2010 Draft Recap for the Sixers and Flyers

The latter half of the previous week allowed to quietly go on a winning streak and try to right the ship. The reason why you ask the spotlight was taken off the Phillies for the past couple of days is because of the NBA Draft held on Thursday night in New York City and the NHL Draft held on Friday and Saturday in Los Angeles.

The Sixers made it official the worst kept secret that their man they were drafting was guard/forward Evan Turner. This comes a week after shipping, Captain Underachiever, Samuel Dalembert to Sacramento for forwards Spencer Hawes and Andreas Nocioni. The trade of Dalembert and the drafting of Turner has sent a message from the new head coach Doug Collins to the rest of the team that the Sixers will be full of hard workers and players that will themselves to victories.

After the LeBron sweepstakes is over and all the big stars like James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Carlos Boozer, and Joe Johnson decide what their new addresses will be, those teams that will loose on the sweepstakes will take a look at what will take to bring in Elton Brand. In no way, realistically, were the Sixers going to be able to move Brand's $51 million. It was evident that the main players like Chicago and Miami were dumping salary just to make room to make max offers to the before mentioned free agents.

Unlike the major retooling the Sixers have to do their roster, the Flyers just to make a few tweaks to their roster to make a hopeful return to the Stanley Cup Finals. The Flyers as well last week before the draft make a deal aquiring the rights of defenseman Dan Hamhuis and a conditional draft pick in 2011 from the Atlanta Thrashers for defenseman Ryan Parent. During the season, the Flyers made a push to try to acquire Hamhuis from the Thrashers. Hamhuis, before being dealt to Pittsburgh during this weekend's draft, would have given the Flyers three formiable pairs on defense.

But the Flyers management and Hamhuis' agent, Wade Arnott, weren't getting any closer to reaching a deal. Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren realized that the Flyers weren't going to be able to reach a deal before July 1st and wanted to make sure they could get value for Hamhuis before they would loose him to free agency. The Flyers were able to acquire a third-round pick in the 2011 draft.

Since the Flyers acquired defenseman Chris Pronger from Anaheim last year, the Flyers didn't have a pick until the third round. But the Flyers were still trying to make deals to address needs on their team. Rumors have been circulating that the Flyers were looking at the Boston Bruin netminder, Tim Thomas, along with the Jonathan Quick from the LA Kings. But the newest name out their is that the Flyers are trying to bring in San Jose Sharks soon-to-be free agent Evengi Nabakov.

I will be shocked to see the Flyers bring back Michael Leighton back after his success in the playoffs. Personally, Leighton had an unforgettable run but the journeyman will most likely not be able to repeat the success he had last year. I would prefer a proven winner like Nabakov or a young and talented goalie like Jonathan Quick. It is very fitting that Patrick Kane's winning goal was a "soft" goal that went between Leighton's five hole. The achille's heel of the Flyers will forever be the goaltender position until they get a franchise caliber netminder.

The Most Annoying Day for Athletes: Media Quotes from Thursday

Captain Mike Richards response to the Flyers being referred to as the underdog in the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals against the Chicago Blackhawks.

"We're obviously feeling confident about ourselves, so are they...For you guys, the media and TV, you probably want to label someone the underdog but we feel confident in our capabilities...we got here for a reason."

Defenseman Kimmo Timonen explains how he has prepared for the Blackhawks.

"They were saying that Chicago is a quick team with a lot of skill and their D-men can really move the puck and they can jump into the play ... They were saying to me that they tried to play physical hockey and tried to limit their D jumping into the play. That's going to be one key for us."

Coach Peter Laviolette's response to who he think will win the battle in front of the net, Dustin Byfuglien or Chris Pronger.

"It's certainly something that's going to have to happen ... Our defense has done a really good job, not just Chris, but our defensemen in front of the net and team defense has been really good in these playoffs.

Coach Laviolette's feelings about being asked to take over the coaching duties for the Flyers in the middle of the season.

I'm grateful to [Flyers GM] Paul [Holmgren] and grateful for the opportunity because there's not a lot of jobs."

This Day in the Broad Street Bullies History

On this day one year ago, former Flyer Peter Zezel passed away from a rare blood disorder, hemolytic anemia at the age of 44. Zezel was selected by the Flyers 41st overall in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft. Zezel spent the first five seasons of his 15 year career with the Flyers. Zezel played in 310 games for the Flyers while scoring 91 goals and having 170 assists. In 1986-87, Zezel had his best offensive output for the Flyers. Zezel had 72 points during the season including 33 goals and 39 assists. Zezel spent the rest of his career with six others teams including the St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals, Toronto Maple Leafs, Dallas Stars, New Jersey Devils and Vancouver Canucks. Zezel retired during the 1998-99 season after being traded to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Zezel finished his NHL career with 873 games played, 219 goals and 389 assists, with a total of 608 points.

This Day in Fightin' Phils History

On this day in 1933, outfielder Chuck Klein hit for the cycle in a 5-4 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. This was Klein's second of his career. Klein's previous cylce occurred in 1931. Klein spent 15 of his 19 year career with the Phillies. Klein finished the 1933 season with a .368 batting average, 28 homers and 120 RBIs. Klein was voted to his first of two All-Star teams in 1933, while finishing second in the NL MVP race behind New York Giants pitcher Carl Hubbell. Klein led the NL in ten statistical categories including hits, doubles, homers, RBIs, batting average, slugging percentage, on base percentage, OPS, OPS+, and total bases. Klein was inducted into the Hall of Fame by the Veteran's Committee in 1980.

Also on this day in 1980, pitcher Steve Carlton became the National League pitcher to throw six one-hitters in their career. Ten years later, third baseman Mike Schmidt's uniform #20 was retired by the Phillies.

Do I or Do I Not Touch It?

On Sunday afternoon, after winger Kris Versteeg scored the empty netter for the Blackhawks, I started to wonder will captain Jonathan Toews touch the Clarence Campbell Bowl. Toews decided to stay as far away from the Campbell Bowl as he could while taking a photograph with the hardware.

When captain Mike Richards skated up to the Prince of Wales Trophy on Monday night, Richards was itching at the chance to grab the trophy. Richards was so anxious that he almost forgot he had to pause and take a photograph before leaving the ice.

After the game, Richards admitted that the Flyers season hasn't been a conventional one, so he decided to against the supposed jinx labeled with touching the conference trophies.

Last year, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby decided to touch the Prince of Wales trophy. The Penguins ended up beating the Detroit Red Wings in seven games. In 2008, Crosby decided to stay away from the trophy like it was the plague and the Penguins lost to the Red Wings in six games.

One fact to make Flyers worried could be that in 1997, Eric Lindros decided to touch the Prince of Wales trophy. Detroit Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman said publicly that he won't touch the Campbell Bowl. All Flyers fans can remember the Flyers decided to not show up and got swept by the Red Wings.

I can't blame Richards for being excited for getting a chance to lift Lord Stanley because it has been 13 years since the last appearance in the Cup Finals by the Flyers. This might be the only chance that Richards would be able to lift any trophy. The man was living in the moment and letting what the Flyers just accomplished all soak in.

In no way a hockey player really thinks that the main goal of their season is to win the conference trophy. Their goal is to drink out of Lord Stanley during the summer. There is going to be no worries that Richards and the rest of the Flyers will be focused. They will try to bring a parade down Broad Street this summer.

As much as the Flyers are a "team of destiny" right now, they should have been here the whole time. They had one of the best paper rosters coming into the 2009-2010 season in the Eastern Conference. Because of injuries and the under-achieving of the team, the Flyers dug a huge hole for themselves and had to win in a shootout to sneak into the playoffs.

The Chris Pronger deal, last summer, addressed a huge hole on the squad, a shutdown defenseman. Now, with Pronger and fellow defenseman, Kimmo Timonen, has given two shutdown defense pairs, which will be crucial to shown down Toews and Patrick Kane along with Marian Hossa.

If you aren't Flyered up already, well then you might as well start because this series won't be a cakewalk for the 'Hawks. Look for this series to be one the best ever and going either six or seven. Let's Go Flyers!

This Day in the Broad Street Bullies History

On this day in 1997, Eric Lindros netted a hat trick as the Flyers defeated the New York Rangers, 6-3, in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden. Lindros scored his first goal in the first period on a wrap around that just barely crossed the goal line, as the Flyers took a 1-0 lead. In the third period, after two quick goals by the Rangers in the period, Lindros responded with a slapper that beat Mike Richter glove side, giving the Flyers a 3-2 lead. Lindros scored his ninth goal of the postseason, as the captain added an empty net goal with time winding down. The Flyers closed up the series with two more victories over the Rangers, winning the series 4-1. The Orange & Black advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals and were promptly swept by the Detroit Red Wings.

This Day in Fightin' Phils History

On this day in 1983, Steve "Lefty" Carlton struck out four in a 5-0 loss to the San Diego Padres. But the southpaw was able to move into second place on the career all-time strikeout list, passing Walter Johnson, who finished his career with 3,511 strikeouts. At the end of the season, Carlton finished the season ahead of Nolan Ryan with 3,709 strikeouts. Carlton finished his career with 4,136 strikeouts and is currently sitting fourth all-time.