Hitchcock evaluates the newest Flyers

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Wednesday, August 16, 2006


By CHUCK GORMLEY
Courier-Post Staff

VOORHEES

With the first day of training camp scheduled to begin in one month, Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock was at the Skate Zone in Voorhees Tuesday and offered these assessments on some of the new additions to the Flyers' 2006-07 roster:


NOLAN BAUMGARTNER Defense, 6-foot-1, 200 pounds

"Nolan is a right shot defenseman that we anticipate getting quality power play time for us this year. Nolan has great vision on the ice. He makes really good plays with the puck and has a great ability find open people, especially in transition."


KYLE CALDER Left wing, 5-11, 180 pounds

"Kyle is going to be a great addition. He is a quality player with the way the game is being played right now. He makes things happen offensively every time he is on the ice. He can make plays off the rush and he can score in close. Kyle is fearless around the net and he is very good at protecting the puck and bringing it to the net off the boards in the offensive zone. He is going to be a good fit for us."


RILEY COTE Left wing, 6-2, 216 pounds

"Riley is going to get a tremendous opportunity to make our team in training camp. Our focus is to give Riley this opportunity. He is obviously tough, is very strong on his skates and he is an excellent team player. If Riley can continue to show the improvements he has over the past two years, then he is going to have a real crack at making our team."


MARK CULLEN Center, 5-11, 175 pounds

"Mark spent most of last season in the American Hockey League and then came up to the NHL and played great in the last 20 or so games with the Chicago Blackhawks. We have had experience in coaching against Mark in the AHL with John Stevens and again when we watched him when he was called up by the Blackhawks. He has great energy, great work ethic and is tenacious on the puck. His speed and his tenacity are assets that will help us. The best thing for us about Mark is that he can play multiple positions. We anticipate that Mark will be able to play up and down our lineup."


BEN EAGER Left wing, 6-2, 225 pounds

"Ben showed us that he can play in the NHL. He showed us qualities to be a real good NHL player. We think he is going to be an athlete that can play now. He is going to add to our team. Ben is a physical player, he has patience with the puck to make plays and he has the speed to really create chaos in the offensive zone on the forecheck."


RANDY JONES Defense, 6-2, 205 pounds

"Randy is somebody we really anticipate being on our team this year. We think that he is going to take the necessary steps to make the Flyers roster. He had a very good first part of the season last year until he got injured. We really believe that Randy is going to be able to step up to that level. He is going to have a big impact on us being able to move the puck out of our zone. He is a defenseman with tremendous composure with the puck. If he can do the things that we think he is capable of, he is going to be a great addition to our transition game."


LARS JONSSON Defense, 6-2, 207 pounds

"Lars is obviously very talented. He was a first-round draft pick by the Boston Bruins in 2000. He is a very mobile defenseman. He is very good at carrying the puck and lugging it out of his own zone. He is good at joining the rush and he has obviously been productive offensively in the Swedish Elite League so we are looking for good things from him in camp."


MARTY MURRAY Center, 5-9, 170 pounds

"Marty is going to be a glue person on our hockey club. Marty is a guy that you know what you're going to get from him every night. You know he is going to be consistent. You know you can play him in a checking role or a scoring role and you know he is going to give you quality play every time. It's a tremendous comfort when you have a player like Marty on your team because you never have to speak to them about competing. They do it on an everyday basis."


ALEX PICARD Defense, 6-2, 220 pounds

"Alex is a player we expect to take the next step. For a first-year player with the Phantoms last season, Alex had a tremendous year both offensively and defensively. He is the full package. He has excellent mobility, he is big, has a tremendous shot and really can pass the puck well. If Alex takes the next step, he is really going to challenge for a position on the Flyers hockey club."


RANDY ROBITAILLE Left wing, 5-11, 190 pounds

"Randy is one of those opportunistic players who doesn't need much of an opening to score goals. He has patience around the net. Where most people panic, Randy is very calm. He is a player that you don't notice until he has the puck in the scoring areas. He is one of those players that with the new game, will flourish."


GEOFF SANDERSON Left wing, 6-0, 190 pounds

"Geoff is a player that has great scoring ability and tremendous speed. Sandy is a guy that playing with us and in our system is going to fit in really well. He is a player that can find open ice. He is a player that can get steps on people to create scoring opportunities. He has a great shot in full speed off the wing."


JUSSI TIMONEN Defense, 6-0, 200 pounds

"Jussi is the younger brother of Nashville Predators defenseman Kimmo Timonen. He is excellent at defending his position. He is very mobile but he is able to do this from a defensive base. He is a very secure player who moves the puck out of the zone very, very well. He is a tremendous competitor on the ice."

Reach Chuck Gormley at cgormley@courierpostonline.com

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