Image courtsey of Philly.com

With Free Agency approaching, let’s discuss Holmgren Economics

It’s rare in today’s sports world, and especially in the world of the Philadelphia Flyers, for the general population to agree on something. Let’s face it, more often than not the topic at hand tends to be polarizing. People rarely sit in the middle with indifference. You have your lovers, and you have your haters. Whether you’re discussing Matt Carle, Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, a goaltending carousel, or if a particular trade rumor would be beneficial, there’s usually a clear divide among the masses. Paul Holmgren is no exception in this regard. I’ll preface this article by saying if you …

James van Riesmdyk

Lost in translation: What that offseason news really means

The offseason is filled with plenty of news, speculation, absurd rumors, and hyperbole. So, we at Flyers Faithful have decided to take our best shot at deciphering some of the things that you’ve heard recently. News: This was a great pick by the Flyers! He’s an absolute steal with a lot of upside and projects to be a Mike Richards-type player. What it sounds like: Holy crap, we traded Mike Richards for Mike Richards last year and drafted another Mike Richards this year! What it really means: The kid plays two-way hockey and probably scored a nice shorthanded goal when he was fifteen …

Laughton 20113758

Grading the Flyers draft

#20 – Scott Laughton, Center The Flyers are good at finding value when picking late in the first round, but this time they looked for something different than what made them successful in the past. In past drafts, they’ve picked forwards with plenty of offensive skill that ended up being undervalued due to their small stature (Giroux, Richards, Downie). On Friday night, they reached slightly for someone short on offensive skill. Laughton has the potential to be a gritty, shutdown center, but I feel this type of player is usually found in the second round. Grade – B #45 – …

Thanks to Maple Leafs Hot Stove

Breaking: Schenn swapped for JVR

As if picking five players on day two of the draft wasn’t enough action, the Philadelphia Flyers announced a deal on Saturday evening which sends forward James van Riemsdyk to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for defenseman Luke Schenn. Van Riemsdyk, a second-overall pick in 2007 out of the University of New Hampshire, seems to be the victim of the elastic nature of expectations. He totaled 11 goals and 24 points in 43 games during an injury-plagued season last year on the heels of leading the club with seven goals in 11 postseason contests in the Spring of 2011. …

Photo courtesy of Oilers Jambalaya

Flyers draft Valeri Vasiliev

This is the only photo I could find of Flyer draft pick defenseman Valeri Vasiliev. There was another Valeri Vasiliev,a legendary defenseman from the 70′s and 80′s but he passed recently. I believe our Valeri is the guy on the left. Some thoughts on Vasiliev from OilersJambalaya.com: Vasiliev spent last season skating in the Russian MHL with MHC Spartak. The 18-year-old defenseman already has a man’s body and is regarded as a physical force by scouts. Quality skater with average offensive instincts but makes very good decisions and plays a basic game. Vasiliev should be worth a Top 100 pick, but …