MESSAGE FROM MANAGEMENT - GENERAL MANAGER MICHAEL BARNETT
By:_ Michael Barnett
Welcome everyone to the start of the 2003-04 hockey season._ It promises to indeed be an exciting nine months._ From the players, coaches and management standpoint, we see this new season as a chance to move forward with a positive large step, after the disappointing season we had last year._ The 2002-03 season was supposed to be a year that continued the momentum we gained from the previous season when we recorded 95 points and earned a birth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs._ Last year we didn’t get the job done on the ice in many areas and we have worked hard to improve our results this year.___
This past summer, we made several personnel changes that were intended to strengthen our hockey team for the present, and the long-term._ We felt we needed to add players to our lineup who bring a reputation of being “difficult to play against.”_ We accomplished that goal with the addition of players like Brad Ference, Cale Hulse, Chris Gratton, Tyson Nash and Mike Sillinger._ We also felt we needed to increase our overall team speed, thus the arrival of players such as David Tanabe and Daniel Cleary. In addition, to be successful this year, our players that have been in the National Hockey League for a few years will need to take on a greater leadership role, and accordingly, raise the level of expectation of themselves, individually and collectively._
This year’s team has been asked by head coach Bobby Francis to prioritize their focus on playing “team defense.”_ This can be accomplished when our forwards continuously come back hard to help the defensemen; when those same defensemen protect the area in front of our netminders; when they make crisp passes to our forwards on the breakout; and when our forwards enter the neutral zone on the offense with speed._ Every day Assistant Coach Pat Conacher pushes our players to enhance their power, agility, and explosiveness, while making them second to none in the League condition-wise._
The entire coaching staff has worked hard with the players throughout training camp to prepare them for the opening of the regular season and our early success has generated both confidence and excitement within the locker room.
Creating a winning environment early in the season is very important to our club._ We play in a tough Pacific Division and an even more difficult Western Conference._ It will be a battle all season long._ Teams can’t afford to fall too far behind in the standings because it makes for a very difficult climb down the stretch._ A good start in the month of October will help build a belief amongst our players that they can be successful this year and accomplish what some outsiders are predicting is unattainable with this young team.___ The momentum we have generated in our first three games will certainly start us in the right direction._ Our players realize if they work hard for 60 minutes each game, the results will be positive.
As I write this feature, we are currently on a three game road trip that concludes in Tampa Bay._ We have a young group of players and getting on the road early in the season can only help them come together as a team._ On our roster, we have a core of players that have played together for at least three years and that know each other well._ The task will be to get all 23 players ready to support and believe in each other, on and off the ice.______
After watching this year’s early games, I don’t think there is any question that goaltender Sean Burke is at the top of his game._ There have been some questions regarding Sean’s durability, but I personally feel that the repetitive groin injuries, which he suffered at the end of last season, were really a result from his having come back too quickly from the original injury._ Nobody trains harder than Sean and he is our most prepared player on a nightly basis._ He is now well rested and his injuries have been rehabilitated._ I am not surprised at all in his strong play early on this year._
Another player whom it is nice to see back on the ice, and healthy, is center Krystofer Kolanos._ He is competing hard every night and he hasn’t been avoiding body contact, despite the concussion that forced him to miss most of last season._ One aspect of Krystofer’s game that helps our team is how well he generates offense with his skill._ As the season continues, he will only get stronger, his timing will improve and he will score some big goals for us.
Ladislav Nagy will undoubtedly also score many big goals for us this year._ He is averaging five shots on goal per game, which if he continues throughout the year, will enhance our overall team offense enormously._ Likewise with Shane Doan, who is playing at 10-pounds lighter, and is much quicker and more mobile._ Both Daymond Langkow and Chris Gratton have also dropped weight from last year, in the belief they will be more agile._ Early indications are proving their beliefs to be correct._
_
In the likes of Jan Hrdina, Mike Johnson and Brian Savage, we have proven NHL forwards who are offensively gifted and whose speed should enable us to attack our opponents with at least three quality scoring lines._ It is also great to see Landon Wilson back on the ice._ His heavy shot makes goaltenders wary and his overall presence in the locker room was missed last year._ Big Andrei Nazarov is another player who is very well liked by his teammates._ He has become an important part of the “mix” that you need to compete successfully in the NHL.____________
Our team defense has been very good thus far and the play of our defensemen has started to make people recognize the talent that these young guys possess._ Assistant Coach Rick Bowness has done a tremendous job bringing our blueliners together as a group and getting those players to believe in themselves._ Our defensemen as a group have bonded very well._ They spend a good amount of time together off the ice and welcome the challenges in front of themselves._
David Tanabe has fit in nicely playing alongside Ossi Vaananen._ Tanabe has already shown his tremendous skating ability and his capability to play solid defense as well._ Tanabe at 23-years-old is a more mature hockey player now, and is relishing the role he can have with our hockey team._ When the opportunity presents itself, both he and Paul Mara can join, or lead the rush, thanks to their great wheels._ They are both being encouraged to do so._ Vaananen is playing a much more rugged game now, thanks to 15-pounds of added muscle. He along with Brad Ference and Cale Hulse are bringing the physical presence that every strong NHL blueline needs to be successful._ Another member of our blueline, Radoslav Suchy, is a veteran at 27-years-old and his steadying influence gives our younger defensemen the confidence they need to do their thing, night in and night out._
The depth we now have throughout our roster has already paid dividends with the injury to Mike Sillinger._ Sillinger is going to be a big contributor to our hockey team this year. With the option to move Jan Hrdina to center, Bobby Francis can still role four lines using Langkow, Gratton, Hrdina and Kolanos down the middle._ Twenty-year-old Matthew Spiller making our roster was undoubtedly a highlight for us and his current position on our blueline gives us seven NHL defensemen._ They are all capable of playing 15-20 minutes each night._ Lastly, we have goaltending depth at the NHL level beyond the norm._ Both Brian Boucher and Zac Bierk are very capable NHL netminders and along with Sean Burke, our goaltending guru Benoit Allaire has three outstanding students._ They have an average height of 6-foot-3 and thus don’t give our opponents a lot of net to shoot at._ We intend to make their nights easier this year with our overall attention to better defense, more discipline and aggressive specialty teams.____
_
The club will return home this Saturday, October 18 when the Philadelphia Flyers come into town._ I look forward to providing another “Message From Management” feature in the future on this web site and want to send along my thanks, and those of the players and coaches for your support._ There was great energy and excitement in the building last Friday after our St. Louis victory._ We intend to have you experience that feeling on many more occasions this year._ See you at the arena!_
By:_ Michael Barnett
Welcome everyone to the start of the 2003-04 hockey season._ It promises to indeed be an exciting nine months._ From the players, coaches and management standpoint, we see this new season as a chance to move forward with a positive large step, after the disappointing season we had last year._ The 2002-03 season was supposed to be a year that continued the momentum we gained from the previous season when we recorded 95 points and earned a birth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs._ Last year we didn’t get the job done on the ice in many areas and we have worked hard to improve our results this year.___
This past summer, we made several personnel changes that were intended to strengthen our hockey team for the present, and the long-term._ We felt we needed to add players to our lineup who bring a reputation of being “difficult to play against.”_ We accomplished that goal with the addition of players like Brad Ference, Cale Hulse, Chris Gratton, Tyson Nash and Mike Sillinger._ We also felt we needed to increase our overall team speed, thus the arrival of players such as David Tanabe and Daniel Cleary. In addition, to be successful this year, our players that have been in the National Hockey League for a few years will need to take on a greater leadership role, and accordingly, raise the level of expectation of themselves, individually and collectively._
This year’s team has been asked by head coach Bobby Francis to prioritize their focus on playing “team defense.”_ This can be accomplished when our forwards continuously come back hard to help the defensemen; when those same defensemen protect the area in front of our netminders; when they make crisp passes to our forwards on the breakout; and when our forwards enter the neutral zone on the offense with speed._ Every day Assistant Coach Pat Conacher pushes our players to enhance their power, agility, and explosiveness, while making them second to none in the League condition-wise._
The entire coaching staff has worked hard with the players throughout training camp to prepare them for the opening of the regular season and our early success has generated both confidence and excitement within the locker room.
Creating a winning environment early in the season is very important to our club._ We play in a tough Pacific Division and an even more difficult Western Conference._ It will be a battle all season long._ Teams can’t afford to fall too far behind in the standings because it makes for a very difficult climb down the stretch._ A good start in the month of October will help build a belief amongst our players that they can be successful this year and accomplish what some outsiders are predicting is unattainable with this young team.___ The momentum we have generated in our first three games will certainly start us in the right direction._ Our players realize if they work hard for 60 minutes each game, the results will be positive.
As I write this feature, we are currently on a three game road trip that concludes in Tampa Bay._ We have a young group of players and getting on the road early in the season can only help them come together as a team._ On our roster, we have a core of players that have played together for at least three years and that know each other well._ The task will be to get all 23 players ready to support and believe in each other, on and off the ice.______
After watching this year’s early games, I don’t think there is any question that goaltender Sean Burke is at the top of his game._ There have been some questions regarding Sean’s durability, but I personally feel that the repetitive groin injuries, which he suffered at the end of last season, were really a result from his having come back too quickly from the original injury._ Nobody trains harder than Sean and he is our most prepared player on a nightly basis._ He is now well rested and his injuries have been rehabilitated._ I am not surprised at all in his strong play early on this year._
Another player whom it is nice to see back on the ice, and healthy, is center Krystofer Kolanos._ He is competing hard every night and he hasn’t been avoiding body contact, despite the concussion that forced him to miss most of last season._ One aspect of Krystofer’s game that helps our team is how well he generates offense with his skill._ As the season continues, he will only get stronger, his timing will improve and he will score some big goals for us.
Ladislav Nagy will undoubtedly also score many big goals for us this year._ He is averaging five shots on goal per game, which if he continues throughout the year, will enhance our overall team offense enormously._ Likewise with Shane Doan, who is playing at 10-pounds lighter, and is much quicker and more mobile._ Both Daymond Langkow and Chris Gratton have also dropped weight from last year, in the belief they will be more agile._ Early indications are proving their beliefs to be correct._
_
In the likes of Jan Hrdina, Mike Johnson and Brian Savage, we have proven NHL forwards who are offensively gifted and whose speed should enable us to attack our opponents with at least three quality scoring lines._ It is also great to see Landon Wilson back on the ice._ His heavy shot makes goaltenders wary and his overall presence in the locker room was missed last year._ Big Andrei Nazarov is another player who is very well liked by his teammates._ He has become an important part of the “mix” that you need to compete successfully in the NHL.____________
Our team defense has been very good thus far and the play of our defensemen has started to make people recognize the talent that these young guys possess._ Assistant Coach Rick Bowness has done a tremendous job bringing our blueliners together as a group and getting those players to believe in themselves._ Our defensemen as a group have bonded very well._ They spend a good amount of time together off the ice and welcome the challenges in front of themselves._
David Tanabe has fit in nicely playing alongside Ossi Vaananen._ Tanabe has already shown his tremendous skating ability and his capability to play solid defense as well._ Tanabe at 23-years-old is a more mature hockey player now, and is relishing the role he can have with our hockey team._ When the opportunity presents itself, both he and Paul Mara can join, or lead the rush, thanks to their great wheels._ They are both being encouraged to do so._ Vaananen is playing a much more rugged game now, thanks to 15-pounds of added muscle. He along with Brad Ference and Cale Hulse are bringing the physical presence that every strong NHL blueline needs to be successful._ Another member of our blueline, Radoslav Suchy, is a veteran at 27-years-old and his steadying influence gives our younger defensemen the confidence they need to do their thing, night in and night out._
The depth we now have throughout our roster has already paid dividends with the injury to Mike Sillinger._ Sillinger is going to be a big contributor to our hockey team this year. With the option to move Jan Hrdina to center, Bobby Francis can still role four lines using Langkow, Gratton, Hrdina and Kolanos down the middle._ Twenty-year-old Matthew Spiller making our roster was undoubtedly a highlight for us and his current position on our blueline gives us seven NHL defensemen._ They are all capable of playing 15-20 minutes each night._ Lastly, we have goaltending depth at the NHL level beyond the norm._ Both Brian Boucher and Zac Bierk are very capable NHL netminders and along with Sean Burke, our goaltending guru Benoit Allaire has three outstanding students._ They have an average height of 6-foot-3 and thus don’t give our opponents a lot of net to shoot at._ We intend to make their nights easier this year with our overall attention to better defense, more discipline and aggressive specialty teams.____
_
The club will return home this Saturday, October 18 when the Philadelphia Flyers come into town._ I look forward to providing another “Message From Management” feature in the future on this web site and want to send along my thanks, and those of the players and coaches for your support._ There was great energy and excitement in the building last Friday after our St. Louis victory._ We intend to have you experience that feeling on many more occasions this year._ See you at the arena!_
