Today is a travel day for me, as I head from Texas to Philadelphia for the continuation of the Flyers' training camp and the start of the pre-season schedule. Following is a look ahead at the team's practice and game schedule for the next five days:
Monday, Sept. 19
Group A: 9:30 – 10:45 FSZ – Flyers Ice
Group B: 11:30 – 12:45 FSZ – Flyers Ice
Group C: 11:30 – 12:45 FSZ – Phantoms Ice
Tuesday, Sept. 20 -- PRE-SEASON GAME DAY
Group B: 9:15 – 10:45 FSZ – Flyers Ice
Group C: 9:15 – 10:45 FSZ – Phantoms Ice
Game - Flyers at Toronto - 7:00 PM (Air Canada Centre)
Wednesday, Sept. 21 -- PRE-SEASON GAME DAY
Game roster skate: 10:15 Wells Fargo Center morning skate (Closed to public)
Group B: 9:15 – 10:45 FSZ – Flyers Ice
Group C: 9:15 – 10:45 FSZ – Flyers Ice
Game- Flyers vs. Toronto - 7:00 PM (Wells Fargo Center)
Thursday, Sept. 22 -- PRE-SEASON GAME DAY
Group B: 9:15 – 10:45 FSZ – Flyers Ice
Group C: 9:15 – 10:45 FSZ – Phantoms Ice
GAME DAY - Flyers vs. Detroit - 7:00 PM (John Labatt Centre in London, Ontario)
Friday, Sept. 23 -- PRE-SEASON GAME DAY
Group B: 9:15 – 10:45 FSZ – Flyers Ice
Group C: 9:15 – 10:45 FSZ – Phantoms Ice
GAME DAY - Flyers at Detroit - 7:30 PM (Joe Louis Arena)
It will be nice to see the Flyers actually play some games again, as there is only so much to be gathered from the practices alone. Today's Daily News had an article on
Jakub Voracek's breakout potential in the upcoming season.
Of all of the Flyers' new additions, Voracek may be the most important in the short-term. The pressure is on to take the next step in his development. He failed to step forward last season, producing less than he did in his second campaign and drawing criticism for his conditioning. The Flyers will need Voracek to start coming into his own if they are to be a team with a potent offensive attack.
Voracek is a player whom the Flyers would have considered drafting if they had moved down in the 2007 Entry Draft rather than hanging on to the second overall pick and selecting James van Riemsdyk. Shortly before the draft, I had opportunity to interview Voracek's coach with the Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL), former NHL player Cam Russell, at length about the young Czech.
Russell was quick to assert that Voracek had all of the tools needed to become an NHL start, and also said that he was a hard-working and self-motivated player. The latter claim runs somewhat contrary to the early NHL reputation that Voracek has established, which I think is partially of the player's doing but also partially based on the still-existent stereotypes that get pinned all-too-easily on Czech and Russian players who don't immediately excel in the NHL. The other day, HockeyBuzz's Adam French wrote a very good
blog on the "Lazy Russian" stereotype, which also gets applied frequently to Czech players.
This summer, Voracek attempted to respond to the criticisms about his conditioning. He spent 2 1/2 months in Montreal training under the direction of strength coach Jonathan Chaimberg.
Over the course of his career, Voracek has never been nearly as much of a natural goal-scorer as Jeff Carter, the player for whom he was traded. However, Voracek by far is a better passer and playmaker (which means that he'll try things that sometimes lead to turnovers and opposing transitional opportunities). He has enough size and strength to be strong on the puck when he sets his mind to it.
Voracek is still working on his all-around game at the NHL level, but back in '07 at least, Russell opined that he thought Voracek would evolve into a decent two-way player. That, too is going to be necessary for the Flyers to come out stronger on the other side of this summer's blockbuster trades.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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