers, when it was obvious I’d touched a nerve.

But I was surprised at the overall lack of defensiveness. They’re savvy communicators. and Flyers fans are very very lucky to have the opportunity to interact with them in such an open forum.

Also, if you are a guy with less than a 2-hour bladder. Don’t go to the movies. Wait until you find it on cable.

But other than that it was $9 well spent. I was impressed with Mickey Rourke. Disturbed by Marissa Tomei. And not nearly impressed by Evan Rachel Wood’s character (although I think I believed the actress) as everyone I’ve read.

I think I suffer from the unrealistic expectations. Everyone seems to think this is the best sports movie EVER. But I don’t see it as a sports movie. Never will it be more clear to you that wrestling isn’t a sport. And in order to explain the parts that don’t ring true to me on the personal front, I’d have to spoil, which I don’t want to do.

So, I can’t recommend it. But I wouldn’t try to discourage you if you feel compelled. Maybe you’ll be lucky and sit next to a grown up. Then the experience may be a whole different thing.

But here I am, in my frigid living room (kept cold so I could share in the atmosphere of the Cit without having to shell out $900 for the right to stand there) drinking a flute of asti spumante. Yes, there have been cheers, whoops, shouts, curling up in a ball of anxiety, and tears of pure joy.

I started out this weekend hoping for a nearly impossible run–seven for seven from my favorite teams. And this is how it went:

• On Friday night, the Flyers beat the Devils in NJ for the first time since 2004. It was the Flyers first win of the season

• Saturday started with a rare 4pm start game for the Flyers, who followed up their Friday victory with a home win against the Devils in overtime.

• After just enough of a break to let Flyers fans get home, Penn State beat Ohio State in the Horseshoe in Columbus for the first time in 30 years, keeping hopes of a championship run alive.

• Overlapping the PSU game by only a little, because of the rain, the Phils won an exciting game 3 of the World Series over the Tampa Bay Rays, setting off fireworks at 1:47am.

• Sunday started with a stunning Liverpool win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea hadn’t lost in 86 matches. This moved the Reds into first place in the Premiership and legitimizes their league championship hopes. I realize this doesn’t fit an amazing Philadelphia sports weekend. But you’ll note this is MY amazing sports weekend. Sadly, the game was not even available PPV. So of all the events of the weekend, I didn’t get to see this one.

• Then the Eagles beat Atlanta making it hard for Eagles tailgaters to follow instructions and leave immediately after the game, so the parking lots would be ready for Phillies fans.

• Finally, The Phils crushed the Rays in a dominating game 4 performance.

If you’re anything like me, you are exhausted and happy and looking forward to losing your mind tonight. It couldn’t happen to a more fiercely loyal, frustratingly pessimistic fanbase. None of that curse stuff today. None of the woe is me stuff. No complaining about perceived weaknesses. This is the day to take down the walls around your heart and let it beat for the Phillies. Love them right to a historic victory. Enjoy the ride!

Each year for the past few she and her “awesome” readers have supported teachers’ projects through Donor’s Choose. If you follow that link, and scroll just a few projects down, you’ll see a high-poverty school is in need of about $300 worth of basketballs and other basketball-related equipment. Donations through Donors Choose are 100% tax deductible and you can donate as little as a dollar. Believe me, little donations add up fast.

And as a special treat for those of us who follow the antics of the inimitable Sars, donors through her bloggers’ challenge get her closer to her goal of $100,000 donated by her readers and supporters. If that goal is reached, Sars will dress up as a tomato and dance at the White House. If you wonder what a dancing tomato looks like, check out last year’s Donor’s Choose tomato dance at Rockefeller Center.

You know as well as I do how much sports can mean to keeping high-risk kids in school. So click on that link up there, give some dough, and maybe noodle around in the site a bit to find more places to give.