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  • The Flyers helped renovate the home of a Northeast Philly teen battling leukemia. He’s ‘gobsmacked.’

    The Flyers helped renovate the home of a Northeast Philly teen battling leukemia. He’s ‘gobsmacked.’

    One word would describe 19-year-old Ethan Ruiz’s reaction to his newly renovated home: “Gobsmacked.”

    “I don’t know how you turn what was here before into such a large space,” Ruiz said. “I guess it involved knocking down walls, but seeing it in its full extent — completely open. I love the open-air design of everything.”

    Ruiz was the 10th recipient of the Building Hope for Kids grant, an initiative in which Flyers Charities and Michael’s Way partner to renovate homes for children battling cancer.

    Flyers Charities and Michael’s Way to team up to renovate the home of a local teen with cancer

    The initiative led to Ruiz’s home in Northeast Philadelphia being renovated to create a more comfortable, accessible, and uplifting space as he continues treatment for his leukemia diagnosis.

    “Every year we work with St. Christopher’s Hospital,” said Blair Listino, chair of Flyers Charities and an alternate governor of the Flyers who is the chief financial and administrative officer for Comcast Spectacor. “We work with social workers there who select a family that they think it would make a very big impact on in their lives to have a new home.

    “This is the 10th house we’ve done and we’ve worked with a lot of organizations day in and day out. There’s different organizations here who’ve helped with the house. IKEA donated all the furniture. Sprouts [Farmers Market] stocked the kitchen. And we have Rheem who did the HVAC system for us.”

    The basement at newly renovated home for 19-year old Ethan Ruiz and his mom features a home gym.

    In 2025, Flyers Charities increased its financial contribution to the initiative to $100,000 due to the increased cost of building materials and the success of previous home renovations.

    Flyers Charities financially supports Michael’s Way, a local nonprofit whose mission is to improve the lives of children with pediatric cancer, for the project while the wives and girlfriends of Flyers players act as interior designers for the house.

    Ethan and his mother, Yomayra Carrer, were surprised with the news in October. Construction began in January with Flyers Charities and wives and girlfriends working alongside Fastrack Construction and IKEA to complete a full-scale renovation.

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    The renovation includes a new HVAC system, a new roof for long-term structural security, engineered hardwood flooring to reduce dust and allergens, new cabinetry, a home gym, walk-in closet, and new tile.

    When asked what his favorite part of the renovation was, Ruiz said: “My room.”

    Ruiz’s room was decorated with forest green walls, featured a gaming setup in the corner, and personalized with some of his favorite items — including a “Ghost of Yotei” poster, and album artwork from Tyler, the Creator’s “Chromakopia.”

    One of the masterminds behind Ruiz’s room was Alex Sanheim, Travis Sanheim’s wife.

    Ethan Ruiz’s newly renovated bedroom was decorated with forest green walls, featured a gaming setup in the corner, and personalized with some of his favorite items — including a “Ghost of Yotei” poster, and Tyler, the Creator’s “Chromakopia” album artwork.

    “It’s tough to design something for someone else and still hope it’s exactly what they envisioned,” Alex Sanheim said. “And by his reaction, I think we nailed it. It was to be green and moody and have a gaming [setup]. I think the space works for him to enjoy gaming between school. Everything now, it’s just completely different.

    “It truly wouldn’t be possible without every single person. I just truly don’t think that we give enough credit to everyone because it takes a village for sure.”

    After getting to know the family, the Flyers’ wives and girlfriends took both Ruiz and Carrer’s interests in consideration to make their vision come to life. For instance, plants were something Carrer loved to have in her home. Going into the renovation, she was a little worried she would have no place for them.

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    “From my exact sitting position [in the living room], I can count like six of them,” Ruiz said.

    Little did Ruiz know, he missed an entire cabinet of four additional plants to his right. Although the plants were a must have, for Carrer, the kitchen was the main star of the house — but it may take some time getting used to.

    “I don’t know if I’m just like of a different tax bracket, so I don’t know this, but like, I didn’t even know that ovens could come in — dude, there’s two. And it’s split into one big one,” Ruiz said.

    Carrer added: “We’re going to figure it out.”

    Flyers Travis Sanheim (left) and Owen Tippett attended the unveiling of Ethan Ruiz and Yomayra Carrer’s renovated home on Tuesday.

    When asked what would be the first thing they make in their new kitchen, they responded: “Empanadas.”

    Despite the rainy conditions Tuesday, Gritty and Flyers players Jamie Drysdale, Bobby Brink, Owen Tippett, and Sean Couturier were there to witness the big reveal.

    “Oh, they did a great job,” Couturier said. “I would probably let them redo our house altogether. They did an amazing job. Everything kind of fit together and I’m sure they’re happy with the end result.”

    For the Ruiz family, the renovation was a dream come true.

    “The way that I saw all the wives show up, the contractors, I know how stressful it was,” Carrer said. “But they were like, ‘No, this is something we want to do. We do it with joy in our hearts.’ So, to me it’s like they will forever be in my prayers. The contractors, the wives, the Flyers, Michael’s Way. It’s been a long journey, but it’s a beautiful one.”

  • Owen Tippett’s fashion sense has put the NHL and fans on notice. The Flyers also might need him to fill a Travis Konency-sized void.

    Owen Tippett’s fashion sense has put the NHL and fans on notice. The Flyers also might need him to fill a Travis Konency-sized void.

    Owen Tippett isn’t on Twitter these days. He has dropped some social media platforms that he didn’t feel were necessary or healthy for his mental space.

    But he had heard through the grapevine about the artwork; he just hadn’t seen it yet.

    “That’s unreal,” he said, almost in shock when shown the drawing of himself from the weekend. “Unreal,” he said, covering his agape mouth with his hand, still in shock. “Wow. That’s sick.”

    On Saturday, the Flyers’ social media accounts had a picture of Tippett in his game-day fit, sporting a Kith sweater, baggy black jeans, and sunglasses. Local sports artist Dhwani Saraiya, who designed the Flyers’ opening night T-shirt, tweeted, “fit was so fire I had to draw it.” And the Edison, N.J., native did.

    Tippett, who has popped up in Annie O’Donnell’s rapid-fire NHL fit reviews on Instagram for his style, followed that up with a Canadian tuxedo, fittingly in Toronto, on Monday. The two-piece set, also from Kith, was ordered just a few days earlier and arrived on his doorstep on Saturday before making the round on social media, notably on the NHL’s platforms.

    (Editor’s note: The Canadian tuxedo ended up in O’Donnell’s latest fit review that dropped right after this story was published, stating: “This is the coolest Canadian tuxedo I have ever seen in my life.”)

    This is the first year the players are not required to wear suits or business attire.

    “I think when we found out we weren’t going to have a dress code, I think my wife had a little bit more fun with it than I did,” Ontario native Tippett said of his wife, Taylor. “Kind of got me out of my comfort zone a little bit, which is fine, from what I’m used to wearing, but yeah, I’ve had fun with it.”

    The Flyers have been heating up since the Olympics. These are the numbers behind their latest win in Toronto.

    Now, this isn’t a fashion story, but it’s about the old-fashioned mantra: “If you look good, you feel good.”

    It’s about goalie Dan Vladař noting that the Flyers had swagger in the room on Saturday.

    It’s about the Flyers feeling good on the ice, having won three straight for the first time since around Thanksgiving, and back in the playoff picture.

    And it’s about the forwards, notably Tippett, who was promoted to the top line on Monday, needing to step up with Travis Konecny’s status up in the air. Konecny, who leads the team in goals (23), assists (34), and points (57), missed his second game of the season on Monday with an upper-body injury.

    “Yeah, he’s a huge part of our team, both on the ice and in the locker room,” Tippett said. “Obviously, it’s a big, big role to fill. But I think I’ve said it a couple of times this year with [Tyson Foerster] going down and [Rodrigo Ābols] going down, and there’s been a few guys in here who have kind of missed games or missed some time.

    “We all have to step up collectively.”

    Coach Rick Tocchet said on Tuesday that he is hopeful Konecny can play Thursday when the Utah Mammoth visit Xfinity Mobile Arena (7 p.m., NBCSP). But if not, his absence will test the team’s depth. The expectation is that Tippett will remain on the top line with Trevor Zegras and Christian Dvorak.

    According to Natural Stat Trick, in the Flyers’ 3-2 shootout win against the Maple Leafs, when the trio was on the ice at five-on-five, the Flyers had 10 shot attempts, five shots on goal, two scoring chances, and 57.15% of the expected goal share.

    Owen Tippett has discussed the need to complement Flyers center Trevor Zegras (46).

    “Obviously, it’s different with everyone you play with,” Tippett said of his game style. “I think the biggest thing [Monday] night was, obviously, making the simple plays and not trying to overcomplicate things. I know they play an offensive line, and when Trevor has the puck, he can create a lot, so it’s more just kind of give him space, but also support him at the same time.”

    Tippett, Dvorak, and Zegras also played together at the beginning of the season, beginning in Game 2 against the Carolina Hurricanes, and Tippett has spent the second-most time with Zegras and Dvorak this season, trailing only Konecny.

    Among the Flyers’ seven line combinations that have played at least 100 minutes together, Money Puck has the line ranked No. 2 in minutes (196.5), expected goals for (8.8), and expected goals against (8.7). Although shot attempts, shots on goal, scoring chances, and high-danger chances are almost even with what they give up — but above 50% — according to Natural Stat Trick, when they are on the ice at five-on-five, the Flyers have outscored the opposition 13-8. That’s the number that counts.

    “Played with them a little bit at the start of the year,” Tippett said, “but it’s been a decent stretch since I’ve played with them. So, a little bit of chemistry was already there, but just trying to keep things simple and communicate as much as we can on the bench and on the ice.”

    Tippett is sitting on 19 goals for the season, one shy of reaching the 20-goal mark for the fourth straight year.

    “Yeah, I did,” Tocchet said when asked if he liked Tippett with that pair. “He had some speed. I thought there were some moments there [that if he had] one inch or two inches, he would have been gone. So he had a game where I thought he could add to that line.”

    Breakaways

    Defenseman Nick Seeler did not participate in practice on Tuesday after leaving Monday’s game late in the second period with a lower-body injury. Seen limping after the game, Tocchet said he is also a game-time decision. … Dvorak and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen also did not skate, but Tocchet said they had maintenance days. Ristolainen’s name has been prominent in trade chatter, but there is currently nothing imminent, The Inquirer has learned. Offers should start picking up soon with the trade deadline on Friday at 3 p.m.

    Rasmus Ristolainen is again the subject of trade rumors. But this year could be different.
  • The Flyers have been heating up since the Olympics. These are the numbers behind their latest win in Toronto.

    The Flyers have been heating up since the Olympics. These are the numbers behind their latest win in Toronto.

    TORONTO ― The Flyers’ motto this season is brick by brick, and although they were missing the mortar on Monday, with leading scorer Travis Konecny out due to an upper-body injury, they rallied for a 3-2 shootout win against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

    Here are four numbers to know:

    5

    Nick Seeler went into the corner to throw a hit on Nicolas Roy with just over four minutes in the middle frame, and, although it’s hard to gauge what happened exactly, he went down hard, left the ice six seconds later, and did not return. Seeler was seen after the game limping.

    “Nothing yet. Hopefully nothing major,” coach Rick Tocchet said postgame when asked for an update.

    Without Seeler on the third pair, and the game eventually heading to overtime, the Flyers’ top four defenseman played heavy minutes. Travis Sanheim led the way with 29:11, followed by Rasmus Ristolainen (27:14) — in what could be the highly-coveted right-shot blueliner’s last game with the Flyers as the trade deadline looms — Jamie Drysdale (24:30), and Cam York (23:01).

    The Flyers made changes to their defensive structure that Rick Tocchet thinks will ‘help in the long run’

    Emil Andrae played 12:12 and played just over a minute on a penalty kill that went 2-for-3, and Tocchet recently said it was important for the young defenseman to prove he can play down a man. He was not on the ice for William Nylander’s power-play goal that tied the game 2-2.

    “They were huge. … When they’re playing like that, it’s fun to play in front of them,” said forward Noah Cates, who extended his point streak to four games with his 12th of the year.

    Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar makes a save during the second period, when his team was outplayed but didn’t allow a goal.

    3

    Let’s go streaking!

    The Flyers extended their winning streak to three games, the first time they’ve hit that mark since they beat the Florida Panthers, New York Islanders, and New Jersey Devils in succession around Thanksgiving. It is the third time they’ve hit the three-game mark, but the last time the team won four straight was in February 2024.

    “Just, I think, the reset with the break,” Cates said about the difference in the team’s game now. “Obviously, physically, but then, we got to work that week where we were practicing.

    “Really got into our systems and just doing some little things in our D-zone that are really helping. The wingers are just getting us out of the zone quicker, and then just some of our offensive zone possession, we’re just making those little plays and feeling confident with the puck. So I think we just needed the break personally and as a team.”

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    They had also entered the night having lost their last three shootouts, with the last win in the skills competition coming against that Islanders team on Nov. 28. Unlike in that game, Matvei Michkov found the back of the net on Monday after a nifty move to beat former Flyers goalie Anthony Stolarz, and Trevor Zegras once again scored.

    “Just how slow he comes in,” Stolarz, a New Jersey native, told Toronto reporters on the challenge of facing the New Yorker. “He’s got quite the arsenal of tricks. Having played with him for three years in Anaheim, I’ve kind of seen it all. So, you never know what to expect with him.”

    Zegras holds the top shooting percentage (62.1%) all-time in the NHL among skaters who have had at least 10 attempts.

    The Flyers’ Emil Andrae (36) tries to move the puck between Toronto Maple Leafs Nicolas Roy (55) and teammate Dakota Joshua (81).

    11-4

    For the second straight game and third in the four games since returning from the Olympic break, the Flyers were outshot in the second period by a wide margin (11-4). But for the second straight game, they did not allow a goal.

    “Yeah, definitely struggled and got away from it like we did in Washington,” said Cates, noting the Flyers’ loss Wednesday, where they were outshot 13-6 in the second period and allowed a goal. “Big for us not to give up a goal, but then to regroup in the third and come back and play our game. For whatever reason, we just can’t get away from it for 20 minutes; we’ve got to play a full 60 and eliminate kind of those moments.”

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    Middle periods have been an issue for this team at times, dating back to the John Tortorella era. This season, they’ve been outscored, 72-59, in the middle frame, with the 72 goals allowed the fifth-most in the NHL. But, like on Monday, they play well in the third and are actually outscoring the opposition, 63-52.

    “I think, just forcing a little bit too many plays through the neutral zone,” forward Christian Dvorak said about the second period against Toronto. “They thrive on transitions. So that’s where we got ourselves in trouble, and we were hemmed in a bit. So we cleaned that up for the most part in the third period.”

    According to York, the Flyers simplified things in the third period and cleaned up their play in the defensive zone. They were outshot by just a 9-5 margin, but both teams potted goals in the third period.

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    “Once we kind of just got into a groove in that third period, I think we had some good chances,” York said. “So, that’s kind of what it’s about this time of year, you know they’re going to push. It’s just about bending, not breaking.”

    2/13

    Across three games in late January, the Flyers scored a power-play goal in each contest (3-for-8), but then things went a little stagnant. Entering the game in Toronto, they had one goal in 10 chances across the past four games.

    The Flyers got three opportunities in the first period when Ristolainen was tripped, Bobby Brink was interfered with, and Brandon Carlo was called for holding Zegras.

    There was some good movement for the new units with Konecny out. One unit had Michkov, Zegras, Brink, Drysdale, and Owen Tippett. The other saw York, Sanheim, Dvorak, Cates, and Barkey line up together. The latter group scored on the 11th shot attempt when Dvorak scored on the eighth scoring chance.

    “We had some opportunities,” Tocchet said. “Some guys, [we] had two or three in the slot, high-danger shots, and then you get that goal on a scramble, big one from Dvo. So, yeah, special teams were good for us tonight.”

    The Flyers’ power play is now ranked 28th at 16.2%.

  • Flyers win third straight with first shootout victory since November in 3-2 win over Maple Leafs

    Flyers win third straight with first shootout victory since November in 3-2 win over Maple Leafs

    TORONTO ― It can be a good life if you don’t weaken, and right now the Flyers are staying strong.

    Facing a Toronto Maple Leafs team in a tailspin, the Flyers bent but did not break and skated away with a 3-2 shootout victory. On this night in Toronto, the Flyers won their third straight game for the first time since the end of November, putting them four points back of the idle Boston Bruins for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.

    In the shootout, Matvei Michkov scored on a nifty deke, and Trevor Zegras sent the puck in glove-side. Flyers goalie Dan Vladař stopped Auston Matthews and Max Domi to seal the win. It was the Flyers’ first shootout victory since Nov. 28, amid that three-game winning streak.

    Travis Konecny misses Maple Leafs game with upper-body injury, listed as day-to-day

    Skating without top scorer Travis Konecny, who is day-to-day with an upper-body injury, the Flyers were looking for a place to happen, and it came off Noah Cates’ stick.

    Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen put a shot on goal that former Flyers goalie and New Jersey native Anthony Stolarz could not control. Michkov tried to send the loose puck in, but his shot went wide, and Bobby Brink tracked the puck down in the corner, protecting it from Toronto defenders. He fed Cates, who sent a wicked wrister into the twine and pointed right at Brink.

    Cates’ 12th goal of the season, which extended his point streak to four games, briefly gave the Flyers a 2-1 lead in the third period. William Nylander scored a power-play goal less than three minutes later to tie the game after Denver Barkey was called for tripping. The Swede scored on a one-timer off a circle-to-circle pass from John Tavares to tie the game up.

    In overtime, the Maple Leafs controlled play for the most part — although Jamie Drysdale had a nice scoring chance — but the Flyers’ defense stood tall. Notably, Cam York broke up a pass intended for an open Matthews, who would have had a Grade A chance.

    Toronto’s Dakota Joshua put the Flyers in a 1-0 hole with 4 minutes, 38 seconds left in the first period.

    The forward chipped a pass from Oliver Ekman-Larsson that went deep into the Flyers’ end. Defenseman Nick Seeler tracked it down in the left corner and tried to play it up the boards, but Leafs forward Matias Maccelli intercepted it and fed Joshua in the left circle.

    Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar (left) stops a shot from Toronto Maple Leafs’ John Tavares (right) during first period of Monday’s game.

    He shot it off the pass, sending it between the legs of Sean Couturier and over Vladař’s shoulder.

    The Flyers tied it on a power-play goal with under two minutes to go in the first after two futile opportunities, with one cut short due to too many men on the ice.

    With Konecny out, the units looked different. One had Michkov, Zegras, Brink, Drysdale, and Owen Tippett. The other saw York, Travis Sanheim, Christian Dvorak, Cates, and Barkey line up together. The latter group scored.

    The Flyers made changes to their defensive structure that Rick Tocchet thinks will ‘help in the long run’

    Cates got the puck in the bumper from Barkey — who hails from nearby Newmarket, Ontario, and had a large contingent in the crowd — and as he shot it, Maple Leafs forward Steven Lorentz went stick-on-stick, causing the puck to bounce to the net. The puck went off Dvorak, and he jammed it in as Stolarz was trying to squeeze the pads.

    The goal was his 13th of the season and second on the power play. It was the Flyers’ second goal in the last 13 opportunities.

    Like Saturday against the Boston Bruins, the second period saw the Flyers get outshot, with the Leafs getting 11 shots to the Flyers’ four. But like Saturday, when the Bruins put 16 on Vladař and the Flyers had three, the goalie stopped them all.

    The Flyers got pinned a few times, but, according to Natural Stat Trick, allowed just one high-danger chance at five-on-five during the middle frame as the Maple Leafs had 68.57% of the shot attempts. In the third period, the Flyers had 61.11% of the attempts.

    Flyers’ Christian Dvorak (center) celebrates his 13th goal of the season on Monday.

    Breakaways

    The Flyers lead the league with 16 wins when trailing 1-0 and have 16 comeback wins. … Seeler left the game late in the second period due to a lower-body injury. … The Flyers outshot the Maple Leafs 14-7 in the first period. … Forwards Nic Deslauriers and Brink each hit a milestone with Deslauriers skating in his 700th NHL game and Brink in his 200th. … The Buffalo Sabres had four scouts in attendance, including associate general manager Marc Bergevin, with rumors swirling that they are high on getting Ristolainen back in the fold.

    Up next

    The Flyers play their last game before Friday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline when the Utah Mammoth visit Xfinity Mobile Arena on Thursday (7 p.m., NBCSP).

  • Travis Konecny misses Maple Leafs game with upper-body injury, listed as day-to-day

    Travis Konecny misses Maple Leafs game with upper-body injury, listed as day-to-day

    TORONTO — After the Flyers’ win against the Boston Bruins on Saturday, goalie Dan Vladař said every player is a piece to their puzzle as they make a push for the playoffs.

    On Monday, they faced the Toronto Maple Leafs without key piece Travis Konecny.

    Ruled a game-time decision by coach Rick Tocchet after a morning skate that saw the forward not participate in power-play reps, Konecny is officially day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

    The Flyers made changes to their defensive structure that Rick Tocchet thinks will ‘help in the long run’

    He also missed the Flyers’ loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Jan. 10 with an upper-body injury.

    Konecny has led the team in scoring for five of the last six seasons, including the last four, and this year leads the lineup in goals (23), assists (34), and points (57). He is second in power-play points (10) and is tied with three players for the lead in shorthanded points (2).

    The heart and soul of the team and one of its most consistent scorers, Konecny has registered at least a point in 40 of his 58 games. In his last 35 games, he has 40 points, including nine in five games heading into the Olympic break, and has three in the three games since the restart.

    Flyers right wing Travis Konecny has registered at least a point in 40 of his 58 games.

    Despite being banged up and playing through it — he tallied a hat trick as he gutted out and grimaced through a demoralizing loss to Columbus on Jan. 28 — the alternate captain had all but put the Flyers on his back.

    Averaging just over 19 minutes a night, Konecny is plus-10, rebounding from his minus-17 last season. Even though he has missed a handful of games, the Ontario native is still on pace to set a career high in points with 79.

    “I had a good break, got a chance to reset, get my mind in a different spot,” Konecny said Feb. 17, the first day the Flyers returned to the ice in Voorhees. “Kind of realize where we’re at as a team and what we need to do finishing the season here. For me, just getting to the top of my game, where I need to be to help our team, and I think everyone is in the same spot.”

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    But not having him in the lineup will make the Flyers’ postseason push tougher. And Konecny said after the Flyers’ loss in Boston on Jan. 29 that, “I’m tired of missing the playoffs.”

    “I think it’s disappointing every year if you miss it,” he said in mid-February. “I think what’s gotten everyone to this point is everyone’s a competitor, everyone wants to compete in the big games. … It’s not going to be like the end of the world if it didn’t happen; I’d be frustrated.

    “But I know that the team we’re building, what we have, the plan, we’re going to be a playoff team, and I’m not worried about that. I know everyone believes in that in this locker room, so we keep on pushing. Hopefully, it happens, and we’re going to give everything to get there, and if it doesn’t, we reevaluate and get better in the summer.”

    With Konecny out, Owen Tippett was moved to the top wing alongside Christian Dvorak and Trevor Zegras during Monday’s game.

  • The Flyers made changes to their defensive structure that Rick Tocchet thinks will ‘help in the long run’

    The Flyers made changes to their defensive structure that Rick Tocchet thinks will ‘help in the long run’

    TORONTO ― Heading into the holiday break, the Flyers ranked ninth-best in the NHL at 2.75 goals against per game.

    Then the wheels started to fall off.

    Thanks in part to a six-game losing streak that saw them allow a league-worst 31 goals while scoring 12, the Flyers’ goals-against average ballooned to 3.90. Between Christmas and the Olympic break, it was the third-highest.

    Woof. That’s quite a plummet.

    Rasmus Ristolainen is again the subject of trade rumors. But this year could be different.

    So with time off, first-year coach Rick Tocchet and his staff went to work and modified the defensive structure.

    “We’re not strict man on man, but we’re trying to be more aggressive,” he said of the new system. “When you’re a younger team, I think you’ve got to give guys a little more, simpler rules.

    “I think that’s why I’ve decided to go a little bit differently, less reach for our team; I think that’s going to help in the long run. Now, when we change things a little bit — say graduate — we’ll go a little bit more complex, but I think right now, we’ve got to play simpler.”

    When Tocchet came to Philly, he brought his box-and-one defensive structure. During training camp, he called it “a very aggressive zone” defense where he wanted his players to double and triple up when they could to keep the puck on the outside.

    It worked. Until it didn’t.

    The opposition started to get inside, taking advantage of breakdowns and scoring more weak-side or backdoor goals. According to Natural Stat Trick, at five-on-five, up to the holiday break in December, the Flyers allowed the fifth-fewest high-danger chances (301) and second-fewest high-danger goals (26).

    From late December to the Olympic break, they still held tight, allowing the second-fewest high-danger chances (158). But they also gave up 26 goals, the fifth-most in the league. That’s a 16% shooting percentage in 20 games, rising from 8.6% across the first 36.

    “It’s pretty similar,” defenseman Travis Sanheim said of the new system, “just a couple of different reads for the forwards and helping us pressure down low. So, just end up killing plays a little bit quicker.”

    Changing a system, even slightly, is a big deal because one misread or forgotten change can cause some havoc. It’s still a work in progress, but in the three games since returning to action, the high-danger shooting percentage has dropped to 12.5% for opponents (three goals on 24 high-danger chances). On Saturday against the Boston Bruins, they allowed five high-danger chances at five-on-five, with the Bruins’ lone goal considered high-danger by Natural Stat Trick; it came off a hard seam pass that hit the leg of Charlie McAvoy and bounced in.

    “I think it might cut down on some of those weak-side goals, because [there’s] a little bit more man-to-man in certain scenarios,” Sanheim said. “And I think when it comes to some of those weak-side goals, that’s kind of been our issue with some of the reads. And if we can limit that, that would be huge for us.”

    Breakaways

    Forward Travis Konecny did not participate in power-play practice at morning skate, and according to Tocchet is a game-time decision. … Dan Vladař will get the start in goal. It will be his third start in four games since the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic break, and he is coming off a masterful performance in the Flyers’ win against the Bruins on Saturday. … Forward Denver Barkey is expected back in the lineup on Monday after being a healthy scratch on Saturday against the Bruins. A native of Newmarket, Ontario, which is part of the Greater Toronto Area, the winger will have a large contingent in attendance for his first NHL game at Scotiabank Arena. … It is also the first game back in Toronto for Nikita Grebenkin, who was acquired March 7, 2025, in the deal that sent Scott Laughton north. … Defenseman Noah Juulsen did not participate in morning skate due to illness. … On Sunday, the Flyers acquired forward Boris Katchouk, 27, from the Minnesota Wild for defenseman Roman Schmidt, who was acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning on Dec. 8. Katchouk has spent the majority of the season in the American Hockey League and was acquired by the Wild from the Lightning in late December. The 6-foot-2, 212-pound winger has 36 points across 179 NHL games with the Lightning, Chicago Blackhawks, and Ottawa Senators. Katchouk was also a member of the 2018 World Junior team that won gold for Canada.

  • The Gaudreau family’s journey to Milan for Team USA’s men’s hockey gold medal started in Philly

    The Gaudreau family’s journey to Milan for Team USA’s men’s hockey gold medal started in Philly

    As the U.S. men’s hockey team skated around with Johnny Gaudreau’s Team USA jersey after its 2-1 overtime win over Canada in the gold-medal game of the Milan Cortina Olympics, Meredith Gaudreau looked on from the stands.

    Meredith knew her late husband’s jersey had a place in the USA Hockey locker room in Milan, Italy, just as it had at the 4 Nations Face-Off in 2025. But she didn’t expect the team to bring the jersey to the ice as it celebrated USA Hockey’s first men’s Olympic gold since 1980.

    As the team celebrated on the ice, Meredith’s phone rang. It was Matthew Tkachuk, asking if the team could get Meredith and Johnny’s two oldest children, Noa and Johnny Jr., onto the ice for a picture.

    Johnny Gaudreau’s former Calgary Flames teammate, Matthew Tkachuk, skates with Gaudreau’s daughter, Noa, after the United States won Olympic gold on Sunday in Milan.

    “I just was blown away that they wanted to do all that,” Meredith said. “They were really thinking of John. I was just very blown away by John’s impact, the way they want to honor him and have a lot of respect for him as a hockey player, a friend, an American hockey player. I was very, very proud of him for that.”

    Johnny Gaudreau, who spent 11 seasons in the NHL and likely would have been on the team’s Olympic roster, and his younger brother, Matthew, died after being hit by an alleged drunk driver while riding bicycles near their South Jersey hometown on the eve of their sister Katie’s scheduled wedding in August 2024. Johnny was 31, and Matthew was 29.

    Johnny Gaudreau’s dream was to be an Olympian. His family lived it for him, in a moment fit for a ‘movie.’

    From Philly to Milan

    Team USA honoring Johnny Gaudreau and his family was one of the most impactful moments of the Winter Olympics.

    But the Gaudreau family might not have made it to Milan without the efforts of Brian Roberts, the chairman and CEO of Comcast.

    Before the Olympics, Roberts read that the U.S. hockey team was planning to honor Gaudreau at the Games the same way it had during the 4 Nations Face-Off, by including a No. 13 Gaudreau jersey in the team’s locker room. Once the U.S. won its group, Roberts thought the Gaudreau family should have the opportunity to be at the Games in Milan.

    Roberts first called Keith Jones, the president of hockey operations for the Flyers, to see if he knew how to get in contact with the Gaudreau family. Jones recommended that Roberts call Gary Zenkel, the president of NBC Olympics, and coordinate the Gaudreau family’s travel with USA Hockey.

    After some hesitation, Jane and Guy Gaudreau made the trip to Italy to honor their son and root on his former U.S. teammates.

    ”In the wake of an unthinkable loss, witnessing the Gaudreau family find a moment of pure joy at the men’s hockey final was a profound honor — that’s the magic of the Olympics,” Roberts said in a statement to The Inquirer.

    Meredith said she got a call from her in-laws, Jane and Guy Gaudreau, on Feb. 17. They told her that USA Hockey had offered to take them to Milan. Johnny’s parents were hesitant, but Meredith knew immediately that she had to go.

    “I have, kind of, two roles right now I want to focus on,” Meredith said. “That’s giving my kids a special life and honoring my husband. When those two things can overlap, it’s more than I can ask for right now. It just means everything to me.”

    Team USA honors the late Johnny Gaudreau after winning Olympic gold in Milan

    Meredith’s in-laws changed their minds, canceled a trip to Las Vegas with friends, and boarded a plane to Milan on Feb. 19. The family arrived in time to see the U.S. beat Slovakia, 6-2, in the semifinals the following day.

    As the gold-medal game against Canada approached, Meredith couldn’t help but feel the U.S. was destined to win gold. The game was on Feb. 22, which happened to be Johnny Jr.’s second birthday.

    “I just was like, ‘This is going to happen,’” Meredith said. “I just was reflecting on everything, and it was just the ultimate gift from John, the ultimate birthday present he gave to us for Johnny.”

    ‘We were really hoping for this together’

    Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau grew up in Carneys Point Township in Salem County and played youth hockey for the Little Flyers and Team Comcast.

    Meredith also is a Philly-area native and grew up with five siblings in Malvern. She and her sisters went to the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur in Villanova, while her brothers went to St. Joseph’s Prep in North Philly.

    Meredith was a nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia when she met Johnny in 2018 at her sister’s birthday party in Avalon, N.J. The pair got married in September 2021.

    Johnny, a forward, played nine seasons with the Calgary Flames and two with the Columbus Blue Jackets and was hoping for a spot on Team USA’s Olympic roster.

    “We weren’t getting too ahead of ourselves, but we were talking about planning our pregnancies around it,” Meredith said. “I was like, ‘It’d be hard to be out there with a newborn; it would be kind of hard to be out there pregnant, at the end of a pregnancy.’ … All those memories flushed into my mind thinking, ‘We were really hoping for this together.’”

    Photographic memories

    While the trip to Milan was a bittersweet moment for the Gaudreaus, Meredith said she’s glad that her children have the photos on the ice with Team USA to look back on.

    Meredith’s 11-month-old, Carter, did not make the trip to Milan, but 3-year-old Noa and Johnny Jr. got a chance to celebrate with “the team that is all of Daddy’s friends,” which is how Meredith described Team USA to her children.

    South Jersey reacts as Johnny Gaudreau’s jersey is displayed in Team USA’s golden victory

    “I said, ‘They want to take a picture with you. It’s for Daddy,” Meredith said. “[Noa] was smiling really hard, and I was really proud of her for that because I think she’s at a stage right now where she’s starting to piece things together, and she’s very, very proud of her father.

    “We look at pictures every single day, and she’s still super young and wasn’t even 2 when he passed. I try to tell her stories with the photos that she sees. I think she remembers pictures more than the actual memories.”

    Dylan Larkin (21) holds Johnny, the son of the late Johnny Gaudreau after Team USA beat Canada in the gold-medal game in Milan.

    Meredith hopes the pictures that came after the team’s win will be something Noa, Johnny Jr., and Carter can look back on as they grow up to help them remember and connect with their father.

    “I was thinking into the future, too,” Meredith said. “That they’re going to look back on this and hopefully be blown away.”

  • Flyers top Bruins to remain in the hunt, win two straight for first time since early January

    Flyers top Bruins to remain in the hunt, win two straight for first time since early January

    Maybe the curtain hasn’t come down on the Flyers just yet.

    Entering Saturday’s matinee against the Boston Bruins, they saw themselves eight points back of Boston for the last wild card in the Eastern Conference, and the third spot in the Metropolitan Division, which the New York Islanders hold, and retained after an overtime win on Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

    And thanks to Sean Couturier sealing the 3-1 Flyers win over the Bruins with an empty-net goal, they took a step closer.

    The goal also ended his 31-game goal drought in the last minute. “I’ll take them any way right now, honestly,” he said. “… Overall, just happy we got the win. That’s all that matters.”

    It is the first time the Flyers have won two straight since they beat the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks on Jan. 3 and Jan. 6.

    The boys were buzzing

    The line of Christian Dvorak, Trevor Zegras, and Travis Konecny was buzzing all night.

    According to Natural Stat Trick, when they were on the ice at five-on-five, the Flyers had 11 shot attempts, with six coming from a high-danger spot, seven scoring chances, and five shots on goal. They were on the ice for 10 shot attempts against and six scoring chances by Boston, but the only stat that mattered was the two goals for and zero against.

    “I think they did a good job of game management,” coach Rick Tocchet said. “And that’s really something that they got to work on to be a top line, like tonight, I thought they did a nice job for us.”

    “Nothing crazy, keep it simple,” Dvorak said when asked what their plan was going into the game. “Play a hard game, get in on the forecheck, and I think we just needed to get pucks and bodies to the net a little bit more than the previous couple of games. So that was kind of the goal tonight, and we did a pretty good job doing that.”

    They came close in the second period. Halfway through, after some pressure in the Bruins’ end, Dvorak got the Zegras ring-around and sent it back down the boards. Konecny picked it up behind the net and swooped it around in front on his forehand for a shot as he was falling.

    Zegras tried to score on the rebound, but the puckwent off the skate of defenseman Henri Jokiharju. Dvorak came barreling in but was robbed with the glove of Jeremy Swayman.

    But on the Flyers’ 11th shot of the game, Konecny finally cashed in.

    Gift Share Rasmus Ristolainen is again the subject of trade rumors. But this year could be different.

    Less than four minutes into the third period, Dvorak got the puck along the boards inside the Flyers’ blue line and patiently waited as the Bruins gave him space. He skated the puck up the left wing boards and dumped it in. The puck went off a stanchion and in front of the net, bouncing along the way.

    Swayman stuck his stick out, trying to play the puck, but it bounced away from him — are the Flyers finally getting a bounce their way? — and Dvorak was there to send an almost no-look backhand pass in front to Konecny. “I could see in the corner of my eye, him coming in behind me,” Dvorak said postgame of Konecny, who also had a breakaway chance late in the game.

    The alternate captain, who had made a beeline to the net, put it into the open space and sent a fist pump into the air after giving the Flyers a 1-0 lead. The Flyers’ leader in goals and points, Konecny now has 23 goals and 56 points in 58 games this season. Dvorak’s assist is his 23rd of the season, setting a new career high.

    Gettin’ Drysy with it

    Later in the period, that same line was on the ice when Jamie Drysdale made it 2-0.

    The Flyers got into the Bruins’ zone and set up before the puck ended up on the stick of Drysdale as he skated down the right wing boards. He carried it around and got the puck to Konecny before heading back to the point, but on the left side.

    Konecny and Dvorak, who went up to the point to cover, had a give-and-go before Konecny hit Drysdale as he skated into the middle of the ice. The defenseman skated down into the high slot and ripped the wrister past Swayman.

    Jamie Drysdale celebrates after scoring the Flyers’ second goal of the game in a 3-1 win against the Bruins on Saturday.

    “I think the opportunities kind of have been there. It’s nice to see a few of them go in, and it’s nice to see the team win,” said Drysdale, who was doing extra work with assistant coach Jaroslav “Yogi” Svejkovský in Voorhees the last week.

    “The guys have been making great plays. So tonight, TK made a [heck] of a play to me, and I had all the time in the world.”

    Drysdale now has six goals on the season, one shy of his career high set in 2024-25. The goal on Saturday was his third across the five games in February.

    “He’s working on his shot,” Tocchet said. “This summer’s a big summer for him. … I think Drysy can get that shot a little bit harder, which he’s been working on, and it’s paying off. That was a [heck] of a shot. I thought Swayman was good tonight, too, and to beat him, that was a great shot.”

    Czech mate

    Dan Vladař was moving exceptionally well in this one. He was dropping down with ease and popping back just as loosely. The Czech netminder, who was playing in his 35th game, was sliding well, checking his posts, and tracking the puck.

    “I came here to win, to be successful,” he said when asked about his workload this season, which has seen him blow past his previous career high of 30 games. “Unless we play past those 82 games, I’m not going to be happy and satisfied. So, I’m not happy yet.”

    The first shot he faced on Saturday was from the point by Hampus Lindholm at 15 minutes, 21 seconds, which Vladař snagged easily with the glove despite some traffic. Boston ended up with six shots on goal in the period, including a shot by Michael Eyssimont as he skated in two-on-none against Vladař.

    But it was in the second period where Vladař shone the brightest in front of a sold-out Xfinity Mobile Arena. He faced 16 shots and stopped them all.

    His best save of the period was a masterful right pad kick save on Morgan Geekie as he shot the puck off a pass by David Pastrňák from the slot. The forward had just pushed off Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen to create space.

    “He’s just so positive; being real, being honest, also,” Couturier said. “When it’s time to pick it up, he lets us know. And when it’s time to keep pushing, keep defending well, he’s a great support back there. He’s playing great, so he makes it easy for us when we have breakdowns.”

    Flyers goaltender Dan Vladař saved 16 shots in the second period against the Bruins on Saturday.

    Later in the period, he stopped a high-rising Viktor Arvidsson shot, which appeared to sting the 6-foot-5 goalie, and made a save on a Lindholm wrister less than a minute later that saw Pavel Zacha, who was injured just before the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics and was unable to play for Czechia, give him a stick tap.

    With over five minutes to go, he stopped Sean Kuraly as he got behind Bobby Brink, who couldn’t handle the puck along the neutral zone boards, and defenseman Emil Andrae.

    “He’s the loudest guy in the room, yeah, majorly,” Drysdale said of Vladař. “He does so much for us off the ice as well. In the locker room, in between periods, he’s always talking, just saying whatever’s on his mind, and usually it’s awesome stuff coming out of his mouth.

    “So, real positive guy, and he’s been real good for us.”

    Three Flyers questions to ponder ahead of the NHL trade deadline

    In the opening two minutes of the third period, the Bruins thought they had broken the ice when it looked like a point shot by Lindholm had beaten Vladař. But the referee, Francis Charron, immediately waived it off for goalie interference. Eyssimont had bumped Vladař right before the shot as he tried to set a screen.

    The Bruins did eventually break through. Zacha won a face-off against Couturier and sent it to Lindholm, who sent a zing of a pass through a seam to Charlie McAvoy, his defensive partner, who had rotated down along the inside of the right circle. It looked like the puck bounced off his leg and past Vladař.

    Breakaways

    Forward Denver Barkey was a healthy scratch for the first time since Jan. 14. In 24 games since being recalled in late December, he has two goals, nine points, and is minus-7 while skating on average 13:36. His last goal was Jan. 23, and in the eight games since, he had one assist — against the Bruins in Boston —and was minus-5. … With Barkey sitting, Nic Deslauriers slotted in on the fourth line. He appeared to have a long chat with Tanner Jeannot during warmups, and the duo dropped the gloves in the first period. … The Flyers went 0-for-2 on the power play, with the unit of Konecny, Drysdale, Zegras, Dvorak, and Brink getting the best looks. The penalty kill went 3-for-3; Boston had 10 shot attempts and seven shots on goal. … According to a team source, the Flyers have hired Daniel Bove to lead the athlete performance and wellness department. He will take over the role that was previously held by Ian McKeown until October, when he went back to Australia to work for the Adelaide Football Club. A Philly area native and graduate of Penn State, Bove was recently the New Orleans Pelicans director of performance and sports science.

    Little-used Nic Deslauriers faces an uncertain future with the Flyers: ‘I still think I have some in the gas tank’

    Up next

    The Flyers head to Toronto to take on Scott Laughton and the Maple Leafs on Monday (7:30 p.m., NBCSP).

  • Rasmus Ristolainen is again the subject of trade rumors. But this year could be different.

    Rasmus Ristolainen is again the subject of trade rumors. But this year could be different.

    Standing in the locker room on Tuesday after his first practice with the Flyers since returning from a bronze-medal-winning twirl at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, Rasmus Ristolainen didn’t let the question finish before agreeing.

    “Your name has popped up around trade deadlines in your time here,” the reporter started.

    The Flyers defenseman interjected with a smile — or maybe a smirk — and a “Yep.”

    He’s still here, but like sand through an hourglass, is this the year the days of Ristolainen in Philly run out? Decisions will have to be made by 3 p.m. on March 6.

    “Yeah, obviously, those are things you can’t really control,” Ristolainen said. “You obviously try to do your part, get better every day, and what happens, happens.”

    What makes this year different from last year, when his name was brought up, is that the big Finn is healthy — his last two seasons were shut down in February and March — and has a more favorable contract. He has one more season left (at a relatively cheap $5.1 million) on the deal he signed with then-general manager Chuck Fletcher in 2022.

    Three Flyers questions to ponder ahead of the NHL trade deadline

    There’s also the fact that in the days leading up to the trade deadline last year, then-coach John Tortorella famously said of the 6-foot-4, 208-pound blueliner: “If you trade him Friday, then on Saturday, you say, ‘[Expletive], I need a big, right-handed defenseman.’” But now Oliver Bonk (6-2, 205) is playing well at Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League, and Spencer Gill (6-4, 213) is climbing the depth chart.

    Couple that with his impressive performance at the Olympics, and teams are circling. During the almost-two-week tournament in Italy, Ristolainen showcased a physical, two-way game while posting three assists, tied a tournament-best plus-9 rating, and won a bronze medal he’s happy he didn’t lose after the game.

    Ristolainen, left, won a bronze medal with Finland at the Milan Cortina Olympics earlier this month.

    Does his play at the Olympics give him confidence moving forward?

    “I hope so,” the 31-year-old said. “Obviously, I feel really confident about my game, so hopefully I can bring it here, and we have a good run here.”

    But “here” may be changing.

    There are suitors, and a source told The Inquirer that more and more teams are checking in on him every day. One team interested is the Edmonton Oilers, according to Daily Faceoff, and The Inquirer can confirm that they also were looking at the defenseman last season before he got hurt. Daily Faceoff also mentioned the Dallas Stars, who have several Finns on the roster, including Ristolainen’s roommate in the athlete village at the Olympics, Mikko Rantanen.

    Dallas was one of eight teams listed as having a scout at the Flyers’ game Wednesday in Washington. However, it’s fair to note that one was with the New York Rangers, whom the Flyers beat in overtime on Thursday. There again were more than a half-dozen scouts on hand for the Rangers game, with the Chase Bridge’s scout row packed to the gills. Although the teams are not listed at Madison Square Garden, The Inquirer could identify at least six of the organizations that were there, including the Oilers.

    Although several scouts are regulars in the area, when asked if they were there to see Ristolainen, one scout responded: “Isn’t everyone?”

    From trade bait to untouchables, here’s where the Flyers roster stands heading into deadline

    Already an interesting piece for teams because of his size and a highly coveted right shot, the defenseman is strong in his own end and has some offensive upside — Wednesday night in the Flyers’ 3-1 loss to the Capitals, Ristolainen weaved around the defense as he came down from the point and put a good shot on goal. According to Natural Stat Trick, he had four shot attempts, three of which were from high-danger spots, three scoring chances, and one blocked shot.

    On Thursday night, under the bright lights of Broadway, Ristolainen had one shot on goal — a low point shot through traffic that created a rebound for Carl Grundström, who snagged it and sent a tricky turnaround shot on goal from the slot. The Flyers had just eight shot attempts and seven shots on goal when he was on the ice, while the Rangers had 19 and 14; however, the Sam Carrick opening goal was a bad miscue by Sam Ersson, and he was on the ice for Trevor Zegras’ game-tying goal.

    Ristolainen, now in his 13th NHL season, has never made the playoffs.

    With the Flyers’ playoff hopes dwindling by the minute — as of Friday afternoon, they are eight points back of the last spot in the Metropolitan Division and the Eastern Conference’s second wild card — a change of scenery could help the Finn make the first postseason appearance of his career. He’s in Season 13 and is currently the longest-tenured active player without a postseason game, having played in his 797th game on Thursday.

    “I feel like that’s why you play the game. You want to win, and that’s where I feel I’m at my best,” Ristolainen said Tuesday. “And in the tournament, it was nice to obviously play games that mean so much.

    “That’s always what I believe, I trust in myself,” he added, “and the bigger the stage is, I feel, the better I perform.”

    Q&A: Flyers prospect Oliver Bonk discusses his injury, introduction to pro hockey, and more

    Like Sean Walker two seasons ago and Scott Laughton last year, could the clock be ticking on Ristolainen’s tenure in Philly?

    It sounds like teams won’t start ramping up legitimate offers for a few more days — as their teams lay the groundwork for the rest of the season, desperation sets in, and options dwindle — and the Flyers are listening. But, like the return for those two players, the Flyers’ brass would like a first-round pick.

    In the end, it does take two to tango. So who wants to dance in March?

  • Aramark is out as food provider for new South Philly arena slated for 2030

    Aramark is out as food provider for new South Philly arena slated for 2030

    Aramark will not be the official food, beverage, and hospitality provider at the new South Philadelphia arena where the 76ers, Flyers, and the city’s new WNBA team are expected to play.

    Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Sixers, and Comcast Spectacor, which owns the Flyers and Xfinity Mobile Arena, announced that Levy Restaurants will take over food and beverage duties in the new arena, which is slated to open by 2030.

    “Very few cities are as devoted to their teams as Philadelphia, the loyalty and passion are part of the DNA that make the community so special. It’s both an honor and an invigorating opportunity to help amplify the best of Philadelphia,” Levy CEO Andy Lansing said in a statement.

    Smoked chicken cheesesteak is on the 2025-26 menu at the Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    Aramark has overseen hospitality at the Sixers’ and Flyers’ arena since it opened in 1996. Lincoln Financial Field and Citizens Bank Park hospitality services are still operated by the Philadelphia-based food services provider.

    A spokesperson for the arena said that the decision to go with a new provider was not based on Aramark’s performance, but was the result of a standard pitch process.

    “We have a great relationship with our friends at Aramark,” Comcast Spectacor chairman and CEO Dan Hilferty told SportsBusinessJournal. “We have, on both sides, committed that while Xfinity Mobile Arena is still in operation, we’re going to deliver the best possible product.”

    Aramark will continue its tenure at Xfinity Mobile Arena until the new arena opens. The new arena was announced last year after plans to build a Center City arena for the Sixers were abandoned in favor of a new building at the South Philly sports complex.

    Xfinity Mobile Arena used to be known as the Wells Fargo Arena, from 2010 into August 2025.

    “Our team is fully committed to delivering memorable game day experiences, and we are grateful for the many decades spent fueling the passion and energy of the fans,” an Aramark spokesperson said in a statement.

    The hometown food service provider has come under fire in recent years over labor disputes with the thousands of people who work in the stadiums. Before Unite Here Local 274 won its latest contract, fewer than 100 workers represented by the union had year-round healthcare. The contract, signed last March, increased wages and brought hundreds of workers onto the union healthcare plan.

    Levy’s portfolio includes nearly half the NBA/NHL shared arenas, such as Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena, according to a Sixers spokesperson. Levy, which has headquarters in Chicago, also provides services for such large events as the Kentucky Derby and the Grammys.