Simmonds’ return couldn’t come too soon
VOORHEES, N.J. » His team clearly in need of a bolt of offensive energy, among other things, Wayne Simmonds will step back into the lineup Wednesday night when the Flyers play their favorite rival, the Pittsburgh Penguins, at Wells Fargo Center.
Simmonds, out with an “upper body injury” for the past seven games after reportedly hurting his hand in a fight in New York, will start on a second line with fellow winger Jordan Weal and center Val Filppula against the Pens. Both of those players, and especially Weal, have struggled offensively for large chunks of the season.
Anyone not playing on the top two lines lately has shared in that problem of offensive impotence.
“It can only help,” second-line winger Jake Voracek said of Simmonds’ return to bolster the club’s third line. “Obviously Simmer is a big part of our team. On the power play, and with his physical presence, he’s a 30-goal scorer basically, every year, so it’s going to help us. Over the last few games I don’t think we’ve played very good hockey so we can use that spark.”
The Flyers have lost three games in a row, a slide that’s threatening to turn serious with the tough challenge of the Penguins followed immediately by a game in Boston Thursday.
Despite a knock out performance by Voracek and top-liners Sean Couturier and Claude Giroux, all three of which are enjoying close to career seasons, the lack of scoring depth has really started to haunt the Flyers.
Travis Konecny has had a breakout season and thus shares space on the top line, and second-line rookie center Nolan Patrick has been getting consistently better, even adding punch to the power play by taking Simmonds’ usual spot in front of the opposing goalie while the veteran was out injured.
Aside from that, there has been little offensive noise out of their respective teammates. Weal, for example, a player who last season seemed on the cusp of becoming another mid-line 20-plus goal scorer, has but seven goals and 17 points this season and is a minus-9 in 59 games. He was benched from a game against Carolina Thursday, and has but one goal in his last 21 games.
Michael Raffl, a former 20-goal guy for the Flyers, has 10 on the season, one in his last 19 games.
That’s just to name a couple of prime examples ... which is why the pending Simmonds return looms so large.
“We’ve got to get back to what we were doing, when we were going well last year,” said Simmonds, who paired with then-recently acquired Filppula and then-rookie Weal on a line that was very effective in the waning days of last season and the early days of this season before Simmonds was moved up. “We’ve got to find that chemistry quickly and that comes with communication.”
Asked how he thought he’d fare after the injury layoff, Simmonds added, “I don’t know, we’ll see. But I feel good. Skating, shooting, passing and everything like that, I feel good. I’m just looking to come into the lineup tomorrow night and make an impact.”
Just having the ability to form a workable third line now likely will make an impact for the Flyers against two very tough opponents.
“I think it’s about having all four lines that make sense,” coach Dave Hakstol said. “Have all four of the lines having some chemistry. That group has played together quite a bit; they had a lot of success at this time of year last year, and they played eight games together earlier this year . ... That group is real familiar with each other with Fil up the middle there.
“It’s a line that can play 200 feet, play hard and as well, always be a threat offensively.”
It’s also a line that, as Simmonds put it, can “alleviate pressure on the top two (lines). We just need to have a more balanced team and I think that will help going into the playoffs.”
Or, as Voracek put it: “Depth is very important. That’s how you win Cups.”
*** Although he’s been a bit cautious in using rookie backup goalies in vital games against tough opponents since he became head coach, Hakstol said Tuesday he’s leaning toward using rookie Alex Lyon in one of the two games against Pittsburgh and Boston. He did not say which one.
He also didn’t say if watching Petr Mrazek give up 15 goals (including a shootout winner) over the last three games had anything to do with that plan.
“Honestly I thought in Florida Petr was really good,” Hakstol said. “Maybe we can ask for one save on one of those somewhere, but we gave up some pretty good opportunities. I thought Petr’s game, when you look at it, on Sunday was pretty complete.”
*** NOTES » Andrew MacDonald, who missed the Florida game due to something he “tweaked” Saturday in Tampa, practiced in full and will play Tuesday. Still out is newcomer Johnny Oduya, with an undisclosed injury . ... Phantoms defender T.J. Brennan, a native of Moorestown, N.J., received a new contract from the Flyers, terms not disclosed . ... Tuesday was the semi-annual visitation by military personnel from Joint Base McGure-Dix-Lakehurst. “It’s always great to have them in the locker room,” Claude Giroux said. “They go through a lot of sacrifices. They come in here and you kind of see that they’re kind of a team, too.”