Please Step Into My Time Machine

...for a look inside the Flyers war room at BC Palace Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia on June 16, 1990.

(In a room deep in in the bowels of Palace Stadium that smells like wet gloves, 5 men sit around a table, with countless papers spread in front of them and a chalk board behind them.)

GM, Russ Farwell: Number four, number four, number four....that's a high pick. This is probably one of the deeper drafts in NHL history.

Owner, Ed Snider: We have a 25 and a 40 as well. How did things come to this? I suppose that's what happens when you are one of the worst teams in the league.

European Scout, Jorn Iceberg: Jaromir Jagr!

Coach, Paul Holmgren: Atta way boys. Keep up the hard work. Let's go fellas! Is there a server in here or do you have to go to the bar yourself?

Canadian Scout, Mountie Steve: Doesn't it just feel good to be up here in British Columbia? You know, some folks call this area Moose Heaven!

Snider: What are we gonna do with this pick?

Iceberg: Jagr!

Farwell: You know, I can't even understand what that little fella is saying half the time....what a hoot! Mountie Steve, what do you think?

Mountie Steve: Oh don't you worry Russ. I have some good home grown talent on my radar. Two boys from Ontario in fact. One is a lumbering giant named Keith Primeau. But he may not be around by the time it's our turn. But the second. Oh, it moves me just to think how Canadian he is. He's from Scarbourough, he had a 116 points last year, and he fights. He'll be able to play next year and give us somewhere in the neighborhood of 41 points! God Save the Queen!

Holmgren: Aren't there any good American boys out there? I hear something about this big kid from the states called Thatcher?

Farwell (looking nauseous): O' Canada, my home and native land, true patriot....

Iceberg (over the singing): Jaromir Jagr!

Snider: You're a funny little guy, Iceberg! Tell you what, we have 3 picks in the second round. How about I give you one of them? How would you like that? You can just go up there and announce it yourself! Crazy little, Iceberg...

Mountie Steve: So, we're up in 7 minutes. Did you know there are 7 different words for farmer in Canadian? I bet Mike Ricci knows that. Mike Ricci, he'll be a Flyer for 20 years.

Farwell: ...we stand on guard for thee!

Holmgren: Tell you guys the truth. I've been pretty bent up for about 3 weeks now...I didn't even know that draft was today, so go ahead and do whatever you want! I'll be at Hooters. (exits)

Snider: So you two feel confident that Mike Ricci is the 4th best player in this draft?

Mountie Steve: Is Quebec Maine's little beret?

Farwell: Oh I'm sorry Ed. Is this a baseball draft? Is this an Olympic gymnastics draft? That's what I thought.

(The Flyers went on to select Mike Ricci with the 4th overall pick in the 1990 entry draft. Passing up the opportunity to draft Derian Hatcher, Brad May, Keith Tkachuk, Martin Brodeur, Brian Smolinski, Doug Weight, Felix Potvin, Sergi Zubov, Peter Bondra, and most importantly, Jaromir Jagr. With their second pick they also drafted a Canadian - Chris Simon. Finally at pick number 40 Jorn got his chance and selected Mikael Renberg. For the entirety of the 1990-91 season Jorn Iceberg worked on his English. When the Brain Trust showed up at the Aud in Buffalo for the 1991 draft they would listen to Jorn this time, and with their first round pick select Peter Forsberg.)