The Flyers

I heard on Sporting News radio today that Ken Hitchcock had been fired as the Flyers’ coach and that Bobby Clarke was stepping down as general manager. As a Pens fan, I just hate the Flyers. I was so excited when we beat them, but I didn’t realize Philly was in a serious free-for-all. I haven’t paid enough attention, really, (e.g. I haven’t seen the Flyers’ play) to know why what’s happening in Philly is happening there.

Though, of course, I’d probably blame goaltending before anything else. But apparently the Flyers were into waiving Petr Nedved. Seriously, does anyone know what Nedved’s deal is? Can the boy—at 34 now, just like Jagr, not a boy anymore—still skate? If he can still skate, what’s his contract like? Seriously, could he be a productive winger (more productive than what the Pens have) alongside one of our two stud centers? I speak with no knowledge, just memories of Nedved from almost a decade ago (he was one of my faves, as you may have guessed).

And, of course, Aleksey Morozov, currently tearing up the RSL, isn’t worth a huge NHL contract, and I’m assuming he’s quite content to be a star and make millions in his native land. He never did put it altogether on this continent, anyway.

Yet somehow I wonder, as I mentioned the wingers previously, if Nedved or Morozov—who both once knew how to score and had very soft hands—would be able to convert those dandy set-ups of Malkin and Crosby’s—into goals with more regularity than our current wingers.

In any case, players like that would be a short-term fix, the same way Mark Recchi and John Leclair are at present. The Pens ultimately need younger—not as young as their centermen—wingers when the time comes for the team to contend.

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