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Making the Hitmen in my first year was a big step up. Having the opportunity to play in front of friends and family is very special.
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CARSEN TWARYNSKI:
By Jeremy Freeborn
PART OF THE LEGION OF BOOM Photos courtesy of Candice Ward - Calgary Hitmen
The Calgary Hitmen must be pleased with the progression of left winger Carsen Twarynski this season. The Calgary native is developing into a strong two-way power forward with strong physical presence at the junior level. The Philadelphia Flyers have also been impressed with Twarynski as they made him their third round pick, 82nd overall, in the 2016 National Hockey League Entry Draft. The Flyers have a tradition of acquiring big body talent. In the 1970s, when they were first known as the Broad Street Bullies, the Flyers achieved great success with their physicality by winning the 1974 and 1975 Stanley Cups. Players such as Dave Schultz, Bobby Clarke, Andre Dupont, Ed Van Impe and Gary Dornhoefer would regularly get over
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Calgary Hockey Magazine
By Jeremy Freeborn
100 penalty minutes per season while with Philadelphia. Schultz, in fact, set the NHL record for most penalty minutes in a season with 472 during the 1974-75 season. Over the last 35 plus years, Flyers forwards that have continued a physical presence of play include Ken Linseman, Paul Holmgren, Brian Propp, Mel Bridgman, Ray Allison, Tim Kerr, Ron Sutter, Rick Tocchet, Scott Mellanby, Rod Brind’Amour, Eric Lindros, Kevin Dineen, Chris Gratton, Joel Otto, Donald Brashear, Scott Hartnell, Keith Primeau and Wayne Simmonds. All these players had a high number of penalty minutes, but they could also produce offensively when needed, making the Flyers one of the most intimidating teams in the NHL over the last generation.