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Update 9:15 AM EST
Flyers defenseman Nicklas Grossmanntold LT-Sport today that he wants to play for Södertälje SK (the same team that Flyers teammate Matt Read and New York Rangers forward Carl Hagelin are playing for during the lockout). The holdup at this point: financing Grossmann's insurance premiums.
Earlier this year, Grossmann signed a four-season, $14 million contract extension with the Flyers. His insurance premiums will be much higher than those for Read (two years and $1.8 million remaining on his current NHL contract) or Hagelin (one season and $875,000 remaining contract value). In fact, Grossmann's insurance cost will be more than the other two combined.
The SSK club has been trying to work out financing through team sponsors and other sources to bring Grossmann back to his original club for the duration of the NHL lockout. Due to the expense and paperwork involved in comparing premium quotes and getting financing assistance, it has been a slow process.
For the time being, Grossmann may work out with SSK players but he won't play in games until when and if the insurance is in place for the defensive defenseman.
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5:30 AM EDT
TUESDAY GAMES
Today is a light day for Flyers-related games. There are only two matches on tap, both involving Flyers prospects in Europe:
* J20 SuperElit: Defense prospect Fredric Larsson and Brynäs IF Gävle hosts Djurgårdens IF Stockholm. Game time is 1 p.m. eastern U.S./Canada time. The game will be webcasted live and for free on the Brynäs Bamuser channel. If you can't watch the webcast, the game can also be followed here via live box score updates in English.
* MHL: Defense prospect Valeri Vasiliev and MHK Spartak are in the Czech Republic to take on Energie Karlovy Vary in the first of back-to-back games. Game time is at 2 p.m. eastern U.S./Canada time. Game results will be posted here.
Upcoming Games
WEDNESDAY (6): The Trenton Titans, Matt Read (Södertälje SK),Ilya Bryzgalov (CKSA Moscow), Ruslan Fedotenko (Donbass Donetsk), Nick Cousins (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds) and Vasiliev (MHK Spartak) club are all in action.
THURSDAY (1): Derek Mathers (who is now playing defense) and the Peterborough Petes play the day's lone Flyers-related game.
FRIDAY (12): There is a jam-packed schedule of Flyers-related games in North America and Europe. On that day and night:
* The AHL's Adirondack Phantoms return to game action for the first time since Sunday.
* The ECHL's Trenton Titans also have a road game.
* Claude Giroux and Danny Briere's Eisbären Berlin club have a DEL game.
* Wayne Simmonds' Eispiraten Crimmitschau in Bundesliga are back in action.
* Tom Sestito's Sheffield Steelers have an EIHL game
* Read and SSK are in Allsvenskan action.
* Bryzgalov's CSKA takes on injured Jakub Voracek's HC Lev Prague club.
* Fedotenko and Donbass have a game.
* Scott Laughton and Colin Suellentrop's Oshawa Generals are in Kitchener.
* Reece Willcox and his Cornell University club play an exhibition against the USNDP squad.
* Anthony Stolarz and UN-O play the first of back-to-back games against Northern Michigan.
* Michael Parks and UND open their regular season against Alaska-Anchorage.
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Bryzgalov Gets First Win, Fedotenko Scores First KHL Goal
In KHL action yesterday, Ilya Bryzgalov turned back 30 of 31 shots for CSKA Moscow in a 4-1 road win over Salavat Yulaev Ufa. Bryzgalov took a shutout into the latter half of the third period.
Salavat finally scored a power play goal when Alexander Mirnov threw a side angle shot at the net as two Ufa players went to the net. Bryzgalov made the initial stop and deadened the puck in the crease but was a little too slow in covering it. Alexander Svitov jammed the puck in before Bryzgalov was able to get it covered with his glove.
Ruslan Fedotenko scored his first regulation goal of the season today in 2-1 loss for HC Donbass Donetsk to Avangard Omsk. With time ticking down below six minutes in the third period, Fedotenko cut a 2-0 deficit in half with an even strength tally against Karri Rämö. That was as close as Donbass got.
Fedotenko skated 18:10 of ice time and was 11-for-18 on faceoffs in the game. He now has three points (1G, 2A) and a shootout winner in 10 games for Donbass.
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Today in Flyers History: October 16
1971: Doug Favell made 43 saves, including 16 in the final period, as the Flyers defeated the Los Angeles Kings, 1-0. Jim Johnson broke the scoreless deadlock in the third period.
1975: A three-point game by Bobby Clarke (power play goal, shorthanded goal, assist) sparked a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Wayne Stephenson got the win in goal.
1982: In a game in which Mark Howe double-shifted on defense and played nearly 40 minutes overall, the Flyers came back from an early 2-0 deficit (a pair of early goals by Real Cloutier) to defeat the Quebec Nordiqes, 4-2. Howe, who had two assists in the game, earned third-star honors. First star Bobby Clarke scored two goals and single tallies by Darryl Sittler and Brian Propp completed the scoring.
1986: Tim Kerr and Brian Propp scored two goals apiece and Ron Sutter and Rick Tocchet tallied one each in a 6-2 pouncing of Vancouver. Bob Froese stopped 24 of 26.
1991: In a dark season in which the Flyers missed the playoffs and Pittsburgh won the Stanley Cup, this early season game was a bright spot. Scott Mellanby scored twice and Martin Hostak, Derrick Smith and Rick Tocchet each lit the lamp once. Mark Recchi got the lone Pittsburgh goal. Ken Wregget stopped 30 of 31 shots. Later that season, Tocchet, Wregget and Kjell Samuelsson were traded to the Penguins in exchange for Recchi.
1993: Another win over the eventual Stanley Cup winner; a 4-3 home triumph over the New York Rangers. Philly's first and second lines each scored two goals. Mark Recchi scored goal and then up one for Eric Lindros. A red-hot Joseph Beranek scored his seventh goal of the young season, and Rod Brind'Amour tallied the game-winner at the 7:38 mark of the third period.
VIDEO CLIP 1: Mark Recchi career highlights
VIDEO CLIP 2: Joseph Beranek retirement honored by Slavia Prague, 2010-11 season
1996: Without the presence of the injured Eric Lindros in the lineup, the team captain's Legion of Doom linemates picked up the slack in a 4-3 win in Anaheim. Goals by John LeClair and Mikael Renberg sparked a comeback from a 3-1 deficit. John Druce (one goal, one assist) and Pat Falloon got the other ones. Teemu Selänne, assisted by his idol Jari Kurri, was one of the Anaheim goal scorers.
1998: A hat trick by John LeClair and a three-point game for Eric Lindros (1G, 2A) powered the Flyers over the hapless Tampa Bay Lightning, 5-2. The Bolts short-lived early season top line of Craig Janney, Mikael Renberg and Wendel Clark produced by Tampa goals. In a reversal of the blockbuster deal of one season earlier, Renberg soon returned to the Flyers in exchange for Chris Gratton. Daymond Langkow and Mike Sillinger also swapped clubs in the deal.
2003: With Jeff Hackett and Evgeni Nabokov in net for their respective clubs, the Flyers and San Jose Sharks played to a scoreless tie. Hackett made 27 saves to Nabokov's 26.
2007: Martin Biron blanked the Atlanta Thrashers on 31 shots and single goals by Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Sami Kapanen and Randy Jones provided plenty of support in a 4-0 victory.
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