According to Inquirer beat writer Sam Carchidi, Paul Holmgren
said today that he expects Chris Pronger to be ready for opening night as Pronger recovers from off-season back surgery.
That's good news for the Flyers, of course, but it remains to be seen first how he continues to progress and whether there are any setbacks. Frankly, I still think Sept. 13 is too early to put any timetables on Pronger. He only skated for the first time last Friday.
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There is no official word as of this writing on whether Adam Mair has accepted an invitation from the Flyers to attend training camp as a non-roster invitee. The Flyers are still declining comment.
It appears as though Mair is still negotiating a potential contract with another team, and may be using the tryout invitation as a backup plan in case he cannot get signed.
At any rate, assuming Mair does come to camp, he faces long odds against making the club. Unlike Blair Betts, Mair does not kill penalties (he had an average 0:23 per game of shorthanded ice time in 2010-11, 0:04 in 2009-10, 0:03 in 2008-09, 0:13 in 2007-08 and 0:02 in 2006-07). He also takes far fewer faceoffs than Betts, although he has usually won at least 50 percent. By far, Mair is a more physical player than Betts, and more of an agitator. Both players are considered good locker room citizens.
Considering all the competition he'd be up against for a roster spot, which includes tryout center Michael Nylander, Mair probably would not be more than a 13th forward even if he were to make the club.
But competition is never a bad thing. If Mair comes in, he'll force some of the younger roster bubble players to elevate their games and perhaps be able to earn an NHL contract for 2011-12, even if it is not in Philadelphia.
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The Inquirer ran a nice little
story today about former Flyers captain Keith Primeau earning a college degree from Neumann University on the same day that his 19-year-old eldest son, Corey, also graduated.
Older college students are often the ones who are more motivated and get more from their classes than traditional age college students. Primeau, who does not have to worry about money, got his degree because he wanted to challenge himself, not because he felt obligated or expected to go.
On Oct. 12, Primeau will be the honoree for the first Institute for Sport, Spirituality and Character Development Award at Neumann.
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In recent years, there has been a glut of Flyers-related books (including my own) on the market. There are no Flyers-specific additions to the list that I know of this fall but there is an interesting-sounding new book coming out called "The Philly Fan's Code: The 50 Toughest, Craziest, Most Legendary Philadelphia Athletes of the Last 50 Years."
Written by the New York Times' Mike Tanier and published through Temple University Press, the
book has content on various Flyers' players from the Broad Street Bullies to the current day, as well as players from other sports.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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