Going to Dallas to see the Flyers blow a two-goal lead and end it in a tie against the Stars back in the pre-2005 days was an expensive trip; the tickets were $130 each plus $10 parking (probably $15 now in big D) and all the caffeine to do it in a 12-hour period. However, getting my picture taken with Jeremy Roenick made it worth every dime. The autograph was the whipped cream on my NHL sundae.
The nuts, sprinkles and hot fudge was seeing the 2003-4 Flyers lineup, probably one of the last, primarily American juggernauts until the salary cap and gap in US talent really hit. Accompanying JR were other Philly stars John LeClair, Mark Recchi (now the oldest, active player in the NHL since Chelios and Shanahan took desk jobs), Eric Desjardins, Keith Primeau, Simon Gagne (the last player from this lineup, recently traded to Tampa Bay in vain) and probably one of the best five or 10 American-born blueliners, Eric Weinrich.
He’s not as famous as Chris Chelios or the up-and-coming Jack Johnson yet he has numerous, well-earned accolades (most of this in the bottom half) attached to his career in the AHL and NHL. (Of course, mentioning the Eddie Shore trophy always induces a funny, foul-mouthed reply from all Slapshot fans.) I was sad to see him leave the Flyers but he wanted to keep playing which is why he agreed to being traded to the Blues; he was better at handling the puck up the rink than half the defensemen Clarke picked up afterwards. Coaching is something I think that suits him even better. Many great players who don’t achieve Gretzky’s level of fame usually get to have a second act in their career through this and it gives them another chance to shine. The awesome part for Weinrich is being an assistant coach with the Portland (ME) Pirates because he’s an alumnus from the University of Maine.
The downside is that the Pirates are in the Eastern Conference of the AHL, therefore, my Stars won’t see them unless it’s between us for the Calder Cup.