Weekly Wrap-Up
I really have to work on my motivation. It’s not so much that I’m a procrastinator (but I am), but with other things going on (Phillies, getting the radio show set up, finding guests, etc), I sometimes have a hard time getting motivated to write. That should change soon though, once I start getting my once-a-month motivation.
But we’re here to talk Flyers hockey! *cheers* So let’s look at last week. *groans*
Record: 1-1-1
Teams: Capitals (W), Penguins (L) and Ducks (SOL)
Goals Scored: 12
Goals Against: 12
Most Points: Mike Richards, Jeff Carter and Matt Carle (6)
Richards has shown why he’s the man with the “C” on his chest. He has taken up the reigns and led this team. It’s just a matter of the rest of the team following. Richards and Carter are establishing themselves as a great one-two punch without being on the same line. It’s a matter of, “If the first one don’t get ya, the second one will.”
We lost James vanRiemsdyk for the week on Tuesday when he got slammed into the boards sideways. He missed the next 2 games, but should return this Friday against the Panthers.
Blair Betts wasn’t so lucky. He sperated his shoulder in the same game and was expected to miss a month. However, the news out now is that he may be back as soon as October 22nd against the Bruins. Look, if he needs to be out a month, let him be out a month. The Flyers need to stop rushing players back before they’re needed. Between now and the game against the Bruins when they are estimating him to come back, there is only 1 game. Let him rest, let him heal. Raise your hand if you think 16 days is enough time to recover from a seperated shoulder. They did the perfect thing with JVR. He didn’t have a concussion, but they still held him out for the next 2 games and he gets an extra week to recover from getting his bell rung. Rushing Betts back isn’t going to help anything. The Flyers Penalty Kill is 4th in the league right now (3GA in 27 chances) and 2 of the goals were in games that Betts was playing in.
I’m not gonna climb up on my soap box and talk about Matt Carle again. But the question that rings in my mind the more that I think about it is, “Should a defenseman really be leading this team in scoring?” I know it’s a tie and I don’t want to say they are relying on Carle, but can someone tell me the last time the Flyers had a defenseman who had 8 points after the first 5 games of the season? I’m not being smart there, if you know, I’d really like you to tell me.
A handful of Flyers milestones were set this week. There was Richards’ hat trick in the home opener, Carle’s 4 assist period and the first Flyers 3-0-0 start in 10 years to name a few. One that was released today that I should be saving until next week but I’m gonna mention it now, is that Dave “The Hammer” Schultz is being named to the Flyers Hall of Fame. This will happen on November 16th when the Devils come to town.
But enough of the good stuff, time for me to whine a little.
Now I just checked with capgeek.com and it looks like Braydon Coburn is making $1.4 million this year, not to mention, he’s in a contract year. Would it hurt for him to play like he gave half a damn? Not even a whole one, just half of one. Coburn did have a better game against the Ducks and I hope it’s a step in the right direction for him. I would hate to see a mess in the off-season because he had a sloppy year. I think he’s a sturdy piece in the Flyers defense and hope he’ll be with the team for many years to come. He had a strong pre-season, I’m just missing what has changed.
Of course, Coburn isn’t the only problem to be mentioned. Defensemen Ryan Parent, Ole-Kristian Tollefsen and Danny Syvret have had a rough go of it as well. We’ve already seen way too many turnovers in our own zone that have turned into goals against to have a better outlook on the defense than we had last season. Parent has started coming around, Syvret spent most of the week as a scratch, but Tollefsen is worrying me a little more than I should be.
Our forwards haven’t been untouchable either. Guys have off games and this happens. Daniel Briere, Scott Hartnell and Mika Pyorala have had tough games as well. These things happen. To some, more often than not. But hockey’s not an individual sport, it’s a team effort.
The Flyers only have one game this week and it’s on Friday, on the road, against the Panthers.
Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the first Broad Street Buzz radio show on www.blogtalkradio.com, October 30th at 6pm.
Thanks for reading,
Paul Pickett
Facebook: Paul Ca Pickett
Twitter: PaulakaBFTW (Yes, BFTW = BriereForTheWin)