2011 Off-season Thread

Typically all is revealed once the season is over on injuries that occur before, during and after the playoffs.

In the case of Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger, he, as well as the media, will have to wait just a little longer.

“I’m still trying to figure it out,” said Pronger via conference call. “I have a few doctor’s appointments being set up for tomorrow, and I will know more as to my status and as to a direction where we’re headed with respect of trying to figure that out.”

Pronger continued to reveal that the tests would determine if he has a herniated disc in his back.

Although he couldn’t pin-point the exact date or cause of what kept him out of the line up for the series against Boston, he said that the symptoms got worse and worse every day.

Specifically, a herniated disc is a cushion that separates the vertebrae bones in the spine acting as shock absorbers. These discs sometimes get damaged and bulge or even break open, which causes pressure on nerves that cause pain, numbness and often affect the strength in the area of the body where the nerve is located.

While the year is still fresh in the minds of Flyers fans everywhere, personally for Pronger, he would like to forget what he calls ‘the year from hell’ after undergoing three surgeries in a nine-month span.

“I started the season with a surgery and I’m going to end it probably, who knows, whether I get another one or not,” added Pronger. “From an injury standpoint, it’s been the toughest year. You start to get back and start feeling good, and another one crops up.

"Hopefully a good summer of training and rehab on the various issues that I’ve had this year will rectify all those, and I can come into camp next year in a lot better shape, a lot healthier, and able to hopefully play 82 games next year.”

He missed the entire 2010 Training Camp, all of preseason and the first two games of the season following surgery on his knee at the end of July.

Pronger made his season debut on Oct. 11, the Flyers home opener against the Colorado where helped lead the team to a 4-2 win in over 20 minutes of ice-time.

Chris Pronger seen with bandages while interviewing with ABC6.
He continued to play the next 31 games, recording 15 points (4G-11A), but fell victim to a fracture in his foot during the Flyers’ 5-2 win at Montreal on Dec. 15.

Missing the next 13 games, Pronger remained in the Flyers line up through the end of January and most of February.

He was again sidelined for all but four games for the remainder of the regular season with an injured hand, which even though he returned to playoff action, still needs time to recover.

“My hand is still at a stage where I need to continue to work on it and get it stronger,” said Pronger. “It was to the point where I could play, but I still don’t have a lot of grip strength, still don’t have a full range of motion, and all the rest of that. It’s still where it was. I just need to continue, once I figure out the next step for my other injury, I’ve got to continue to work on it and stay on top of it, and rehab that so come summertime when I can begin my training program for the next season that there’s no issues.”

In all, Pronger’s, total man-games lost totaled out to 32 of 82 games. He posted 25 points (4G-21A)

One thing is for certain however, Pronger as well as the Flyers will have a longer recovery time than last year, and with a fully healthy Chris Pronger in the line up, they will once again kick off 2011-12 with high expectations.

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Philadelphia Flyers' forward Daniel Carcillo has been suspended for the period covering two regular season games, without pay, for his actions off the ice following the first period of Game #4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Boston Bruins on May 6, the National Hockey League announced today.

National Hockey League Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations Mike Murphy reached the decision following a hearing into the matter on May 13. The hearing was conducted pursuant to article 18.1 (on-ice discipline) and 18.2 (off-ice discipline) of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, NHL By-Law 17 and Article 6 of the NHL Constitution as a result of an incident outside of the officials' locker room following the first period and a verbal confrontation with linesman Brian Murphy at the players' bench prior to the start of the second period.

"Between the first and second period, while off ice and outside the officials' locker room, Mr. Carcillo engaged in aggressive behavior and inappropriate conduct directed at the officials," said Murphy. "While Mr. Carcillo acknowledged in the hearing that he regrets his actions outside of
the officials' room, there can be no defense for his conduct.

"I also reviewed the verbal confrontation between Carcillo and linesman Brian Murphy at the players' bench prior to the start of the second period and have determined that, while the verbal abuse may have been worthy of a penalty, there is no evidence that Carcillo's action merit supplemental discipline," concluded Murphy.

Carcillo will miss his club's first two regular season games in 2011-12.

The forfeited money shall go to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

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There’s no question that all eyes have been on Brayden Schenn since Flyers prospect camp started.

After five days of both on-ice and off-ice training, Schenn sure didn’t disappoint the enormous crowds at the Virtua Center Flyers Skate Zone during the final day scrimmage.

Schenn recorded a hat trick in his first game action as a Flyer, while adding an assist for a four-point total to help his team, TEAM WHITE, to a 6-3 victory.

“It was our first game in about two months, so I didn’t know what to expect going into it,” said Schenn. “All I wanted to do is come in and work hard and I got a few breaks out there.”

Schenn even recording one of his goals from a penalty shot, while his lone assist on the day saw him break out of the corner and hit a pinching Vincent LoVerde in from the point.

The game was hardly a walk in the park. It was the only scrimmage of the entire week and marked the first time players would get a chance to show their give and take on the physical aspect of the game.

“He’s just a bull on the puck,” said Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren, who with the rest of the Hockey Ops management observed most of the week’s activities from their perch above the rinks. “He’s strong on the puck, he makes good plays and he’s a very competitive kid.”

Schenn along with a majority of the players will now head back to their off-season homes to begin training.

“I learned a lot of new things from Lappy [Ian Laperriere] and the rest of the development team,” added Schenn. “Now I’m going to go home for the summer and work on that and better myself.”

How much each guy learned throughout this camp remains to be seen, but Flyers official Rookie camp leading into the eventual training camp isn’t too far away. If this camp is any indication, the Flyers have over 40 prospects that fit the mold of what it takes to be a Flyer.

“For the week, I couldn’t be more happier on how it went,” said Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren. “I think the coaches did a good job in their preparation and planning. The players did their job too. They all worked hard and did everything that was asked of them.

NOTES: Niko Hovinen shut out TEAM BLACK for the first period he was in net. It was the first action fans got to see of the 6’7’’ Finnish goaltender… Mike Testwuide had two goals in the game. It is his second prospect camp with the Flyers… All three Philadelphia-area prospects, Nick Luukko, Kyle Mountain and Tyler Hostetter all participated in the scrimmage… Flyers fans packed the team’s practice facility each day of the camp culminating in a capacity crowd for the scrimmage.

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