The Return of Flash
by Becca H on Oct 31, 2009 12:00 PM EDT
19 comments
Two games often don't tell us much. Two games is admittedly a relatively small sample size, one that doesn't paint the whole picture - but it can give us a glimpse of what's to come.
And through two games that's what we've gotten of Tomas Fleischmann over the past two nights. Just a glimpse, but a promising one, at his ability to possibly overcome what has been his biggest obstacle: untapped potential.
Flash's tenure with the Caps has been plagued by bouts of inconsistency, separated by, well, "flashes" of brilliance. He's changed linemates, gone up and down in ice time, worked on both the power play and penalty kill, and put up a near-twenty goal season. He's also received the consistent praise and unwavering loyalty of his coach - often despite a much more critical response from fans.
But after battling deep vein thrombosis this summer, spending most of the early fall skating by himself to avoid injury and shuffling up to Hershey for a brief conditioning stint (no, not this kind - a real one), Fleischmann finally rejoined his team Thursday night and took the ice alongside Chris Clark and Keith Aucoin for the Caps' tilt against the Thrashers.
Throughout the game he displayed those bursts of skill we've seen before, albeit with a bit of telltale rust mixed in. He threw three shots on net, with four others missing or being blocked, and he was even credited with a hit. Sure, the timing was a little off but the shot was there; the stride was tentative at times but the speed was there. And the hands...well, they probably never left. It was a return that by all accounts exceeded expectations, and it seems it was only the warm-up.
Last night, in just his second appearance of the season, Flash stepped out onto the ice and made a statement.
While the top line spent their time making overly cute plays and his team slogged through sloppy ice and an uneven performance, he marked his return to the Verizon Center with two goals in an all-around great performance. And while the two goals were nice, it was the total effort that cements this as one of his better nights as a Cap. It was both reminiscent of and yet nothing like the Flash of days gone by.
Fleischmann has pretty much always had a reputation of being easily pushed off the puck, less than willing to fight the battles along the walls or in front of the net. In other words, not the toughest of customers - but apparently a summer of having nothing to do but work on his strength was exactly what he needed to fix that.
Because in just under fourteen minutes of ice time he looked like anything but a pushover. He was strong on the puck and consistently crashed the net; both of his goals came from right in the paint, workmanlike efforts combined with a pair of ridiculously soft hands. He no longer bounced off of people when they hit him but held his ground - and the puck. And he won battles all over the ice, playing with a physical edge that had previously been missing from his game.
Of course, time will tell if the performance by Fleischmann against the Islanders was a sign of things to come or merely a one-time deal fueled merely by the adrenalin of returning to action. He could return to his old ways and have his two-goal showing and the physical, energetic play that accompanied it, become a mere footnote to what ultimately was a losing effort.
Or perhaps, with consistent (and more skilled) linemates, some more ice time and a few more games under his belt, Fleischmann could finally do what so many are unable to do - live up to his potential.
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We have seen this before from Flash, in fleeting glimpses. Perhaps he, like Schultz, came back from the offseason a little stronger. I’d love to know what Flash weighs now, and what his playing weight was last year.
A Tomas Fleischmann who skates fast and also crashes the net… well, we saw last night what he could do.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 31, 2009 12:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Rec’d this post. I’ve been a Flash fan for a while, so it’s nice to see that he’s (hopefully) figured things out, or starting to.
"Walter, I love you, but sooner or later, you're going to have to face the fact you're a goddamn moron."
by The Ghost of Bebop on Oct 31, 2009 12:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Flash needs to keep on keepin’ on to make a believer of me. And it wouldn’t hurt if Fehr does the same.
But Brawndo's got what plants crave. It's got electrolytes.
by hotdog88gt on Oct 31, 2009 12:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I love this Flash Mk. 2. Hope it continues.
"My face is my mask."
by jakeshapiro on Oct 31, 2009 1:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
From Tarik this morning
*I’m working on a story for tomorrow’s Post about Tomas Fleischmann’s surprisingly effective return from a lengthy layoff with a blood clot in his left leg. One thing that has really helped him, he told me, was that he has put on 10 pounds of muscle, mostly in his abdominal area, which is helping him play stronger on the puck.
Seems like flash may finally have what he needs to live up to his potential. To my eyes and seems like quite a few others that muscle was helping him win pucks last night.
by i12swim on Oct 31, 2009 1:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Ten pounds in the abdominal region? 10?
But Brawndo's got what plants crave. It's got electrolytes.
by hotdog88gt on Oct 31, 2009 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think also put on 10 pounds in the abdominal area over the past handful of months, but it is most definitely not muscle.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Oct 31, 2009 2:05 PM EDT up reply actions 5 recs
Rec that one for making it’s own comedy.
by gfcaps fan on Oct 31, 2009 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Rec’d!
"And next year it will be ours."
by Ovechwin on Oct 31, 2009 10:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I was thankful to have not only avoided that, but to have done triple the opposite over the summer :)
Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood...Make big plans, aim high in hope and work. - Daniel H. Burnham
Fan Clubs: Sloan, Schultz
by gotsparkly on Nov 1, 2009 7:48 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I did pretty well over the summer as well, but I’m afraid I’m putting a lot of it back on with this back issue.
If consequences dictate the course of action, then it doesn't matter what's right, it's only wrong if you get caught. If consequences dictate the course of action, then I should play God...
by Fehr and Balanced on Nov 1, 2009 12:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
You’re going to have to adjust your diet if you haven’t already, assuming you want to keep the weight off. I didn’t do that when I broke my ankle in May and added 10 lbs in 5 weeks, which I’m just now ditching.
by Knee high to a duck on Nov 1, 2009 1:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
torn menisus in March. nasty wieght gain, and loss of muscle tone.
by RedBirdie on Nov 1, 2009 2:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I’ve adjusted my diet in the wrong direction. Almost all take out and delivery now but I think the Vicodin is helping keep my appetite down so I don’t think I’m eating as much.
If consequences dictate the course of action, then it doesn't matter what's right, it's only wrong if you get caught. If consequences dictate the course of action, then I should play God...
by Fehr and Balanced on Nov 1, 2009 2:45 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
I think he means the core, which is back and chest as well as abdominals. Probably just badly stated.
Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood...Make big plans, aim high in hope and work. - Daniel H. Burnham
Fan Clubs: Sloan, Schultz
by gotsparkly on Oct 31, 2009 2:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I believe the badly stated part. Flash’s native language is not English.
by CapsFan75 on Oct 31, 2009 10:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I sure was a believer last night. As you say, it’s only one game, but he was the best player on the ice last night.
by gfcaps fan on Oct 31, 2009 2:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Put nhl.com in the believer category as well. They named him First Star of the Game.
IS PAЯTY NOW
by Your Nation's Capital on Oct 31, 2009 4:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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| GP | W | L | OTL | PT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Washington
|
21 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 30 |
|
Tampa Bay
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19 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 23 |
|
Atlanta
|
18 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 22 |
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Florida
|
19 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 18 |
|
Carolina
|
21 | 4 | 12 | 5 | 13 |
(updated 11.20.2009 at 9:16 AM EST)
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