Archives › James O’Brien
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Ah, Chris Pronger. He’s just one of those players who can’t go long without upsetting someone. The latest controversy caused by the big defenseman came after he apparently snatched what would be the “game puck” after both Game 1 and Game 2. This leaded to a heated (if silly) exchange with Chicago Blackhawks tough guy…
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While the official announcement hasn’t been made, the Detroit News reports that Nicklas Lidstrom decided to return for at least one more season with the Detroit Red Wings. Wings officials will announce later today Lidstrom has agreed to a one-year deal. The exact amount was unknown, but it is believed to be near $6 million. If that…
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Flyers Star Cam highlights: Chicago Blackhawks Star Cam highlights:
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2010 Stanley Cup finals: Live Chat for Game 2 of Flyers-Hawks
May 31, 2010, 10:00 PM EDT
At first I thought that Saturday’s Live Chat had the most readers ever, but it turns out it had the most comments. While that’s not as sexy as sheer reader numbers, what that means is that everyone had a lot to say about that wacky Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals. (And maybe ……
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2010 Stanley Cup finals: Top stars for Blackhawks, Flyers must improve
May 31, 2010, 3:00 PM EDT
The Chicago Blackhawks might have won Game 1 on Saturday, but neither team should be too pleased with their overall efforts. Sure, the Hawks should be happy that their supporting cast contributed so much and the Flyers can at least take some positivity from giving their opponents a good run, but both teams played horrible defense.…
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Just a few moments ago, I discussed a Montreal Gazette story that included an interesting bit regarding hockey agent Rich Winter’s formula for building elite NHL teams. As it turns out, I couldn’t help but find another portion of that story quite interesting. It’s not surprising for teams to go all-out to court star players. Sometimes, in college sports,…
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What defines an “elite” team? Let’s get the generic questions out of the way. Do you need wave after wave of high-end offensive talent? Perhaps the biggest component is a defensive system that can smother your opposition’s attack into submission. Or maybe it’s all about having a goalie who can stand tall when your team…
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Here are some minor injury updates and news for tonight’s Game 2 between the Flyers and Blackhawks. Darren Dreger reports that Flyers super-pest Dan Carcillo is expected to be back in the orange tonight for Philadelphia. Take a look at Dreger’s Tweet. (That sounds a bit dirty, doesn’t it?) Carcillo playing. Says he’s excited. Says he…
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2010 Stanley Cup finals: Dave Bolland's 'checking line' makes a huge impact for Chicago
May 31, 2010, 12:40 PM EDT
The one thing that separates the Chicago Blackhawks from the rest of the league – aside from that horrible, horrible, horrible “Chelsea Dagger” goal song – is their slap-you-in-the-face depth. Say what you will about Brian Campbell, you’re doing pretty well when he’s (maybe) your third best blueliner. After you get past the Toews and…
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While missing a pre-game skate is no guarantee that a player will miss a game, it’s still not a promising sign. ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that Chicago Blackhawks forward Andrew Ladd did not participate in the morning session today. Of course, for at least Game 1, the Blackhawks could live with his replacement Tomas Kopecky. He had…
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Electronic Arts' upcoming Wii game to feature hockey stick controller, Wayne Gretzky
May 31, 2010, 11:30 AM EDT
Comments OffIt’s no secret that Electronic Arts took over the hockey video game genre, at least on the X-Box 360 and Playstation 3, with its NHL series. There’s a reason that Take-Two Interactive decided to pull its NHL2K series off of the consoles that emphasize graphics. Yet now the one advantage Take Two enjoyed – publishing the only…
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Pronger: Byfuglien matchup, underdog talk 'blown out of proportion'
May 31, 2010, 10:45 AM EDT
Comments OffChris Pronger is not a shy player when it comes to mixing it up in the corners … or, apparently, when he is in front of a microphone or a reporter’s notebook. The big brute often provides candid (well, for hockey players, at least) comments to the media and this weekend was no exception. Pronger is…
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2010 Stanley Cup finals: Supporting cast helps Chicago win weird Game 1, 6-5
May 29, 2010, 11:58 PM EDT
Hockey writers might need to dust off a thesaurus or two to describe this one. What’s the correct variation of “strange” to describe this one? Should people refer to it as bewildering? Bizarre? Maybe a car wreck? All of those labels apply, but I think I’ll go with Brandon’s “sloppy” or maybe up the ante…
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2010 Stanley Cup finals: Live Chat for Game 1 of Flyers-Hawks
May 29, 2010, 10:25 PM EDT
Well, it’s been ages (Monday! Gah!) since there’s been playoff hockey but our patience will be rewarded with Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals tonight. Come chat with us during NBC’s live coverage of the Philadelphia Flyers vs. the Chicago Blackhawks. It should be mighty interesting to see how these not-so-familiar foes match up.…
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Goalies, defense under fire through two wild periods, score tied 5-5
May 29, 2010, 10:24 PM EDT
Well, if casual fans enjoy goal scoring frenzies, then this game is simply a buffet of goodness. Jacques Lemaire might want to look away from the screen, though. Flyers 5, Blackhawks 5 End of second period Michael Leighton looked nervous early and played that way all game. He ended up getting the boot in the…
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Philadelphia Flyers at Chicago Blackhawks Game 1, Stanley Cup finals Live on NBC at 8PM ET We’ve covered the Stanley Cup finals from a dizzying amount of angles. Seriously, it’s as if we put the Cup in one of those “Enter the Dragon” mirrored rooms. To make sure that you’re aware of the biggest stories…
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Just about any Philadelphia Flyers captain will draw comparisons to their greatest one, Bobby Clarke. Especially if that player happens to be a center who can combine edgy grit with goal scoring prowess. Maybe it shouldn’t be surprising, then, that outlets such as TSN are comparing Mike Richards to Clarke. While there are undeniable (if broad)…
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2010 NHL Scouting Combine: Hall opts out of fitness testing, Day 1 results
May 29, 2010, 1:10 PM EDT
Comments OffIt’s common for high-end NFL prospects to shy away from the Combine in order to avoid hurting their stock. In the case of probable 2010 NHL Entry Draft No. 1 pick Taylor Hall, he has a much better excuse for opting out of the fitness side of the event. Folks who wanted to see Taylor Hall go…
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With speed, skill and general skating ability coming to the forefront since the lockout imposed rule changes (or at least increased enforcement), the NHL has become a young man’s game again. Just look at all the best players right now; from Sidney Crosby to Alex Ovechkin and Patrick Kane, almost all of the league’s marquee…
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2010 NHL Scouting Combine: Hall, Seguin answer weird questions
May 29, 2010, 11:10 AM EDT
Comments OffJob interviews are awkward. They’re quite a bit like blind dates; there’s a lot of pressure and the person is only meeting a compromised version of yourself. The NHL Scouting Combine includes a 20-minute interview that gives teams a chance to “get to know” prospects. What that seems to come down to, at times at…
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Brian Boucher's chances of suiting up for Game 1 looking good
May 29, 2010, 10:35 AM EDT
Comments OffAs I speculated earlier this week, it sounds like there’s a good chance that Brian Boucher will be available to back up Michael Leighton. NHL.com reports that – while it’s not a guarantee – he should be the Philadelphia Flyers No. 2 goalie for Game 1. Boucher, who was in agonizing pain after teammate Ryan Parent fell…
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Earlier tonight, I took a look at the Flyers’ history since they won a Cup way back in 1975. Stretching back to 1961, it’s not out of order to say the world changed a lot since the Chicago Blackhawks won one. Here’s a timeline of nearly 50 years of heartache. After winning that Cup, the team made it…
