Flyers' camp could be delayed; season likely starts Jan. 19

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Unless there is a last-minute change of plans, the Flyers will likely open their season on Jan. 19.

Teams received a memo from the league office advising them that the most probable schedule scenario will see 48 games and Jan. 19 opener.

However, player ratification of the new CBA may not come until this weekend. According to an NHLPA spokesman, the players have yet to receive the memorandum of understanding on the CBA. They will need to have either a forum or conference call to answer questions from approximately 740 players.

The NHL's Board of Governors will meet on Wednesday to ratify the CBA. It's easier for the league to do that in one meeting and one session, which is expected to last several hours, than for the NHLPA, which is having players return from different parts of the world to hear the same thing.

The document is approximately 300 pages.

As far as the season schedule, though, more than likely, the NHL will use existing dates from the original schedule devised last summer, then add dates where applicable.

Were gonna be fine, said Flyers president Peter Luukko. We will probably have to add four home dates and thats not a problem.

The Flyers were originally scheduled to host Calgary at 1 p.m. on Jan 19. Penn State's new Division I hockey team plays host to the University of Vermont at the Wells Fargo Center at 7:30 that night.

The new CBA will go before the NHL's Board of Governors on Wednesday for ratification.

Stolarz Knighted
General manager Paul Holmgren confirmed a tweet that 2012 second-round pick, goalie Anthony Stolarz, has left the University of Nebraska-Omaha to join the London Knights. He will not be at Flyers camp.

E-mail Tim Panaccio at tpanotch@comcast.net

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