Flyers notes, quotes and tidbits: Gudas reacts, roster buzz, more

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Updated: Tuesday, 12:38 p.m.

VOORHEES, N.J. — Radko Gudas helped warm up the goalie before practice.
 
He was also one of the last players off the ice.
 
This will be usual for the next three weeks when the Flyers' defenseman serves the remainder of a 10-game suspension handed down Sunday night by the NHL's Department of Player Safety. The punitive actions are a result of Gudas' slash to the head of Jets forward Mathieu Perreault during last Thursday's game.
 
Gudas and the Flyers don't have to agree with the decision, but they must move past it.
 
"I don't think it was intentional by any means, but the league is going to do what it wants to do," Wayne Simmonds said Monday at Flyers Skate Zone. "I don't agree with it, I don't think anyone in here agrees with it. But what are you going to do? That's the league."
 
Despite being considered a repeat offender, Gudas was "surprised" by the suspension's length.
 
"I didn't really expect that, no," Gudas said.
 
"I don't agree with it, but I accept their decision. Not much else I can say."
 
Understandably, Gudas was not in much of a mood to discuss the incident and simply said it was accidental from his side.
 
"I'm not recapping the play, no, it is what it is," Gudas said.
 
"Before, I've never used my stick in any way like that. It was unfortunate."
 
Saturday's loss to Calgary, which Gudas missed because his hearing was not until Sunday, marked the start of the ban, meaning he'll miss the next nine games and will be eligible to return on Dec. 12 against the Maple Leafs at the Wells Fargo Center.
 
With Gudas out, the Flyers lose a contributor on the penalty kill. The burly defenseman is sixth among all Flyers in short-handed time on ice at 35:52 and second in blocked shots on the PK with nine.
 
"Gudy's really good physically, he's great on the PK, he's got some surprising hands on him, too," Simmonds said. "We've got a lot of young guys back there, they're going to fill in. And for the majority of the season, they've played really well, the young guys have done a very good job."
 
One of those young guys will be Mark Alt. The 26-year-old rookie has played five games this season and will draw into the lineup again on Tuesday night when the Flyers host the Canucks (7 p.m./NBC Sports Philadelphia). 
 
And he very well could play Wednesday in Brooklyn against the Islanders. Defenseman Andrew MacDonald practiced Monday, but took reps with Gudas, while Alt was alongside Travis Sanheim. MacDonald, out since Oct. 24 with a lower-body injury, said he's not ready to return Tuesday and doesn't believe he'll be back Wednesday, either.
 
"Everybody just has to trust the teammates, go out and do their part and know that the next guy up will do his part," Flyers head coach Dave Hakstol said, "and I'm confident that the guys will do that."
 
"The league's made the decision. For me, my outlook is who steps in now for Gudy and his role, who steps up and takes advantage of that opportunity and helps our hockey team? On the individual side, for Gudy, we've got three weeks of work here to do to make sure he's as ready as possible to come back in our lineup when he is eligible."
 
Roster buzz
Speaking of MacDonald, he is currently on injured reserve and a roster spot must open for when he returns.
 
Forward Matt Read was placed on waivers Monday, according to a report by Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. This is presumably to clear the way for MacDonald or a call-up from AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley. With MacDonald still out and Gudas suspended, the Flyers have only six active defensemen.

Read, 31 years old and with just four games played this season, was placed on waivers at the start of 2017-18 and went unclaimed, which sent him to the Phantoms.

To no surprise, Read cleared waivers Tuesday, according to Friedman. Read took part in morning skate and will likely report back to Lehigh Valley at some point this week.

That's Weal talk
Forward Jordan Weal practiced and is good to go after missing Saturday's game with an upper-body injury.
 
Weal last Thursday took a nasty elbow/high hit at center ice from Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien, who was not whistled for a penalty or punished by the NHL's Department of Player Safety.
 
"I thought it was a blindside hit, to be honest with you," Simmonds said. "The league can do what they want. … We just kind of have to go with it."

Weal, tough for 5-foot-10, 179 pounds, shrugged off the blow from the 6-foot-5, 260-pound Byfuglien.
 
"I didn't really watch the full play, I was going to watch that today," Weal said. "He's a big guy, I'm a little guy, so [the hit] is always going to look a little bigger than it actually is. Throughout the game, things happen … solid check."
 
Let's play outside!

Claude Giroux and Simmonds were both excited about Sunday's announcement of next season's outdoor game against the rival Penguins.
 
The game on Feb. 23, 2019, will be part of the NHL Stadium Series. Last season, the Flyers played Pittsburgh at Heinz Field, home of the Steelers.
 
Next season, it's time for Lincoln Financial Field.
 
"It's definitely cool," Giroux said. "I've had a lot of games outdoor, they've all been pretty special. This one will be special, too, especially in Philly and that building is always fun to go to. So being able to play in it, it's going to be pretty cool."
 
Unlike NHL arenas, where attendance is around 19,000-20,000 people, the Linc can hold between 69,500 and 70,000.
 
"That's pretty cool," Simmonds said. "Obviously a really great opportunity when you get a chance to play in an outdoor game. This will be, since I've been here, our third opportunity to do that. Hopefully, we can get the win this time.
 
"Those are always fun — 60,000, 70,000 people in the stands all rooting and cheering for you. And we're on the home side this time, so it's going to be unbelievable."
 
Projected lineup
Here are the lines, pairings and goalies from Monday's practice.
 
Michal Neuvirth is expected to start in net Tuesday, the first game of a back-to-back for the Flyers.
 
Winger Dale Weise, after playing eight straight games, will likely be a healthy scratch.
 
Forwards
Claude Giroux-Sean Couturier-Jakub Voracek
Jordan Weal-Nolan Patrick-Wayne Simmonds
Michael Raffl-Valtteri Filppula-Travis Konecny
Taylor Leier-Scott Laughton-Jori Lehtera
 
Defensemen
Ivan Provorov-Robert Hagg
Brandon Manning-Shayne Gostisbehere
Travis Sanheim-Mark Alt

Goalies
Michal Neuvirth
Brian Elliott

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