Philadelphia Flyers

Gritty, the much-talked-about mascot of the Philadelphia Flyers, has been cleared of any wrongdoing related to allegations that it punched a 13-year-old boy in November.

According to ESPN's Emily Kaplan, the Philadelphia Police Department released the following statement regarding its decision: "That investigation, which has been completed and is no longer active, determined that the actions of the individual portraying the Flyers' mascot did not constitute physical assault as alleged."

In January, Chris Greenwell told Christian Hetrick of the Philadelphia Inquirer that Gritty "took a running start" and punched his 13-year-old son, Brandon, "as hard as he could" during a Nov. 19 event for season-ticket holders.

Greenwell added he took his son to the chiropractor one week after the alleged incident, and he was diagnosed with a back bruise.

Per Hetrick, the Flyers looked into the allegations but determined there was no video evidence and no witnesses who saw Gritty hit Brandon Greenwell.

After the Philadelphia Police Department's conclusion, the Flyers released a statement on the matter as well: "We are pleased that the Philadelphia Police Department concluded there was no merit to the alleged claim. The police department's statement confirms our thorough internal investigation that found no evidence of the described actions ever having taken place."

Chris Greenwell also commented on the Philadelphia police dismissing the allegations, telling the Inquirer: "I respect the police's decision, but I stand by what my son told me and what I saw, and I just want to put this behind me. Any parent would have done the same if they were in the same situation."

The Flyers introduced Gritty in 2018, as they were one of only two NHL teams without a mascot at that time. Gritty has gained a massive following and become one of the most popular mascots in sports.

Gritty is a large, furry, orange creature who dons a Flyers jersey and keeps fans entertained with antics, much like the Philadelphia Phillies' Phillie Phanatic.

The Flyers—who have not revealed who plays the character—have continued to utilize Gritty at their games since the alleged incident. Gritty even took part in the mascot game during NHL All-Star Weekend in St. Louis.

Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty is under investigation for allegedly punching a 13-year-old boy at a fan event. 

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Christian Hetrick, Chris Greenwell said he and his son, Brandon, had a photo taken with Gritty at an event for season-ticket holders, after which the mascot hit Brandon in the back: "In Greenwell's telling, Brandon playfully patted the mascot on the head after the photo was taken. As Brandon walked away, Gritty got out of his chair, 'took a running start,' and 'punched my son as hard as he could,' Greenwell said Wednesday."

Comcast Spectacor, the company that owns the Flyers, said it didn't have any video of the alleged incident but interviewed a team employee who worked alongside Gritty. The company was unable to verify the story.

Hetrick also shared an email to Greenwell from Laurie Kleinman, the vice president of risk management at Comcast Spectacor:

"I have investigated your allegations and cannot identify anyone who witnessed the incident as you described it. It is unfortunate that you and your son had a bad experience at our Gritty Photo Event. Therefore, we are offering an opportunity to discuss a creative way to restore your son's love of the Philadelphia Flyers."

After hearing from the company and not feeling satisfied with its response, Greenwell contacted police about the alleged punched. Hetrick confirmed with Philadelphia police that authorities are also looking into the matter, which they described as an alleged "physical assault."

The Flyers unveiled Gritty in September 2018. While many fans were initially puzzled by his general appearance, he quickly became a viral sensation.

The mascot most recently mocked the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal during Philadelphia's 3-0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday.

The Philadelphia Flyers announced Friday that 23-year-old forward Oskar Lindblom has been diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma and has been ruled out for the rest of the 2019-20 campaign to undergo treatment:

We’re all fighting with @oskarlindblom. pic.twitter.com/8ceHDn4OCk

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) December 13, 2019

Lindblom, who is in his third NHL season, scored 11 goals and seven assists in 30 games this campaign. He registered 17 goals and 16 assists in 2018-19. 

Lindblom also made his first appearance for Sweden's men's national ice hockey team at the Ice Hockey World Championships in May.

The well-wishes poured in for Lindblom after the news broke, with numerous people commenting on the player's good character:

Lindblom is one of those guys who always seems to have a smile on his face. Obviously, he's turning himself into a great hockey player too, but that's besides the point. This is a good kid and it kills you to hear that he's going through this.

— Charlie O'Connor (@charlieo_conn) December 13, 2019

Just terrible news. Wishing Oskar Lindblom tremendous strength in this fight. https://t.co/cYKMTd0uoD

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) December 13, 2019

Oskar Lindblom is just an awesome human being. Always smiling, teammates love him. Praying for him.

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) December 13, 2019

According to the National Library of Medicine, Ewing's sarcoma usually occurs in the bones and soft tissue around the bones and is most common in children and young adults.

Lindblom had most recently played on Dec. 7 in a 4-3 win over the Ottawa Senators. He missed his team's 3-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday with what the team called an upper-body injury.

The Swede's 11 goals are good for a share of the team lead. He last scored on both Nov. 29 and Nov. 30 in wins over the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens. Lindblom's efforts helped the Flyers go on a five-game win streak to move to 16-7-5 on the year.

They now sit at 17-9-5 with 39 points, good enough for fifth in the Metropolitan Division. Philadelphia currently holds the Eastern Conference's second wild-card spot.

The Flyers' next game will take place on the road Saturday at 7 p.m. ET against the Minnesota Wild.

Philadelphia sports fans have expressed their despair and anger in a variety of ways, including throwing snowballs at Santa Claus, picking fights with players and discussing recent team struggles in the immediate aftermath of saving babies from a fully-involved fire. 

The forward-thinking Flyers have now established an outlet for the city's hockey fans in need of blowing off steam with the creation of the Disassembly Room in Wells Fargo Center:

Let’s rage. https://t.co/yuDGpdrOmr pic.twitter.com/S8rt12KMH1

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) October 8, 2019

ESPN's Katie Nolan provided a preview of the room, while additional information was revealed in a Wells Fargo Center press release:

"The rage room-style space allows fans and guests a stress-relieving outlet amid all of the game action. Through scheduled sessions that can be reserved in advance, participants wearing protective gear can smash, break, and unleash their rage upon everyday items like televisions and dishes using bats, sledgehammers, and more. Some of the items that can be disassembled might even bear the logo of an opposing team."

Per the release, "fans can access the Assembly Room through a general admission, standing-room-only ticket starting at $25 for Flyers games." It will open on Wednesday for the Flyers' home opener against the New Jersey Devils, with the room offering "exclusively walk-in reservations."

The Disassembly Room isn't the only unique area in a current or former Philadelphia sports arena, as the old Veterans Stadium once housed a courtroom and jail for unruly fans at Eagles and Phillies games.

The Philadelphia Flyers announced Wednesday the re-signing of veteran goalie Brian Elliott on a one-year, $2 million contract.

"Brian has played well for us the last two seasons," general manager Chuck Fletcher said. "He is a proven, quality goaltender who competes and battles hard every time he has the net. We are excited to have him rejoin our team."

That's with Schlemko buried, Aube-Kubel on the roster, and Hagg/Morin on the team as well, to clarify.

— Charlie O'Connor (@charlieo_conn) June 26, 2019

Elliott, 34, appeared in 26 games for the Flyers in the 2018-19 season, finishing 11-11-1 with a 2.96 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage. While injuries limited Elliott, the emergence of rookie Carter Hart (16-13-1, 2.83 GAA, .917 save percentage) means he will likely return as a backup.

The 20-year-old Hart is clearly the team's goalie of the future, though supporting him with a proven veteran backup in Elliott, a two-time All-Star, is the right move.

As Charlie O'Connor of The Athletic wrote in late May, the major concern facing Elliott remains injuries:

"Elliott's talent level doesn't require a ton of guesswork. In four of the last five seasons, he's graded out somewhere between 'fine' and 'acceptably mediocre,' never posting a year with a save percentage below 0.907. Even at 34, he's shown little sign of slippage when he plays.

"Of course, 'when he plays' hints at the key concern: injuries."

Indeed, Elliott has dealt with lower-body issues since February 2018, which has included two surgeries and quite a bit of missed time. Granted, those concerns are mitigated by the lesser role he's expected to play behind Hart next season. Staying healthy should be easier with a reduced workload, though it's just as unlikely the Flyers will want to overwork the young Hart in his first full season as the starter.

So Elliott will see plenty of starts. The Flyers are banking on him to be a steady if unspectacular option in those appearances.

The Philadelphia Flyers could be aggressive this offseason after missing the playoffs in 2018-19, but one of the big keys could be keeping some of their own free agents.

The squad already re-signed Travis Sanheim and recently acquired Kevin Hayes, but this could only be the start of some important moves in the coming weeks.

Philadelphia took the first step Tuesday by providing qualifying offers to several restricted free agents while saving money by passing on a couple more:

#Flyers issue qualifying offers to Nicolas Aube-Kubel ($761,250), Travis Konecny ($874,125), Scott Laughton ($1,050,000) and Ivan Provorov ($874,125).

No QOs for Jacob Graves or Justin Bailey.

— Dave Isaac (@davegisaac) June 25, 2019

Flyers choose not to extend qualifying offers to Justin Bailey or Jacob Graves. Latter is not a surprise (he was in the trade that sent Weal to Arizona, mostly to even out the contracts), former is a mild one. https://t.co/u4myhNGKTf

— Charlie O'Connor (@charlieo_conn) June 25, 2019

Ivan Provorov is one of the more intriguing players on the list as a 22-year-old who has played in all 82 games in each of the last three years. The 2015 first-round pick is one of the top young players on the roster, and the team will certainly want to do what it can to keep him around.

The challenge could be the fact he is looking for a long-term deal worth at least $8 million per year, according to Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

General manager Chuck Fletcher seems intent on signing an extension but will wait for the process to play out:

Progress is slow with Provy until the market is set by some signings. Fletcher says it’s just part of the process. #Flyers

— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) June 22, 2019

Like all the restricted free agents with qualifying offers, the Flyers will get a chance to match if another team offers these players a deal.

Scott Laughton and Travis Konecny will also be important signings for Philadelphia, although the organization might struggle to keep all of these players while remaining under the cap. Depending on interest from around the league, there might be some difficult decisions ahead for Fletcher.

The team likely also wants to re-sign Cam Talbot, who is an unrestricted free agent after coming over in a trade in February.

The goalie only appeared in four games last year for the Flyers, but he is only a couple of seasons removed from being a Vezina candidate with the Edmonton Oilers.

According to Kevin Kurz of The Athletic, Philadelphia is looking to re-sign the 31-year-old, but four other teams have shown interest, including the Carolina Hurricanes. Frank Seravalli of TSN added the Calgary Flames could be a top option, but he noted Talbot has "kept in touch with the Flyers."

Carter Hart is a promising player after a great first year in the NHL last season, but depth could be a problem with Brian Elliott, Michal Neuvirth and Talbot all free agents. 

Meanwhile, the Flyers can also add some talent from outside the organization this offseason.

They have already showed they are willing to make trades, acquiring Tyler Pitlick from the Dallas Stars in a deal for Ryan Hartman after also getting Justin Braun and Matt Niskanen earlier this month. 

Michael Russo of The Athletic reported the squad has reached out to free agent Nate Prosser, although there is competition from at least four other teams.

The defenseman only played 15 games last season with the Minnesota Wild, but there could be value in adding the veteran to an otherwise young roster.

While Philadelphia knows it could be limited by cap restraints, being aggressive this month will likely be the best way to get back into playoff contention for 2019-20 and beyond.

The Philadelphia Flyers announced the acquisition of center Kevin Hayes from the Winnipeg Jets on Monday in exchange for a fifth-round pick. 

"By gaining the rights to Kevin at this time, it provides us with an opportunity to negotiate with him prior to July 1 when he is due to become an unrestricted free agent," Flyers executive vice president and general manager Chuck Fletcher said.

Sounds like the Flyers don't have anything in place just yet to sign Kevin Hayes...Fletcher trying to get ahead of the process...to see if there is a mutual fit...Not much risk in giving up a 5th...Remember AV coached him in NY.

— John Shannon (@JShannonhl) June 4, 2019

https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/1135710816320270342

Hayes, 27, notched 19 goals and 36 assists in stints with the New York Rangers and Jets during the 2018-19 season, posting a career-high in total points (55). He's also familiar with new Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault, playing under him with the Rangers in his first four seasons.

He scored a career-high 25 goals with the Rangers in the 2017-18 season.

For the Flyers, signing him to a long-term deal would give them a much-needed upgrade at center behind Sean Couturier.

Welp, Flyers trading for Kevin Hayes' rights. There's their 2C target. We'll see if they can lock him up. https://t.co/ztg422mTNm

— Charlie O'Connor (@charlieo_conn) June 4, 2019

It's the first move in what should be a busy offseason for the Flyers after a disappointing 2018-19 campaign that saw the team finish with just 82 points, sixth in the Metropolitan Division. It was the fourth time in the past seven seasons that Philly failed to reach the postseason, and the Flyers haven't gotten past the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs since the 2011-12 campaign.

There are building blocks in place, however. Couturier posted 76 points for a second consecutive year, while Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek remain major threats on the wing and 20-year-old Carter Hart looks like the goalie of the future.

The Flyers have some work to do. But if they're able to sign Hayes this offseason to bolster their center depth, it will be a solid start.

The Philadelphia Flyers removed a statue of singer Kate Smith outside of Wells Fargo Center because of racially insensitive songs she performed in the past.

"The NHL principle 'Hockey is for Everyone' is at the heart of everything the Flyers stand for," team president Paul Holmgren said. "As a result, we cannot stand idle while material from another era gets in the way of who were are today."

#Flyers statement on Kate Smith: https://t.co/IkvBKFPGs4 pic.twitter.com/FHQIttpFWJ

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) April 21, 2019

The Flyers had previously taken the step of covering the statue.

Kate Smith statue covered up outside Wells Fargo Center. Sports teams including @Flyers cutting ties to late singer after reports she sang songs with offensive and racist lyrics. 📷: E. Fisher @FOX29philly pic.twitter.com/4xMsJ0sawB

— Chris O'Connell (@CoconnellFox29) April 19, 2019

The New York Daily News' Stefan Bondy reported Thursday the New York Yankees were no longer going to play a recording of Smith singing "God Bless America," which had become a tradition in the seventh inning. Bondy explained the issue in question:

"Smith was a famous singer before and during WWII who recorded the offensive jingle, 'Pickaninny Heaven,' which she directed at 'colored children' who should fantasize about an amazing place with 'great big watermelons,' among other treats. She shot a video for that song that takes place in an orphanage for black children, and much of the imagery is startlingly racist. She also recorded, 'That's Why Darkies Were Born,' which included the lyrics, 'Someone had to pick the cotton. … That's why darkies were born.'"

USA Today's Tom Schad spoke with Smith's niece, Suzy Andron, and Andron's husband. They said it was a "shame" the Yankees distanced themselves from Smith. Andron said that Smith wasn't a racist and "really did not see color."

The Flyers followed the Yankees in no longer playing Smith's edition of "God Bless America" during games. According to the New York Times' Victor Mather, the team began playing the song after she performed live before Game 6 of the 1974 Stanley Cup Final. The Flyers won the first of back-to-back titles that season.

The statue of Smith that stood outside of Wells Fargo Center was erected in 1987.

The Philadelphia Flyers hired Alain Vigneault as their next coach, the team announced Monday. 

"We are extremely excited to have Alain join this franchise and lead our team behind the bench for many years to come," general manager Chuck Fletcher said of the move. "He brings a tremendous amount of success over an extended period of time that will prove valuable to our team to take the next steps in returning the winning culture to the Philadelphia Flyers organization."

TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported the Flyers signed Vigneault to a five-year, $25 million deal.

This is the fourth stop of Vigneault's head coaching career. He most recently spent five seasons with the New York Rangers, compiling a 226-147-37 overall record and guiding the team to four playoff trips. The Rangers reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2013-14, his first season on the bench.

The reaction to Vigneault's hiring wasn't overwhelmingly positive, but it wasn't overwhelmingly negative either.

https://twitter.com/JeffVeillette/status/1117874652192264192

You can do worse that Vigneault if you're the Flyers. Short-term -- and Giroux's 31, so -- it's not a bad fit. Bummer for Gordon, but like I reported earlier this year, they really like him on the farm (if that's where he ends up).

— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) April 15, 2019

I'm fine with Vigneault given the options. Not sure what credentials people are looking for in a coaching candidate. There aren't 5 Q's sitting out there. #Flyers

— Anthony Coppola (@AVCoppola) April 15, 2019

Immediate thoughts about Alain Vigneault and the #Flyers:
1) Coaching hasn’t been their primary problem.
2) Vigneault is a fine coach, but he did well (‘11 Canucks, ‘14 Rangers) with veteran teams that needed a softer hand. I’m not sure this team needs a softer hand.

— Mike Sielski (@MikeSielski) April 15, 2019

The 57-year-old replaces Dave Hakstol, who was with the team for three-and-a-half seasons. The Flyers fired Hakstol in December after getting off to a 12-15-4 start. Scott Gordon filled in for Hakstol on an interim basis, with Philadelphia going 25-22-4 under his watch. With 82 points, the Flyers finished 11th in the Eastern Conference.

According to Spotrac, Philadelphia is on track to have the fifth-most salary cap space ($47.8 million) this offseason, but the team will want to reserve a chunk of that to re-signing some of its key free agents. Travis Konecny, Scott Laughton and Travis Sanheim are all hitting restricted free agency.

By opting for Vigneault over a younger coach with less experience, the front office is clearly looking to rebound quickly in 2019-20.

It's hard to argue with his track record. Between his time with the Rangers and Vancouver Canucks, Vigneault has nine playoff appearances over his last 12 years. That provides a solid baseline for expectations in Philadelphia next season.