Flyers can’t be up to their old tricks picking at No. 6

Courtesy of the Morning Call

By Bob Herpen

Phanatic Hockey Editor

On Friday night, the Philadelphia Flyers will select at the No. 6 position in the first round for the first time since 1991, when then general manager Russ Farwell took a gamble on a Swedish prospect who ended up playing all of 100 regular-season games in this city, 11 years after his NHL debut.

Now GM Danny Briere has the chance to pick within the top 10 for the third time in the last four seasons, the first time since Keith Allen was afforded similar luck from 1969 to 1972.

While an overwhelming majority of the talk every year at this time centers on an obsession with prospect profiles, who the Flyers could pick early, I just want to remind you that there’s a bit more at stake beyond the basic scouting leg work. Fifty years since the last Cup and 13 years since the last playoff series win, fan attention and anger should center on the how and the why, NOT the who. 

It doesn’t matter whether the pick is Jake O’Brien or Brady Martin from Canadian juniors, James Hagens from Division I U.S. college hockey, the mysterious One-Armed Man or Taro Tsujimoto of the Tokyo Kitanas. It doesn’t even have to be the “right” one touted by scouts or network hacks. It does need to be the “right” one in terms of managing the player’s physical attributes and skill set, with minimal interference or malfeasance in his development.

The acquisition of Trevor Zegras earlier in the week should take some of the pressure off Briere and the braintrust, for a franchise constantly in search of a reliable 1C. But Zegras is a restricted free agent with his 3-year contract at $5.75 million AAV set to expire next July, so there is clear urgency to have an heir apparent or two at the ready. 

Yeah, there’s Jett Luchanko in the on-deck circle flush with start-of-year experience for the Flyers bookended by end-of-year experience with the Phantoms, but the cupboard is bare. 

The recent history of the organization is flush with examples of offensive-minded skaters who are centers made forwards, forwards made centers, and up-front guys simply left to grow into amoebas, playing whatever, whenever. Scott Laughton and Nick Cousins. Jason Akeson. The dear, departed Morgan Frost. An under-the-gun Owen Tippett.

Maybe one could make an argument that the focus on bulking up defensive prospects in the mid-2010s left a blind spot. That laissez-faire attitude doesn’t cut it anymore for a franchise looking to pull itself out of the doldrums. 

It should also make you want to tear your hair out that Briere pulled off the deal with Anaheim to bring in Zegras – who did not respond well to suggestions he should play wing and not his natural center with the Ducks – only to say he “hoped” Zegras could make an impact at center and then publicly punt the decision on his assignment to new head coach Rick Tocchet.

If the Flyers can so brazenly fail to come to a consensus on an established player, what’s to make you think they can’t or won’t pull the old switcheroo with the prospects?

O’Brien is a center. Martin is a center. Hagens is a center. There’s absolutely no reason for Briere et al to start toying with the haul. It may already be too late for Luchanko, a likely Mark Recchi clone who was told in April, as reported by the Inquirer, to be less selfish with the puck. The Flyers never drafting and developing a bona-fide pure goal scorer is another rant for another time.

Obie’s draft profile places him closest to what Sean Couturier could have been if Claude Giroux wasn’t the top dog on the top line. Don’t turn him into an Eric Lindros. Martin’s bona fides read more like a Joe Thornton prototype and, of course, certain outlets are already pinning him to the Lindros mold. No bueno. While through only one season at Boston College, Hagens may resist molding because the organization cannot read what one college season at age 18 means compared to two in juniors, or due to lack of exposure. He is one of BC’s gaggle of young, eager, skilled forwards who need to develop much more edge and resilience.

If the choice is Hagens, he simply cannot be allowed to turn into another James vanRiemsdyk. I still wonder if the front office has learned anything from a decade-plus of wandering through NCAA Division I prospects. If only Ray Shero still walked the Earth.

A refresher:

VanRiemsdyk was taken with the infamous No. 2 selection in the 2007 draft, one behind future Hall-of-Famer Patrick Kane. He spent two seasons flitting around on an Olympic-sized ice rink at the Whittemore Center for the University of New Hampshire. Long-time Wildcats head coach Dick Umile brought in a spate of smaller, quicker, skilled forwards to take advantage of the wider playing surface, but the Snider-Clarke-Holmgren think tank axis did little else than constantly tapping their watches impatiently for two years waiting for JVR to declare his status. 

Once loosed on the world in March 2009, the organization immediately tabbed JVR as a power forward, envisioning him mucking down low at even strength and on the power play. Development? How about all of 7 games of pro experience with the Phantoms. He was given a chance to make the NHL roster in camp the following September – which he did – and proceeded to stunt his growth.

Hilarity ensued, including injuries, inconsistency, more front office complaints about on-ice prowess, a 6-year exile to Toronto followed by a 5-year Philly reunion during which JVR *finally* grew and aged into a body which could execute the role the franchise hoped for in the first place.

If we learned anything from the William C. Gauthier fiasco, it’s that Briere might have caused affront to the young upstart in merely suggesting the club didn’t want him to leave after his freshman campaign and burn a year off his entry-level contract. The ironing is delicious given the spate of one-and-done’s coming from the NCAA. 

Briere would be wise to take that tack again with Hagens if the club hasn’t had their Eagles-eye view tainted, since he’s not quite the player sprung fully formed from the head of Zeus that Gauthier was.

And besides, if you’ve read or followed me at all over the last 15 years, you know which side of the stay-or-go scenario I favor.

Editor's note: With the 6th overall pick, the Flyers skipped the top D1 prospect in Hagens, choosing Porter Martone -- a right-handed-shooter from the Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League. The 18-year-old finished his 3rd year of juniors with 98 points (37G, 61A) in 57 games on the wing.

By trading two later first-round picks, they moved up to No. 12 and chose a center, left-handed shooting Jack Nesbitt whose second OHL season yielded 64 points (25G, 39A) for the Windsor Spitfires. The fact the club bucked the trend to take a forward then grabbed a center within the top 15 selections dramatically underscores the point about development that takes into account each player's natural position and skill set, at slots where each player is presumably 1-2 years away from competing for an NHL roster spot. 

Can I offer any solutions after all this bleating and babbling? No, save for once again screaming into the void that the Flyers hockey operations just learn from the past and not repeat the same mistakes.

That’s a big enough ask for now. I can also ask the fandom from here on out, to think one or two levels up, to hold those who cover the team and those responsible for the decision making to account.

One man, one position. One solution. One vision. Gimme, gimme, gimme fried chicken.

Catching up with: Alexander Tertyshny

Photo credit: Taylor Christiana

By Bob Herpen

Phanatic Hockey Editor

On May 18, Alex Tertyshny officially ran out of excuses to avoid responsibility. 

Upon his graduation from Stonehill College - a small, private, Catholic institution roughly 25 miles south of Boston – the son of former Flyers defenseman Dmitry Tertyshny headed into the next phase of his life with a diploma and a calling to place his family name onto the Stanley Cup.

I caught up with Tertyshny fresh from receiving his academic bona fides, asking him to dish on college, maturity, his time with Flyers prospects, his goals for the immediate and distant future as well as life lessons he can take with him on his post-baccalaureate journey.

Phanatic: How does it feel to have earned your degree? Do you think you're "ready for the world" yet?

Tertyshny: It feels amazing as it is definitely something I sacrificed a lot for in order to secure a brighter, more stable future for my family. I love the sport of hockey of course, but I know it is very much a temporary profession that comes with uncontrollable factors. I think I am ready for the real world, yes, a lot of it has to do with the people I met and skills I developed in the classroom. Over the course of my educational journey from Choate Rosemary Hall to Stonehill, I met so many talented individuals both in hockey and outside of it, whom I am forever grateful for.

Phanatic: What are your short-term goals in terms of relocation and finding a job?

Tertyshny: Short term, I have the opportunity to go back to where I played my junior hockey for the Traktor Chelyabinsk organization. My father had played there, along with my uncles and cousin. It’ll be a two-way deal between the KHL and VHL. 

I am very lucky and fortunate as the people who run the organization were there when I played for the junior team. They liked my style of play and actually wanted me to stay and further developmental progress with them. However, they understood I had a strong desire to fulfill my parents’ wishes of obtaining a college education. Although my college career did not go as planned, I do feel very prepared for the next step and I feel very comfortable with the staff in Russia along with the style of play. The key will be staying healthy and finding consistency in my game.

Phanatic: You initially enrolled in and played for American International College before ending your academic and hockey career at Stonehill. What motivated the move - academics, better fit for your game, both, or other reasons?

Tertyshny: So I committed to AIC while I was playing junior in Russia, in the middle of my season they requested that I return to the states to continue my development. I ended up landing with the Northeast Generals, coached by Bryan Erikson. He really put a lot of trust in me from the get go, gave me a long leash to play and my game really grew with and away from the puck. 

Stephen Weidler had committed me to AIC, but shortly before I had arrived on campus he accepted a job at Vermont. It was difficult to see him go as he was the one who gave me my shot, showed me that belief… which is all a player in college could ever want. During my freshman year I ended up getting injured during a training camp scrimmage and missed the majority of the season. After that it was just difficult to find my footing and find consistency in my game. I lost a lot of confidence in myself and struggled with depression as all I had ever wanted to do with my life was play the sport of hockey and achieve that storybook ending of lacing up the skates for an NHL club, carrying on what my father had started, and giving my family what they had lost when my father had passed. 

It was all I thought about. I constantly viewed myself as a failure. I questioned myself, my decision making, everything. My decision to leave AIC was ultimately due to health issues surrounding my mother. With my father not being around, it has been a very difficult life for us. I have two younger siblings who I also love and care deeply for, and it was simply a situation where I needed to be home for my family. 

It was also just nice to get away from the everyday grind of hockey/school and focus on my own mental health, which the presence of family, even in gloomy conditions can help tremendously. While I was home, I entered the portal as I needed a change and wanted to improve my academic situation. 

American International College, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, inaugurated its men’s program in 1948. The Yellow Jackets competed in the Atlantic Hockey America conference until this past season, when it was announced the program would move down to Division II.

While Tertyshny transferred from American International to Stonehill, its men’s and women’s hockey programs moved up from Division II to Division I and played as independents. A right-handed shooting defenseman, he posted five assists across 39 games in two years for the Skyhawks.

Tertyshny: I was recruited by Darrell Borges to Stonehill and ultimately ended up committing largely because he showed that same belief that Wiedler had shown me. The concept of it being a transitioning program to the D1 level was also intriguing, I knew it wouldn't be perfect, but I wanted to be a part of creating a culture that past and future players of Stonehill can be proud of. 

Unfortunately, it was difficult to stay fully healthy, and I never really got to show myself at full strength, this ultimately affected consistency. With all this being said, through all the trials and tribulations, I am very grateful for the entire experience and everyone I met throughout my college career. 

Phanatic: Describe your experience two summers ago in Flyers development camp and  what you took from it back to Stonehill. 

Tertyshny: My trip to the Flyers development camp was a surreal experience and definitely one I will always be thankful for. I learned a ton from guys like Samuel Morin, Riley Armstrong, and John LeClair. I just wanted to be a sponge and take in as much as I could. Being surrounded by all the players there was fantastic; the Flyers are definitely in good hands with the likes of Alex Bump, Emil Andrae, Oliver Bonk to name a few from the camp and I think Flyers fans should be very excited. 

(The fans) should remain patient, which I know can be difficult to do especially in a passionate sports town like Philly, but all that is good, and I mean truly good, takes time. In regard to how I felt, obviously I was nervous, but once I was in it, I felt very good, held my own, made plays, competed and just kept it simple while implementing what I learned over the course of the week. At the end of the day it's just hockey, and it is always a privilege to play the sport. 

Phanatic: What was your major and subsequent degree and what do you think you want to do with it in the long term? 

Tertyshny: I ended up with a degree in management.

It’s funny, I had actually emailed (former Flyers GM) Paul Holmgren a few years back asking him what would be best to major in, as I have a strong desire to stay involved in the game after I am done playing. He ultimately recommended management and so I pursued that. When all is said and done, I want to have achieved my ultimate goal of getting the Tertyshny name on the Stanley Cup. I want that for my family because I have no doubt in my mind my father would have ultimately achieved that goal if he had more time.  So the management degree is ultimately to give me another avenue to reach that goal. One day, I simply just want to bring the cup to my father, with his last name etched on there. 

Phanatic: How will you use your time in Russia that’s just ahead to achieve your long-term ambition? 

Tertyshny: There are people with the Traktor organization that still have a belief in my ability to play the game at a high level. They know all the ins and outs of my situation, they watched the games, they know me as a player and they know me as a human being so I am extremely lucky and thankful for the opportunity.

When I was there I took part in training camp with the KHL team (Traktor) and the second team (Chelmet) where I felt more than comfortable. Sometimes there are days I wish I had just stayed over there solely due to the support system. But I know getting this degree would set me up for a future with more opportunity. Of course I wish things had panned out better on the ice, but all you can do is move forward. The Tertyshny family has never been known to go down easy and my mother is a driving force behind that.  

Phanatic: You've said that gaining an education was important to both your mom and dad. What are your mom and other members of your family feeling right now as you earned your degree? 

Tertyshny: My mother, grandmother, and my family back home in Russia were filled with pride and joy. I am very proud I was able to achieve this goal for them, now I just want to give back and provide them with whatever they need. It took all of them to raise me and for that I am forever thankful. 

Phanatic: How has the Flyers organization been present for you and your family as you've grown and do you expect that presence to continue?

Tertyshny: I mean from an early age, I was always a huge Flyers fan. They were never really drastically involved in my life to be honest, but there were individuals who were. 

My biggest strength as a player is my skating and this can be attributed to Slava Kuznetsov who instilled a strong stride and good technique in me from a young age. In this day and age you have to be a strong skater, and I am forever thankful for him. Most fans know him as a translator, but he is much more than that and a true master of the game. 

Jim McCrossin would allow me to visit the locker room when I was younger, he allowed me to meet so many of my idols including Danny Briere, Mike Richards, Jaromir Jagr, and Kimmo Timonen and for that I am forever indebted to him, he provided me with some of my most fond childhood memories. 

They weren’t really much involved in our lives until recently with Keith Jones back in the organization. Going forward, I want to stay in touch with Keith, with whom I connected at development camp. One day I want to be involved with the team in whatever capacity they may need. 

It’s the reason I went to school to get the degree I did. I don’t want anything given or any handouts. I know the Flyers are very family oriented, but if I am to be a part of that front office, I want to contribute in an effective manner for the betterment of the organization, team, and city.

Flyers hire of Tocchet a calculated gamble on nostalgia, but shows lack of long-term vision

Photo courtesy of the Toronto Star

By Bob Herpen

Phanatic Hockey Editor

On Friday morning, the Philadelphia Flyers welcomed another former player into a position of influence over hockey decisions, naming Rick Tocchet the club’s 25th head coach.

Tocchet arrived fresh from his escape of the Canucks, where he won the Jack Adams Award as the league’s top bench boss in 2024 before circumstances with the organization grew sour enough that he disengaged.

Tocchet, who was selected in the sixth round of the 1983 draft, made his Flyers debut in October, 1984 and played 621 games here in two stints until retiring in 2002. He posted 232 of his career 440 goals in orange and black along with racking up a franchise-best 1,815 penalty minutes.

But general manager Danny Briere and the rest of the Flyers front office is apparently looking at Tocchet as a kinder, gentler hand while continuing to embrace the familiar.

The 61-year-old, who worked with such talents at previous coaching stops like Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Phil Kessel, Wayne Gretzky, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, gets his chance to work his magic for the club that took a chance on him as a scrappy 19-year-old out of Scarborough, Ontario.

With his hiring two days prior, Tocchet became the sixth former player to step up to the bench here. He follows Paul Holmgren, Bill Barber, Terry Murray, John Stevens and Craig Berube unto the breech. He’s only the second (after Murray, who came up through the ranks with the Washington Capitals) not to first ply his trade in assistantships or head slots somewhere in the Flyers organization.

But it’s still a familiar and friendly face in a familiar place, after a decidedly unfamiliar and unfriendly face in John Tortorella was summarily dismissed in March.

The connection with “past is prologue” as CEO of Comcast Dan Hilferty put it less than 2 years ago came into sharp focus when you consider on his May 16 public introduction, Tocchet had a hand in two memorable playoff moments coming up on five-and-zero anniversaries:

In 2000, 25 years ago, Tocchet’s two-goal effort helped the Flyers beat the Devils, 4-3, to even their Eastern Conference Finals series at a game apiece;

And in 1985, 40 years ago, his deflection score off a Mark Howe point drive in the first period was the opener (and eventual GWG) in a 3-0 series clinching win over Quebec in a Game 6 of the Wales Conference Finals.

So, let’s count. That’s former Flyers John LeClair, Patrick Sharp, Keith Jones, Danny Briere and Rick Tocchet holding sway over decision-making in Philadelphia. With an as-yet-undetermined number of other ex-Flyers who could fill two assistant coaching spots, now that Brad Shaw confirmed he would not return. 

In the National Hockey League, it’s a fact of life: coaches are hired to be fired. These relationships are not long-term, hardly analogous to the real world and never remain lovey-dovey, even if the commitment is strong from the start. 

And when one situation sours, there’s always another which offers a promise of renewal.

Call it the Coaches Carousel, Retread Roulette, The Old Boys Club, call it exclusive, call it unstable, call it whatever you want; but recognize that situations often change from one season to the next, personnel changes from one season to the next, injuries and discontent can change the on-ice chemistry on any given roster, so the sands quickly slip through the hourglass. 

Add in the fact that, when coaches reach the level where they are considered for NHL jobs, their vision and philosophy has been finely tuned and is set in stone. The conditions which make a candidate a great fit on Day One often make a bad fit by Day One Thousand.

Here’s the Flyers’ quandary.

In Friday’s press conference, the question was never asked, nor did Danny Briere offer a response, as to what Tocchet’s long-term role as head coach would be.

We heard online ad nauseam about how ex-teammates such as Chris Therien (Flyers of the early 2000s, former players like Sidney Crosby (Penguins in 2016-17) and recent charges such as Travis Sanheim (Canada, 4 Nations) all lauded Tocchet as a “great communicator,” with Briere and Tocchet himself offering his credentials at the presser as a “teacher.”

Well, great.

That gets us through the first couple years.

But when you consider that no Flyers head coach has lasted as long as four whole seasons since Mike Keenan – and that was 37 years ago – and given the naturally short leash inherent in any NHL head gig, where does that leave the organization long term? 

Whether it’s Tocchet or any other coach under consideration for the job, the hope with rebuilds are that the players develop properly, the coach is able to grow with the roster and the club progressed from an afterthought to a serious contender. 

That’s the positive spin.

The downside is that, over the course of 3 to 4 seasons, players may not develop properly, the coach may wear out his welcome and the whole thing collapses sooner than anticipated. Then, the hockey braintrust is back to square one. The process is hardly ever linear.

From the perspective of the ever hopeful, the faith and belief is that Briere got it right. But from the view of the perpetually disappointed, it’s another turn in the spin cycle with the stains of the past still visible.

And Tocchet has certainly been subject to the soap-and-rinse as much as any other head coach thrown continually in the washer.

Hired and fired as an assistant in Colorado.

Hired and removed (unceremoniously) as an assistant in Phoenix.

Hired as an assistant in Tampa, promoted to head coach of that slo-mo train wreck, then fired.

Hired in Pittsburgh but left amicably to be head man in Phoenix, then fired.’

Hired out of the broadcast booth to Vancouver, then parting ways within 2 seasons.

Charlie O’Connor over at PHLY Sports floated his theory that Tocchet’s selection was motivated by a need to take all the good Tortorella offered while leaving out all the bad parts, i.e. the things that drove players crazy, might have driven others not to come here as free agents, those things which directly led to his firing. 

If Charlie’s analysis holds any water – and G-d help him, he’s got a degree from the University of Pennsylvania and  *still* chose to make a living in sports media – all the Flyers have done is to hire Dr. Jekyll and excised Mr. Hyde. You’re still getting the guy willing to experiment on himself, without the gruesome outcome of those experiments. 

On the bright side, however, that theory tracks with what I believe to be Hilferty’s and the hockey ops’ focus: to goose interest, whether it be veteran free agents or season-ticket holders – many of whom due to the dearness of the professional league ticket are in Tocchet’s age range and remember his impact as a player.

Still, as a matter of practicality, suppose Tocchet is evaluated after three seasons and is found lacking?

Or blown out in the middle of a future campaign when injuries prove detrimental to the team’s record?

Briere and the Flyers braintrust would be forced to endure yet another round of deep digging and hand wringing and hopes and fears and the fate of the franchise teetering on the precipice to make another head coaching decision, with fans again seething at another fine mess. Why not make your intentions clear at the start? 

Wouldn’t have taken much for Briere, or Hilferty or Keith Jones other than to say: “we have full faith in Rick to guide this team through the rebuild and beyond, to recapture the glory of the franchise.”

There. Expectations set. 

Even if the contract, as reported by multiple sources, is in the range of $25 million for 5 years, a public statement cements a mandate to be in control at least that long. 

“Bridge” coaches are few and far between in the NHL, those who are tasked at the start with taking over a young team and remain in place by enjoying a sustained run atop the standings. Joel Quenneville is one. Jon Cooper another. Stevens ended up being another but his rocket ride endured a steep parabolic climb before it cratered prematurely.

The Flyers need a guy like this. Right here, right now. And we didn't get a definitive answer either way.

History tells us Tocchet will most likely be punching his ticket elsewhere and updating his contacts and change-of-address forms before new terms are discussed. 

Since Keenan, only Ken Hitchcock came close to hitting the four-full-season mark, with his tenure submarined by the cancelled season and then a radical shift to a youthful core which undermined his communication structure.

If Tocchet bucks the trend, great. It’s a badly-needed win on this regime’s ledger and a cause for celebration for the fanbase.

If he doesn’t, well…at least we can dig up YouTube clips of that time he beat up Bob Probert.

Briere retires from NHL

PHILADELPHIA - Former Flyers star Danny Briere, known for his standout playoff performances, announced his retirement as an NHL player on Monday after a 17-year professional career that included 973 games.

“After taking a few weeks to think about it, it’s time to hang them up and spend a little more time at home with the family,” Briere said.  “I’ve been very, very fortunate to have a chance to play with some great organizations, but at this point the family becomes a priority. 

"The Flyers are where I played the bulk of my career. I’ve had a great time in Philadelphia and have been very, very fortunate to have the chance to play here. I would like to thank Mr. Snider, Paul Holmgren and Peter Luukko along with the coaches, staff, the fans and all my teammates. It’s been a great ride in an area that I still call home.”

Briere, 37, recorded 307 goals and 389 assists for 696 points with the Phoenix Coyotes, Buffalo Sabres, Flyers, Montreal Canadiens and Colorado Avalanche. 

The native of Gatineau, Quebec was originally a first-round selection (24th overall) of the Phoenix Coyotes in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft, which came following an exceptional 1995-96 junior season for Drummondville of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

On July 1, 2007, upon the opening of free agency, the Flyers signed Briere to an eight-year contract.  He finished second on the team in scoring in 2007-08, recording 72 points (31G, 41A) to help a revitalized Flyers squad rebound from its worst season ever to a trip to the 2008 Eastern Conference Finals.

Briere led the Flyers in scoring that playoff season with 16 points (9G, 7A) as they took out the third-seeded Washington Capitals in seven games and the first-seeded Montreal Canadiens in five games.

Briere lost all but 29 games of the 2008-09 season to a nagging abdominal injury, but still recorded 25 points (11G, 14A) in those 29 games.  In 2009-10, Briere put up 53 points (26G, 27A) in 75 games, but his greatest contribution that season came in the team’s run to the Stanley Cup Final.  Briere led the NHL and set a new franchise record with 30 points (12G, 18A) in 23 games, eclipsing the record of 28 set by Brian Propp in 1987.  Four of the 12 goals were game-winners.

The 2010-11 season was Briere’s best regular-season performance as a Flyer.  He recorded his fourth and final career 30-goal season, putting up 34 goals and 34 assists for 68 points in 77 games while representing the team at the 2011 NHL All-Star Game.  He put up another seven goals in 11 playoff games before the Flyers fell to Boston in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.  After a 49-point season in 2011-12, Briere put up another stellar playoff performance with 13 points (8G, 5A), including an overtime game-winner in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals vs. New Jersey.

Following the shortened 2012-13 season, the Flyers exercised a salary cap compliance buyout of Briere’s contract.  He then signed with Montreal, where he posted 25 points (13G, 12A) in 2013-14 and had one final impressive playoff run, posting seven points (3G, 4A) in 16 postseason games. 

Briere recorded 68 points (36G, 32A) in 62 career playoff games with the Flyers, giving him an average of 1.10  points per playoff game.  He is one of just five Flyers to average more than one point per playoff game (minimum five games), joining Peter Forsberg (1.33, 6 GP), Ken Linseman (1.29, 41 GP), Eric Lindros (1.14, 50 GP), and Claude Giroux (1.07, 57 GP).  The 68 points rank him eighth in playoff scoring on the Flyers All-Time List, and the 36 goals rank him seventh in franchise history.  His nine career playoff game-winning goals rank him second in franchise history behind only Rick MacLeish (10).

Over the course of his entire NHL career, Briere recorded 116 points (53G, 63A) in 124 career playoff games.  The 53 goals tie him with Jeremy Roenick and Bill Barber for 45th on the NHL’s All-Time List. 

Union play to 3-3 tie with Chicago

Chester, Pa. – After Wednesday night´s big win in the U.S. Open Cup, the Philadelphia Union faced Chicago Fire again in PPL Park Sunday night and played to a 3-3 deadlock.

After a sloppy first 20 minutes for the Union, in which Kennedy Igboananike scored for Chicago in the 10th minute, Philadelphia found an equalizer in the 21st minute with Fernando Aristeguieta´s header from Cristián Madiana´s corner kick.

Fabinho made the score 2-1 in the 31st minute scoring a stunning goal from Maidana’s second assist of the evening.

The Fire tied the game in the 54th minute, and both teams battled to take the lead. Sebastien Le Toux scored his 51st goal in MLS play in the 90th minute giving the Union the 3-2 lead. Maidana´s third assist set Le Toux up on the left side of the area and the Frenchman drove a hard shot into the bottom right hand corner of the goal.

The Fire equalized in the second minute of added time with Igboananike´s second goal of the night.

With the three assists, Maidana broke the club record for most assists in a single season with 14. Le Toux previously held the record with 12 assists in the 2013 season.  Maidana is now the first in the league for assists in the 2015 season.

The Union will play again this Saturday, Aug. 22, to face the Montreal Impact at 8:00 p.m. in Saputo stadium.

Quick Hits: Eagles-Colts edition

PHILADELPHIA – The first preseason game of any NFL season can be a tedious exercise, a necessary eight-to-10 play evil for the veterans — at least the ones not named Sam Bradford — and an opportunity for young unknowns to catch the eye of a coaching staff that regards them only as a useful body to abuse in the 90-degree heat of an August practice.

With Tim Tebow and his national fan club overblowing every single thing the former Heisman Trophy winner does, the third-team quarterback competition was the obvious storyline during Sunday’s 36-10 Eagles rout of the Indianapolis Colts. But, here’s the other areas you should have been paying attention to:

HOLDING DOWN THE FORT: With Zach Ertz gone until at least Week 1 of the regular season, an optimistic timetable if his core-muscle injury was indeed sports-hernia surgery as most surmise because Dr. William Myers was involved, the young tight ends behind Brent Celek become far more important.

Second-year man Trey Burton steps into the backup role for now and serves as more of a versatile h-back because he can line up in the backfield or in the slot. At just 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds, however, Burton isn’t moving many off the ball as an in-line blocker. He can play a gloried fullback role, however, and had a few nice lead blocks against the Colts, while he also got behind the Indy defense on Philadelphia’s first offensive play but Mark Sanchez badly hung the football, resulting in an incompletion.

The Birds, meanwhile, brought in three rookie free agents at the position to ostensibly fight for a practice squad spot, a reality that could turn into a regular roster spot for at least  a few weeks as Ertz convalesces. Michigan State product Andrew Gleichert, Central Florida alum Justin Tukes and ex-UTEP starter Eric Tomlinson are all two-way tight ends in the Celek-mode rather than difference makers in the passing game. Tomlinson was the clear winner on Sunday, hauling in 5 catches for 61 yards.

THE YOUNG RECEIVERS: For all the talk about the ceiling of players like Nelson Agholor and Josh Huff, the only proven commodity among the Eagles’ young receiving corps is Jordan Matthews and the second-year wideout needs to step up as the true No. 1 on this team, a notion that is undermined by the coaching staff which has pigeonholed the ex-Vanderbilt star as a slot option.

Matthews caught two passes for 44 yards on five targets in limited action against the Colts and was lost in the shuffle due to the highlight-reel athleticism of Agholor, the team’s 2015 first-round pick. The former Southern California standout basically lived up to his scouting report. Like advertised, he’s a sudden athlete who can really stick his foot in the ground and go as evidenced by his brilliant 34-yard catch-and-run TD reception on a shaky Sanchez throw.

"It felt like a pass that I was targeted on in practice," the rookie said. "Good habits on the practice field carried over to the game. Sanchez and I connected on multiple hitches in practice and it wasn't any different today."

Agholor's also inconsistent, though, and needs to eliminate the drops (he had two Sunday) and mental mistakes.

"I need to just work on just finding the ball and not looking who is throwing the ball," he admitted. "I think my eyes just went to the quarterback. At the end of the day , I like the fact that (the drops) happened today. It's a good thing to learn from."

YOU’RE UP: Chip Kelly said all four entrants in the ongoing right-guard competition still have a chance but as expected Andrew Gardner got the nod in Game 1 and it’s his job to lose now if he can hold off the comeback attempt of John Moffitt.

Matt Tobin and Julian Vandervelde have taken a step back in the four-way competition and have an uphill battle to get back in the mix. Gardner was solid if unspectacular against the Colts and if the leader in the clubhouse continues that narrative, it’s his gig.

MARCUS MATTERS: Travis Long’s ACL injury created a vacuum behind starters Brandon Graham and Connor Barwin at outside linebacker. The Birds believed Long was ready to take the next step and step into Graham’s former role as the third edge player from last season when Trent Cole was still around.

The Long injury seemed like good news for former 2014 first-round bust Marcus Smith but Bill Davis and Co. are still wary of counting on the former Louisville pass rusher and are moving Vinny Curry outside in order to get his pass-rushing skills on the field more. As a 280-pound defensive end, though, it’s hard to imagine Curry being able to play in space consistently.Conversely, Smith may have changed the thought process on him at least a little bit against Indianapolis with his best effort as a professional, including one series where he assisted on a run stop, was solid in coverage and got after Matt Hasselbeck with a solid pass rush. If you didn’t know the back story of No. 90, you might have thought he was a true, three-down linebacker.

SAFETY HELP?: To the surprise of no one Earl Wolff wasn’t dressed Sunday, meaning special teams stalwarts Chris Maragos and Chris Prosinski were the top two options behind starters Malcolm Jenkins and Walter Thurmond at safety. That’s a level of depth that’s just not acceptable in this league, making the position the one spot to focus on at the final cutdown for a potential waiver wire pickup …. unless Ed Reynolds continues to show up.

The former fifth-round pick out of Stanford hasn’t exactly been Philadelphia’s best practice player but he showed up big on Gameday with a pair of interceptions and three PBUs.

"It felt amazing," Reynolds said. "It made me feel like I was back in college again. That was my thing in college -- to go out there and be a ball-hawk and give our offense more opportunities. It felt good."

Granted, Reynolds' heroics weren't against ex-Cardinal teammate Andrew Luck, TY Hilton and Frank Gore but his nose for the football shouldn't be dismissed because the Eagles are desperate for any help at the position.

"I just need to be conistent," Reynolds surmised. "It can't just be his one week. I need to show up this week, then show up the week after that, and hopefully carry it over into the regulaqr season and then into the playoffs."

PARKEY PANIC:Under any circumstances, it was going to be hard for Cody Parkey to live up to his impressive rookie season.

There was plenty of good against the team that originally signed him as a rookie free agent out of Auburn last season, including a 48-yard field goal in the third quarter but there was also plenty of bad, as he misfired on one of the now extended PAT tries as well as a 34-yard FG attempt.

Philadelphia fans were a little spoiled with Parkey’s performance last season and you can expect a bit of  market correction this time around.

TEBOW TIME: Kelly’s assertion that Tim Tebow is not a gimmick and rather a true signal caller in this league foreshadows his ultimate intent when it comes to the third spot. The Eagles would love to trade Matt Barkley in order to hand the job to Tebow and as injuries continue to pile up around the league that remains the most likely scenario.

If nothing materializes, however, Kelly would be forced to cut Barkley in order to move toward Tebow, a reality that would be much easier if the popular former Hesiman Trophy winner is at least competent in the preseason.

If the battle were a true competition, Barkley wins going away in Week 1 and was by far the Eagles’ most impressive signal caller against Indianapolis, finishing 12-of-20 for 192 yards with an interception. He’s gotten some of the arm strength back that has been missing since his shoulder injury at Southern California and while he’ll never be Brett Favre, Barkley belongs in this league.

You probably can’t say the same for Tebow, who still has the terribly elongated throwing motion and mechanics that remain subpar. Meanwhile, despite the talk of Tebow being a great runner he’s not exactly Michael Vick when tucking the football, although he set off his acolytes with a 7-yard TD run late. Overall Tebow finished 6-of-12 for 69 yards and added another 15 on the ground with the TD.

-John McMullen covers the Eagles and the NFL for 973ESPN.com. You can reach him at jmcmullen@phanaticmag.com or on Twitter @jfmcmullen

John McMullen from Eagles training camp on 97.3 ESPN FM:

Eagles continue to evaluate right guard

It's been a cast of thousands at right guard for the Philadelphia Eagles during training camp.

The loss of both veteran starters from last season, Todd Herremans and Evan Mathis, is keeping some awake at night but the Birds are confident in what's on hand.

Veteran Allen Barbre is locked down as the replacement for Mathis next to Jason Peters on the left side but Matt Tobin, Andrew Gardner, John Moffitt and Julian Vandervelde have all gotten looks with the No. 1s at right guard.

Vandervelde, a fifth-round pick out of Iowa in 2011, got the first opportunity between Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson on Sunday during the team's open practice at Lincoln Financial Field.

"It can be difficult," Johnson admitted after practice on Sunday when asked about the revolving door next to him, "but, it's also good because you can get a feel for who is there and give the staff the feedback it needs.

"We have a lot of talented players so everything will be fine."

Tobin, who is also a former Hawkeye, was thought to be the heir apparent entering camp but it's clear Chip Kelly and Co. are hedging their bets thus far, hoping someone seizes control.

“It’s an ongoing battle," Kelly said Saturday. "If it (had to be done)  today, we would have had one guy just jump out in the first four days of practice and we could set it. We’d love to have it done sooner than later, but we want to make sure it’s the right guy and the right fit.”

Tobin started two games when Herremans was injured last season but struggled due to an ankle injury. Gardner then took over and started six contests but it's clear that the coaching staff thinks Tobin has the higher ceiling as a player, at least among the younger, untested options.

Moffitt is a bit of a wild card, a former third-round pick of Seattlewho has had serious off-field issues.

“We’re giving everybody ample opportunities,” Kelly claimed. “There’s a huge difference between our training sessions and a game. You can get all jacked up about someone and say, 'Oh, my God' and then you go out against the Colts and he’s not as good as you thought he was.

“That evaluation won’t be made until we get at least a couple (preseason) games under our belt.”

Eagles' Shepherd carted off

Eagles rookie cornerback JaCorey Shepherd was carted off during Sunday's open practice at Lincoln Financial Field.

Shepherd seemed to injure his right leg after a collision with veteran running back Darren Sproles during a 7-on-7 drill. The Kansas product, who has been in the mix as a potential starting nickel back, was seen flexing his right knee as he was driven off.

Eagles not worried about Kiko

PHILADELPHIA - On Saturday Chip Kelly claimed he wasn’t concerned about Kiko Alonso’s concussion because the young linebacker does not have a long or persistent history of head trauma.

Defensive coordinator Bill Davis seconded that thought process before the team's open practice at Lincoln Financial Field Sunday.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been through a training camp as a coach where the inside ‘backer (unit) doesn’t get thin at some point,” Davis claimed. “I don’t know what it is about training camps, but when that happens, it’s nice to have the depth we have.”

Alonso is still working through the NFL's concussion protocol  but Davis doesn't see a lingering issue.

“Kiko’s fine, it was just one of those things,” said Davis. “I’ve been coaching linebackers my whole career and its just part of that position, we have a great protocol, so it’s not an issue, Kiko’s doing great, he won’t miss a beat.”


Alonso is expected to start at inside linebacker next to veteran DeMeco Ryans after being acquired in the offseason trade that send Shady McCoy to Buffalo.

Fans are silly

PHILADELPHIA - Maybe the dumbest trend of the NFL preseason this year has been fans paying for flyovers over their perceived rival's practices.

Sunday it was grammatically-challenged Cowboys fans, with the aid of Greg Hardy, doling out for this gem: "We Still Dem Boyz. #SacksComin" high over Lincoln Financial Field.

Timing being everything, the first cross came just as the National Anthem was being performed on Military Day as the Eagles honored members of the armed forces.

Following the conclusion of the anthem, the 30,000 or so Eagles fans assembled with a "Dallas Sucks" chant.

Its fans probably do but before your grab that moral, and education, high ground know there is a group of Eagles fans planning to fly a banner over Cowboys practice with a "We Got DeMarco :)"  banner.

Stupid is as stupid does.

Flyers reunite Porter with Hakstol

The Flyers have signed left wing Chris Porter to a one-year, two-way contract, according to general manager Ron Hextall.

Porter, 31, appeared in 24 games with the St. Louis Blues last season where he recorded one goal and one assist for two points. He has spent his entire NHL career with St. Louis, appearing in 173 regular season games where he has recorded 11 goals and 16 assists for 27 points over parts of six seasons. He has also recorded five points (2g-3a) in 15 Stanley Cup Playoff games with the Blues.

Porter has also played seven seasons in the American Hockey League with the Blues affiliates, the Peoria Rivermen (2007-2013) and Chicago Wolves (2013-14) where he has recorded 55 goals and 85 assists for 140 points in 322 career games.

Prior to that, he spent four years at the University of North Dakota (2003-07) where he posted 42 goals and 51 assists for 93 points in 175 games. At North Dakota, he played three seasons under current Flyers head coach Dave Hakstol, and appeared in the NCAA Frozen Four in his final three years. He also played with current Flyers center Chris VandeVelde for one season (2006-07).

A native of Toronto, Porter was originally selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the ninth round (282nd overall) in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.



Fans can get a jump on reserving tickets ahead of the public single-game on sale in September by purchasing an 11-game membership now. Call 215-218-PUCK or visit PhiladelphiaFlyers.com.

Union trade for D Creavalle

CHESTER, Pa.  – The Philadelphia Union have acquired defender Warren Creavalle from Toronto FC in exchange for a second round draft pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft.


Creavalle, 24, was originally the No. 37 pick in the '12 SuperDraft by the Houston Dynamo. He made 54 appearances for Houston in three years before getting traded to Toronto FC for the No. 1 spot in the MLS allocation rankings on July 23 of last year.

Since joining Toronto, Creavalle has played in 24 games, making 15 starts, while scoring two goals. In his MLS career, he has five career goals in 78 appearances.

“Warren’s versatility will be a great addition to our group,” Union technical director Chris Albright said. “He’s a young player who has played a lot of games in our league and we look forward to him contributing immediately.”

In '15, Creavalle played and started each of Toronto’s first four games at right back. In all, he’s made 14 appearances with eight starts this season. He scored the game-winning goal against San Jose Earthquakes on May 30 during a 3-1 win and Toronto has gone 7-5-2 in games he’s played. The versatile fullback also has experience playing defensive midfielder.

In college, Creavalle appeared in 73 career games and recorded eight goals and 10 assists. He played two years at Furman University before transferring to the University of Central Florida. At UCF, he was a Third-Team All-American selection in 2010 and was named to the MAC Hermann Trophy watch list heading into his senior season.

O'Brien searching for ways to improve Texans

South Texas held its collective breath Tuesday when it was reported that the projected centerpiece of the Houston Texans’ offense, running back Arian Foster, will need surgery for a groin injury suffered in the team’s first padded practice of the year.

ESPN.com first reported that Foster will probably be headed to short-term injured reserve and an NFL source confirmed that likelihood to Today’s Pigskin, a scenario which would put the dynamic back on the sidelines for at least eight weeks.

A significant injury to a high-profile player is going to be the lede in any NFL city but the oft-injured Foster’s latest setback has overshadowed some interesting developments surrounding the Texans and second-year head coach Bill O’Brien’s efforts to get his team back in the mix with AFC South heavyweight Indianapolis.

Continue reading at TodaysPigskin.com

Ravens' denials add another layer to 'Deflategate'

You don’t have to be Alex Jones to conjure up a conspiracy theory when it comes to the Baltimore Ravens and their influence on DeflateGate. After all John Harbaugh and Chuck Pagano are as thick as thieves and the former was hopping mad after being shown up by Bill Belichick’s alignment hijinks a week prior to the AFC Championship Game between the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts.

Tuesday’s release of documents by the NFL Players Association provided a number of interesting nuggets, not the least of which was the confirmation that Harbaugh’s Ravens did indeed tip off the Colts about concerns over kicking balls in the divisional-round postseason encounter between the Ravens and Patriots. From there it doesn’t exactly take a Jerry Fletcher-like leap to assume a vengeful Harbaugh also tipped off his good friend and former defensive coordinator about possible football deflation, a narrative the Ravens attempted to quash on Wednesday.

Continue reading at TodaysPigskin.com

The hero in St. Louis

St. Louis Rams special teams coach John Fassel was kidding himself if he thought the reporters waiting for him to speak at Rams training camp on Monday wanted to chat about Greg Zuerlein, Johnny Hekker, the returners or any of his core coverage guys.

As important as special teams can be to winning a football game, it’s not exactly the sexiest aspect of the profession so when Fassel, the son of ex-Giants coach Jim Fassel, took the podium, coverage and blocking schemes weren’t on the docket.

“How was your summer?” one scribe awkwardly asked.

Read the rest at TodaysPigskin.com

Chip Kelly’s real problem

PHILADELPHIA – If perception is indeed greater than reality, Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly has a problem.

That issue, however, isn’t racism

Brandon Boykin was the latest to take aim at the motives behind Kelly’s personnel decisions, hours after the slot cornerback was dealt to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a conditional 2016 fifth-round draft choice.

Boykin texted his thoughts on the deal to a Philadelphia-area reporter, Derrick Gunn, who, like Boykin, is an African-American. Boykin told Gunn that Kelly is “uncomfortable around grown men of our culture,” not exactly an exercise in subtlety especially after the veiled racism chargers coming from other ex-Eagles employees like LeSean McCoy and Tra Thomas.

Read the rest at TodaysPigskin.com

John McMullen talks Eagles training camp on 97.3 ESPN FM:

The numbers don't work out for Travis Long

Travis Long

PHILADELPHIA - Chip Kelly claims the numbers are in Sam Bradford's favor.

“Our research in terms of dealing with guys with two ACLs, there’s a 10-to-12 percent chance of re-injury,” Kelly said to reporters earlier this summer. “So that’s an 88-to-90 percent chance that they’re going to be successful.”

Those odds didn't work out for emerging outside linebacker Travis Long, who has torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee for the second straight year.

Long was injured in practice Monday, the second day of training camp. The second-year pro out of Washington State missed last season after damaging his ACL in the final preseason game. He also tore his right ACL during his senior year in college, making this his third ACL tear overall.

The 6-foot-4, 255-pound Long was in the mix to be the main backup behind starters Connor Barwin and Brandon Graham. His injury gives new life to last year's disappointing first-round pick, Marcus Smith, and it's now conceivable Mychal Kendricks moves outside due to the Eagles embarrassment of riches at ILB.

Eagles interest in Bradford extension is nothing new

Bradford tests his knee at camp

PHILADELPHIA - In the nothing-has-really-changed department the Eagles have interest in extending quarterback Sam Bradford, according to ESPN's Ed Werder.

While painted as breaking news, Philadelphia's interest in locking up Bradford past 2015 has always been on the table but the logical conclusion for the Eagles is hardly one Bradford will embrace and that's the issue.

Of course the Birds would like to get their oft-injured starting QB under a deal that is salary-cap friendly for the franchise but Bradford, as the last big-money bonus baby under the old CBA, is used to big money and realizes if he has a good season in Chip Kelly's quarterback-friendly offense, he stands to make a monster payday after raking in just under $13 million this season.

If that scenario plays out, Bradford could command well over $15 million in '16 and those are numbers the Eagles would be crazy to touch at this point even though the University of Oklahoma product was ready for team drills at the start of training camp as advertised.

In fact Bradford has taken every first-team rep through the first two days of camp ahead of veteran Mark Sanchez with Monday's practice being key because it indicated Bradford bounced back from the first workout with little problem.

Bradford, though, remains fresh off the second ACL surgery of his career and has also had issues with a high-angle sprain while with the Rams.  He also underwent shoulder surgery in college with the Sooners.