Bobrovsky the Odd-Man Out

Of course, with the return of Michael Leighton to the Flyers crease last night meant that one of the goalies that was manning the net to start the season would have to be a healthy scratch.  I don't think it should really come as a surprise that the Flyers went with the tested back-up, instead of the kid, as Sergei Bobrovsky was the healthy scratch for the evening, which may lead to a demotion before too long as well.  Bobrovsky would be the easiest to demote, as I don't believe he yet qualifies to have to pass through waivers in order to be demoted to the AHL.

A healthy scratch or a demotion is hardly the kind of thank you a kid like Bobrovsky deserves with such a great start to the season for the Flyers, but at the end of the day it is just business and the Flyers would like to keep all three goalies with the club for as long as possible, without the risk of losing one of them through waivers.  Bobrovsky has made 24 starts for the Flyers this season, amassing a record of 15-5-3 with 1 assist to his name as well, which works out to be 31 points on the season.  His starts have been limited as of late, having only two starts in the last two weeks.

It was a definite gamble for Clayton C. to take Bobrovsky 1st overall in the first waiver draft of the season, knowing full well that Leighton wasn't too far away from coming back into the line-up, but the best goalie was the best goalie and the gamble had to be made.  Since the waiver draft, Bobrovsky has only figured into three games for the Flyers, winning only one of them for a grand total of 2 points in the last four weeks.  A failure of mass proportions.  A demotion will only make that situation worse.

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