Jagr: Power play cure?; Sestito, Simmonds updates
Jaromir Jagr may be the antidote for a power play that killed the Flyers last season.
Jagr: Power play cure?; Sestito, Simmonds updates
Jaromir Jagr may be the antidote for a power play that killed the Flyers last season.
Just don’t suggest to him that his impressive preseason presence on the point is your reason for optimism.
“I can’t promise anything,” Jagr said again, trying to cool feverish expectations that have stemmed from his 5 points in just two exhibition games, including back-to-back power play goals against the Rangers on Monday night.
Yes, it was just one preseason game. Yes, Jagr has been one of the Flyers’ brightest spots on the ice in two matchups.
And the Flyers’ power play looked brilliant, notching a goal in every scenario (5-on-4, 5-on-3 and 4-on-3), after a dismal 19th place finish (16.1 percent) in the NHL last season. The Flyers’ power play was more fickle – and hot and cold – than the stock market.
Then again, it’s the preseason.
“We did a little better than last game,” Jagr said. “And when guys in the center have great vision like they do, it makes it better and easier.”
Jagr was referring to Claude Giroux, whom he called a ‘smaller Mario Lemieux.’
The Flyers have spent just two days working on the power play in practice, not spending more than a few minutes on each unit.
Then again, it’s the preseason.
“It’s a little early,” Danny Briere said. “You don’t want to get too excited, too quick. Teams are going to adjust well. This year, we definitely want to be better, because last year it cost us some games and momentum at times.”
SESTITO UPDATE: According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, Tom Sestito may need to wait until Wednesday for his hearing with new dean of discipline Brendan Shanahan. You see, Shanahan has had his docket stacked each of the last few days, doling out suspensions like they’re candy.
Video of Sestito’s boarding major is below. You be the judge.
All signs point to Sestito, who Flyers’ general manager Paul Holmgren admitted was maybe a little “overzealous” with his hit in an attempt to make the team, receiving less than the 10 games Jody Shelley was banned last week because he does not have a disciplinary history with the NHL.
Nonetheless, it probably killed Sestito's chances of making the team out of camp. Flyers coach Peter Laviolette needs players he can trust.
SIMMONDS BACKLASH: Partly because the New York media ran with it like a Lindsay Lohan panty shot, and partly because it was caught on video (but not audio), Wayne Simmonds will likely have a phone conversation with senior VP of hockey operations Colin Campbell on Tuesday or Wednesday to discuss his apparent use of a homophobic slur against Rangers agitator Sean Avery.
Simmonds did not want to go into too much detail about his conversation with Avery, but it’s safe to say the Rangers’ agitator has never been too careful with his word choice, either.
Avery, who was arrested in Los Angeles last summer after calling cops “pigs” and was once suspended and traded for referring to ex-girlfriend Elisha Cuthbert as “sloppy seconds,” implied that Simmonds should be fined. Avery campaigned for same-sex marriage in New York State last summer.
Dreger reported that the fine could be somewhere in the $2500 range.
“I mean, Kobe got fined 100 grand,” Avery said after the game. “Everything is different now. You know, it’s an issue. It has been said for years. It is an issue that people are dealing with and trying to overcome.”
Simmonds said Avery sucker-punched him in a scrum, following Sestito’s hit, and Avery’s word choices weren’t exactly printable, either.
“He definitely said some things to me that I wasn’t too happy about,” Simmonds said. “I can’t recall every single word that was said. I am not here to say that he said this and I am not going to rat him out. It doesn’t matter to me. It was a hockey game. It’s something that happens every game.”
In Simmonds’ case, it probably helps that Campbell was at the Flyers’ game in London, Ontario, last week and witnessed when a banana was thrown from the stands at him during a shootout attempt.
For the latest updates, follow Frank Seravalli on Twitter: @DNFlyers
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It was an insult to gay people....I wouldn't want to be associated with Avery either.— gob1234- settle down PR police. at that rate, anything you say to someone can be perceived as an insult. people need to grow up and stop walking on egg shells. is it right to throw such terms around? no. do i want my kids using the same words? no. at the same time, you can't be selective in punishing some words but not others. this zero tolerance stuff is bull. you need to look at context etc. clearly the use in this context had absolutely nothing to do with being homophobic. if he said it to a gay person, then I could understand. finally, these things happen in the heat of competition. again, if the context were something premeditated at a gay person, maybe i could understand (e.g. a twitter post, blog post etc.). Chill already. — DennyP
- What does calling someone a Harley Davidson rider have to do with Homophobia? It is time for people to grow up and get used to what words mean nowadays.
Avery needs to stop being a dinosaur.— Loomus - if a hockey player can't say fggt on the ice, that really lowers their ability to smack talk... its not calling them homosexual when they say it...in sports it has a different meaning.
- ok, first he was gretzky, now lemiuex....come on. He's good, but let's stop with the rediculous comparisons.— philly thug
- The word they used actually is defined as a bundle of sticks, so at some point or another, someone changed the words meaning and made it derogatory towards gay people. Well now its meaning is changed again and its derogatory towards all people not just gays. People have to get over it, its just trash talking. Go play pick up basketball and foul someone and see if you dont get called it. Its just another reason for GLAAD to get some tv time and donation money, just like the NAACP when someone says the "N" word.
And Philly Thug - This isnt coming from some media guy or a fan, this is coming from someone who played right next to Lemieux for the better part of their entire careers. I'd take him at his word.— dennis14 - There are about a dozen people (maybe 15) who post here whose comments I always look for and read before reading everyone else's. That's because the posts are thoughtful, reasoned, and on point, or in some cases just extremely witty.
I have added you to my list, sir. - Avery's upset 'cause Simmonds said "He's embarrassed himself, he's embarrassed the organization, he's embarrassed the league and he's embarrassed his teammates, who have to look out for him. Send him home. He doesn't belong in the NHL."
Oh wait, that was his own coach who said that. Nevermind.....— dougleader 
Comment removed.- Comment removed.
- dbag is a bad word? Avery wont be able to run away from this team this year.— fman727
- Colin Campbell was eating bananas while attending the game in Kingston and lost track of where they went. He's never been known as the solution to any problem.— Claudio Vernight
- This is all just so happy and festive!— GreenOrangeRedBlueBlood
- Not that there's anything wrong with that!— hunglikeaton
- Wow, I expected to see a sluggish, middle-age average player last night. Yagr proved me wrong. He looked unbelievable! Smart passes, good positioning, dynamite shot!! Definitely an asset on the PP. Also, Matt Read is going to be a name to remember. Can't wait till the regular season starts.— dogman5
- Jagr looks a bit slow to me, but he still has that on ice presence, and knows how to get into scoring position. Also he is unafraid to shoot, and usually gets it on net. I think he will be a big help on the pp— blaqjaq
- I love this guy Tom Sestito. Love the nastiness and phyical play.— Joey0210
- if you have never been called a "derogatory term" on the ice, court, field, etc. then you have never played sports— FatEagle
- Wayne just asked him if he wanted to grab a smoke at the end of the period.— NYPHILLYPHAN
- Ok, let's assume that Simmonds called Avery a gay slur for a moment. Is it possible that Avery IS gay? Here are facts... he's overly aggressive, obnoxious, and offensive about everything in the world except homosexuals. He acts like someone who is not sure of himself. Lashing out at others because he can't live with himself. The writing is on the wall, I say we all read it!— macd41144
