They obviously felt Gonchar was expendable.
- Jsaquella

They did say they felt they have at least 6 d-men who could play in the NHL now.

They did say they felt they have at least 6 d-men who could play in the NHL now.
- ob18

Maybe there's another deal in the works or perhaps they felt Gonchar was playing that poorly after his injury that they could replace him with a kid.

Maybe there's another deal in the works or perhaps they felt Gonchar was playing that poorly after his injury that they could replace him with a kid.
- Jsaquella

They want Grossmann back

They want Grossmann back
- ob18

According to Kevin Weekes, a source with the Stars says it opens a spot for John Klingberg

According to Kevin Weekes, a source with the Stars says it opens a spot for John Klingberg
- Jsaquella

Not shocked.

They want Grossmann back
- ob18

leadway to Meltzer

According to Kevin Weekes, a source with the Stars says it opens a spot for John Klingberg
- Jsaquella

Stars gonna star

No goalie should ever be signed to a contract of that terms.. Too much can happen over that time period and its unrealistic to think a goalie can play at a high level for 9 years to command such a contract.. Let alone a mostly unproven one such as Bryz... Hindsight maybe? Live and learn.. or live and laugh
- Trainfellow

The reason for signing him to a 9 year deal, wasn't that they expected him to play at a high level for 9 years. It was to add low salary years on the back end, to lower the cap hit.

The reason for signing him to a 9 year deal, wasn't that they expected him to play at a high level for 9 years. It was to add low salary years on the back end, to lower the cap hit.
- MJL

Ugh! that deal was highway robbery by Bryz......

Ugh! that deal was highway robbery by Bryz......
- GOA88

we went from Keith the thief to Homer the hacked

Stars gonna star
- Just5

they need to put a billboard out in Dallas to promote Meltzer's star gazing blog

Yep. He's not even adequate
- Jsaquella

He's moderately neato

He's moderately neato
- BiggE

I'm a believer in you are who you are, not who you were.

Mason has been a good goalie as a Flyer. He was a mediocre to bad one in Columbus.

Has Ek confirmed yet? If not, I won't believe it
- PhillySportsGuy

Forget Ek, what about the oracle of all hockey knowledge, aka capgeek

I'm a believer in you are who you are, not who you were.

Mason has been a good goalie as a Flyer. He was a mediocre to bad one in Columbus.
- Jsaquella

Agreed, I just like the expression, LOL

Agreed, I just like the expression, LOL
- BiggE

Ah, I see.

It is ridiculous. First of all, how reliable can one guy be in compiling the distance of every shot in every game? Human element involved there. Secondly, all shots from 30 feet or any other distance are created equal? It's a shame that the stat heads have forgotten about actually watching the games to critique a players performance, and think they can look at everything with statistics to come to the proper conclusion.
- MJL

I think this was all just for comparative purposes. Everyone know Craig Anderson is playing well and everyone knows Rask is struggling. The numbers help to compare each player. Not perfect but a tool still. Also, it helps if you don't watch every game which not many people can say they do.

Post-Practice Updates

With three practice days and a gameday morning skate to go until the team returns to game action against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday, the Flyers conducted a somewhat training camp-like practice session at the Skate Zone today after an off-day on Monday. The team had a skating-intensive segment of practice, five-on-five forechecking, and a segment where players worked with a net on the half boards.

Prior to practice, injured players Luke Schenn (left shoulder) and Ryan White (rehabbing after preseason surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle) skated on their own with assistant coach Ian Laperriere. Defenseman Andrew MacDonald (lower body injury, suspected to be his right knee) was initially slated to skate today but did not participate.

Flyers coach Craig Berube, who has not on the ice until the full practice began, initially said after practice that MacDonald skated briefly with the other rehabbing players but later corrected himself. The coach denied that MacDonald suffered a setback but said the player is not close to returning to the lineup.

Apart from Carlo Colaiacovo re-entering the starting defense lineup in the absence of Luke Schenn, Berube stuck with a mid-game line change he made in Saturday's game against the Avalanche: Jason Akeson skated on the right wing of Vincent Lecavalier's line with R.J. Umberger on the left wing. Chris VandeVelde moved to fourth line right wing.

"Vinny and R.J. need to play with a playmaker to get them the puck," Berube said. "Akeson can make some plays with the puck, so we will see how that works."

Asked about the play of Umberger, who has one goal and three points in 14 games this season, Berube defended the player's overall performance and said he has no current plan to move him down in the lineup.

"He adds size, he kills penalties and he plays defense," said Berube. "He's scored some goals in this League, too, and I think he will still score some goals. He has to get to the net and someone has to get him the puck."

Steve Mason is likely to be in goal when the Flyers face his former team on Friday. On the ice early as is his norm, Mason broke in a new pair of pads. Former Flyers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, out with a broken hand, is expected to out until next week. Bobrovsky should be ready to go by the time the Flyers play Columbus again at the Wells Fargo Center on Nov. 22.

In tomorrow's blog, I will have an item on the evolution of Jakub Voracek as an offensive player. Voracek talked today about various things he's learned from experience as a player. It is sometimes hard now to recall that, early in his NHL career with Columbus and even his first season with the Flyers, it was often said of Voracek that he was too reluctant to shoot the puck. Voracek discussed the different elements that have combined to make him into the player he has become, with the common denominator being that it comes down to a product of experience.

"It's not just hockey, it's like life," said Voracek. "You don't do everything the same way now you did when you were 18 or 19 years old. You get experience and you learn."

I asked both Voracek and Claude Giroux if they have to make any adjustments to playing with a left winger (Wayne Simmonds) who is playing on his off-wing. The various left wingers on their line -- Scott Hartnell prior to his trade to Columbus, Michael Raffl, Brayden Schenn, VandeVelde, etc -- have all been left handed shots. Simmonds is the first righthander.

"For me, it's not really an adjustment," said Voracek. "For Simmer, it's a bit of adjustment because he has to take more passes on his backhand."

Giroux noted that he's actually playing with two players on their off-wing -- the lefthanded shooting Voracek on right wing plus Simmonds -- which is not the norm. The Flyers captain said that one of the benefits of having multiple practice days before the next game is for Simmonds and the line to work together. Giroux, who admitted that he hates long schedule breaks, said that he especially enjoys playing with Simmonds and Voracek because he considers both close friends.

Putting the whole day in perspective for everyone, was the presence of a special visitor at practice. The team welcomed 19-year-old Jackie Lithgow to practice and the locker room. For those unfamiliar with Jackie's story, he is the Bloomsburg university student who was viciously attacked and left with skull fractures and brain injuries while simply trying to break up a fight at an on-campus party crashed by four football players from Kutztown University.

Jackie, a dedicated Flyers fan, has been living in the Magee Rehabilitation Hospital after undergoing numerous surgeries and being comatose for a period of time. He cannot yet walk and is just starting to regain speech but is aware and responsive. Today was his first day out of the hospital where he's residing. He was accompanied by Flyers ambassador Todd Fedoruk, occupational therapist Paula Bonsall and his parents. It was Fedoruk who arranged the meeting.

To a man, the Flyers players and coaches took time to visit with Jackie and his parents, fussing over him and making him the star of the day.

According to Kevin Weekes, a source with the Stars says it opens a spot for John Klingberg
- Jsaquella

Klingberg's a boss.

Klingberg's a boss.
- Tomahawk

Who is the underboss?

Who is the underboss?
- ob18

Skinny Joey

Who is the underboss?
- ob18

Jyrki Jokipakka, of course.

They want Grossmann back
- ob18

They've really missed Grossmann ever since the trade to Philly. (They are hoping Nemeth can fill that role as he matures but he's now lost for the season due to the serious arm laceration he suffered from getting cut by Umberger's skate).

The Stars blueline might be good in a few years as some of the young players mature, but right now, it's shallower and weaker than the Flyers. Too many undersized and/or non-physical players (except Dillon) with no one to balance them off. Any team that has Jordie Benn in its top four is not exactly deep in currently viable NHL D.

We'll see how Klingberg does. Oleksiak has continued to struggle and Jokipakka looked a bit physically overmatched in his brief look.

According to Kevin Weekes, a source with the Stars says it opens a spot for John Klingberg
- Jsaquella

Strange deal for Montreal as I don't know exactly what Gonchar brings. They already have Subban and Markov as their offensive d guys. Moen is one of those love to have/ hate to face guys in the playoffs. Makes you think that the Flyers could trade Umberger to SJ for Tyler Kennedy

Jyrki Jokipakka, of course.
- Tomahawk

And the consigliere ?