Monday, February 21, 2011
Posted: 2:30 p.m.Updated: 5:25 p.m.
By Tim PanaccioCSNPhilly.com
Sean ODonnell thought hed be able to play Tuesday when the surging Phoenix Coyotes visit the Flyers.
Bad news. Both he and Blair Betts will miss the game.
Betts is still nursing a lacerated finger suffered Friday in Carolina, while ODonnell has a left knee sprain, which occurred Sunday in the opening minutes against the Rangers.
Blairwere probably looking later in the week, maybe Thursday, general manager Paul Holmgren said. Sean is out for 10 days to two weeks. Everyone else will be okay for tomorrow. A little bit of a knee thing going on.
Mike Richards was given Monday off because of weight loss caused by a suspected stomach virus. Ville Leino also did not practice with a maintenance day off.
Oskars Bartulis, who has not played since Jan. 11, will replace O'Donnell in the lineup.
Zherdev update
Russian reporter Dmitry Chesnokov reports that five NHL clubs have contacted Holmgren with interest in obtaining Nikolay Zherdev.
Zherdevs career as a Flyer is all but over. He has sat five straight games as a healthy scratch even though the Flyers could have used a skill player at Carolina and against the Rangers.
NHL
If Zherdev cant get into a game under injury conditions, then how can he get under normal conditions?
Holmgren said if five teams had called him, I must have missed those calls.
He also said he was reluctant to move Zherdev in case of injuries so close to the playoffs.
If something happens from an insurance standpoint it would be difficult, Holmgren said.
Yet several NHL sources say the Flyers would move Zherdev if they could bulk up their defense for the playoffs.
Holmgren did not pull punches on why Zherdev has fallen out of favor with coach Peter Laviolette.
Im not sure what happened in Carolina because I wasnt there, Holmgren said. We were scrambling around with eight minutes before the game and the only guy they could find is Jody. Jody had to quick get dressed and get into the lineup.
Nikolay has struggled a little bit with being in and out of the lineup. Perhaps his work ethic has dropped in practice. He needs to tough it out here and work harder if he wants to get back in the lineup.
Holmgren would not divulge what was said between himself and Zherdevs agent, Jay Grossman, after Sundays game in New York.
Were just checking in ... Im sure Grossman wants him in the lineup, Holmgren said.
Related: Panaccios Flyers Week in Review: Feb. 14-20Buy Flyers gear
E-mail Tim Panaccio at tpanotch@comcast.net