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Bringing Hexy Back • 42 Years Old • Male
I am a fan of a lot of British comedy. Basically, anything from Python, to Fawlty Towers to Eddie Izzard to Benny Hill. I nabbed a copy of "Shaun Of The Dead" on amazon.com for a dollar last week. Great bang for THAT buck. Anyhow....

-Rivalries. They spur the emotions, and get a nice level of blood lust going for fans. One thing I am seeing more and more of is the back burner rivalry. An example of this is the Pens-Flyers match-up. I find a lot of Penguins fans that feel the Flyers are their number one rival. However, most Flyers fans that I talk to, see, as I do, more heated rivalries with New Jersey, the Rangers and Isles, and even teams like Toronto, Buffalo and Ottawa.

Perhaps this is one unintended consequence of the current playoff structure-teams playing 8 times in the regular season will never build up the amount of hatred that one playoff series can evoke. I found it interesting the amount of hatred that fans of the Caps, Canadiens and Penguins had for the Flyers. Especially the comments about guys like Jeff Carter being classless.

Oh well, one man's rivalry is another man's average Tuesday night game.

-Ron Wilson fired as coach of San Jose. In other news, Sun will rise in East tomorrow. Amazingly expected firing. Wilson had issues with his team captain and routinely had a superior team falter in the playoffs. Now the heat is on the other Mr Wilson.

-Sad to see Olaf Kolzig's tenure with the Washington organization come to an end. Kolzig is a great guy for all his charitable work and in his day was a top flight goalie. He's still got game left and would be a good mentor for a kid like Carey Price or Cam Ward.

-Brian Campbell will end up in either Chicago or Ottawa.

-Olli Jokinen will stay in Florida.

-Is Jordan Staal the best Staal? In terms of all around game, I think he is, hands down. The guy is a great all around player and he's simply clutch. He's every bit as important to the Pens playoff run as Crosby and Malkin.

-Don't be surprised to see the Flyers move Joffrey Lupul to clear cap room to re-sign Jeff Carter and RJ Umberger. Believe it or not, should the cap rise to $55mm, keeping both players is easily doable if both guys sign for comparable dollars to similar players.

Lupul could also be odd man out for scoring stud Claude Giroux, who tore through the QMJHL's playoffs. Giroux has a lot of the offensive tendencies of Lupul, and none of those provided by veteran traffic jam Mike Knuble.

-Is Calgary shopping Alex Tanguay? How about Kristian Huselius? Did anyone really think these guys would last in Calgary with Mike Keenan behind the bench?

-The Panthers have announced that Jacques Martin will be the GM through 2010-11. Pretty amazing for a guy who was supposed to be gone if they failed to reach the playoffs.
Filed Under:   Shaun of the dead   Jsaq   Lupul   Staal   Wilson   Kolzig   Izzard  
May 17, 2008 6:03 AM ET | Delete
Love Shaun of the Dead as well. 1 buck for it is a steal. Was it used or new?I'd HATE to see Lupul go. He has really picked it up, and is a solid 2nd or 3rd line sniper. I think with Hartnell now on board, time to look for someone to take Knuble. I love Mike, but someone can use him, and we can get Giroux on board.Totally agree with the Staal comment.
May 17, 2008 6:20 AM ET | Delete
Used, of course. Knuble could go, but I still think it's Lupul.
May 17, 2008 9:13 AM ET | Delete
Good job Jsaq. I have been saying for 4 months now that Lupul will be moved. He would bring the most in a trade and he is a UFA after next season and Philly won't be able to afford him IMO.
May 17, 2008 12:15 PM ET | Delete
Good Blog. I don't agree with you about Lupul. I don't see him moving.
May 17, 2008 1:50 PM ET | Delete
Lupul will be a RFA arbitration eligible after next season
May 17, 2008 5:07 PM ET | Delete
Lupul isn't going anywhere... Upshall and Kapanen are both on the block before Lupul. Knuble isn't going anywhere either. He was THE reason our PP was so good in the regular season. Lupul will be a future top line winger with Richards.
May 17, 2008 7:09 PM ET | Delete
I agree meck....Great blog though Jsaq
May 17, 2008 9:25 PM ET | Delete
Well, they'll need to move somebody to fit Carter and Umberger, and all indications are, that re-signing those two are Holmgren's main goal this summer. I don't think it's far fetched in the least to think Lupul will be traded. He has more value than Upshall, and Kapanen has a NTC. I don't recall saying Knuble would get traded, just that he could draw interest. I think it's Lupul because of the value and the likelihood of Giroux being on the roster next year. Neither Giroux or Lupul is suited to a 4th line role.
May 18, 2008 12:45 AM ET | Delete
I don't think Umberger will be re-signed. Upshall I doubt leaves, you can't get much for him, so why trade him. Knuble you won't get much for either at his age and contract situation. Umberger I think will be dealt/let go.Lupul>Umberger
May 18, 2008 7:25 AM ET | Delete
I can wait, yes can wait to see who they keep, sign or who retires. I really like the depth of our team and our system. I think that many of the moves made will end up shocking us. Let's win about 7 more games this year before we deal with this issue!! :)
May 18, 2008 7:26 AM ET | Delete
Oh, and great blog as always
May 18, 2008 10:52 AM ET | Delete
Umberger will be re-signed because he has arbitration rights. Once the Flyers offer him that, he's basically re-signed. Holmgren has said as much. The only way Umberger leaves is if he actually gets to arbitration and gets awarded a huge contract.
May 18, 2008 2:56 PM ET | Delete
He won't be awarded over $2.5 Million. Then Knuble should be the guy out.
May 19, 2008 2:39 AM ET | Delete
The problem is, if you have Lupul, Knuble and Giroux and compare them, Giroux is much more similar to Lupul than he is to Knuble. Not to mention that Lupul probably has more trade value, as he is younger and potentially better than Knuble right now.
May 19, 2008 6:56 AM ET | Delete
Well I guess I can contribute my opinions now :(My predictions:I agree with Jsauella, Lupul is the man more then likely to move, but I wouldn't rule out both Upshall and Lupul moving. Prospal, Smith are gone for sure and Hatcher will play a reduced role next year if he doesn't retire. Jim Dowd may have played his last game as a Flyer too.Kapanen will be offered a position, either in a scouting role or some other position to make room for the many players the Flyers have that could play on the fourth line.What I would like to see:Add another top 6 defensemenAdd a goaltending prospectA healthy GagneHere is to another great run next year!!!
May 19, 2008 2:49 PM ET | Delete
Good stuff, just a couple of points. For longtime fans of the teams that you mention (Pens, Habs, Caps), there is a lot of history with the Flyers. For the Caps, they were in the Patrick Division with them for years and had several really good playoff battles. Add to this that DC and Philly are natural rivals from a regional perspective (they are in the same division in the other 3 major sports) and it shouldn't be surprising that Caps fans view the Flyers as a rival (I would say that most Caps fans feel we should still be in a division with Philly and the NY metro teams). As for Jordan being the best Staal, you might be right but don't discount Eric. He was a beast for the Canes after Brindamour was lost for the year. Lastly, everyone was sad to see Kolzig go but the fact is that he appears to be in denial about his skills -- he is at best a #2/mentor, but he seems to believe he is still a 1.
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