It figures that I take a couple days off from the beat and a number of fairly unpredictable events take place. To recap:
– Nikolai Zherdev not only clears waivers, but humbled by it
Many had expected, myself included, that Zherdev had played his last game in the orange and black after the way he seemed to be happy about being put on waivers. As a stubborn Russian with attitude problems, what were the chances he would take this in stride?
Well, after sitting down with general manager Paul Holmgren and coach Peter Laviolette, he accepted that there were aspects of his game he needed to work on to get back in the line-up and stated he would actually accept an assignment with the Adirondack Phantoms if asked.
Heck, he actually met with reporters too. I’ve never once seen him in the locker room after a game.
– Flyers claim defenseman Nick Boynton off waivers
This move falls under “thinking outside the box.” Boynton, 32, was put on waivers by the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday and picked up by the Flyers on Saturday. Picking up Boynton costs them next to nothing and adds an adequate seventh defenseman with NHL experience in the wake of Oskars Bartulis’ shoulder injury.
– Chris Pronger is day-to-day with a hand injury
Although Pronger traveled with the team to Ottawa on Saturday, he was given the day off to let his hand heal, as the team doesn’t play again until this Thursday. In his absence, Erik Gustafsson made his NHL debut.
Paired with Matt Carle, Gustafsson was given 16:06 of ice time. From what I’ve heard (having been unable to catch the game), he looked decent aside from a double minor roughing penalty. As Phantoms beat writer Tim McManus tweeted, his time in the sin bin was 40% of the total time he’s been penalized in 53 games in the AHL.
There’s a good chance that Gustafsson makes the jump to the NHL next season if Sean O’Donnell retires (or if the Flyers simply choose not to re-sign him).
– Flyers lose 4-1 to 29th place Ottawa Senators
As mentioned earlier, I didn’t get a chance to see the game or listen to any of it after the first period. I can’t comment on how they played.
What I will say, though, is that now is not the time of the year to be playing your worst hockey. Part of the reason that the Flyers did so well last year was that they were playing desperate hockey during the stretch run to the playoffs. That spirit carried over into the postseason and allowed the team to fight the odds.
Laviolette will likely be spending the next few days after the Flyers Wives Carnival grinding this team into shape.
