2013 Year In Review: Claude Giroux

By Hal G
Posted on 05/10/2013 at 11:00 am

The story of Claude Giroux as a Philadelphia Flyer will forever be a success for one simple reason: it could have been Bobby Sanguinetti. As the infamous story goes, the Flyers desperately wanted the American defenseman. The New York Rangers, sitting one spot ahead of the Flyers, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft chose Sanguinetti, leaving the Flyers to frantically chose Giroux with the 22nd pick. The draft announcement by then-General Manager Bob Clarke was even better, as he forgot Giroux’s name. Giroux is one of the homegrown stars in the NHL and, more specifically, the Flyers. He signed a …

Remembrance of Things Past

By Bob H
Posted on 03/30/2013 at 12:00 pm

With every passing day and every passing game as the end of the 2013 season unravels before our eyes during this five-game homestand, it’s important to gain and keep perspective. We get it. You put your heart and soul and money towards this team. You have Facebook and Twitter, you are upset and have every right to complain about the way the Flyers seem to be circling the drain when a playoff spot is tantalizingly out of reach. You have the means to voice that displeasure, and you do. But why do those 140-character missives of bitterness and frustration seem …

Point/Counterpoint: What to expect when you’re expecting a 48-game season

By Bob H
Posted on 01/08/2013 at 1:00 pm

Welcome to the newest edition of “Point/Counterpoint,” where a pair of Flyers Faithful scribes present both sides of one particular issue with their own unique view and flair. This week, Nick D. and Bob H. renew their Laurel and Hardy act, trading barbs on what exactly fans will see once the NHL agrees to a fixed number of games to complete the truncated 2012-13 season. Point, Nick: Nail-biting white-knuckling, heart-attack-inducing intensity. Every game, every minute, every point will be huge. Anything can happen. Basically what you can expect is all around great hockey every single night and since it is NHL …

Flyers Fans Book Review Part One

By ecnewman
Posted on 03/02/2012 at 12:00 pm

When you start a new hobby, or obsession (more apropos in my case), there is a lot of information to learn right off the bat. When my best friend Pam introduced me to hockey and subsequently, the Flyers, a lot of names came hurtling my way. Present Flyers, past Flyers, trades, etc. I heard names like Lindros, Pelle, Hextall, Clarke and I’m one of those people who has to see things to remember them. Just hearing stuff doesn’t stick in my mind. So I knew about Pelle Lindbergh and who Bob Clarke was (I now can recognize him both from …

Let’s Do The Time Warp Again

By Bob H
Posted on 08/23/2011 at 7:00 pm

While us penguins continue to wilt in the usual Northeastern Summer heat, pining for the days when a cool iceberg awaits our collectively scorched behinds, thoughts about the upcoming (and too far off) season still seep their way into our Sun-addled brains. This is the final piece in a five-part series which intends to examine the ways the Flyers front office, though publicly professing to want to win the Cup by any means necessary, just ends up conducting business as usual year in and year out. Perk up your ears when you’re alarm goes off and the radio disrupts your reverie. Flip on the …

Who’s Zoomin’ Who?

By Bob H
Posted on 08/16/2011 at 7:00 pm

While us penguins continue to wilt in the usual Northeastern Summer heat, pining for the days when a cool iceberg awaits our collectively scorched behinds, thoughts about the upcoming (and too far off) season still seep their way into our Sun-addled brains. This is the fourth in a five-part series which intends to examine the ways the Flyers front office, though publicly professing to want to win the Cup by any means necessary, just ends up conducting business as usual year in and year out. Once upon a time, Philly scribes new to this game of hockey spun wonderful tales of general manager …

Hard Choices Always Have to be Made

By Bob H
Posted on 07/18/2011 at 8:00 pm

While us penguins continue to wilt in the usual Northeastern Summer heat, pining for the days when a cool iceberg awaits our collectively scorched behinds, thoughts about the upcoming (and too far off) season still seep their way into our Sun-addled brains. This is the first in a five-part series which intends to examine the ways the Flyers front office, though publicly professing to want to win the Cup by any means necessary, just ends up conducting business as usual year in and year out. It could have been said any time over the last 25 years: At the end of the painful …

Then and Now: Dennis Seidenberg

By Craig F
Posted on 06/08/2011 at 10:00 am

At the time, Bob Clarke’s decision to send 24-year-old defenseman Dennis Seidenberg to Phoenix for the aging Petr Nedved was a questionable move. All the Flyers have left from their trade with the Coyotes on January 20, 2006 is minor leaguer Joonas Lehtivuori. Seidenberg, at the moment, is helping the Bruins try to win their first Stanley Cup since 1970. So just how did the aftermath of this deal transpire? “Nedved has always been a good scorer and a real good player and we think he’ll solve some of our problems up front,” Clarke told the Associated Press after the trade back in …

Spectrum Memories: Sometimes They Come Back

By Bob H
Posted on 01/28/2011 at 9:00 am

To celebrate my 25th year of hockey fandom, I will occasionally step into the way-back machine and write about events in the Flyers’ past. For the balance of the season, I will be dipping into the well to ruminate about some things related to my love of the Philadelphia Flyers, and in general about the fan experience as a youngster. This is the sixth in the series of Spectrum Memories. Losing a family member or a friend to relocations, sickness or death is never a good experience, and the emotions are very raw and fresh when you’re a kid. Thankfully, my rather small family …