1. PhiladelphiaFlyers.com- History of Flyers-Caps Rookie Game

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1 Philadelphia Flyers Daily Clips- September 2, 2011 FLYERS/NHL Headlines 1. PhiladelphiaFlyers.com- History of Flyers-Caps Rookie Game 2. NHL.com- Vancouver releases Cup Final riot investigation results 3. NHL.com- NHL's Gary Bettman, NHLPA's Donald Fehr release joint statement on three recent deaths 4. NHL.com- Statement from Jennifer Belak 5. TSN.ca- Jets Byfuglien arrested on suspicion of intoxicated boating 6. TSN.ca- Boston University researchers studying Boogaard s brain 7. TSN.ca- Canucks hope to raise mental health awareness 8. TSN.ca- Blackhawks agree to terms with Segal on one-year contract FLYERS/NHL Articles 1. PhiladelphiaFlyers.com- History of Flyers-Caps Rookie Game Philadelphia Flyers Having just passed the 15th anniversary of the Wells Fargo Center, the Flyers will stage yet another first in their arena the 2011 Rookie Game presented by Smoothie King. This year s game will be the first Flyers action of the season on the Wells Fargo ice, when the Flyers rookies and the Washington Capitals rookies battle each other for the fifth straight year in a 5 p.m. ET puck drop. The game is free of charge and open to the public. In addition, fans attending the game will be treated to free parking in the Wells Fargo Center parking lots from 3:15 through 5:30 p.m. with doors opening at 3:30. All tickets to the game will be ed starting Sept. 7th, 2011 (Please allow 24 hours for delivery). Prior to this year, each rookie game had been held at each team s practice facility every other year on a rotating basis. Kettler Capitals IcePlex in Arlington, Va. hosted the 2010 & 2008 rookie games, while the Virtua Center Flyers Skatezone in Voorhees, N.J. hosted the inaugural game in 2007 and again in This year, the Flyers rookies will look to exact revenge from a 4-3 loss in 2010 to the Caps rookies. The game will also serve as the rubber-match between the two clubs, as each team has traded victories over the past four years for a record. Prospects scheduled to participate in the camp and game include recently-acquired center Brayden Schenn, 2011 eighth-overall pick Sean Couturier; fellow 2011 draft picks Nick Cousins, Colin Suellentrop, Marcel Noebels and Derek Mathers; as well as Jason Akeson, Oliver Lauridsen and Zac Rinaldo.

2 Last year saw the emergence of Flyers rookie goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who played the first two periods of the game, giving up two goals and facing a majority of the shots on net. However the Flyers dropped a heart-breaker to the Caps rookies who scored in the final 90 seconds of the game to post a 4-3 victory. In 2009 it was a completely different story. Flyers rookie, and second overall draft pick, James van Riemsdyk came into camp and dazzled for a five-point performance, recording four goals and adding an assist for a 7-3 win at the Flyers practice rink. The game served as a bit of a revenge victory from the previous year when the Caps rookies took home a dominant 7-0 victory in Arlington, Va. in The inaugural year saw another Flyers superstar compete. Claude Giroux suited up at the Skatezone to lead the Flyers rookies to a 5-3 win. Flyers fans around the country will also be able to watch the game live via webcast from the Wells Fargo Center on PhiladelphiaFlyers.com, with the Flyers broadcast team calling the play-by-play action. 2. NHL.com- Vancouver releases Cup Final riot investigation results Corey Masisak Two months of investigation into the events that transpired the night of June 15 in Vancouver have led 53 recommendations for future preparation and prevention of events like the riot that occurred after Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, according to the report released Thursday by an independent review. The review, co-chaired by former Nova Scotia deputy attorney general Douglas J. Keefe, QC and former head of the Vancouver Olympic Committee, John Furlong, concluded the main problems on the night of the riot were too many people in the downtown core and too much alcohol involved. The report stated that 446 police officers were scheduled to be on duty that night, not counting the typical downtown patrols, but that number swelled to 928. The report's authors concluded that 446 would have been enough to maintain control of the expected crowd, but far more people than were expected showed up -- an estimated 155,000. "No plausible number of police" would have prevented the riot from igniting considering the unexpected conditions (size of the crowd, early arrival and amount of alcohol consumed), according to the report.

3 "Why did the riot occur? The riot occurred because villains and thugs acted up," Keefe said during a press conference at a Vancouver hotel Thursday. "The more valuable question is how did they get the edge? How did they get the opening to do that? "There were too many people -- not too many people for the police but too many people for the venue.... They were too drunk. Alcohol sales that day were 68 percent higher than they were the year previous on the same Wednesday." There were other problems, according to the report. The response plan may have been sound, but police deployment happened to slow as the large crowd began gathering downtown earlier in the afternoon than anticipated. "VPD's crowd management strategy is good but is predicated on setting and maintaining a tone of responsible celebration," the report said. "The opportunity to set a tone passed before there were enough officers to set it and congestion prevented its later imposition. But it is likely that, even if police presence had been established early, it could not have been maintained in the congested streets." Another issue was communication once the riot began. Keefe said the order to switch to tactical gear was given at the right time, but because of the congestion and poor communication it took up to 40 minutes to implement the order for some units. There were suggestions for everyone involved among the 53 recommendations, including local and regional law enforcement and government as well as the Vancouver Canucks and the National Hockey League. The report urges the Canucks and the League to implement programs and activities to promote year-round sportsmanship and responsible fan behavior during celebrations. It also suggested the NHL should partner with host cities and its franchises to "ensure the best, safest public celebrations possible." "We believe there is a role for the Vancouver Canucks to play; we believe there is a role for the National Hockey League to play," Furlong said. "We believe for there's a role for volunteers. We believe that all of the communities around -- everyone needs to be part of the solution." Keefe and Furlong's findings include the idea of limiting the sale of alcohol at events like this in the future will be critical, as well as better monitoring of people who try to bring alcohol with them on public transportation. They also called for the Attorney General to set up a special court to specifically deal with crimes that stem from a riot.

4 "We feel that a riot is an offense against a community," Keefe said. "Just like breaking into and looting stores is not 200 acts of shoplifting going on at once -- it is terrorism." Social media could also play a major role in preventing chaos at future events, the report said. People who wanted to leave the scene peacefully received bad information or simply didn't know where to go. The report calls for the development of "Twitter-like social media communication tools" to help get correct information to people in congested areas. Other recommendations included a "Major Events Planning Team" for the city and a regional event public safety plan when the scope of an event reaches beyond the city. "It has to have a regional eye to do this properly," Furlong said. "We think that's possible if there is a will. We hope the recommendations lead to people taking some of this on so that we can improve at this so that next year, and there is a very good chance because the Vancouver Canucks are currently the favorites to win the Stanley Cup [in 2012], that this crowd is coming again and that we can have an event that people would walk away from and feel that it was a joyous and wonderful occasion." 3. NHL.com- NHL's Gary Bettman, NHLPA's Donald Fehr release joint statement on three recent deaths NHL.com Staff As the hockey world attempts to come to grips with Wednesday's shocking death of Wade Belak -- the third player to die this summer -- the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players' Association began the vital process of examining "whether concrete steps can be taken to enhance player welfare and minimize the likelihood of such events taking place." Belak's passing comes just 16 days after the death of Winnipeg Jets forward Rick Rypien, who waged a well-documented battle with depression during parts of his NHL career. On May 13, New York Rangers forward Derek Boogaard died at his home in Minneapolis after ingesting what officials say was a toxic mix of alcohol and the painkiller oxycodone. Boogaard's death was ruled accidental by the Hennepin County (Minn.) Medical Examiner. Those three tragedies have prompted the National Hockey League and the NHL Players' Association to look into ways to help players, according to a joint statement released by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA Executive Director Donald Fehr Thursday afternoon:

5 "Everyone at the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players' Association is profoundly saddened by the loss, within a matter of a few weeks, of three young men, each of whom was in the prime of his life. "While the circumstances of each case are unique, these tragic events cannot be ignored. We are committed to examining, in detail, the factors that may have contributed to these events, and to determining whether concrete steps can be taken to enhance player welfare and minimize the likelihood of such events taking place. Our organizations are committed to a thorough evaluation of our existing assistance programs and practices and will make immediate modifications and improvements to the extent they are deemed warranted. "It is important to ensure that every reasonable step and precaution is taken to make NHL Players, and all members of the NHL family, aware of the vast resources available to them when they are in need of assistance. We want individuals to feel comfortable seeking help when they need help. "NHL Clubs and our fans should know that every avenue will be explored and every option pursued in the furtherance of this objective." 4. NHL.com- Statement from Jennifer Belak NHL.com Staff Jennifer Belak, wife of the late Wade Belak, released the following statement Thursday evening regarding her husband's passing: "We are overwhelmed and deeply touched by the outpouring of compassion and support since Wade's passing. Wade was a big man with an even bigger heart. He was a deeply devoted father and husband, a loyal friend and a well respected athlete. This loss leaves a huge hole in our lives and, as we move forward, we ask that everyone remember Wade's infectious sense of humor, his caring spirit and the joy he brought to his friends, family and fans. The coming days will be very difficult for our family and we respectfully ask that we be allowed to grieve privately." 5. TSN.ca- Jets Byfuglien arrested on suspicion of intoxicated boating The Canadian Press Authorities in Minnesota say Winnipeg Jets star Dustin Byfuglien has been arrested on suspicion of boating while intoxicated. The sheriff's jail roster in Hennepin County says the 26-year-old defenceman was brought in just before midnight Wednesday night and released shortly after 2 a.m.

6 An employee with the county sheriff's office says he was arrested on probable cause and officers have 36 hours to determine if he will actually be charged. During that time, blood or urine tests will confirm if he was intoxicated. Another official said a mugshot of Byfuglien was taken but a decision was made not to release it to the media. Hennepin County covers the area around Minneapolis and St. Paul. Byfuglien was born in Minnesota and lives in the Twin Cities area in the off-season. He played junior hockey in the Western Hockey League in Brandon, Man., and Prince George, B.C. He won a Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010 before being traded to the Atlanta Thrashers. He had 20 goals and 33 assists in 81 games with the Thrashers last year. He has played 341 NHL games in his career, scoring 75 goals and 87 assists. The Atlanta team relocated to Winnipeg this off-season and was renamed the Jets. 6. TSN.ca- Boston University researchers studying Boogaard s brain Associated Press Researchers at Boston University are studying the brain of deceased NHL enforcer Derek Boogaard to determine whether he suffered from a degenerative brain condition associated with repeated hits to the head. Dr. Robert Cantu, a neurosurgeon and co-director of the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at Boston University's School of Medicine, confirms Boogaard's family donated his brain. Cantu leads a research team studying the long-term effects of head trauma in sports. Boogaard, whose results won't be released without his family's approval, is one of three NHL enforcers found dead since May. The 28-year-old former New York Ranger died in May due to an accidental mix of alcohol and the painkiller oxycodone. Winnipeg's Rick Rypien, 27, was discovered in August at his home in Coleman, Alta., after a police official said a call was answered for a "sudden and non-suspicious" death. And 35-year-old Wade Belak, who played with five NHL teams before retiring in March, was found dead Wednesday in Toronto. 7. TSN.ca- Canucks hope to raise mental health awareness

7 The Canadian Press The Vancouver Canucks are taking a role in increasing awareness about mental health issues. The NHL team plans to raise money that can be used for mental health education and treatment information through their Canucks for Kids Fund, Vancouver general manager Mike Gillis said in an interview Thursday. The decision follows the death of Rick Rypien, a former Canuck player who left the team on two separate occasions while struggling with depression. He was found dead on Aug. 15 at his off-season home in Coleman, Alta. Police said his death was not suspicious. "We are definitely going to create an appropriate way for people to contribute to mental health issues," said Gillis. The exact details of how the money will be raised and where it will be spent haven't been decided. But Gillis wants to "create a vehicle where people can get involved and hopefully educate people." Rypien, who signed a contract to play with the Winnipeg Jets this season, is one of three NHL players who played the role of enforcer to die over a span of four months. Wade Belak, who played parts of 14 seasons for five NHL teams, was found dead at a downtown hotel and condo building in Toronto on Wednesday. A source confirmed to The Canadian Press that the recently retired player hanged himself in an apparent suicide. New York Rangers forward Derek Boogaard died May 13 at his Minneapolis apartment due to an accidental mix of alcohol and the painkiller oxycodone. Gillis sees the connection between the three players but didn't want to jump to conclusions. "Three separate incidents have occurred," he said. "I think they are all very different in nature but similar in certain ways. "Really, some thought has to be given to analysis and an appropriate reaction." In Rypien's case, the message Gillis hopes to convey is problems with mental health can affect anyone in society. "I intend to talk about some of the things we faced," said Gillis. "It doesn't matter what profession you are in, or how much money you are making or what kind of adulation you may get from the public. That doesn't change the fact that mental health issues still are around and affect people.

8 "I'm hoping we can educate (people) about the experience we had and maybe provide some comfort that it isn't an isolated thing based on social-economic backgrounds or how many resources are at your disposal. It's something that is there and has to be dealt with as effectively as possible." A spokesman for Canadian Mental Health Association said sports organizations like the Canucks carry a powerful voice, especially in reaching young people. "We need leadership for the silence to be broken," said Bev Gutry, chief executive officer of the association's B.C. division. "We need champions to speak out about these issues. If we can break the stigma, not only will people reach out for help, they will get help." Rypien's death sent a shudder through the Canucks organization. He was well liked by the other players and the team did its best to support him. "Rick was a really good person who we all respected in life an awful lot," Gillis said. "We had been through an awful lot. We felt confident we had got beyond certain things that really affected Rick. "We had a sense of confidence we had got to a point where we didn't have to be concerned about him all the time. Then to have that (his death) happen so suddenly was really surprising and disappointing." Gillis still wonders what more the organization could have done to help Rypien. "It makes you reflect back about what you could have done differently or what you could have done more of or less off," he said. "It's hard to come to terms with that." The Canucks for Kids Fund gives money to assist charities who support children's health and wellness and encourages education in B.C. Last year the fund gave out over $4.4 million in grants to various charities. 8. TSN.ca- Blackhawks agree to terms with Segal on one-year contract TSN.ca Staff The Chicago Blackhawks have agreed to terms with winger Brandon Segal on a one-year contract. The 28-year-old Segal registered five goals, 10 points and 41 penalty minutes in 46 regular-season games with the Dallas Stars last season. He also appeared in 30 games with the AHL's Texas Stars, notching seven goals, 10 assists and 38 penalty minutes during his eighth professional season.

9 The Richmond, BC, native collected 11 goals, 11 assists and 79 penalty minutes in 92 career regular-season NHL contests over parts of four campaigns with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Los Angeles Kings and Stars. Segal was the second choice, 102nd overall, of the Nashville Predators in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. -FLYERS-

The Night the City Became a Stadium

The Night the City Became a Stadium INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF THE 2011 VANCOUVER STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS RIOT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY John Furlong and Douglas J. Keefe, Q.C. co-chairs The Night the City Became a Stadium