For the first time since the middle of May, the familiar sounds of slap shots and skate blades on the ice echoed through the two practice rinks at the Sovereign Bank Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees, New Jersey.
That’s right – it’s back to work for the Flyers.
Sixty players took the ice on Friday morning on the Flyers’ and Phantoms’ practice rinks. Although many of the players have been around the area for a couple of weeks now, today was the first day in which all of the players, as well as the entire Flyers and Phantoms coaching staffs, were on the ice together.
“It’s been in my mind all summer to get back here and get in the playoffs again and take a shot at it,” said Tony Amonte.
After the first practice of the year in which the players were mixed between the Flyers of last season, the Phantoms of last season and the rookies, the main Flyers players had a second practice at noon by themselves. The younger players and many of last season’s Phantoms were on the other rink, scrimmaging.
Overall, Head Coach Ken Hitchcock was extremely pleased with Day One.
“I thought the tempo at the 10:30 session was excellent, and the NHL session was really about as good as we could ever, ever hope for at this time of year,” he said. “Overall, the day was terrific, and it was great to get back out on the ice.”
Now entering his second season, Hitchcock seems much more eager about this team’s outlook than he did this time last season, when he was still getting used to everything. That’s not to say he thought last year’s team was going to fail, but that this year’s squad should be able to take even bigger strides than the ones that were made last season.
“We’re all on the same page on where we want to go, and we’re all on the same page as to how we’re going to get there,” said Hitchcock. “The thing for us right now is that there is so much familiar ground that we don’t have to re-teach things. We can move ahead into different teaching areas that should really accelerate our team game. That’s what’s got us really excited.”
Jeremy Roenick, who led the team with 59 points last season, also thinks that having one year under Hitchcock under his belt should prove to be positive moving forward into this season.
“We’re another year older together and that’s important – growing as a team,” said Roenick. “We’ve had one year under ‘Hitch’ now and his system. In order for teams to reach that championship caliber they have to maintain consistency, and that is being with the same guys for an extended period of time. That’s a big plus when it comes to getting a team ready for the season – knowing the system and working hard towards it.”
That hard work is now underway.
Friday, September 12, 2003
Méschda Hoschbess holy
Brawls. Blood. Mayhem. Philly style. You want it - we got it!
"We drink all their beer, win the game, beat them up and no one go to jail. Good times, eh?"
...damit Ihr alle wisst, was nächste Saison auf Euch zukommt:
Hitchcock Testing Out Line Combinations
Recchi, Somik and Chouinard Looking Good Early
by Kevin Kurz, philadelphiaflyers.com
Even though it’s very early in training camp, it’s worth noting some of the lines that the coaching staff has skating together on the ice at the Flyers Skate Zone.
Some of the lines are the same as last season, such as the Tony Amonte, Jeremy Roenick and John LeClair line, or the Donald Brashear, Keith Primeau and Sami Kapanen line that had some success.
Perhaps most intriguing group, however, is the threesome of Radovan Somik, Eric Chouinard and Mark Recchi.
“It’s an experiment that we would like to just keep moving ahead with,” said Head Coach Ken Hitchcock. “Here you’ve got a shooter in Chouinard, and a playmaker in Recchi, and you have a guy who has shown the ability in Europe to score (Somik).”
Keeping in mind that Hitchcock wants to give the younger players more of a stake in the playing time this season, the opportunity is there for both Somik and Chouinard to produce with one of the greatest playmakers in Flyers history. For Recchi, it is an adjustment for him to move back to center, a position he hasn’t played on a regular basis since the Flyers' run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2000.
Recchi, always the consummate professional, is not concerned with the role change.
“I played a lot of center before so it’s not really a big deal for me,” said Recchi. “Chouinard is a great shooter and Somik is a real good one-on-one player so hopefully we can work well together.”
While Somik was an everyday player for the Flyers last season when healthy, such was not the case with Chouinard. After acquiring the young center from the Montreal Canadiens organization in late January, Chouinard was in and out of the lineup for much of the regular season, and did not play at all in the postseason.
That being the case, Hitchcock has given Chouinard a great opportunity to earn more playing time when the regular season starts, even if it is just the third day of training camp.
“[Recchi] is a great player and he makes you feel comfortable, and that helps a lot. I’m just trying to go out there and have fun with it,” said Chouinard. “It’s really early, and is only the start of camp. I just want to work hard, since that’s the only thing I can control.”
“Eric is a legitimate, big time scorer,” added Hitchcock. “He wants to shoot the puck anywhere, everywhere and any place, and we need people who can get him the puck so he can do that. He’s got a great chance right now.”
With the preseason schedule beginning on Friday at the Wachovia Center against the New Jersey Devils, Hitchcock will test out certain combinations throughout the nine game schedule leading up to the regular season opener on October 9.
“Right now on drills [the line] looks great, but who knows how it will be in a game? We’re just going to have to let this play out,” said Hitchcock.
Sunday, September 14, 2003
...ooohhh yeah baby!!
Méschda Hoschbess holy
Brawls. Blood. Mayhem. Philly style. You want it - we got it!
"We drink all their beer, win the game, beat them up and no one go to jail. Good times, eh?"
Youngsters to get a long look in preseason game action
by Kevin Kurz, philadelphiaflyers.com
It’s no secret around the Flyers locker room that the biggest competition for roster spots is on defense. Blessed with a strong core of young blue-liners, the Flyers coaching staff has some decisions to make in regards to who will stick with the big club, and who will suit up for the Phantoms when October rolls around.
On Tuesday morning at the Flyers training facility, the groups were split up into Flyers and Phantoms. Looking at the list of defensemen, there were still nine total that were on the NHL side, including the four youngsters – Dennis Seidenberg, Jim Vandermeer, Jeff Woywitka and Joni Pitkanen.
With the preseason schedule beginning on Friday at the Wachovia Center against the New Jersey Devils, Ken Hitchcock and company will get to see how each performs in game action.
“I think we’ve reached the stage right now where they all look good, so now we have to play some teams in a different sweater,” said Hitchcock. “We need to get a better evaluation because I think that each player brings something different. We just need to see whether they can keep up to NHL competition.”
Two of those players, Seidenberg and Vandermeer, saw significant playing time with the Flyers last season, and each had their ups and downs. This time last year, it was Seidenberg who was opening eyes at training camp, but towards the end of the regular season, Vandermeer claimed the final roster spot on defense. When Eric Desjardins went down with a broken ankle in the playoffs last spring, it was Vandermeer who stepped in while Seidenberg watched from the press box.
Regardless of that experience, Vandermeer knows that his roster spot is certainly not set in stone with such talent surrounding him, and knows that the preseason games will be a time for heavy evaluation.
“I think I came in with the right attitude, because I know I am battling for a job,” said Vandermeer. “Nothing is guaranteed, and with [the coaching staff] looking at the four of us really closely for the spots that are open, I think you don’t really expect anything different than for all of us to be playing in the preseason.”
Despite not having ever played in the NHL before, Woywitka and Pitkanen both appear to be ready to step in at the pro level. Woywitka played in some preseason games with the Flyers last year before being sent back to his junior team in Red Deer, where he was the WHL’s best defenseman.
Pitkanen, one of the most highly regarded prospects in recent Flyers history after being drafted fourth overall in 2002, has also impressed with his stick-handling as well as his ability to play the point on the power play.
All four are ready so show their skills beginning on Friday.
“We have been training here and playing against each other, but I’m really excited to start the games,” said Woywitka. “I am just going to try not to worry about anything and just go out there and play my game. I do not want to start worrying about what other players do, I just want to make sure I play my game.”
“I think no matter how much you practice and you scrimmage it is not quite real game like stuff,” said Vandermeer.
How each player performs in the preseason action will go a long way in determining who will be on the ice for the season opener on October 9.
FLYERS NOTES
Hitchcock announced that Robert Esche will be starting the game on Friday, while Jeff Hackett will start in his hometown of London, Ontario on Saturday’s game against Washington. … The line of Keith Primeau, Sami Kapanen and Donald Brashear is “set in stone for opening night,” said Hitchcock. … Per NHL policy, the Flyers must play 10 veteran players in every preseason contest.
Wednesday, September 17, 2003
Woywitka und Pitkanen kommen definiv nicht hoch zu den "big gys"; denke für Seids sieht es dieses Jahr besser aus!!
Méschda Hoschbess holy
Brawls. Blood. Mayhem. Philly style. You want it - we got it!
"We drink all their beer, win the game, beat them up and no one go to jail. Good times, eh?"
VOORHEES, N.J. (AP) -- Flyers left wing John LeClair is still recovering from a shoulder injury that happened nearly 10 months ago.
Coach Ken Hitchcock put LeClair's condition at 60 percent to 70 percent.
After missing 47 games following surgery last Dec. 4, LeClair returned to play in 14 regular-season and 13 playoff games.
But the 34-year-old LeClair admits he wasn't himself. A summer of rehabilitation work has helped but there's still a lot of work to be done.
"There are two things going on here," LeClair said after practice Thursday. "I'm trying to get myself back to where I need to be to play, and I also want to fit in and contribute to the team."
"There are some balance issues but it's mostly about being strong on the puck," he added. "There are certain movements that need time to get better."
In training camp, Hitchcock has been using LeClair on a line with fellow Americans Jeremy Roenick and Tony Amonte. The coach wants to see if LeClair can fit in with the two.
"Building strength in his shoulder is an ongoing process," Hitchcock said. "He's on a shoulder maintenance program for the whole year."
The Flyers open their preseason schedule Friday night against New Jersey -- the first of LeClair's tuneup games.
"He needs to play a bunch of exhibition games here," the coach said. "If he can get himself healthy, up and running, he still wants to carry a big weight. That's why we want to give him a chance to succeed by playing him with good players."
q:nhl.com
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.
Philadelphia, PA – Jeremy Roenick scored a power play goal at 2:29 of overtime as the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the New Jersey Devils in preseason action at the Wachovia Center, 5-4.
Controlling the puck to the left of the goal, Roenick slipped a wrist shot through Devils goaltender Scott Clemmensen to give the Flyers their third win in four preseason games.
Despite scoring the first three goals of the game, the Flyers ended up tied with the Devils at the end of regulation. The Devils scored once in the second period and three times in the third to send the game to the extra session.
“The first half of the game was just too easy. We went to sleep, and when they scored their first goal, they got the momentum and we had a heck of a time getting it back,” said Head Coach Ken Hitchcock. “They are too good a team to go to sleep on.
“We got back up to speed in the third period.”
With the score tied 3-3 in the third period, Michal Handzus gave the Flyers a brief lead. He scored his second goal of the game when he found a loose puck in the face off circle and lifted a wrist shot past Clemmemsen at 14:39 to give the Flyers a 4-3 advantage, but Mike Rupp tied the game with his tally at 16:14.
The Flyers opened the game strong, scoring once and outshooting New Jersey, 7-1. Handzus scored the game’s first goal, when he corralled a rebound of a Simon Gagne shot and backhanded it past a sprawling Corey Schwab.
Jeff Hackett, who played the entire game, kept his preseason scoreless streak alive at the end of the period when a Chris Therien turnover at the Flyers’ blueline resulted in Scott Gomez all alone in front of Hackett. Gomez lifted a wrist shot, but Hackett turned it aside to preserve the one goal lead at the first intermission.
Hackett finished with 27 saves on 31 New Jersey shots.
Philadelphia increased its lead to 3-0 in the second period on goals by Patrick Sharp and Jim Vandermeer. Sharp deflected in a shot by Mark Recchi, while Vandermeer ripped a slap shot by Schwab after an offensive zone faceoff win by Roenick.
The Devils came roaring back, however, scoring three unanswered goals to tie the game. Adrian Foster registered a second period goal, while Patrik Elias and Grant Marshall scored early in the third period to make it a 3-3 contest.
The game intensified after Marshall’s game-tying goal. Donald Brashear and Scott Stevens engaged in a crowd-pleasing fight, with Brashear getting instigation and misconduct penalties after pummeling the New Jersey defenseman.
“Donald has played terrific all exhibition season,” said Hitchcock. “He’s played really hard, and he’s turned into a heck of a hockey player. He does a lot of things from a physical standpoint, but he’s really smart and plays his position well.”
Philadelphia seemed energized after the fight, and regained momentum.
The Devils and Flyers will meet once more in the preseason tomorrow night at the Continental Airlines Arena. The game can be seen locally on Comcast SportsNet beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, September 26, 2003
Méschda Hoschbess holy
Brawls. Blood. Mayhem. Philly style. You want it - we got it!
"We drink all their beer, win the game, beat them up and no one go to jail. Good times, eh?"
East Rutherford, New Jersey – John Madden broke a 2-2 third period tie with a power play goal, as the New Jersey Devils defeated the Philadelphia Flyers in a preseason game at the Continental Airlines Arena, 4-2.
The goal came when Flyers defenseman Jeff Woywitka lost control of the puck skating behind the Philadelphia net. The puck went right to Madden, who blasted a slap shot from the face off circle past Flyers goaltender Jeff Hackett at 6:34.
The loss drops the Flyers’ preseason record to 3-2.
In the first period, New Jersey struck first when Martin Brodeur cleared the puck up the boards and Christian Berglund retrieved it. Berglund went around Flyers defenseman Jim Vandermeer and lifted a wrist shot past Hackett on the far side at 8:19.
The Flyers tied the game on the power play, when Simon Gagne made a great backhanded pass to Jeremy Roenick who was cutting to the net. Roenick deflected the puck behind Brodeur for his third goal of the preseason at 11:24.
In the second, New Jersey took the lead once again while shorthanded. On a three-on-one rush, Eric Rasmussen sent a cross-ice pass to Ray Giroux who lifted the puck over a fallen Hackett.
The Flyers responded once again, however, when Michal Handzus, while lying on the ice, centered the puck to Justin Williams. The puck deflected off of Williams’ stick to Sami Kapanen, who bounced the puck over Brodeur at 7:13 to make it a 2-2 game.
The Devils outshot the Flyers for the game, 25-20. After two periods, Philadelphia had just 13 shots while New Jersey registered only nine.
Hackett went the distance in net for Philadelphia for the second straight night, while regular Phantoms goalie Neil Little was the backup for the Flyers.
Corey Schwab replaced Brodeur after the second period for New Jersey.
The Flyers will play the New York Islanders on Tuesday night at the Wachovia Center, beginning a stretch of four games in four nights to wrap up the preseason schedule.
Saturday, September 27, 2003
Méschda Hoschbess holy
Brawls. Blood. Mayhem. Philly style. You want it - we got it!
"We drink all their beer, win the game, beat them up and no one go to jail. Good times, eh?"
Philadelphia, PA – Michael Peca broke a 1-1 tie in the third period for the eventual game-winning goal, as the New York Islanders defeated the Philadelphia Flyers in a preseason game at the Wachovia Center, 4-1.
After John LeClair tied the game at 0:50 of the third, Peca scored on a rebound of a Jason Blake shot.
Robert Esche, who relieved Jeff Hackett to start the third period, surrendered three goals in the final stanza on 10 shots. Hackett stopped 10 of 11 Islanders shots.
The game was the Flyers’ first of four consecutive nights of preseason contests. The loss dropped their overall preseason record to 3-3.
New York got on the board in the first period with a power play goal. Blake took a shot from the point, and Hackett made the save with his left pad. The puck rebounded right to Radek Martinek, however, and he redirected the puck into the net at 16:26.
After a scoreless second period, LeClair’s goal briefly tied the game at the beginning of the third period. After taking a pass from Mark Recchi, LeClair skated toward the net and lifted a wrist shot that deflected off of Isles’ goaltender Rick DiPietro’s blocker and in.
Head Coach Ken Hitchcock was impressed with the line of LeClair, Recchi and Radovan Somik.
“LeClair, Recchi and Somik were by far our best line today, and that was real good stuff,” said Hitchcock. “[LeClair] is now getting better and better every day.”
Jason Blake capped off a three point night with a goal at 14:45 of the third period to make it 3-1, while a goal by Adrian Aucoin at 15:21 capped the scoring.
The Flyers struggled on the power play the entire night, going 0-for-7, including 46 seconds of 5-on-3 time in the second period. Philadelphia out shot New York for the game, 26-21.
“When you give up as few shots as we give up, technically you’re doing well,” said Hitchcock. “But when you look at us on special teams, we need a lot of work.”
Philadelphia will travel to Washington tomorrow night with a game at the MCI Center against the Capitals. The preseason schedule will conclude with a game against the Islanders in Hershey, PA on Thursday night, and a game on Friday night at the Wachovia Spectrum against the Phantoms at 7:00 pm.
Tuesday, September 30, 2003
Méschda Hoschbess holy
Brawls. Blood. Mayhem. Philly style. You want it - we got it!
"We drink all their beer, win the game, beat them up and no one go to jail. Good times, eh?"
John LeClair will miss 2-to-4 weeks due to a broken left foot, according to Flyers team physician, Dr. Peter DeLuca. "John got hit with a puck in his left foot. An x-ray [in West Point, NY] didn’t show anything, but John had continued discomfort. A second x-ray did indeed show a fracture of the fifth metatarsal." LeClair injured the foot after taking a slap shot while the team was practicing on Sunday. He will wear a walking boot while waiting for the injury to heal.
Alles Chef, alles Def, alles Routine...
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.
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