FLYERS 2005-06 SEASON THREAD!

[BigEd76]

Hitchcock was on CBS3 tonight and said he lost 30 pounds.    He also confirmed that the first line will be Gagne-Forsberg-Carter... 

Camp starts next Tuesday... 

[Rome]

I wonder if Hitch is on the same diet as Reid?

[Seabiscuit36]

That is going to be a fun line to watch.  Im wondering if Richards will be centering the second line?  Primeau is a perfect checking line center and Zeus or Sharp a good 4th. 

[PhillyGirl]

I wonder if Hitch is on the same diet as Reid?

Nope, Hitch does NutriSystem. Reid does LA weight loss. 

[Seabiscuit36]

No more Collins 

Veteran official Collins retires after 28 years


TORONTO -- Kevin Collins will not officiate in the NHL's post-lockout era.

On Friday, the NHL announced the retirement of Collins, who worked 1,964 regular-season games and 296 Stanley Cup playoff contests during a 28-year career as an on-ice official.

The 54-year-old Collins will join the NHL's officiating department as an officiating manager this season.

"Kevin's on-ice career was marked by excellence, dedication and passion for the game," NHL senior vice president and director of officiating Stephen Walkom said. "We thank him for his more than a quarter century [of] service to the league and look forward to having his experience and knowledge benefit our officials in the AHL and NHL this coming season."

Collins, who was selected to work 11 Stanley Cup Finals and two All-Star Games, also worked the 1998 Winter Olympic Games in Nagano and the World Cup of Hockey in 1996.

Following a 301-day lockout that wiped out the entire 2004-05 season, the NHL introduced a host of new rules to enhance the flow of the game and increase scoring.

Included in the new rules to which both players and officials must adapt are the red line being omitted to permit longer passes, nets being moved two feet closer to the end boards and goaltenders having both the size of their equipment and the areas from which they can handle the puck

[MDS]

Now if only CB Bucknor and Alfonso Marquez can follow suit on baseball, we'd be in business.

[rjs246]

Now if only CB Bucknor and Alfonso Marquez can follow suit on baseball, we'd be in business.

Don't bring your zesty psuedo-sport into this thread, buddy.

[MDS]

Sorry sir. Off to the coalation meeting.

[Sgt PSN]

Keep those collar poppers at bay MDS.  And be on the look out for the pant roll.  It can't be too far behind. 

[PhillyGirl]

Damn, this season keeps looking better and better.

[LBIggle]

HOC

HOCC



HOCKEY!?!?

yahhhhhhhhh buddy.  im not going to a game this year though. just cuz they finally decided to get a deal done, doesn't mean im going to jump right back on their dicks. let their wallets suffer a season.  maybe they'll make ticket prices reasonable or something.  the new rules look interesting though. definately can't wait .

[SD_Eagle5]

Hatcher and Forsberg injured  Should be ready by the season opener though.

[PhillyGirl]

Hatcher and Forsberg injured  Should be ready by the season opener though.

'

Eh, not really an injury to Forsberg, but annoying nonetheless.

Good that they'll be both be healthy come the season though. 

[Seabiscuit36]

Umberger earns attention as Flyers start camp

By Tim Panaccio

Inquirer Staff Writer


As a youngster growing up in Pittsburgh, R.J. Umberger fantasized about what it would be like to wear a Penguins sweater.

"Part of me always wanted to a Penguin," Umberger said. "Any kid wants to play in his hometown. It would have been childhood dream to play alongside Mario Lemieux. But the bigger dream was playing in the NHL."

Yesterday, as the Flyers opened training camp at the Skate Zone in Voorhees, Umberger was among the 52 Flyers and Phantoms players.

The 23-year-old would have a legitimate chance to make the NHL team if only he weren't a center. The Flyers already have five centers, including veterans Peter Forsberg, Keith Primeau and Michal Handzus.

"All I can do is my best, and whatever happens, I can't control," Umberger said. "What I can control is how hard I work."

Umberger joined the organization more than a year ago as a free agent out of Ohio State. He was an impact player on the Phantoms' Calder Cup championship run last season with 21 goals and a team-high 65 points, playing mostly on a line with Jon Sim. Sim might be a key to his sticking around.

Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock uses pairs of forwards on every line. For instance, Primeau and Sami Kapanen are a pair. Forsberg and Simon Gagne will be a pair when the former returns from right ankle surgery. Sim and Umberger are a familiar pair.

"We're going to take these pairs into exhibitions and see what they look like," Hitchcock said. "Umberger and Sim, [Patrick] Sharp and [Jeff] Carter are pairs. Why mess around with good chemistry?"

The coaching staff has told the 6-foot-2, 213-pound Umberger to use his size to hang onto the puck longer.

"We want him to play like Handzus and Primeau do, where you hang onto the puck and protect it," Hitchcock said. "For me, [Umberger] is a very intriguing player. He comes from a year off from college, does not play, comes into the American Hockey League and has good year, then comes in here and looks like a hell of a player."

That's where Sim comes in. He was the recipient of many a good pass from Umberger last season. Sim had 61 points (35 goals) as a Phantom.

"We work pretty well off each other," Sim said. "Some guys get together and it's natural chemistry. R.J. has to show Hitch he can play both ends of the rink. That was my problem when I was younger."

Added Umberger, "I love passing the puck. The biggest part of my game is seeing the ice, using my size and moving the puck, which is where Jon comes in because he's always open to shoot."

That was the case yesterday during an up-tempo scrimmage in which Umberger's line, including winger Josh Gratton, displayed some spark.

The longer it continues in camp, the better Umberger's chances.

"Maybe the best path to the NHL for me is through Philly," Umberger said with a smile.

Loose pucks. Look for OLN to announce this week that former Flyer Bill Clement has been hired as one of two studio hosts for NHL games this fall.

Mike Richter, Neil Smith and Pierre McGuire are finalists for the other in-studio anchor spot.

[MDS]

Look for OLN to announce this week that former Flyer Bill Clement has been hired as one of two studio hosts for NHL games this fall.

Don't hire Melrose for the other one. Don't hire Melrose for the other one. Don't hire Melrose for the other one. Don't hire Melrose for the other one. Don't hire Melrose for the other one. Don't hire Melrose for the other one. Don't hire Melrose for the other one. Don't hire Melrose for the other one. Don't hire Melrose for the other one. Don't hire Melrose for the other one. Don't hire Melrose for the other one. Don't hire Melrose for the other one. Don't hire Melrose for the other one. Don't hire Melrose for the other one. Don't hire Melrose for the other one. Don't hire Melrose for the other one. Don't hire Melrose for the other one. Don't hire Melrose for the other one.