Besides Petr Nedved the Flyers call up Matt Ellison, Ryan Potulny and Martin Grenier.
Ellison was acquired last year from Chicago with the Flyers sending them Patrick Sharp.
I never liked that trade. While Sharp wont ever be a top line center he had attributes the Flyers could use.
He can skate, hit, score and fight. It seems that with the loss of him and Sims halfway through last season along with Handzus, Brashear, Savage and Radivojevic the Flyers have lost some grit.
The Flyers drop another one this time to the Maple Leafs in Toronto last night 4-1.
I did not get to see the game which I guess can be fortunate depending on how one looks at it. Me being the dumbass forget to set the TIVO for it, seem to do that at least once a season.
So lets look at the stats.
Ben Eager scores the Flyers only goal, his first of the season.
Antero Niittymaki gives up 3 goals on 31 shots.
0-7 on the powerplay for the Flyers. They killed 6 of 7.
Pylon, Gagne, Richards, Forsberg, Kapanen were minus -2.
Umberger, Eager, Meloche were +1. With the goal by Eager and Meloche picking up his second assist in 2 games one would think they would see more then the 5 or 7 minutes of icetime.
Kapanen led the Flyers in ice time again with 25:07.
Andrew Raycroft, Hal Gill and Antero Niittymaki were the three stars.
Really all I can say about the game.
Captain Peter Forsberg
I thought we worked harder today. We battled and we hung in there, and we had a chance to win the game. Again, the power play killed us. We had a five-on-three and a chance to go up, 2-1, and we didn’t score and they came back and got the goal. I thought we battled pretty hard.
Checkout what Pension Plan Puppets and Toronto Maple Leafs Fan Blog have to say for the Leafs perspective.
First it was equipment manager Derek Settlemyre. Then, it was Sami Kapanen. Now the question is, who’s next?
Looking for something to foster team unity, Settlemyre and Kapanen decided to shave their heads.“Originally Sami was joking around saying we should all get tattoos that said, 2006-07 Flyers that way guys would want to play harder so they weren’t stuck with a bad tattoo for life, and this kind of grew out of that.”
The next target is another veteran.
“Don’t say anything, but I’d do it if they wanted me to, I’m just not going to volunteer,” said Derian Hatcher.
“(Gagne) was on the (training) table getting treatment and I sneaked up behind him and turned on the razor,” said Settlemyre. “You should have seen him jump up and run. It was awesome.”
When asked about the incident, Gagne shook it off.
“No way am I getting my hair cut. I can’t go around looking like that,” he said.
When someone asked if it was an image thing, especially when he’s cruising around in his Lamborghini, Gagne agreed.
Does this mean Gagne = Not a team player?
Maybe or I could just be making a big deal over nothing.
The point is someone on the team is trying to do something to get the team going.
I mean the Flyers are only off to their worst start in team history, ever.
Wouldn’t you do anything? I mean anything to get things turned around? Hair grows back, within months it is not a big deal.
The biggest thing is on the ice the Flyers don’t seem to care. Sure they put forth effort, but there is no emotion. They appear just not to care and when a player doesn’t want to cut his hair so he doesn’t look ‘bad’ driving a car that cost more then 3 times as much as the typical fans salary makes it look very much more obvious.
40 years and still fighting, oh please.
Per TSN
Sources tell TSN the Philadelphia Flyers have recalled Petr Nedved in hopes another team claims him.
The veteran NHL forward may have interest to some teams in the market for a centerman.
If claimed, the Flyers are on the hook for $750,000 of his $1.5 million contract.
Nedved’s salary is actually 2.28 mill.
I don’t think the Flyers called him up just hoping someone would claim him.
Could be a busy trading for the Flyers.
Recalled to replace Jeff Carter I suspect.
I also believe that rule that a team is required to pay half a players salary if the player is waived was changed before the season.
By WAYNE FISH
phillyBurbs.com
VOORHEES – Some teams grow beards to foster team unity.
Others have even talked about getting the same tattoo.
The Flyers are taking it to the extreme.
They’re getting all their heads shaved.
Sami Kapanen came up with the idea. To put his money, uh, hair, where his mouth is, he had trainer Derek Settlemyre do the honors Sunday morning.
Suddenly he looks like Capt. Kapanen of the U.S. Marine Corps.
Now he wants one player a day to follow that lead until the whole team looks like Antero Niittymaki [.continue.]
A great idea.
While cutting hair doesn’t result in wins itself it shows someone is looking for ways to get the team going.
So with the bald head, less weight and more aerodynamic will it make them faster?
Now if all the fans would show up at the next home game with shaved heads that would be wicked. Scarier then all those orange wigs from last week.
The Flyers have lost their 2nd straight and third under Coach Stevens last nigt to the Caps by the score of 5-3
Robert Esche coming off his shutout against Chicago Monday gave up 4 goals on 8 shots in the first period and was pulled. Antero Niittymaki played the 2nd and 3rd giving up 1 goal on 11 shots. For the Caps Brent Johnson stopped 33 of 36 shots to pick up the win. Beat by yet another backup goalie.
Captain Peter Forsberg
Sure, we’re a little frustrated, but to be honest, I don’t think we’re playing good enough to win a hockey game. If we don’t work hard, we’re not going to get out of it.
We’re not playing good enough to make them cheer.
We’re not playing good enough to get the crowd into it. We’re not good enough to watch. We’re not playing hard enough. We’re losing battles and we’re losing everybody. So it’s a tough time and I totally understand [the fan reaction].
Simon Gagen, Geoff Sanderson and R.J. Umberger each scored for the Flyers. Randy Jones and Mike Richards were each +1. The Pylon, Mark Cullen, R.J. Umberger, Alexandre Picard and Eric Merloche were -2.
Sami Kapanen led the team in ice time at 26:06 that usually has been Joni Pitkanen this year.
Gaithier led the Flyers in hits with 5 and blocked shots with 3. The Pylon actually led the Flyers in takeaways with 3. Sanderson had the most giveaways at 4.
The lines at least starting the game were
Gagne-Forsberg-Ruzicka
Calder-Umberger-Meloche
Sanderson-Richards-Kapanen
Eager-Cullen
Pitkanen-Gautheir
Hatcher-Meyer
Jones-Picard
Grenier
Picard only played the first period. With carrying seven D makes it easy to sit one when he is playing like crap.
Jonesy got to pick the three stars, Alex Ovechkin, Ben Cylmer and Brent Johnson.
Same old stuff, no heart, no passion no emotion. There was a time where if the Flyers were losing bad, the game would get a little ‘chippy’ players would get a little pissed off, but not this season. Just some quotes after the game about having to play better.
While Knuble, Robitaille, Carter and Kane were expected out Mike Rathje was not. Rathje missed the game with Piriformis syndrome or ass/back pain. Basically the same thing that made him miss 5 games last month.
The last time the Caps won in Philly was on January 31, 1998. They had held the longest road regular season losing streak for a city. With the win the Flyers hold that record now, think it is 15 straight loses in Detroit.
Sorry for not posting in a while…
I used to not be able to go through a conversation with anyone without gloating about my soaring Philadelphia Flyers. These days I just hope my non Flyer fan friends will shy away from the subject.
Thus we have a new reality as Flyers fans, that for the first time in more than a decade, the dreaded term “rebuilding year” comes into play. Once again though, thats the harsh reality of what is happening. I hate to sit back and say “I told you so” but I have preached it for the past 2 years, and the past 6 months on this website. The defense is slow, the bigger forwards are obsolete, and two decent goalies doesn’t equal one great goalie.
For those of you thinking this season can be saved, please don’t kid yourselves. I hate to be the reality check around here, but I really figured it out tonight in our loss to Washington, it IS a rebuilding year folks. I’m not going to say it’s a bad thing either, because in reality, you have to have one once in a while.
What can be done this season:
* Build Teamwork/Character
* Comfort Level with Coach and New Coaching System
* Give Holmgren Full GM status
* Let Holmgren start building “his” team
* Trade for pics/youthful speed/talent
These are just a starting point, and there is a lot more that can be done. Until then, realize the Flyers do have a lot to look forward to already, and with the right management, they will certainly continue to grow and become a playoff team next year.
Tonight the Flyers try for their 4th win of the season when the Washington Capitals come into Philadelphia. The Flyers are coming off an emotional 5-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. The Capitals are coming off a 4-3 loss against the Thrashers in Washington last night.
The Flyers have won 16 straight games against the Capitals in Philadelphia. With the Capitals playing and traveling the night before the Flyers are in a good position to pick up another win.
This is the first regular season meeting between the teams this year and the first time Donald Brashear will be back in Philly after the Flyers did not resign him in the off season.
Robert Esche will get the start in goal tonight. He is coming off a shutout win against Chicago on Monday.
Injuries include Jeff Carter, Mike Knuble, Boyd Kane and Randy Robitaille.
Jeff Carter is questionable for the game. Right wing Eric Meloche has been recalled from the Phantoms. Defensemen Lars Jonsson and Alexandre Picard were reassigned to the Phantoms.
Picard was recalled 2 days after being sent down.
Meloche recalled yesterday I would guess be sent back down, haven’t seen that info though.
Center Mark Cullen and defenseman Martin Grenier recalled from the Phantoms.
Triston Grant sent back down.
Listen to this week’s FlyerCast featuring Freddy Meyer here. Meyer talks about the competition that continues between the defensemen with the team carrying 8 D.
With Ken Hitchcock gone, Flyers Assistant Coach John Stevens took over head coach duties. Craig Berube who was head coach of the Phantoms gets promoted to replace Stevens as Assistant Coach of the Flyers. Kjell Samuelsson who was Assistant Coach for the Phantoms gets promoted to head coach of the Phantoms.
Interim General Manager Paul Holmgren on the announcement.
Craig will be a good fit for John. They have worked together the last couple of years with the Phantoms and they have a real good bond. Terry and Craig also have a good relationship, so I’m very happy that we’re able to do that and get those guys all together here tomorrow morning for practice.
We’ve also appointed Kjell Samuelsson the head coach of the Phantoms. I think that is a good move for Kjell, as well as a good move for the organization. Last summer, when John moved up to the Flyers, it was a very difficult decision to make between Kjell and Craig in terms of who was going to be the head coach. They are both very qualified coaches and good hockey guys.
Craig Berube
I’m thrilled. Any time that you have the opportunity to be in the NHL, especially in the Flyers organization – a place where I’ve lived and played for a number of years, it’s exciting.
It was fun (coaching the Phantoms). I really enjoyed it. I learned a lot. I would like to do that (run a team) again someday. I have worked with John (Stevens) before with the Phantoms for a few years. I played for Terry (Murray) and I think that it’s going to be a good mixture.
Kjell Samuelsson
I have been here for seven years and I think I have a lot of experience. I will continue what we started and play with hard forechecking, using the speed and skill that we have.
A coach being fired in the NHL does create some interest around the league as the firing of Ken Hitchcock does. But the news of Bob Clarke leaving the General Manager position of the Philadelphia Flyers left some wondering if today was actually April 1st.
I had to look outside to see if I saw any winged bacon flying through the air. I along with many other people thought peace in the Middle East would come before Clarke would leave the position while Snider was still alive.
So obviously this has created some buzz around the Net. Below are some links to what people have had to say. If you have some comments on your blog about the Flyers change of the guard, let me know. If you have a hockey blog and I don’t have you listed in my blog roll also let me know.