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Meltzer's Musings: 9/27/11 |
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Yesterday was one of those days where"work" was a sheer pleasure. For the most part, it was a nearly perfect day.
The long-delayed Winter Classic press conference was enjoyable, mostly for the opportunity of going in the pressbox for the first time at Citizens Bank Park, for going down on the Major League Baseball field to interview the Flyers' players afterward and for the chance to catch up at lunch with Scoop Cooper.
The highlight of the actual press conference, of course, was the now much-replayed, semi-joking barbs between Glen Sather and Ed Snider. (By the way, for the sake of historical accuracy, Sather's Oilers barely squeaked past the Flyers in the seven-game 1987 Final and hardly "kicked the hell" out of Philadelphia two years earlier. The 1985 series may have only gone five games, but every game was up for grabs except the 8-3 Cup clinching game with a rusty Bob Froese in Philly's net in place of an injured Pelle Lindbergh (torn quad in Game 4) and both Tim Kerr and Brad McCrimmon out of the Flyers lineup with injuries for most (Kerr) or all of the series).
The best news to come out of the post press conference session with the players and Gary Bettman was the revelation by Flyers left winger Scott Hartnell that he had worked out with no problems whatsoever in the days following his elevated heart rate episode in Detroit last Friday. He still needs to meet with a cardiologist today to have stress tests performed. As of now, however, everything seems fine.
Hockey-wise, I thought that Matt Carle had some insightful comments about making the adjustments to playing NHL hockey on the outdoor rink.
"It's a harder surface; it's only put down about a week before the game," he said. "As the game goes along and the ice gets a little bit 'tired,' you have to simplify things a little, maybe not as many stretch passes. I guess that's the biggest thing. But each surface is different, so the one here will probably be a little bit different than the one in Fenway. Also, I should say that the NHL does a great job with the ice surface for these games. We'll skate on the ice during the week before the game, and kind of get a sense of it."
After the press conference and media sessions ended, the Flyers (Chris Pronger, James van Riemsdyk, Carle and Hartnell) and Rangers (Brad Richards, Ryan Callahan and Marian Gaborik) attempted to convert trick shots in which they stood on a platform at home plate and tried to lift the puck over the makeshift "sideboards" where the rink will be and put it into a hockey net located up the middle in the infield). Among the Flyers' players, only JVR put one in the net successfully.
By the way, the NHL-produced video highlighting the Flyers-Rangers rivalry through the years prominently featured Eric Lindros in multiple clips (including ones of Lindros both as a Flyer and as a Ranger). It is going to be interesting to see if Lindros, who politely declined a chance to join other past Flyers captains during the Spectrum closure event a few years ago but recorded a video, attends the Flyers-Rangers alumni game before the Winter Classic. The time is long past due to put away any lingering bitterness from disputes that happened over a decade ago and to begin to remember the many good times that came before the unfortunate ending.
****
Last night's preseason tilt between the Flyers and Rangers was about as entertaining as preseason hockey gets. Neither Ilya Bryzgalov nor Henrik Lundqvist were significant factors in the 5-3 outcome in Philly's favor. Both goalies made a couple of tough saves, didn't allow anything soft but otherwise had little chance to stop the goals that got past them.
Philadelphia's skill players -- most notably Jaromir Jagr (2G, 1A), Danny Briere (3A) and Claude Giroux (3A, 14-for-19 in faceoff circle) -- and rookie Matt Read (1G, 1A) led the way offensively. In addition, Braydon hammered home a blast from the high slot and Wayne Simmonds added an empty net goal.
Read has all but locked up an opening night spot with the big club, mostly likely on the third line. After the game, Peter Laviolette noted that he has used Read in virtually every possible manpower situation during the preseason, and the player has consistently shown good hockey sense as well as a high skill level.
*****
Apart from the offensive fireworks, there was a lot of nastiness and special teams play in last night's game.
First of all, Tom Sestito is going to draw a suspension for his boarding of Andre Deveaux in the first period. He came all the way in from the blueline and had all sorts of time to avoid hitting the Rangers' player from behind.
I realize that Sestito badly wanted to seize the chance at camp this year to impress the coaches and Paul Holmgren with his physical play and to win a roster spot rather than going through waivers and (if unclaimed) a return trip to the AHL. But the player's decision making at camp has been highly suspect. He's already had a game in which he left the club shorthanded twice, had a few unforced defensive miscues and now this incident happens.
I still think that Sestito has a shot at being a decent NHL energy player who fights a bit and mostly uses his size to pound other teams on the forecheck. But he'll need to do a better job at picking his spots, and his opportunity to show it has now, well, gone by the boards for at least the time being.
The oft-suspended Rinaldo has outplayed Sestito by a country mile. If the two players were even remotely close in size, Sestito probably would have been among the cuts made over the weekend, because he's also been significantly outplayed by Harry Zolnierczyk at camp. Rinaldo (thus far) has struck the perfect balance between aggressive play and discipline, and has made a concerted effort to show that he does have some hockey skill. Harry Z, who is also much smaller than Sestito, has skated with a lot of energy. He has not looked out of place against NHL caliber opposition.
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As for the series of confrontations between Wayne Simmonds and Sean Avery last night, I cannot condone what Simmonds allegedly said to Avery while the two were verbally sparring. But I understand why it happened.
It does not matter that the particular homophobic slur that Simmonds appeared to holler at Avery gets used -- repeatedly -- on virtually an every-game basis at all levels of hockey. That doesn't make it right or justify it.
It also does not matter that Avery is the most notorious trash talker in the entire league (one who, in the past, has allegedly used racial slurs and extremely vile personal taunts in which absolutely nothing is off-limits). I doubt the player himself believes most of the things he says, but it doesn't stop him from saying them.
Avery compounds the trash talking by taking cheap shots -- such as his sucker punch of Simmonds in the pile up after the Sestito boarding major touched off scrums and a Sestito vs. Stu Bickel fight behind the net -- and then doing things like turtling and looking to the refs when he gets confronted directly by the other player.
Avery brings out the worst in other players, and brings on himself things like Simmonds' poor choice of a return taunt. Again, I don't like the name that Simmonds called Avery.
However, I also doubt it was said in reference to Avery taking a public stance in favor of gay marriage rights. I suspect it was said for the usual reason it gets uttered on the ice. It's said to imply the other player is cowardly or otherwise less than a man. That's wrong, but keep this in mind: If Simmonds has chosen to use the other typical on-ice taunts that have the exact same actual meaning -- the ones that reference females and the female anatomy -- I doubt that anyone would have gotten on their sanctimonious soapbox afterwards to condemn Simmonds for using terms that show contempt and antiquated attitudes about women.
Some folks have said that Simmonds should have apologized afterward rather than chalking it up to just being the normal sorts of things said in the heat of battle. I agree that he should apologize, but only if he means it. There's nothing worse than a forced, totally insincere apology.
As far as intervention from the league, if the referees confirm what video lip-reading suggested, then I could see Simmonds getting a punishment similar to other incidents involving on-ice slurs. If not, I don't think there will be league-mandated discipline invoked in this instance.
Regardless of what Simmonds said, it does not remotely justify what happened in London, Ont. last week. I have zero respect for anyone who would suggest otherwise.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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