It comes with the territory, but isn’t it funny how some trades can be widely criticized when they’re made and rarely is it acknowledged if the trade turns out that maybe the GM knew best after all.
In some circles, eyes rolled last year when the Flyers sent Jan Hlavac to Vancouver for Donald Brashear. There were those who thought it just another example of the Flyers returning to their roots – putting too much emphasis on strength and size and ignoring the fact that the game supposedly had changed, making such players obsolete.
Then a funny thing happened. After Brashear arrived the Flyers went on a 14-2-0-0 run and the critics scurried for cover. Not to suggest that Brashear was the lone reason that the Flyers got hot, but the impact that he had on last year’s team was hard to argue.
One year later, Brashear may now be playing his best hockey of his career and it’s safe to say that he’s surprised even those who supported the deal that brought him to Philadelphia over a year ago. At 6’2, 235 pounds, Brashear is not only an imposing figure even to the most ambitious tough guys around the League – more importantly, he’s proving that the reputation doesn’t preclude him from being an effective force that can play in any situation.
Teamed with Michal Handzus and Radovan Somik, Brashear has been part of one of the League's most effective third lines. Often charged with containing the opposition’s top players, the trio has collectively been the Flyers’ most pleasant surprise.
While combinations have changed throughout the Flyers’ lineup, the one constant has been Brashear, Handzus and Somik. Often they’ve been the team’s most effective trio at both ends of the ice and while Ken Hitchcock insists that offensive contributions come from everyone, even Hitchcock has to be surprised by the production of his third line.
For his part, Brashear has made the most of the opportunity. Although he leads the Flyers in penalty minutes, he has been smart in using his size effectively to create room for his linemates without taking an exorbitant number of penalties and hurting his club.
The key to the line though – what makes it so effective - is the fact that they don’t try to do too much. If it’s picturesque passes and nifty one-on-one play you're after, look elsewhere. Brashear, Handzus and Somik live on a steady diet of hard work, good checking and persistent cycling in the offensive zone. That’s been enough to make it the Flyers' most consistent line and Brashear has been a huge part of it.
As the season winds down and the playoffs draw near, make note of which teams have the best third and fourth lines. While good defense and goaltending are a necessity for any Stanley Cup contender, few have made serious playoff runs without being able to boast of four productive lines.
Just remember when Brashear was acquired a year ago, there were plenty of doubters. Now, they’re hard to find.
Anmerkung von mir: Der soll fighten die Sau!!!!!!!!
War aber irgendwo klar, das Hitchcock aus ihm ne Mimose macht!! Der mag ja kein Geknüppel!!
Méschda Hoschbess holy ...und nichts ist wie es scheint!!
If you dropped the gloves in the office over an injustice and bloodied your boss, you'd get slapped with a lawsuit and five years in the tank. Drop the gloves in hockey and you get five minutes.
...hää?? Hlavac ist im Austausch für Brashear nach Vancouver letztes Jahr!!!
Méschda Hoschbess holy ...und nichts ist wie es scheint!!
If you dropped the gloves in the office over an injustice and bloodied your boss, you'd get slapped with a lawsuit and five years in the tank. Drop the gloves in hockey and you get five minutes.
In Antwort auf: besser brashi in den eigenen reihen als gegen sich !
...naja, er hat grad mal 5 oder 6 fights gehabt diese Saison!! Von daher.....
Méschda Hoschbess holy ...und nichts ist wie es scheint!!
If you dropped the gloves in the office over an injustice and bloodied your boss, you'd get slapped with a lawsuit and five years in the tank. Drop the gloves in hockey and you get five minutes.
In Antwort auf: sollte vielleicht mal nicht zwischen den zeilen lesen
...nein, einfach das lesen was da steht:
In Antwort auf: last year when the Flyers sent Jan Hlavac to Vancouver for Donald Brashear
Méschda Hoschbess holy ...und nichts ist wie es scheint!!
If you dropped the gloves in the office over an injustice and bloodied your boss, you'd get slapped with a lawsuit and five years in the tank. Drop the gloves in hockey and you get five minutes.
In Antwort auf: naja, er hat grad mal 5 oder 6 fights gehabt diese Saison
1) immerhin 2) ist er momentan so stark, weil er auch hockey spielt 3) physisch trotzdem unangenehm ist für jeden gegner
der check im trashers-spiel war ja wohl allererste sahne !
versteh mich net falsch, für mich gehört ein fight genauso zum hockey wie das salz in die supp, aber nach dem del-weichei geschubbse (was wir ja alle mittlerweile gewöhnt sind) froie ich mich schon über geniale checks !!
In Antwort auf: für mich gehört ein fight genauso zum hockey wie das salz in die supp, aber nach dem del-weichei geschubbse (was wir ja alle mittlerweile gewöhnt sind) froie ich mich schon über geniale checks !!
...das geht mir genauso!! Was meinst Du warum ich mir jede Nacht unter der Woche um die Ohren schlage, wenn NHL-Hockey übertragen wird!!
Méschda Hoschbess holy ...und nichts ist wie es scheint!!
If you dropped the gloves in the office over an injustice and bloodied your boss, you'd get slapped with a lawsuit and five years in the tank. Drop the gloves in hockey and you get five minutes.
In Antwort auf: ...das geht mir genauso!! Was meinst Du warum ich mir jede Nacht unter der Woche um die Ohren schlage, wenn NHL-Hockey übertragen wird!!
Weil du bei deinen Arbeitzeiten immer ausschlafen kannst?
Ne, mal im Ersnt. Ein ordentlicher Fight gehört einfach zum Hockey. Gerade in Philly. Allerdings ist Brash nicht unbedingt der ultimative Fighter -schon allein weil er auch Hockey spielen kann wie seien Stats beweisen- und mit Hitchcok steht ein Man an der Bande der nicht wirklich auf "Fighting Hockey" steht. Um nicht zu sagen er verbietet den Jungs das fighten. Fedoruk leidet im übrigen auch darunter.
Aber auf der anderen Seite spielen die Flyers erfologreich Hockey im Moment. Und das ist ja auch nicht zu verachten.
Rock on, and on, and on...
John LeClair breaks down the left wing all alone, moves into the circle and cranks a wicked slap shot with zero hesitation. The baffled goaltender is left with no answers, just questions as the First Union Center's horn blazes and the crowd booms.
Méschda Hoschbess holy ...und nichts ist wie es scheint!!
If you dropped the gloves in the office over an injustice and bloodied your boss, you'd get slapped with a lawsuit and five years in the tank. Drop the gloves in hockey and you get five minutes.
Is klar. Ich auch. Aber das Eine muß halt erstmal reichen.
Rock on, and on, and on...
John LeClair breaks down the left wing all alone, moves into the circle and cranks a wicked slap shot with zero hesitation. The baffled goaltender is left with no answers, just questions as the First Union Center's horn blazes and the crowd booms.
Méschda Hoschbess holy ...und nichts ist wie es scheint!!
If you dropped the gloves in the office over an injustice and bloodied your boss, you'd get slapped with a lawsuit and five years in the tank. Drop the gloves in hockey and you get five minutes.
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!! Der mag ja kein Geknüppel
!!
...und nichts ist wie es scheint!!
!!!
Centurion 
!!
