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Quick Hits: July 11, 2019
1) According to the arbitration hearing schedule posted on the NHLPA website, the hearing for Flyers center Scott Laughton is scheduled for July 30. In most cases, contracts get resolved ahead of a hearing. It would not be at all surprising if the Flyers and Laughton agree ahead of time to a two-year or three-year contract that takes him into unrestricted free agent status at its conclusion. In 2018-19, Laughton carried a $962,500 cap hit but a real-dollar base salary of $1.05 million in the second and final season of the now-expired two-year deal he signed in 2017.
2) Courier Post beat writer Dave Isaac had a good article yesterday on Flyers' participation in the Minnesota-based Da Beauty League; a summer hockey league that annually features a number of NHL players and prospects. James van Riemsdyk is a returning player this summer. Other participants include new Flyers players Justin Braun, Tyler Pitlick and Phantoms/Flyers newcomer Nate Prosser. Flyers prospect Noah Cates (University of Minnesota-Duluth) is also taking part this year.
3) The July portion of the Flyers Community Caravan tour concludes on Thursday in North Wildwood at Albert Allen Memorial Park (4 p.m. EDT to 6 p.m.) on Delaware Ave. As always, the event is free to attend and all related activities -- games, inflatable rink, Flyers Alumni autographs, etc. -- are also free. Gritty will be on hand in Ocean City, along with Dave "the Hammer" Schultz, Brad Marsh, Bob Kelly, Doug Crossman, Riley Cote and broadcaster Steve Coates. Other features include a massive inflatable Gritty, bubble hockey, and tailgate games including Putterball, Sauceoff, and Giant Connect Four.
4) On a very sad note, on Wednesday, a funeral procession passed through the Skate Zone in Voorhees for 14-year-old Flyers Youth Hockey Program player Shane McGarvey. The young Marlton native was killed in a dirt bike accident in Waterford Township on July 3. Condolences go out to all of Shane's family and friends.
5) Happy 67th birthday wishes go out to Bill Barber. One of the NHL's most complete left winger of the 1970s, the Hockey Hall of Fame inductee remains the Flyers' all-time goal scoring leader and a member of the team's 50-goal, and 100-point clubs. Later, he coached the Philadelphia Phantoms to the 1997-98 Calder Cup championship and won the Jack Adams Award as Flyers head coach in 2000-01.
Side note: If you ever bump into Chris Therien, ask him to do his Bill Barber impression. Bundy has Bill's voice so down pat that if the two were in the same room talking to each other and you closed your eyes, you wouldn't know which one was the real Bill Barber and which one was doing an impersonation.
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