Flyers Sign Rory Fitzpatrick

[canuckfan]

The Philadelphia Flyers announced today that they have signed 6’2”, 210-pound defenseman Rory Fitzpatrick to a one-year contract, according to club General Manager Paul Holmgren.

Fitzpatrick, 32, posted a goal and six assists for seven points and 46 penalty minutes in 58 regular season games for the Vancouver Canucks last season. He attended Flyers’ Training Camp on a try-out basis and was scoreless in one preseason game.

Over parts of nine NHL seasons with the Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators, Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver from 1995-96, 1996-97, 1998-99 and 2000-01 through 2006-07, Fitzpatrick has recorded 10 goals and 24 assists for 34 points and 190 penalty minutes in 268 career regular season games.

Prior to joining the Canucks, Fitzpatrick split the previous five seasons (2001-02 through 2005-06) between the Sabres and their American Hockey League affiliate, the Rochester Americans, recording nine goals and 15 assists for 24 points and 114 penalty minutes in 157 regular season games for Buffalo and 10 goals and 20 assists for 30 points and 166 penalty minutes in 121 regular season games for Rochester. A native of Rochester, New York, Fitzpatrick was originally selected by Montreal in the second round (47th overall) of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft.

[canuckfan]

Rory is a terrific 7th d-man to have on your club - nice little signing here by the Flyers. The guy knows his role on the team, is great in the locker room, and is generally pretty reliable in his own end. Plus, he will stick up for a teammate, although granted he's not much of a fighter. Good depth defenseman.

[lampington]

i smell an all star game!!!

[Brawllover8]

Rory got injured alot last season,

lets see what happens this season.

he is a decent fighter but a really good 7th D man

[Odjick29]

He's actually not that bad for an old guy, 7th-dmen, is well liked by his teamates...not a bad signing for depth purposes

[theknuckler]

Originally Posted by lampington

i smell an all star game!!!

are they doing it again this year? i hope so
i think each team should bring in an enforcer and have him play a couple shifts. i think the fans would go bananas if someone like a Parros was out there at the all star game.

[HordiBrusk29]

Waste of space.

[lilburtis9363]

Originally Posted by HordiBrusk29

Waste of space.

Exactly what I was thinking.

[jayc948]

Meh.

[BStreetBullies]

They couldn't have just kept a 7th-dman from their own system?

[jayc948]

Originally Posted by BStreetBullies

They couldn't have just kept a 7th-dman from their own system?

Exactly what I was thinking. Why sign Fitzpatrick when you still have Guenin on the 23-man roster plus Gauthier, Picard, and Parent down in the minors. Makes no sense.

[Podollan]

Too bad Gauthier wasn't picked up by a team.
LA for example. He is fun to watch with his checks.

Not sure about fitzpatrick.

[flyersrule]

i don't understand this move. they have more than enough dmen for the flyers and phantoms. i wonder if there is a trade coming soon? they can't possibly have room for all these dmen.

[headhunter55]

[quote=jayc948;1121909]Exactly what I was thinking. Why sign Fitzpatrick when you still have Guenin on the 23-man roster plus Gauthier, Picard, and Parent down in the minors. Makes no sense.[/QUOT

Yeah, I really like the Guenin plays. He brings alot of energy. I would rather see him stay, but I would assume he is going down now.

BTW- Guenin-- 150 PM's in like 40 college games a couple of years ago.

[lampington]

Originally Posted by flyersrule

i don't understand this move. they have more than enough dmen for the flyers and phantoms. i wonder if there is a trade coming soon? they can't possibly have room for all these dmen.

gauthier is a cap casulty. we probably won't see him in orange and black this season. (like mcgillis a few years back)

i figure there is still interest in him and they may be looking at the possibility of filling that spot. while it would seem premature to acquire a player prior to trading one, it makes sense from the perspective of not being "needy" in the market and having other teams force your hand.

i am confused what the status of picard and parent are as far as being called up or sent down and clearing waivers etc.
is it possible we could lose one of these guys if we had to send him down after calling him up?
that whole waivers, age, games played etc game confuses the he11 out of me. i'm really trying to understand the signing and am just asking the question even if it is way off.

the whole thing reeks of building for a big trade though.