Quick Hits: July 17, 2020
1) Flyers left wing Oskar Lindblom, who has completed his treatments for a Ewing Sarcoma in his ribcage as has set his sights on returning to play hockey, is among the top three vote-getters ("finalists") for the 2019-20 Masterton Trophy,
the National Hockey League announced on Thursday. The other two finalists are Dallas Stars defenseman Stephen Johns and Ottawa Senators winger Bobby Ryan.
When it comes to the Masterton Trophy, I think of it more as a representation of the many different ways that perseverance and dedication to the sport come to the forefront with each team having one nominee per season. It's really hard to choose the three "most deserving" candidates and even harder to pick one person above all the rest. The Masterton need not go to a player who dealt with a career-threatening injury, life-threatening illness or heart-wrenching family situation. However, that has more or less evolved into the most common barometer.
That said, Oskar Lindblom's resolute and positive-minded fight against a rare form of bone cancer, the back story of
his road to the NHL, his year-to-year ascent in the league, the outpouring of support for him across the hockey world after his diagnosis, the money and awareness his situation raised for Ewing Sarcoma (a rare bone cancer generally found in pediatric patients and exceptionally rare in adults) makes him a very worthy recipient if he wins this year.
2) Flyers senior director of communications Zack Hill shared a touching story told by Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault about a silver lining to the dark cloud of the Covid-19 pandemic and coping with a parent suffering with dementia. The story gives context to a photograph that Vigneault took while visiting his parents in Gatineau, Quebec, during the pandemic.
"It was the first day I was officially allowed to go out after serving my 14-day quarantine since arriving back in Gatineau, Canada. The first trip I made was to my parents senior care residence," Vigneault told Hill.
"My mom, Loraine (87), and dad, Maurice (85) were originally both on the fifth floor but my mom is now battling dementia so she had to be moved to a 24-hour service on the second floor. When I arrived they both walked out onto the second floor balcony and I was able to take this photo. We were able to talk for a few minutes. It was a very cold day in May but it was a good day for my mom. She recognized me and that was a real good positive for me. Ever since the beginning of May, my sister and I had been visiting every other day. For the last 3-4 weeks the country has opened up and my dad can travel and do his errands and can leave the residence. It's coming along in Canada in a positive way.
"This moment was no doubt the highlight of my quarantine; getting to see my parents."
3) Practice resumes today at the Skate Zone in Voorhees for Day 5 of training camp. The session will start out with concurrent half-hour sessions on the two rinks at the facility and then combine into one session for the remainder. For an in-depth look at what's been learned in the big picture over the first three days of camp -- and a preview of what's to come over the next week of camp,
click here.
4) July 17 Flyers Alumni birthdays: Tommy Söderström (1969), Valeri Zelepukin (1968).
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