Walker could need surgery; 'Bob' likely to face Pens
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull
Walker could need surgery; 'Bob' likely to face Pens
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
Flyers defenseman Matt Walker, acquired in the Simon Gagne trade in July, may need hip surgery, GM Paul Holmgren said after the team's practice in Voorhees on Friday.
Walker was injured in a preseason fight against New Jersey. If he has the surgery, he will be sidelined "a couple months," Holmgren said.
Holmgren said he will have "a clear direction" on whether Walker needs surgery after hearing from another specialist this weekend.
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Several different left wingers _ including James van Riemsdyk and Andreas Nodl _ worked on a line with Mike Richards and Jeff Carter at Friday's practice. Don't be surprised if Dan Carcillo is taken off that line for Saturday's 6 p.m. game against visiting Pittsburgh.
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Coach Peter Laviolette wouldn't announce his starting goalie for Saturday against Pittsburgh, but all indications point to Sergei "Bob" Bobrovsky, who defeated the Pens, 3-2, in the season opener.
If they really do feel that Nodl has a chance to become a prductive player in the offensive zone, throwing him out there with Richards and Carter might not be a bad idea. It's time to find out if Nodl can be anything other than a checking/PK player.— Raggamonkey- Good trade. worst salary cap manager in the history of sport.— Onlineps2beast
It's not a bad idea. Walker on LTIR would open up some Cap Space... for a bit at least.— flyler- Can anyone be worse than NJ, they couldn't even call up players to fill roster spots due to cap space.— dcamos
- I would stick Nodl in there since Carcillo hasn't really shown up yet this season. I also think Carter needs to be playing center. I think putting him on the wing limits his opportunities to much.— JoeFlyer31
- Stop changing goalie every game. Pick a goalie and stay with that goalie. Should have released Carcillo.— Phonak
- Maybe Carter would feel like he has to give more of an effort at center. He's got talent, but he's got to be one of the laziest Flyers currently on the team.— BigShow
Carcillo has run his course in Philly. thanks, but we need to move on.— Inchon- BOB! BOB! BOB! BOB! BOB! BOB!!!!!— fman727
- Carts and Cob to Ducks for Ryan and Sbisa.— Romus
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- It was a good trade. And, good Cap management. Holmgren is a top GM.
Trading Gagne was NOT a mistake. It was smart team planning.
This Flyers' team does not need Gagne's goals. They will score a ton of goals. Making up for Gagne's goals, plus more, will be the continued up-side growth of Giroux and vanRiemsdyk, the full season of Leino, the rebound of Carter and Hartnell, the PP goals of Meszaros, and the maturation of Zherdev, who alone may score 30, as he is now surrounded with excellent coaching and his new "25 year old" peer group.
We thank Gagne for his great years with the Flyers and we wish him well in TB and hope he, at age 30 and concussion prone, can stay healthy.
A top 6-man defence is super-important to win a CUP, and our Flyers have the best group in the NHL.
With his Cap management, Homer built the NHLs best 6-man defence by adding Meszaros (age 24) and O'Donnell to save the minutes and wear on Pronger and Timonen; he added a top high skill forward in Zherdev; and he added a much needed heavyweight enforcer to counter the NYRs Boogaard, TORs Orr,etc, who will "run" the Flyers smaller and vulnerable players such as Giroux, Leino, and Briere. Homer needed Gagne's Cap Space to accomplish all of this.
Gagne knew he couldn't stay with the Flyers under the circumstances of Homer's plan to move him by asking him several times to waive his "No Trade Clause". But Gagne and his agent also had the "hammer" over Holmgren which is the power of the "No Trade Clause" to choose his team. Gagne told Homer that he would only go to Tampa Bay. Homer was at a disadvantage in the trade discussions with new TB GM Yzerman. Yzerman knew the circumstances. From TB, Homer was only able to get the 2011 4th Round pick and Yzerman's Cap Hit dump - Matt Walker for Gagne.
But, it was still a good deal for the Flyers. Mission accomplished. This is a CUP contending team. Good Cap management by Holmgren.
— PhillyTeam - I think if Bob was in goal last night the Flyers would have won that game. Bob has quicker feet and wouldn't have let in two goals through the five hole as Boucher did. Look for more Bob.— Rick Wise Guy
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