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In an interview with CSN on Tuesday and confirmed by CSNPhilly’s Sarah Baicker, Flyers center Blair Betts hinted that he may miss training camp and the start of the regular season as he recovers from major offseason shoulder surgery.
“It’s probably closer to four months before I’m able to play again,” Betts said, which would set him up for a Nov. return. “So we’ll see what the doctor says in a couple weeks.”
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The Flyers have announced the second round of offseason surgeries on Monday, this time starring Dan Carcillo and Ville Leino. The two forwards will accompany the previously announced Blair Betts and Johan Backlund on the operating table. None of the injuries are deemed serious and all should be ready to go for pre-training camp activity.
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According to a report from CSNphilly.com, Flyers’ center Blair Betts underwent an MRI on his right shoulder on Thursday and the results returned were negative. He is expected to play in game 7 against the Boston Bruins on Friday in Boston.
Betts, 30, dislocated his shoulder twice in the regular season which caused him to miss close to 20 games. The penalty kill specialist went awkwardly into the penalty box boards in the second period of Wednesday’s, 2-1 Flyers win. He left the ice in agony and holding his shoulder in place. He returned to the bench in the third period but did not play.
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As reported last night on Twitter, Flyers’ center Blair Betts has signed a two-year extension with the club worth $1.4 million, or $700,000 per season. The deal will keep the 29 year old in the Orange and Black through the 2011-12 season.
“Blair has been a valuable addition to our team this year,” GM Paul Holmgren said in the official press release. “He has a strong work ethic and plays an important role on our team. We are pleased to have him under contract for the future.”
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For all the Flyers’ fans expecting and clamoring for a trade before the holiday freeze on Dec. 19 — don’t hold your breath.
On Wednesday, general manager Paul Holmgren made it clear that he wants more time to observe the team under newly minted head coach Peter Laviolette before making a team-shaking move.
“I’d like to evaluate things under the new coach for a while and see how things go with the guys coming back,” Holmgren told the Inquirer, when asked about making a move.
Blair Betts (shoulder) is set to make his return tonight versus the Penguins, while Simon Gagne (hernia) and Darroll Powe (shoulder) are expected to return to the lineup before the New Year.
Holmgren hopes the influx of fresh bodies and minds helps rejuvenate a sullen Flyers team that has lost 11 of their last 14.
If that doesn’t help, heads are sure to roll.
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According to an official release from the Philadelphia Flyers, forward Simon Gagne is very questionable for Tuesday’s game in Washington due to a lower body injury. The good news is — it’s not his groin.
As it stands now, center Blair Betts is set to return off the IR on Tuesday, moving either Darroll Powe or Mika Pyorala to a top-3 line to replace Gagne.
More injury is the last thing Gagne needs. After missing most of the preseason with a groin injury suffered in Team Canada’s conditioning camp, the 29-year-old winger has not been the same. Scoring 34 goals last year for the Flyers, Gagne has just one goal and four assists in nine games.
But it isn’t his statistics that are the issue — it’s his ice presence.
Gagne has noticeably floated aimlessly around the ice and has purposely not taken contact, to the point where many speculated a lingering groin problem.
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Amid offensive inconsistency the past two games, in which the Flyers have only scored a total of four goals, coach John Stevens has mixed up the lines once again in an attempt to capture some depth production.
“It’s more because of lack of production,” said Stevens. “We had a three lines before that could all score and a fourth that could chip in and we liked the feel of it better.”
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The Flyers earned a Pyrrhic victory over the Washington Capitals on Tuesday, winning the game 5-4 in OT but losing forwards Blair Betts and James van Riemsdyk to injuries.
Betts separated his shoulder in the third period and was said by general manager Paul Holmgren to miss at least four weeks.
JVR got his “bell rung” in the second period according to Holmgren. So sticking with their reputation of having players with severe brain problems, the Flyers sent him back to play in the third period. JVR said he didn’t feel right and left the game for good in the third. According to the Flyers, he will be reevaluated on Wednesday.
Barring a major line shake up, Ian Laperriere will take over for Betts as fourth-line center. The Flyers will activate Arron Asham and Riley Cote from the inactive list with Asham replacing JVR as third-line winger.
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It took all of preseason but Blair Betts is finally a Flyer.
The 29-year old center officially inked a one-year deal on Thursday, just hours before the team is scheduled to travel to Carolina for the opening game. There were many conflicting reports as to what took the team so long to sign the penalty kill specialist, but all evidence points to some salary cap or roster number issues.
Betts is expected to play fourth-line center between Dan Carcillo and Ian Laperriere. He has 28 goals and 20 assists in 339 career games.
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At one point in the 2009-10 offseason it seemed as if utility center Blair Betts and the Philadelphia Flyers were a match made in heaven. But with Friday’s season opener against Carolina creeping closer and Betts still remaining unsigned, it could very well mean any possible deal could be flat lining.
“I don’t know,” Holmgren told the media when asked if a deal would get done with the 29-year old. “We’ll see how it goes over the next day. If we don’t have anything done by tomorrow, it probably won’t happen.”
According to Betts, it’s the Flyers who are holding up the deal.
“I have no idea,” said Betts, when asked about what’s holding up the deal. “As the player, I honestly don’t know.
“[The Flyers] said they need a little bit more time and we are waiting to hear from them.”
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