SUNDAY QUICK HITS

* Silly Season Musing: The clock is ticking for the Chicago Blackhawks to get Kevin Hayes under entry level contract before he becomes an unrestricted free agent on August 15. The 24th overall pick of the 2010 NHL Draft is coming off a spectacular senior season for Boston College, for whom he racked up 27 goals and 65 points in 40 games. The Boston native also played for Team

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SATURDAY QUICK HITS

* The Philadelphia Flyers reportedly have interest in unrestricted free agent forward Peter Mueller if the team can find a way to free up some cap space to add a forward. Now 26, the former eighth overall pick of the 2006 NHL Draft spent last season in the Swiss National League A with the Kloten Flyers. Mueller led the league in goal-scoring with 24 goals and finished third

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QUICK HITS

* Best wishes for an enjoyable and safe Independence Day weekend to all of my American readers. I am returning to Texas today after spending a very enjoyable last week in my hometown to cover the 2014 NHL Draft and the start of the free agency period (which ended up being much more eventful for the Dallas Stars than for the Flyers). I would have liked to stay in Philly for an upcomin

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FLYERS MAKE SERIES OF MINOR MOVES

On the second day of the 2014 free agency season, the Philadelphia Flyers made five moves. Most were geared toward helping their American Hockey League farm team with some veteran talent that could also be called up to the NHL in a pinch.

At the NHL level, the Flyers signed unrestricted free agent defenseman Nick Schultz to a one year, $1.25 million contrac

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STATUS QUO (FOR NOW) FOR FLYERS

While much of the NHL got caught up in the first day of Free Agent Frenzy 2014, in which more than a half-billion dollars got spent leaguewide, the Philadelphia Flyers were forced to be spectators due to their lack of cap space. Apart from re-signing goaltender Ray Emery and making a pair of two-way contract signings (forward Blair Jones and goalie Rob Zepp) gear

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JULY 1 QUICK HITS

* Free agency season opens today. Late June to early July is the time of year where NHL teams work hard to clear out existing albatross contracts so they can sign new players to albatross contracts they’ll be trying to get rid of in another summer or two. There are some bargains to be had, but that usually requires being patient and letting the seller’s market switch to a buye

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MONDAY QUICK HITS

* With the start of the free agency period one day away and the Flyers looking both to carve out some cap space and to make some speed upgrades at forward and defense (preferably without sacrificing too much size), we are in for an interesting week. If and when moves are made, the blog will be updated.

* I spoke yesterday with an NHL scout from a Western Conference team to

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SUNDAY QUICK HITS

* The NHL’s announcement that the salary cap ceiling for the 2014-15 season will be set at $69 million came as unpleasant surprise to many of the bigger budget teams. The Flyers were especially hard hit. When one includes Chris Pronger’s cap hit before the team gets its long-term injured reserve allowance at the start of next season, the team is already approximately $236,000

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FIRST-DAY RECAP, SECOND DAY PREVIEW (7:30 AM EDT)

After reportedly making a heavy push to land the first overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft from the Florida Panthers, the Philadelphia Flyers ended up standing pat for the time being. The club used the 17th overall pick of the Draft to select fast-rising Calgary Hitmen defenseman Travis Sanheim.

Defensemen have longer learning curves that forw

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CALM BEFORE THE STORM (7:45 AM EDT)

For the first time in NHL history, Philadelphia is the host city for the NHL Draft. The first round of the 2014 NHL Draft will take place tonight, with rounds two to seven being held tomorrow.

The Flyers own the following picks in the Draft:

Round 1 – 17th overall pick
Round 2 – 48th overall pick
Round 3 – 86th overall pick (acquired from Boston in

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