City of Brotherly love, not so brotherly ?

Is Bobby Clarke on his way out in Philadelphia ? Can't rule it out, after all, ten years ago the most storied franchise in hockey, the Montreal Canadiens made a house cleaning when the team President, Ronald Corey, fired about every hockey man in his sight, including Serge Savard, who had built him two Stanley cup teams in his twelve year stint with the organization. Could this happen in Philly ? Anything is possible. Like him or not, Bobby Clarke built three teams that went to the Stanley cup finals, but the name of the game is about Winning the trophy and not being second. The knock against the former Flyers captain and now Gm, is he has not be able in his two stints as Flyers Gm, to find that number 1 goaltender that will bring him to the promiseland, he had a chance to pick up Patrick Roy, he declined, Roy went on to Colorado and won two cups there, and won the Memorial cup as coach and Gm of his junior team in Quebec city.

This summer, his coach, Ken Hitchcock, was without a contract, he finally got renewed and now things seem to be falling to pieces. Is Hitchcock the problem ? I doubt it, but of course I am not in the dressing room. What is the problem in Philadelphia ? Hopefully, Clarke and Hitchcock can find it before they are out of their respective jobs. Guys, you don't have to be Einstein to figure this out, you can't decide who will be your number one goalie, you have a defense that looked like firehydrants in the 9-1 blasting against Buffalo. You have a number one center that has been known to be injury prown, and out of 13 forwards, about only one third can score, you don't win too many games with that. Under the old NHL, you could get away with it, but under new one, skill, speed and youth are front and center, just look at the team that bombed you the other night, they have the ingridients for what will be and probably is the recipe for success in the NHL under the cap world.

Who is responsible for the mess in the Flyers camp ? is it the coaching style of Hitchcock or is it the guy that signed the players that he should not of, Bobby Clarke ? I don't blame Hitchcock, but as I said, I am not in the dressing room, I think he should stay and Clarke should be the one to go. If the Flyers should make Hitchcock the scapegoat, you have a certain Bob Gainey, that would scoop him up and make him a special adviser to his coach, Guy Carbonneau, not that he does not trust his former teammate and coach, but as they say, two heads are better than one. A role that Jacques Lemaire played with the Habs in the 80's and 90's, alot of times you can learn things watching the game from a different perspective than when your running the bench, not everybody can be Scotty Bowman. He could be on a cellphone with his wife making up the following week's schedule for the family meals, change his lines, be two steps ahead of the other team, win a game, hell the Stanley cup, and not a lose a step, I think Mr.Bowman would of been able to do all at once.

To conclude, the Flyers are in bad shape, they have no Dryden or Roy, far away from having the big three, the offense is shooting blanks, no Lafleur, Shutt or Lemaire as an explosive first line, and no Bowman behind the bench. Sorry Philly fans, but Lord Stanley does not have you on his radar for this year or next, he maybe flying north this year.

Note: Sorry, i have not been around to update my blog, but i have had personal issues to deal with in the past few weeks and now are resolved, hopefully i will be able to update my blog on a regular basis from now on. Thank you for your patience. !

Islanders to buy out Yashin and ...

According to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, the New York Islanders will buy out the remainder of under achieving forward, Alexei Yashin's contract at the end of the season. Yashin is in the sixth year of his idiotic contract. As far as the cap goes the Islanders will have to absorb 12 million in cap space for the next 8 years, which comes up to 1.5 million in dead cap space, compared to the space he is taking now, which comes up to 7,4 million. I think it's a pretty good deal for the Islanders, and clean up a mess that should never of happened.It is well stated in the CBA, that buyouts at two thirds are to count in the team's cap space for twice the remaining years of the contract. In Yashin's case, he will have four years remaining on his contract, so spread out it comes up to eight years.

Garrioch also mentions in his article, that the Red Wings could have an eye on Martin Biron from the Buffalo Sabres, should Dominic Hasek fall on his face. Other names are also mentionned to be of interest to the Wings, J-S Giguere in Anaheim, but his contract presents a major obstacle, but could be a good pick up come the tradeline in late February or early March.

In the same article, Garrioch believes Pittsburgh's coach Michel Therrien and Dallas coach, Dave Tippett could be on the bubble and could become the first coaching casualities of the season. If Tippett was too fall in Dallas, former Leafs Bench boss, Pat Quinn could be considered to take over. Garrioch mentions also, that Ottawa Senators owner, Eugene Melnyk, is being patient with his coach, Bryan Murray, and suggest that he should offer him an extension and kill the speculation that he could be bumped at the end of year or before, if the team should fail to live up to expectations. I have always wondered why Murray was hired in the first place, because his coaching record in the playoffs pretty much looked the same as Jacques Martin's who was fired after the early exit in the spring of 2004.

It seems that Washington Capitals owner, Ted Leonsis, is taking offers from potential buyers, but has not mentionned if he would actually sell the team, but you never know.

That's all for now folks !