Gudas surprised to hit bench for Folin
PHILADELPHIA >> One game into the season, and an impressive victory in Las Vegas it was, Radko Gudas was told to take a night off.
One game.
That’s all it took for Dave Hakstol to bench the veteran defenseman and try veteran free agent Christian Folin in Game 2 at Colorado.
Was Gudas surprised? “Yeah, 100 percent,” the fourth-year Flyer said Tuesday, after a morning skate at the Wells Fargo Center. “But there’s nothing I can do about it. I just have to show I am capable of playing. There’s not much else to it.”
Gudas was back in the lineup Tuesday for the Flyers’ home opener against the San Jose Sharks, comfortable in a pairing with Travis Sanheim.
“We both have our strengths, so we’re trying to play to those,” Gudas said. “I am more defensive. He is more offensive. So when the puck is coming up the ice, usually Travis has it on his stick. We have to make sure we have our chemistry going.
“I think when we work hard and make smart plays right away, we’re at our strongest.”
Gudas did little wrong in the 5-2, season-opening victory at Vegas, providing an assist, playing to a plus-one, and even drawing some praise from Hakstol. But the Flyers’ coach has said he wants to use both Gudas and Folin, and that it was determined earlier that Game 2 would be Gudas’ turn to rest.
So, by Tuesday, when it was Folin’s turn to be scratched, Gudas was rested … and ready.
“It’s another game,” he reasoned. “And I have to make sure I am 100 percent for the team.”
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The Flyers will play at 7:30 Wednesday night in Ottawa. Despite having missed training camp and with a limited availability to practice, Calvin Pickard is expected to be in goal.
After three seasons in Colorado, Pickard played just one game last season for Toronto. He joined the Flyers via waivers Oct. 6, and will back up Brian Elliott until Michal Neuvirth recovers from a groin injury.
Are a couple of days with a team enough to be ready for a road start?
“Well, if he goes, it will have to be,” Hakstol said. “Absolutely.”
Pickard seemed willing to share his thoughts at the shootaround Monday, but indicated he had to await the OK from the front office.
Eventually, Ron Hextall made the unusual ruling that the backup goalie could not speak to the press a day before his start.
Hakstol, though, was at peace with the notion of Pickard facing the Senators.
“He’s a pro,” Hakstol said. “He’s had one full practice with us. He’s had some morning skates with us. He’s embedded into the dressing room with the rest of the guys. He’s had a couple good work days. So if we decide to go to him, yeah, he’ll be ready to go.”
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With James van Riemsdyk out at least five weeks with a reported knee injury, opportunities will open for younger Flyers. Among them will be Oskar Lindblom, who opened on the left wing against the Sharks on a line with Nolan Patrick and Travis Konecny. Lindblom and Patrick are in their second full NHL seasons, Konecny his third.
Also, rookie Mikhail Vorobyev centered a line with Jordan Weal and Wayne Simmonds.
“Those guys are really key and that’s a real credit to the scouting, the drafting and the development, those players have come through,” Hakstol said, of Lindblom and Vorobyev. “Those two in particular are players who came through the system. They had to come into training camp and earn spots.
“With Oskar, it was tough last year. It didn’t all happen at once. And after a year last year in the American League, (Vorobyev) came into training camp with absolutely no guarantees. He came in and won a job. Now for those players, their job is to produce and help us win here. And both are very capable.”