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Quick Hits: Brassard, Dev Camp invitees, TIHF and More |
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Quick Hits: August 26, 2021
1) The Flyers announced the signing of center Derick Brassard to a one-year, $825,000 contract. A veteran of 905 regular season games and 117 matches in the Stanley Cup playoffs, Brassard will turn 34 on Sept. 22. A full-length analysis article will follow on PhiladelphiaFlyers.com today. In a nutshell, Brassard is still a serviceable third-line center option in the short term. He's no longer the same caliber of player that he was during his best years in the NHL, when he played for Alain Vigneault's New York Rangers, but he still can contribute. His arrival in Philadelphia could temporarily block Morgan Frost from the 3C spot but that situation will play out over training camp and the season.
2) Keep an eye out also for my two-part Flyers Development Camp preview on the official site: Part 1 looks at the forwards in camp, while Part 2 covers the defensemen and goalies. Below is a look at the undrafted invitees who will be attending the camp.
J.R. (Jon-Randall) Avon (C): A fleet and polished skater, Avon was a highly touted player entering the Ontario Hockey League from the Eastern AAA level. He represented Canada White at the under-17 international level in 2019-20. The pandemic-related cancelation of the 2020-21 OHL season after the early curtailment of the 2019-20 season hurt Avon's chances of being selected in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. Avon, who turned 18 on July 4, is attending Development Camp with the Flyers on an invitational basis. He is the stepson of longtime NHL star Steve Larmer.
Ethan Burroughs (RW): A prolific minor hockey goal scorer at the U16 and U18 AAA levels, Burroughs was a second-round pick in the 2019 OHL Draft. He showed promise as an Ontario Hockey League rookie in 2019-20 but his development was affected by the pandemic-related early end to that season and subsequent cancelation of the 2020-21 campaign. He turned 18 on June 19, 2021 and was not selected in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. Burroughs is not a big-framed player but has good hands, good feet and a reputation for being a hard-working and coachable young player.
Nolan Ritchie (C): A high-energy, pint-sized (5-foot-9. 174-pound) forward who hounds the puck on the forecheck and can play the point on the power play, Ritchie is coming off an offensively productive abbreviated 2020-21 WHL season for the Brandon Wheat Kings (10 goals, 27 points in 24 games). This was a promising development as Ritchie suffered a badly broken leg the previous season, ruining his 2019-20 campaign and causing him to go undrafted. Many pre-Draft projections prior to the 2021 NHL Entry Draft had Ritchie going in the mid-to-late rounds, but he slipped through the cracks.
Quinn Schmiemann (D): Originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the sixth round (182nd overall) of the 2019 Entry Draft, the 20-year-old Schmiemann became an unrestricted free agent this summer when he was not signed to an entry-level contract and was not selected as an NHL Draft re-entry player. At the WHL level with the Kamloops Blazers, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Schmiemann was a capable two-way defenseman who saw multi-situational usage including some power play time.
Jackson van de Leest (D): The huge-framed 20-year-old (6-foot-7, 238 pounds) likes to throw his weight around and plays a simple, straightforward game. For a time a few years ago with the WHL's Calgary Hitmen, van de Leest was paired with Flyers prospect Egor Zamula.
An impressive physical specimen who keeps himself in good condition, the question mark with van de Leest has always been whether he is sufficiently skilled with the puck and quick enough with his decision-making and execution, including his defensive footwork, to translate his game to the professional pace. Moving in a straight line, he has good mobility especially for a player his size.
3) August 26 Alum birthday: Wayne Simmonds (1988).
4) Today in Flyers History: Aug. 26, 2020
In Game 2 of the 2020 Eastern Conference Semifinal in the Bubble at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, the Flyers saw a three-goal lead slip away before rescuing a 4-3 win in overtime against the New York Islanders. Phil Myers ended the game with a point shot goal at 2:40 of OT.
A pair of Kevin Hayes goals off the rush staked the Flyers to an early 2-0 lead. Sean Couturier then ended his postseason-long scoring drought with another goal off the rush, prompting a goalie change for the Islanders. Anders Lee scored a power play tip-in goal midway through the second period, cutting New York's deficit to 3-1. Anthony Beavillier made it 3-2 midway through the third period. Then an attempted exit pass from Travis Sanheim became a turnover and J-G Pageau tied the game before Myers knotted the series at 2:40 of overtime.
Carter Hart stopped 31 of 33 shots to earn the win. Semyon Varlamov lasted just 15:09 from the opening faceoff, getting beaten three times on 10 shots. Thomas Greiss relieved him and stopped 20 of 21 shots. Greiss wasn't tested much until overtime.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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