VOORHEES, N.J.Dont tell Patrick Kane or Jonathan Toews, but Chicago Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster is a Flyers fan.
Dempster, in town for the Cubs series against the Phillies, stopped by Flyers practice Saturday morning at Skate Zone to catch up with his old friend Danny Briere and watch the team prepare for Game 1 against the New Jersey Devils.
Chatting with players in the locker room after practice, Dempster was wearing a Flyers jacket, too.
Any chance during the season I get to watch a buddy of mine practice, its exciting for me, Dempster said. Im a big hockey fan, great to see these guys preparing for a big game tomorrow.
Dempster wont be pitching against the Phillies this weekend, but he will be at the Wells Fargo Center on Sunday for the first game of the Flyers Eastern Conference semifinals.
Anytime I can get to a hockey game, its awesome to be able to get out there and watch a game, he said. Its something that I admire, never having the skill to be able to do itI kind of skate like Happy Gilmore. Its nice to sit there and watch these guys. I have such admiration for what they can do on the ice.
A native of British Columbia, Dempster grew up a fan of the Vancouver Canucks. But like many hockey fans, he had a second-favorite team, too. And for whatever reason, Dempster said, the Flyers have long been his.
NHL
I was a big Pelle Lindbergh fan, he said. I dont know why I took to goalies, I just remember watching him and watching the Flyers in the late 80s with Hextall and stuff like that. Lots of good memories.
E-mail Sarah Baicker at sbaicker@comcastsportsnet.com