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Flyers' problem? Just poor play
Posted: Wednesday May 03, 2000 05:55 PM
There has been a surprising backlash in Philadelphia against the Flyers, a team now being lambasted locally because of its dearth of European players. The Flyers have only third-liner Valeri Zelepukin while their second-round opponent, the Pittsburgh Penguins, have 14, including the NHL's most dynamic player, Jaromir Jagr. Indeed, Czechs accounted for all six Penguins goals in the first two games of the series. But the Flyers' problem isn't nationality. Remember, the Dallas Stars won the Stanley Cup last year with just two Europeans, Sergei Zubov and Jere Lehtinen. No, the Flyers were suffering because of the play of first-liners Mark Recchi, John LeClair and Keith Primeau. Primeau was particularly inept, losing faceoffs, missing the net with shots and not distributing the puck. Primeau was bounced to the second line for Game 3, hardly a shock considering he had seven goals in 77 playoff games -- an average of one goal every two series. Bondra on the blockThe Washington Capitals, stunned by their first-round playoff defeat, are willing to deal sniper Peter Bondra. Bondra led the NHL with 52 goals in 1997-98 but managed just the same total over the past two seasons. The Capitals are unhappy that Bondra, never a gritty player, scored few big goals after December. The right wing will make close to $4 million next season and then be eligible for free agency. General manager George McPhee, who listened to offers for Bondra before the March trade deadline, is expected to move quickly this summer. NHL concerned about Yashin rulingAlexei Yashin's arbitration victory last weekend allowing him to play for Russia in the World Championships was only the undercard. The main event occurs in Toronto on May 24 and 25 when an arbitration hearing determines whether Yashin will owe the Ottawa Senators another year or will be granted free agency. The NHL is understandably concerned. If Yashin can get away with bolting on his contract and blowing off a year, the precedent would be disastrous. The Senators then will likely trade Yashin after the arbitrator's ruling. Ex-Rangers GM Smith still stung by firingFormer New York Rangers general manager Neil Smith has two years left on his contract but is hoping to land a team next season. Smith is still hurt over his late-season firing, but he should have seen it coming as early as last November. At the time Smith wrote a memo to team president Dave Checketts outlining several reasons why he should be allowed to fire coach John Muckler, including the Rangers' slow starts and their inability to hold a lead. When Checketts denied Smith permission, the general manager was living on borrowed time. Another GM asked Smith why he simply didn't resign, but Smith loved the job too much to even entertain the thought.
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