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Flyers' (and others') wish list

    by Sam Carchidi
    Published 

Nashville defenseman Ryan Suter and New Jersey winger Zach Parise - expected to be the top unrestricted free agents on July 1 - are at the top of a lot of teams' wish lists.

The Flyers are believed to be among those teams.

That said, the team's defense, if healthy, isn't in bad shape - even if Chris Pronger cannot return from concussion symptoms.

The defensive pairings could look like this: Braydon Coburn and Nick Grossmann; Kimmo Timonen and Andrej Meszaros; and Marc-Andre Bourdon and Matt Carle (if re-signed) or Erik Gustafsson.

"I think we have a very strong defensive corps," said Peter Luukko, president of the Flyers' parent company, Comcast Specactor, "and if Paul (Holmgren, the GM) thinks he can make us even better, great."

Luukko said the team is in the process of putting together its off-season plans. Unlike last year, the Flyers are only expected to make a few moves.

Ed Snider, the Flyers' chairman, thinks improving the team's defense should be the top off-season priority.

Me?

I'm still in favor of signing Parise over Suter.

Then again, Parise may decide to stay with the Devils because of their Stanley Cup run. New Jersey opens the Finals on Wednesday by hosting the Kings.

Stop the presses!  Claude Giroux and Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne have advanced to the championship matchup to determine who is on the next EA Sports NHL 13 Cover.

Voting ends at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, and fans can vote at NHL.com/covervote.

 Cote promoting music festival. The Hemp Heals Music Festival, featuring Sublime with Rome, Cypress Hill, and Pepper, will be held at the Festival Pier at Penn's Landing on Aug. 25. The festival is being presented by former Flyers enforcer Riley Cote and Live Nation.

The Hemp Heals Music Festival is dedicated to promoting healthy living through the use of hemp products and other natural and organic goods. All funds raised for the festival will benefit MANNA (Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance), promoting wellness by healthy living.

Tickets are available at LiveNation.com, Ticketmaster.com, or at 800-745-3000.

Follow Sam Carchidi on Twitter @BroadStBull.