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Flyers West Update: Gagne Nearing A Return?

There has been a flurry of activity surrounding Simon Gagne over the last two weeks. First, it was announced that he had been cleared for contact – terrific news after he’d been suffering from concussion-related issues over the past five months. Then, it was announced that he had participated in a full practice with his teammates. Most recently, it was announced that Gagne will make the trip to New Jersey with the rest of the Kings for the start of the Stanley Cup Finals. So what does this all mean for Gagne, who hasn’t played a game since sustaining a …

Image courtesy of openingfaceoff.net

CBA 101 Part 2: 35+ Contracts – The Chris Pronger Story

One aspect of the Collective Bargaining Agreement which is near and dear to the Flyers’ heart is the 35-plus contract; which we’ll cover here in Part 2 of CBA 101. A 35-plus contract is a contract of greater than 1 year, in which the player is 35 years or older when the contract takes effect. So what’s the big deal, right? The stipulation with this kind of pact is that no matter what happens, you can’t be rid of the player’s cap hit unless he is traded or claimed on waivers. Even if you were to send a player on …

Thanks to Sportsnet.ca

Game 5: Parade This

Flyers Faithful presents the fifth in a seven-part series examining and celebrating the 1987 Stanley Cup Finals between the Philadelphia Flyers and Edmonton Oilers, arguably the best NHL championship pairing of the last 30 years. Pride and confidence are great things to display in the right quantities, in the right time. And karma can be a real bitch. One game away from claiming their third Stanley Cup in four seasons, the print media in Alberta’s capital simply lost its mind on Tuesday and published parade plans for a few days hence. “Coming home to our adoring fans, the scene was …

Thanks to F*** Yeah Flyers

Game 4: Infamy and a 3-1 deficit

Flyers Faithful presents the fourth in a seven-part series examining and celebrating the 1987 Stanley Cup Finals between the Philadelphia Flyers and Edmonton Oilers, arguably the best NHL championship pairing of the last 30 years. Tell the truth. You don’t remember anything about Game 4 except 1) the Flyers lost and 2) the completion of the action from the above picture. More on that later. Sufficiently chastened after blowing the Mother of all Leads less than 48 hours earlier, the Edmonton Oilers came back with a more complete game plan and much better execution to assume a 3-1 series edge. …

16candles

Repressed Hockey Memories: The Dance

April 10th 1988…The Flyers’ near-Stanley Cup win the season previous, had me following the 87-88 team like an obsessed stalker. I think I watched every televised game that year and lived and died with that team. When the playoffs came around I strapped myself in, ready for a wild ride. The Dale Hunter-led Capitals were the perfect first round opponent. I hated Hunter’s face and looked forward to ruining his season. I was also 17 years old, and painfully awkward among my peers. Hockey was actually a great escape from having to interact with the most vicious of all creatures …