Phantoms sold today to the Brooks Group in Pittsburgh ...

**

Baaaad news for Flyers fans tonight against the big, bad Bruins ...

The flu bug which the club thought had died down, reared up again, claiming both Mike Richards and Scottie Upshall, in addition to Braydon Coburn.

I don't have to tell you how much losing Richards is going to hurt. Now, the Bruins have a flu issues, as well, as the team went with an optional skate today to rest players. I know GM Peter Chiarelli is ill, because I saw him this morning. But my hunch is the flu bug on the Bruins is not nearly as bad as on the Flyers.

Just wish we had 2 healthy lineups to get a good read on where the Flyers are right now in relation to Boston.

**

As I understand it, from talking to Peter Luukko, the Phantoms will continue to serve as the Flyers affiliate for an unspecified period of time next season until arrangements with another club can be made.

“This was a very difficult decision for us to make,” said Comcast-Spectacor President Peter Luukko. “When we decided to close the Spectrum we explored many alternatives for relocating the Phantoms and this really became the best scenario.

“We want to thank the thousands of fans who supported the Phantoms over the past 13 seasons,” added Luukko. “We had two Calder Cup Championship Teams and many wonderful memories.”

This was part of the larger picture to develop "Philly Live" on the site where the Spectrum now stands but will be demolished sometime late this year or early 2010.

Two Calder Cups in Philly ... One under Bill Barber and the other under John Stevens ...

The Brooks Group are owners and investors of other minor league hockey and baseball teams. They own the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL, and have ownership interests in the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Pittsburgh Penguins, and three minor league baseball teams: the Altoona Curve (Class AA for the Pirates), the State College Spikes (Class A for the Pirates), and the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Class A for the Atlanta Braves).

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