That was one factor. This year was not as sexy.
- Jsaquella

Speaking of sexy, do they utilize ice girls at any of the camps?

Isn't Cousins like Coots not available to play for the Phantoms because of his age? He already has 3 years in junior, really ashame if he can't start in the AHL this year.

Nope. They used one rink. First group started at 9, then the zamboni came out, and the second group started.
- Jsaquella

Last year they used both rinks and I usually take my daughter to the side with less people. Maybe they do it later in camp. Cant remember.

Isn't Cousins like Coots not available to play for the Phantoms because of his age? He already has 3 years in junior, really ashame if he can't start in the AHL this year.
- ravishingone

Yea, he'll return to juniors unless he cracks the roster as the 4th line center or something.

He had a huge year last year too.

Speaking of sexy, do they utilize ice girls at any of the camps?
- JoeRussomanno

Nope. Although Bill was rather dashing in his tee shirt and jeans combo.

Isn't Cousins like Coots not available to play for the Phantoms because of his age? He already has 3 years in junior, really ashame if he can't start in the AHL this year.
- ravishingone

I think Cousins can play in the AHL this year. There was some wondering if he had an outside shot to shoot ahead of Holmstrom and maybe win a NHL job.

Mathers is a better skater than I realized, although the drills today didn;t really lend themselves to hsi abilities.
- Jsaquella

Just reading that up until a few years ago Mathers was a d-man. My playing was limited to street hockey lol, so for all of you current and ex players....how hard would it be to flip him back to defense? He's big and physical, hard right-handed shot, sub-par skating. Maybe they really see him as a 4th line Sestito type but seems like he could add more value long-term on defense.

Nope. Although Bill was rather dashing in his tee shirt and jeans combo.
- Jsaquella

I wonder if Bill knows who EK is? has anyone seen him at the flyers camps?

Yea, he'll return to juniors unless he cracks the roster as the 4th line center or something.

He had a huge year last year too.
- LordStanley88

the flyers are loaded with 4th line players

Just reading that up until a few years ago Mathers was a d-man. My playing was limited to street hockey lol, so for all of you current and ex players....how hard would it be to flip him back to defense? He's big and physical, hard right-handed shot, sub-par skating. Maybe they really see him as a 4th line Sestito type but seems like he could add more value long-term on defense.
- TheGreat28

I think they'll keep him on a wing. He didn't look like a bad skater today, but their really wasn't much done in the drills that would showcase the kind of skating a defenseman has to do over the course of a game. He's a big sturdy looking kid, though.

the flyers are loaded with 4th line players
- vejim

Cousins has 3rd line center potential IMO. 85 points in OHL last year.

I wonder if Bill knows who EK is? has anyone seen him at the flyers camps?
- vejim

Since he's done podcasts with Ek, and shares space in the press box, I'm sure he knows him.

the flyers are loaded with 4th line players
- vejim

Not sure if you can win many cups with that balance.

Nice to see you today at the camp, Bill...the offer to buy my kids stands, BTW.

There were a few guys that stood out today. Shane Harper looked really solid. Nick Cousins did well in the puck drills and showed some feistiness in the battle drills before taking a shot off the foot. Scott Laughton looked good in the second group. Blake Kessel did well in the battle drill, playing defense.

The two that I really noticed were Mike Mangene and Chris Clapperton. Mangene showed a nice shot and good wheels. Kessel handled him in one battle drill, but otherwise, Mangene had a good day.

Clapperton stood out to me more than anyone. He seemed to really be embracing the opportunity. Really good stickhandling on the puck drill, and looked really strong on his skates. He picked a couple of corners in the shooting drills and made a really nice spin move in the battle drill to get away from his defender and pop a backhander top shelf. The only negative he showed was a bit of difficulty handling passes in rush drills, but that could have been bad ice.

Fredrik Larsson, 4th round pick from this year(kid getting the Rocky Tattoo) was also solid in the drills and has a big body. Oliver Laurdissen is a (frank)ing bear of a man. Chase Hatcher, Derian's kid, is a big guy, too, and he looked to have a nice hard shot.

The goalies were kind of a mixed bag. The drills run today were not designed to really show what the goalies could do and they entered them with no warm up shots. Three of the four are over 6'4". Anthony Stolarz and Etienne Marcoux were in the first session. Marcoux is the lone "small" goalie at 6'0" 155lbs. I didn't see the whole first session, though, as the kids had to eat.

In the second session, Cal Heeter was the goalie I focused on. He's big(6'4" 195) and takes up a lot of net. Seemed to have decent mobility for such a big man, but he also seemed to realize that as a guy with a signed contract he wasn't there to earn a deal. However, that could be a result of the drills run, rather than Heeter.
- Jsaquella

Hey nice man thanks for the update.


Wish i still lived in philly moved a y3ear ago or id be down there

I think Cousins can play in the AHL this year. There was some wondering if he had an outside shot to shoot ahead of Holmstrom and maybe win a NHL job.
- Jsaquella

doesn't turn 20 until next july so i think it's nhl or back to juniors...

I wonder if Bill knows who EK is? has anyone seen him at the flyers camps?
- vejim

Everyone knows who Ek is.

I think Fake Tim kept a secret identity longer than Ek did.

I think Cousins can play in the AHL this year. There was some wondering if he had an outside shot to shoot ahead of Holmstrom and maybe win a NHL job.
- Jsaquella

I think there are some really interesting guys in the pipeline - Cousins, Akeson, Laughton, Manning, Laurdison, Kessel, etc. that may not be All-Stars, but play significant minutes for the Flyers and help give them some cap flexibility.

Hey nice man thanks for the update.


Wish i still lived in philly moved a y3ear ago or id be down there
- Philly1980

I wish I could go tomorrow. I want to go back on Sunday for the scrimmage.

doesn't turn 20 until next july so i think it's nhl or back to juniors...
- aightwebang17

Probably right. I was too lazy to check his DOB

Since he's done podcasts with Ek, and shares space in the press box, I'm sure he knows him.
- Jsaquella

funny that the philly media know him but nothing ever leaked about his identity

I wish I could go tomorrow. I want to go back on Sunday for the scrimmage.
- Jsaquella

So camp is all week long and the scrimmage is on Sunday?

I think Wednesday they are in Stone Harbor.

I think there are some really interesting guys in the pipeline - Cousins, Akeson, Laughton, Manning, Laurdison, Kessel, etc. that may not be All-Stars, but play significant minutes for the Flyers and help give them some cap flexibility.
- ravishingone

I was surprised by the physicality Kessel showed in the drill against Mangene. He's 6'2" 210, so it's not as if he's small, but he's not known to be physical. He was all over Mangene on that battle drill, using his body well and getting under Mangene's skin.

So camp is all week long and the scrimmage is on Sunday?

I think Wednesday they are in Stone Harbor.
- stveshdy

Yep, Wednesday is the Trial On The Isle. They have an autograph session afterwards, at Stone Harbor elementary school. Sarah Baicker said that there was an admission charge for that, though.

I'll be in Stone Harbor-well probably will be-that day, but I have work.

I was surprised by the physicality Kessel showed in the drill against Mangene. He's 6'2" 210, so it's not as if he's small, but he's not known to be physical. He was all over Mangene on that battle drill, using his body well and getting under Mangene's skin.
- Jsaquella

Was he there watching from up top?

Yep, Wednesday is the Trial On The Isle. They have an autograph session afterwards, at Stone Harbor elementary school. Sarah Baicker said that there was an admission charge for that, though.

I'll be in Stone Harbor-well probably will be-that day, but I have work.
- Jsaquella

Do you have any idea how much they charge?