Monday Morning Fly By: Offensive Dynamo and Andreas Goal Scorer

Trying…not to use…H word to explain first…part…of…comment… I kid, I kid.

Is Nodl supposed to be a goal scorer? I think of him as just a great two way forward that’s offense is just gravy. He works hard and skates hard and as long as he does that I’ll have his back. By the way as awesome as his goal on Saturday was, it was a terrible, terrible goal for Neuvirth to let in. Just awful, and kind of lucky.

As the always Nodl basher I would like to say it was never about Nodl scoring goals. It was about him generating offense chances when playing on the scoring lines. He has great speed and is great is his on zone but it was his passing, shooting and ability to get to the dangerous areas that concerned me. Off the rush he couldn’t make the passes and off the cycle he seemed lost. He might have lacked confidence or was overly concerned playing good defense and not turning the puck over, similar to what I think JVR is going through now. Basically Nodl played a simple game of dump and chase and that doesn’t work on a scoring line with so much skill and puck possession players. I had the exact same concerns with Asham, Carcillo, and Powe on those top lines as well but they brought physical play and somewhat of net presence. That is why Nodl was always behind them on the depth charts in my opinion didn’t play physical enough to not contribute at all offensively.

This new Nodl is taking more chances holding on to the puck more and getting to scoring areas. He looks like a completely different player. When he plays like that he can play and fit with those top line guys. Hats of the Nodl for coming around some guys just take longer than others.

It may depend on what they saw in practice yesterday, I don’t know.

Or it could be that Lavi is trying to figure out what he wants to do with Boosh when Leighton returns. Homer already said Leighton is going to go to Adirondack initially and try to get him in about 3 games there, but I don’t know if they have a plan beyond that.

Which is why Z should have never been signed in the first place. Why if you are a team that wants it’s forwards to play defense do you sign a guy that is allergic to playing defense, to the point of just quiting on plays, and has an attitude problem to boot?

Either move Z for someone who fits your system or let him do his thing. Sitting him is a waste of talent and money.

Agreed. And I think Zherdev has done a great job of backchecking recently.

I think you are right, and I think it hurts his game to an extent. He was brought in to score, if the Flyers have him worrying about how defensively responsible he is all the time, does that effect his offensive prowess?

I bet it’s Z. Nodl and JVR have both earned their time, for now.

Yes! It’s time for this week’s Holmgren/Laviolette Wild Card! Last week’s was “When will Bob finally sit” and it looks like this week’s is “Which not really poor-performing forward will be scratched for Wellwood?”

Seravalli says maybe it is JVR?

Looks like Van Riemsdyk may be out tonight… Zherdev was off the ice pretty quick and JVR is still out there. Wellwood back in lineup.

Panotch confirms that we’re probably not going to know until later…

Lavy says zherdev in. Jvr played well vd. WSH. Who is out? Lavy said he had lineup decisions tonite

Shelly isn’t going to sit tonight versus MTL with all that has gone on with PK and such and with no Carcillo. I still don’t get the Shelly hating. Besides his contract which isn’t his fault. He hasn’t taken penalties that have hurt the team in any major Carcillo like way. He hasn’t gotten killed when on the ice. And the last couple of games Girl Girl camping out in front of the net has produced a couple of goals off his screens. Given his role at 6 minutes per game all even strength I think he has done pretty close to what should be expected of him. I don’t think Wellwood or any other player on this team can fill that role and that amount of ice time any better. In fact calling up Wellwood to play only 6 minutes isn’t going to do him any good.

oh M5, you slay me!

I know! I was reading that and my hackles were starting to go up until I saw the credit finally go to Travis on page 2. Sarah B also point to here in an article she wrote yesterday, so two references in one day.

And I emphatically second everything else Mike said up there.

I saw that as well. Travis thanked him on Twitter and I almost put it in today’s Fly By, but found it stale.

It was definitely appreciated though.

That is the 2nd or 3rd time the “mainstream” media has mentioned the guys here. The is the 1st thing Carchidi wrote that my head didn’t explode with anger after reading it in a long time.

Thanks, man. I think it’s as much a credit to what we do as it is to how they’re evolving. It pisses me off when MSM types ignore what blogs do, but I can understand their hesitation. It’s nice when they break out and can be understanding.

And I guess it does help that we’re in the press box and they’re able to see that I’m a human being and not just some Internet troll, y’know?

haha

I fanshot that last night.

it’s necessary for the NHL to ascend to its rightful spot as America’s favorite league.

Well, I assume you’re referring to Sid and Ovie when you say “shoves it down our throats”, but I am looking forward to 24/7. If it’s more 87 v. 8 garbage, I’ll be disappointed.

Despite the fact that I hate almost everything about the Caps and Pens (save Knuble and Asham), I still found that preview interesting and I’m looking forward to seeing some of it.