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Gagne Returns, the Power-Play Doesn’t Work, and Zherdev Won’t Speak
By Kyle Scott
Published:
Source: PhiladelphiaFlyers.com
Eventful night at The Well last night (I’m really going to have a hard time calling it that, but does anyone have anything better?). Simon Gagne made his triumphant mid-October, rainy Thursday night return to a standing ovation. While he still hasn’t scored with the Lightning and it’s very weird to see him in those hideous unis, we wish him the best, dude had a great career here. Video of the ceremony after the bump.
Meanwhile, the Flyers have only scored one power-play goal through four games. That’s not good. Prongs tells us the problem. [Philly Sports Daily]
“Probably trying to get too cute. We need to simplify it and just get pucks to the net and get traffic,” Pronger said. “Maybe you struggle to score goals on the power play, but there’s easy ways to try to get out of it. The best way is to get some traffic in front and get pucks to the net.”
The old hockey adage- shoot the puck. I’m shocked. For real though, he’s right. If I had to watch Danny Briere and Claude Giroux do one more pirouette on the side boards last night, I was going to lose it.
-Broad Street Hockey gives an excellent breakdown of how much each Flyer makes per second on ice. Danny Briere makes $80 a moment. Scary.
-Nikolai Zherdev, who signed with the Flyers this off-season after playing a year in the KHL, scored his first goal last night, but he didn’t talk about it. He has only spoken to the media once this season (after the Pittsburgh game) and that is a point of contention with the team, especially since he was previously known to be a bit of a flake. Even though he doesn't do well with the English language, he is making no effort to make himself available. I’ve heard rumblings that he had to be spoken to by the PR staff and Lavs, and still hasn’t given in. Apparently, his agent, Jay Grossman, was in town to talk to him- not good.
Gagne video after the jump.
Kyle Scott is the founder and editor of CrossingBroad.com. He has written for CBS Philly and Philly Voice, and been a panelist or contributor on NBC Sports Philly, FOX 29 and SNY TV, as well as a recurring guest on 97.5 The Fanatic, 94 WIP, 106.7 The Fan and other stations. He has more than 10 years experience running digital media properties and in online advertising and marketing.