The NHL conducted its annual pre-season conference call this week with the national broadcasters from VERSUS, TSN, NBC, Hockey Night in Canada/CBC.

It wouldn’t be a hockey season if we didn’t have some sour grapes. As in Don Cherry.

The moderator asked the panel which team in the NHL would have the biggest decline from last season.

Grapes could barely wait until Eddie Olczyk got done talking before he aimed his barbs at … the Orange ‘n Black.

“I'd like to jump in,” Cherry began. “I forgot to give my one. I feel Philadelphia won't have the year they had last year. Everything clicked right for them and it was Paul Holmgren did a great job.

“I'm not saying they won't make the playoffs. But I really don't think they'll do as well as they did last year. I'm not impressed with the goaltender that much. My choice to drop is Philadelphia.”

Granted, I haven’t seen the games on the road in pre-season given they’re not on the tele, but from what I have seen of the Flyers, there is absolutely nothing that suggests this club is headed for the kind of fall Grapes predicts.

I know a lot of people in the NHL still don’t like Marty Biron and still believe he isn’t good enough to win a Stanley Cup.

Without getting into a protracted argument here, there is ample evidence that if a team surrounds itself with a solid, defense and a goalie gets hot in the playoffs, that club can win the Cup on the merits of its overall play.

We’ve seen in Carolina, Anaheim and let’s face it, the strength of the Detroit Red Wings last season, was their defense. They had the “rights” to the puck. They made it very easy for goalie Chris Osgood.

Biron has changed his style this season _ more aggressive, going after the puck outside the net _ and he’s 4-0 with a 0.93 goals against in pre-season. What’s not to like about him, Grapes?

So, let’s begin the debate today. Do you Hockeybuzzers out there think for a minute John Stevens and his Flyers are headed for “The Big Fall?”

Three of the four forward lines seem set. True, I see only one set defensive pair – Braydon Coburn and Kimmo Timonen. Beyond that, because of injuries and experimentation on the back end, I’m not sure what the pairs are and who is definitely the odd man out.

To me, that’s a good problem because I think the Flyers are better on the back end that I had given them credit for, going into camp.

Yet I see no evidence the Flyers are going to tumble from the 95-point plateau of a year ago, in what was the hardest division in the NHL to qualify for a playoff spot.

Last I counted, four teams from the Atlantic qualified.

BTW: Both Pierre McGuire and Olczyk lauded Flyers’ general manager Paul Holmgren for his efforts in “revitalizing” the franchise last season.

Neither picked the Flyers to tumble, either.

I understand a lot of us here, dont care about what people in the Media have to say about the Flyers. But i still just wanted to show it.

In terms of people whose opinions I value, Don Cherry is not very high on my list.

No, it's good of you to show it - I just don't want everyone to get too torqued up over one guy's opinion.

It will make it sweeter in April/May to come back to this and laugh at how wrong he was.

I'd say he's mudwrestling with Eklund on the bottom of my list.

I'm only interested in what he's wearing and whether or not my eyes can handle it.

Don Cherry is Godlike, but he is clearly out to lunch on this opinion.

Cherry is one of the higher opinions I will listen to.
Sorry to say it, but he's probably right. The Flyers way overacheived last season and may take a little step backwards. They didn't do much to improve the defence or goaltending, our best chance is that nobody else in our division did a whole lot to improve this offseason either.

i think the jury is still out on the defense. and goaltending was a strong point so its not like we need all that much improvement there

In terms of people whose opinions I value, Don Cherry is not very high on my list.

yeah, cherry is the man. i dunno what everyone else is talking about

Cherry's opinions have to be respected, but you can always disagree. Furthermore, he can be wrong too. At least he acknowledges we'll be in the playoffs

For clarification, I don't think Cherry is awful. I just have a hard time trusting someone who dresses like he's trying to blind people. Much like Cherry's thoughts on the Flyers, this is just my opinion.

Is Phillys defense really good enough? Not just to make it to the finals but face teams like Anaheim who have forwards like Getzlaf Selanne Perry and Kunitz really quick physical forwards(I've always felt selanne was underrated in terms of grit).

Anyways I don't think the defense or goaltending is good enough just yet either. Eminger has never really been a very good hockey player at the pro level and I don't really like the bottom 4 dmen.

Teams have won without a great goaltender but it's very hard to win without a top notch defense.

Calm down guys...it's just another opinion from Cherry (a reject who didn't last long playing in the NHL).

The Flyers defence does get me worried at times, but I think the team needs to learn how to play the trap(see Red Wings) when protecting those 1 goal leads.

If Holmgreen can make a trade for a defenceman like Cam Barker or Seabrook. Then one of those guys would be a big addition to our D.

Calm down guys...it's just another opinion from Cherry (a reject who didn't last long playing in the NHL).

The Flyers defence does get me worried at times, but I think the team needs to learn how to play the trap(see Red Wings) when protecting those 1 goal leads.

His outfits are epic!

Cherry only played in one NHL game. That doesn't mean he isn't knowledgeable regarding the game. He's one of the more honest analysts and isn't afraid to speak his mind. Even if it means he'll anger some by what he says. He's got more knowledge about hockey in his head than most of us at this board combined. And his professional hockey playing career did last about 20 years.


There's a difference between the trap and the left wing lock.

You want to see good analysts, good see Pierre McGuirre and Bob Mckenzie. Two of the best in my opinion, especially come draft day.

you have got to be kidding me
whenever i have to hear him when hes between the benches, i feel like punching my cats

Say what you want about him but Pierre Mguire is probably the most connected man in hockey. Maybe you don't like him just because he says the leafs suck but he is one of the most knowledgable guys out there. His enthusiasm is a bit faked but my point still stands.

Don Cherry is on the verge of becoming senile. I'm not too concerned about what he has to say...

Same, I am more concerned abo who is dressing him

Remember when this seemed like a controversial topic on the FMB?

Don Cherry is on the verge of becoming senile. I'm not too concerned about what he has to say...

He crossed the verge many years ago. Then, he became a cartoon.

you have got to be kidding me
whenever i have to hear him when hes between the benches, i feel like punching my cats