Date Published: 10-27-2022
Photo Credit: NHL.com
A former 19th pick of the 2016 NHL Draft in Kieffer Bellows has hit waivers. So should the Flyers claim him from the New York Islanders? He does have some tangibles that the Flyers need, and in particular he possesses a shot that the Flyers just lost in James van Riemsdyk.
Bellows has turned into being a one-dimensional player. He possesses a high quality shot, as he can hit the net nine times out of 10, but he’s not a very good skater. That alone could prevent Flyers’ General Manager Chuck Fletcher from putting in a claim for him, or should it?
John Tortorella has stated over and over that he needs more goal scoring. He recently stated it does not matter where a player is placed within the lineup, he expects the players to score. Following Tuesday’s practice Tortorella said, “If you are not going to be a great checker, a fighter, then you have to do something to your strength which is goal scoring. We have to score by committee.”
Bellows’s cap hit is $1.2 million. The Flyers have $2.9 million worth of cap space on the books. They have plenty of space put in a waiver claim for Bellows. He has only suited up in 68 career NHL games, to which he has netted 11 goals and registered 14 assists. Again the main reason he’s having trouble sticking at the NHL level is because of his skating.
Background on Bellows
He signed a one-year $1.2 million deal this past offseason, and he was expected to stick in the Islanders lineup with the absence of Oliver Wahlstrom. Bellows was also suspended for violating the leagues’ performance enhanced substance abuse rules in late 2020.
According to multiple reports out of New York, Bellows was playing limited minutes because he gave away the puck too much, and had trouble back checking. He added some physicality to his game, but it was not enough to stick in the Islanders lineup.
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Back checking is something a coach cannot teach, a player has to have the will and power to do such. A coach cannot force a player to back check properly. This might be one reason he only has only played in 68 career games in the NHL. Is he still worth a waiver claim? Yeah why not, the Flyers will be without the services of JvR for a period of time with the with a broken finger, maybe Bellows could help on the power play, as well.
Tortorella has preached goal scoring a lot this past week, so what better way is there to add that punch to the lineup, especially one that is only 24-years-old. Bellows is young, cheap, and has an expiring deal. To me it’s a no-brainer with the recent rash of injuries.
Proof read.
He cannot skate, like most of this terrible team. No thanks.