swflyers25
8-03-05, 8:29 AM
By ANTHONY J. SANFILIPPO asanfilippo@delcotimes.com VOORHEES, N.J. - While he hasn?t publicly used the "R" word, Jeremy Roenick has been dropping hints this may be his final season. When expressing his excitement about the Flyers? latest free-agent signings, Roenick again intimated that the end of the Flyers? season was going to be the end of his career.
"I told (Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock) that I wanted to be used in an important role and important situations," Roenick said. "When the day comes that I?m no longer important and not being used in important situations then it?s time for me to hang up the skates and start hitting the golf balls."
Roenick will still be used in important situations for the Flyers, but not at his natural position as a center.
With the arrival of young stars in the middle like Jeff Carter an Mike Richards, Roenick thought he might be out of a job.
"With the kids coming up, I wans?t sure about my future," Roenick said. "I didn?t know what kind of leverage that left for me."
The leverage was moving Roenick to right wing, a position he played briefly during the 2003-04 playoffs with some success.
"Me moving to wing allows the team to keep me around and be a part of the club," said Roenick. "I respect that and I respect Hitch?s wishes because he?s one of the best coaches in the game. I?m sure there?s going to be times during the year that it?s going to be frustrating for me and I may let the emotions get the better of me, but that?s the way I am. I want to do what?s going to be best for the team."
Yet, while Roenick will be back this season, for much of the spring and summer, that wasn?t anything close to a certainty.
"I talked with Hitch in the spring and I told him I was coming to Philly solo this year and my family was staying back in Scottsdale, Ariz.," Roenick said. "I (also) started some personal business (construction real estate in Phoenix and Chicago) for life after hockey and I don?t think Hitch liked that too much. I think he thought I would be distracted by either the new business or not having my family being around.
"(Flyers G.M.) Bob Clarke called me soon after to make sure I wanted to be there. He said ?if you don?t want to be a Flyer we understand and we?ll do our best to make sure your wishes are met. We understand family is No. 1 and if your not comfortable coming here without them and your not going to be here mentally then we?ll do our best to get you in the proper place.?"
At which point, Roenick made up his mind.
"I told him I signed there with one thing in mind at that was to win a Stanley Cup and this is my last opportunity to do that and I want to be there," said Roenick. "I hugged (Flyers Chairman) Mr. (Ed) Snider and told him I?d bring him a Stanley Cup and I want to do that because this is my last opportunity."
And then there?s the Olympics in Italy in February.
"I got a call from (Team USA G.M.) Don Waddell the other day and he said not to panic because my name?s not on the list (of invitees) for the camp in Colorado Springs because they want to bring the young guys in and see what they can do," said Roenick. "They don?t want the veterans to have a camp and then another camp (with their NHL teams).
"I?m very confident that I?m going to be on (the team). I want to play in these Olympics more than any other because my kids are at an age where they can enjoy it and appreciate it and it?s my last shot at a gold medal."
A yearning to be deemed important to a hockey team. One last opportunity to win a Stanley Cup. One last shot at a gold medal.
The word "retire" may never have escaped his lips. But the message was loud and clear.
Delco Times (http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14967072&BRD=1675&PAG=461&dept_id=18170&rfi=6)
"I told (Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock) that I wanted to be used in an important role and important situations," Roenick said. "When the day comes that I?m no longer important and not being used in important situations then it?s time for me to hang up the skates and start hitting the golf balls."
Roenick will still be used in important situations for the Flyers, but not at his natural position as a center.
With the arrival of young stars in the middle like Jeff Carter an Mike Richards, Roenick thought he might be out of a job.
"With the kids coming up, I wans?t sure about my future," Roenick said. "I didn?t know what kind of leverage that left for me."
The leverage was moving Roenick to right wing, a position he played briefly during the 2003-04 playoffs with some success.
"Me moving to wing allows the team to keep me around and be a part of the club," said Roenick. "I respect that and I respect Hitch?s wishes because he?s one of the best coaches in the game. I?m sure there?s going to be times during the year that it?s going to be frustrating for me and I may let the emotions get the better of me, but that?s the way I am. I want to do what?s going to be best for the team."
Yet, while Roenick will be back this season, for much of the spring and summer, that wasn?t anything close to a certainty.
"I talked with Hitch in the spring and I told him I was coming to Philly solo this year and my family was staying back in Scottsdale, Ariz.," Roenick said. "I (also) started some personal business (construction real estate in Phoenix and Chicago) for life after hockey and I don?t think Hitch liked that too much. I think he thought I would be distracted by either the new business or not having my family being around.
"(Flyers G.M.) Bob Clarke called me soon after to make sure I wanted to be there. He said ?if you don?t want to be a Flyer we understand and we?ll do our best to make sure your wishes are met. We understand family is No. 1 and if your not comfortable coming here without them and your not going to be here mentally then we?ll do our best to get you in the proper place.?"
At which point, Roenick made up his mind.
"I told him I signed there with one thing in mind at that was to win a Stanley Cup and this is my last opportunity to do that and I want to be there," said Roenick. "I hugged (Flyers Chairman) Mr. (Ed) Snider and told him I?d bring him a Stanley Cup and I want to do that because this is my last opportunity."
And then there?s the Olympics in Italy in February.
"I got a call from (Team USA G.M.) Don Waddell the other day and he said not to panic because my name?s not on the list (of invitees) for the camp in Colorado Springs because they want to bring the young guys in and see what they can do," said Roenick. "They don?t want the veterans to have a camp and then another camp (with their NHL teams).
"I?m very confident that I?m going to be on (the team). I want to play in these Olympics more than any other because my kids are at an age where they can enjoy it and appreciate it and it?s my last shot at a gold medal."
A yearning to be deemed important to a hockey team. One last opportunity to win a Stanley Cup. One last shot at a gold medal.
The word "retire" may never have escaped his lips. But the message was loud and clear.
Delco Times (http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14967072&BRD=1675&PAG=461&dept_id=18170&rfi=6)