From: seth@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (peter.r.clark..jr)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.hockey
Subject: Re: Five FLYERS Preseason Observations
Date: 29 Sep 92 14:19:38 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: AT&T

In article <X6gTRB2w164w@cellar.org>, darling@cellar.org (Thomas Darling) writes:
> Five Observations on the FLYERS Preseason
> """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
> 
> 2. Dimitri Yushkevich has a lot of balls wearing Mark Howe's number, but
>    he seems to have the skills to back it up.  This 20-year-old rookie
>    defenseman from Russia plays great defense, shows a good sense for
>    strategic playmaking, and has a hard shot from the point.  Yushkevich,
>    I believe, will become one of the FLYERS' key players.

What makes you think Yushkevich even knows who Mark Howe is? He does look
good so far, though, doesn't he...
  
> 3. Dominic Roussel's puck-handling seems to have improved, which is good,
>    because it needed a lot of work.  I guess hanging around with Bernie
>    Parent all summer has had a positive effect.

I'm still not impressed. I was expecting (or hoping, anyway) Soderstrom to
come in and take charge. Now it looks like *he* isn't close to ready. No
defense and no goaltending does not add up to a good year. I hope one of
these two improves real fast...

> 4. The Flyers have a superb core of big, young, talented centers.  Lindros
>    is 19.  Brind'Amour and Butsayev are both 22.  Keith Acton is something
>    like 32, but he's as quick and fearless as ever, and shows no signs of
>    slowing down...so I guess they'll keep the old fossil around awhile
>    too.

Yes, Butsayev looks good. When I first saw him my first reaction was "damn,
there goes Conroy's spot on the roster." I like Conroy a lot, he's going to
be the next Acton...you heard it here first :-).

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Right now as I see it, the FLYERS are strong in only two areas: C and RW.
On the left wing, we have Lomakin and Eklund. Pederson may have won his
spot over the weekend, but he was an "on the bubble player" according to
the coaching staff. After that, nothing. No depth, no good 4th LW. Dineen
was quoted as saying that he will keep the 12 best forwards, not looking
at position. Maybe Conroy will get a roster spot after all. If I were Dineen,
I would go with Conroy, Acton and Boivin as my checking line - it worked
well last year.

On defense, after Yushkevich and Benning it looks real bad. Galley is out
for who knows how long (and he was no all star anyway) with some unkown
illness, Corey Foster isn't having a good preseason, Kordic was never more
than the defensive goon. Carkner stinks (always has), Mantha is over the
hill, Nattress looked useless in his first game and has been hurt ever since.
And this is the defense. Although, Ryan McGill has shown some good flashes
and Gord Hynes has shown some improvement, so maybe one of these two guys
will make the team and help out.

The FLYERS are going to be a lot of 10-8 games this year, I have a feeling...

pete clark jr - r.s.h FLYERS contact