Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Wingers of the 2000s, WJC Evaluation Camp, Quick Hits

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Wingers of the 2000s, WJC Evaluation Camp, Quick Hits
- bmeltzer

Good morning Bill

I went with:
Gagne
Hartnell
Kapanen
Recchi
Voracek
Knuble

Who were your top 6?

Good morning Bill. Great blog as always. Your part about Forsberg's insane skill despite not playing here long is exactly why I chose him along with Claude and Richards yesterday.

Today is much tougher for me, but here it is:
Simon Gagne - easy choice
Scott Hartnell - easy choice
Mike Knuble - always loved his drive and ability to go to the net
Mark Recchi - only a few years here during the 2000s, but still a great player
Sami Kapanen - may not have put up points, but his all around play and willingness to do anything to help the team like playing D earns him a spot here
Jaromir Jagr - toughest call since he was only here 1 season. But the fact he was able to take the majority of Flyers fans from hating him to loving him in 1 season says something.

Good morning Bill

I went with:
Gagne
Hartnell
Kapanen
Recchi
Voracek
Knuble

Who were your top 6?
- BiggE

Gagne, Hartnell, Knuble, Recchi, Voracek and LeClair (although he was in marked decline because of the back issues, he still was a bankable 20-25 goals). Strongly considered Jagr, because his impact was deeper than just his stats in one year with the team but went with LeClair.

Good morning Bill. Great blog as always. Your part about Forsberg's insane skill despite not playing here long is exactly why I chose him along with Claude and Richards yesterday.

Today is much tougher for me, but here it is:
Simon Gagne - easy choice
Scott Hartnell - easy choice
Mike Knuble - always loved his drive and ability to go to the net
Mark Recchi - only a few years here during the 2000s, but still a great player
Sami Kapanen - may not have put up points, but his all around play and willingness to do anything to help the team like playing D earns him a spot here
Jaromir Jagr - toughest call since he was only here 1 season. But the fact he was able to take the majority of Flyers fans from hating him to loving him in 1 season says something.
- five4fighting10

I had to put Voracek over Jagr. The fact that he was only here for one season, and that he really wasn't much of a factor in the playoffs that year kept him off my top 6.

Gagne, Hartnell, Knuble, Recchi, Voracek and LeClair (although he was in marked decline because of the back issues, he still was a bankable 20-25 goals). Strongly considered Jagr, because his impact was deeper than just his stats in one year with the team but went with LeClair.
- bmeltzer

Interesting. I thought about Leclair, but from 2001 on he really wasn't the player he had been in the mid and late 90s. I went with Kapanen mainly due to his all around play and the incredible job he did switching to D in the 2004 playoffs.

Ok which clowns actually voted for Asham and Sanderson??

Ok which clowns actually voted for Asham and Sanderson??

- BiggE

I didn't select Sanderson, but I should have.

I will never vote for Recchi, unless its for most hated

I will never vote for Recchi, unless its for most hated
- KINGKENZO

Why so much hate for Recchi?

Gagne, Hartnell, Knuble, Recchi, Voracek and LeClair (although he was in marked decline because of the back issues, he still was a bankable 20-25 goals). Strongly considered Jagr, because his impact was deeper than just his stats in one year with the team but went with LeClair.
- bmeltzer

I had the same centers and wingers

Gagne-Forsberg-Knuble
Hartnell-G-Voracek
LeClair-Richards-Recchi

Gagne, Hartnell, Knuble, Recchi, Voracek and LeClair (although he was in marked decline because of the back issues, he still was a bankable 20-25 goals). Strongly considered Jagr, because his impact was deeper than just his stats in one year with the team but went with LeClair.
- bmeltzer

I had the same 6 wingers as you do above.

I didn't comment on centers yesterday, but I had Briere with G and Primeau. I picked Preems not only or giving me one of my most memorable hockey moments, but for his Leadership and character over the years.

I didn't pick Forsberg due to longevity, or lack thereof, with the team, but also due to the "will he / won't he" questions that dogged the end of his short tenure. Possibly a little unfair, but factored into my opinion nevertheless.

I went with Briere over Richards because he factored much more into our playoff successes IMO. Also, his signing as a FO was a key part of the recovery for the team. Finally, to me he was much more of a leader than Richards with his willingness to talk openly and honestly after tough losses, lead by example, bring young players into his home, etc. and that first season here was awesome!

Wow. Talk about a list of players that have either had much better times or have gone on to bigger and better things lol

Gagne
Hartnell
Recchi
Kapanen
Voracek
Knuble

Hartnell-giroux-voracek
Recchi-Roenick-gagne
Knuble-richards-kapanen

Where can you purchase tickets to the WJ camp games in placid? I live about an hour away and would love to go check out the games next Saturday.

Gagne, Hartnell, Knuble, Recchi, Voracek and LeClair (although he was in marked decline because of the back issues, he still was a bankable 20-25 goals). Strongly considered Jagr, because his impact was deeper than just his stats in one year with the team but went with LeClair.
- bmeltzer

just voted

i had the same 6

Why so much hate for Recchi?
- BiggE

Traitorous dog.
He was a major force behind the acrimony against Barber but never had the balls to voice it. I gained a modicum of respect for Primeau because he took on the leadership role and became the voice of mutiny. Then subsequently, got the team to buy into Hitchcocks philosophy. I'll never like Primeau but he redeemed himself.
Recchi and Boucher on the other hand.....
*also after he was reacquired from Mtl, he came up lame vs Toronto(Cujo) and I hated him for that

I had the same centers and wingers

Gagne-Forsberg-Knuble
Hartnell-G-Voracek
LeClair-Richards-Recchi

- PhillySportsGuy

haha we are still pick bros, bro

I had the same 6 wingers as you do above.

I didn't comment on centers yesterday, but I had Briere with G and Primeau. I picked Preems not only or giving me one of my most memorable hockey moments, but for his Leadership and character over the years.

I didn't pick Forsberg due to longevity, or lack thereof, with the team, but also due to the "will he / won't he" questions that dogged the end of his short tenure. Possibly a little unfair, but factored into my opinion nevertheless.

I went with Briere over Richards because he factored much more into our playoff successes IMO. Also, his signing as a FO was a key part of the recovery for the team. Finally, to me he was much more of a leader than Richards with his willingness to talk openly and honestly after tough losses, lead by example, bring young players into his home, etc. and that first season here was awesome!
- TheGreat28

Briere 72 points in 68 Playoff games as a Flyer
Richards 49 points in 57 Playoff games as a Flyer

I agree with your assessment of leadership, but Richards was a far better all around player in the regular season and he was still very good in the playoffs. You need to take into account how often Richards faced top lines in the playoffs compared to how often Lavi tried to hide Briere from top lines.

haha we are still pick bros, bro
- Crimsoninja

Not everyone can be as smart as us.

Traitorous dog.
He was a major force behind the acrimony against Barber but never had the balls to voice it. I gained a modicum of respect for Primeau because he took on the leadership role and became the voice of mutiny. Then subsequently, got the team to buy into Hitchcocks philosophy. I'll never like Primeau but he redeemed himself.
Recchi and Boucher on the other hand.....
*also after he was reacquired from Mtl, he came up lame vs Toronto(Cujo) and I hated him for that
- KINGKENZO

Ok. How has barbers coaching career gone after his stint here? Maybe Rex was onto something.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Wingers of the 2000s, WJC Evaluation Camp, Quick Hits
- bmeltzer

Sadly disappointed not to see Billy Tibbetts on the list.

Ok. How has barbers coaching career gone after his stint here? Maybe Rex was onto something.
- Just5

Learn your history. Aside for the respect that should have been given, regardless of how poorly Barbers coaching performance was, for being a Flyers legend, Hockey Hall of Famer, his wife was DYING of cancer during this time and you never heard a peep about it. The complete lack of professionalism employed was reprehensible.

Briere 72 points in 68 Playoff games as a Flyer
Richards 49 points in 57 Playoff games as a Flyer

I agree with your assessment of leadership, but Richards was a far better all around player in the regular season and he was still very good in the playoffs. You need to take into account how often Richards faced top lines in the playoffs compared to how often Lavi tried to hide Briere from top lines.
- PhillySportsGuy

This is a very good point, and it is debatable between the two. Obviously more people feel that way since Richards was chosen. I still go with Danny. Maybe it just comes down to the fact that he lived up to his promise when he signed here and was much more of a positive influence on the team. In a way I feel that Richards got a little sidetracked and hence didn't fully reach his potential, and was quite possibly part of the cause of a divided locker room.

This is a very good point, and it is debatable between the two. Obviously more people feel that way since Richards was chosen. I still go with Danny. Maybe it just comes down to the fact that he lived up to his promise when he signed here and was much more of a positive influence on the team. In a way I feel that Richards got a little sidetracked and hence didn't fully reach his potential, and was quite possibly part of the cause of a divided locker room.
- TheGreat28

I agree. I think there was too much of a burden put on him. It's very difficult to be a young captain. Of all the young captains, Toews seems to be the only one that truly was fit for it this early. Guys like Crosby, Ovechkin and Richards just weren't ready to handle that burden yet.

Holmer got a new TV gig

http://www.thedailybeast....lc-s-lowest-show-yet.html