MORE HEADS ROLL
Thirty-six years ago, a reporter asked Casey Stengel about the
state of the 1962 Mets. Stengel told the guy, "We may keep
losing, but not with the same guys."
Recent history has certainly proven that Bobby Clarke is a
kindred spirit. And when the Flyers recently went winless in
seven straight, it didn't take a call to the Psychic Friends
Network to figure out what was going to happen.
First, Clarke shipped hustler Shjon Podein to the Avalanche for
aging-but-fierce Keith Jones. And since Jones was immediately
plugged into the Lindros line, that made rookie Mike Maneluk
redundant. He didn't get to stay around long enough to complain
much. Clarke shipped him to Chicago for hulking underachiever
Roman Vopat just five days later.
"We look at it as we replaced Maneluk with Jones on the Lindros
line and Podein with Vopat," Clarke said. "We see Vopat as a big,
grinding winger who can play some center, but we'll play him on
the left side. He's more physical than what Maneluk is, and we
need that type of player on the third and fourth lines."
The shuffling has paid immediate dividends. The Flyers are 4-0
since acquiring Jones, who's banged home three goals (including
two overtime game-winners) in that period. His trademark
intensity also seems to have injected some spirit into a lifeless
team. It's still early, but Jones looks like the best forechecker
ever to join Lindros and LeClair.
It would be totally premature to predict that Jones will continue
his present scoring pace over the remainder of the season. His
previous high in goals is 23. But don't forget the transformation
that John LeClair made when he left behind his checking role in
Montreal and joined Lindros. If Jones stays healthy, which is
questionable considering his cranky knees, he seems a lock for at
least 30 goals.
Vopat hasn't received enough playing time to make an impression
yet - except on the prone bodies of Victor Ignatjev and Nolan
Pratt. He bludgeoned Ignatjev with a thundering body check in his
only shift against Pittsburgh and TKO'd Carolina's Pratt two
nights later with four nasty overhand rights. That's probably a
reasonable showcase of his "skills."
As they say in boys locker rooms all over the world, Vopat really
"gets around." Incredibly, he's now been traded four times THIS
SEASON! Not even Madonna covers that type of ground.
The departure of Maneluk after such a brief trial may be
troubling for many Flyers fans, especially since he didn't leave
a particularly happy camper. Although Clarke maintained that
Maneluk's salary demands were in part responsible for the trade,
Maneluk called Clarke's statements "lies." Lies from Bobby
Clarke? No way, Mike.
WHO ARE THESE GUYS?
Imagine you're a lifelong Flyers fan who's just emerged from a
14-month coma. Boy, would you be in for some surprises.
Incredibly, every member of the 3rd and 4th lines from the team
that broke camp last season is now retired or in another uniform.
Remember the "Dan" line of Dan Lacroix, Scott Daniels, and Dan
Kordic? Or the checking line of Joel Otto, Shjon Podein, and
Trent Klatt that contributed so mightily at both ends of the ice?
For those keeping score, Joel Otto retired, Scott Daniels was
released, Dan Kordic was sent to the minors, and Lacroix, Podein,
and Klatt have all been traded.
THE BIG ONE?
Bobby Clarke has certainly been busy so far this season, but most
of his moves could be characterized as "tinkering." That may all
be about to change.
Would you believe that there are rumors that the Flyers, Canucks,
and Islanders will hook up on a three-way deal that will ship
Ziggy Palffy to the Flyers, Pavel Bure to the Isles, and Chris
Gratton, a 1st-round pick, and either Brian Boucher or Jean-Marc
Pelletier (both prized Flyers goaltending prospects) to the
Canucks?
Before anyone goes running out to grab a Flyers jersey with
Palffy's name on the back, keep in mind that this one doesn't
make a whole lot of sense. The reason that Palffy and Bure aren't
playing right now is that the Isles and Canucks don't want to
give into their salary demands. So how does swapping Palffy for
Bure help the Isles?
That said, it's an absolute fact that Vancouver GM Brian Burke
was in the pressbox on November 17 to watch the Flyers take on
the Pens. And it's probably safe to assume that he wasn't there
to talk turkey with a team that's just filed for bankruptcy. That
means that it's possible that Clarke and Burke are discussing a
more direct deal to send Bure to the Flyers.
I'm not buying that, either, though. Clarke's hatred of Russians
is well-known. And he bashed Bure more openly than almost any
other NHL figure this off-season. When informed that Bure wanted
to go somewhere where he'd have more privacy off the ice, Clarke
told reporters, "How about Moscow?"
There's more. Canucks coach Mike Keenan has reportedly gone on
record to say he'd take Chris Gratton and Dainius Zubrus for
Bure. And here's perhaps the ultimate indicator that something is
up. Clarke denied even talking to Burke. That should REALLY scare
Gratton and Zubrus.
GRATTON
Speaking of Gratton, he's embroiled in another controversy.
Though he's been officially cleared by the NHL, rumors persist
that he made a racial slur directed at enforcer Peter Worrell
during a Flyers-Panthers altercation on November 22. I missed the
game myself, but my drinking buddy (and Carolina Panthers
correspondent) Scott Pagel told me that even the most amateurish
lip readers could pick up the statement, which rhymes with
"clucking grape."
Gratton, of course, denies those charges.
"At no point in time did I make that comment," an emotional
Gratton said at his locker stall after practice Friday. "What I
said was, 'Learn how to play the game,' basically, with a couple
of words I don't want to use. It's the heat of the battle and
part of the game. But again, under no circumstance did I say
something like that."
At least he got his name in the paper for something other than
his offensive ineptitude.
HEXY BREAKS MARK
Hats off to my favorite Flyer, Ron Hextall. With his 3-1 over
Carolina on November 20, #27 passed Bernie Parent to become the
Flyers all-time leader in regular season goaltending wins with
233.
Regardless of what you may think of Hextall's abilities, he's
embodied the Flyer spirit better than any player since the team's
heyday in the late 80s. He's been to the heights, earning the
Conn Smythe Trophy for his valiant effort to return the Cup to
Philadelphia in 1987. And he's accepted the burden of the Flyers'
recent failings with more dignity and class than any athlete in
recent memory.
Critics have questioned some of the goals he's allowed, but never
his heart or his commitment to the orange-and-black. Congrats,
Hexy. You'll always be on my first all-star team.
