PHILADELPHIA – It didn’t take long for Rick Tocchet’s fourth-line rebuilding project to kick in.
Not satisfied with a grand total of only one goal from the trio of Nic Deslauriers, Rodrigo Abols and Garnet Hathaway, Tocchet inserted Carl Grundstrom in Deslauriers’s place the other night and move paid immediate dividends.
Grundstrom scored a goal in just his second game (vs. the San Jose Sharks) in a Flyers uniform and added an assist two nights later against Vegas.
He had already played 272 NHL games, so when the call came for a promotion from the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms, there wasn’t a big adjustment to be made.
Tocchet likes what he’s seen so far from Grundstrom and that might earn the 27-year-old Swedish native some more playing time here.
General manager Daniel Briere picked up Grundstrom back on Oct. 5 and Tocchet appreciates the move. The Flyers have a pretty young roster and it never hurts to have an experienced hand or two on board.
“I give Danny credit for getting him,” Tocchet said. “He’s a depth guy. He does some stuff that I really like.
“You can tell he wants more. I like that. Depending on how we use him, there are a lot of options for me.”
Abols and Hathaway are also veterans, so this group can come in handy when protecting a lead or even checking against some of an opponent’s better players.
“I think he (Grundstrom) is a pretty smart guy,” Tocchet said. “He’s reliable. He can penalty kill. Whether he plays fourth line or third line, wherever he plays, it’s good to have a guy who can penalty kill.”
The Flyers have done well at killing penalties this season and they want to keep it that way.
“If we can get some minutes out of him (Grundstrom on the penalty kill), we’re giving him more and more on the PK,” Tocchet said.
Grundstrom does have 44 goals on his career ledger, so he does have the hands when asked to contribute.
“He scored a goal around the net (against the Sharks),” Tocchet pointed out. “He’s got good hands. As much as he is good defensively, I think he can add the offensive part, which is nice to have.”
The coach noted Grundstrom has played in some big playoff games for Los Angeles, so he knows “pressure situations.”
>Injuries update
Tocchet said the Flyers’ two injured defensemen, Cam York and Rasmus Ristolainen, are close to returning to action.
York might be ready for Sunday night’s game at Carolina. Ristolainen, who has missed the entire season to date due to offseason surgery, will accompany the Flyers on their three-game trip, which includes stops in Montreal and Buffalo.
>Murchison making his mark
Rookie defenseman Ty Murchison made a favorable impression in his first two NHL games.
“Three or four months ago, I didn’t know much about him,” Tocchet said. “The games he’s played here, he’s just added to that organizational depth. Against Vegas, a guy coming up to the blue, he made a great hit. Actually the crowd got into it. That’s the kind of stuff you like to see.”
>Overtime blues
The Flyers went into Saturday night’s game with a season record of 2-4 in overtime, which is nothing new. Since the institution of regular-season OT, the Flyers are just 233-270-220.
“Overtime is about strategy,” Tocchet said. “This year we’ve mismanaged the puck (like the other night when Travis Konecny coughed up the puck on a play which led to Vegas’ winning goal).
“Shot selection is big in overtime. When you get outside the dots, in the last game we tried to pass, a floater and they got possession. That’s not the time to try that stuff. Anytime you’re in the middle of the ice, shoot it. Outside the dots, you can’t miss the net. And you can’t have a bad pass. They get the puck and it’s tough to defend.”
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