Flyers try to move forward day after Simmonds traded to Predators

VOORHEES, N.J. -- Claude Giroux tried to look ahead to the Philadelphia Flyers' game against the Buffalo Sabres at Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, NBCSP, NHL.TV), but it was hard not think about the eight seasons he spent with former teammate Wayne Simmonds, who was traded the Nashville Predators on Monday.

"It's important we move forward," Giroux said after an optional morning skate at Virtua Flyers Skate Zone. "Wayne going to Nashville, he's going to a very good team, one of the best teams in the League. And for us it's about moving forward, getting the organization, getting this team, in the right direction. We need to find a way to do that without Wayne. As hard as it is, we have to do it."
Simmonds, who can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, was traded to the Predators for forward Ryan Hartman and a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.
RELATED: [Simmonds traded to Predators by Flyers | Predators shake things up, land Granlund, Simmonds before Trade Deadline]
The game against the Sabres is the Flyers' first since their come-from-behind 4-3 overtime victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2019 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series at Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday. Giroux scored the winning goal, but he and teammate Jakub Voracek presented Simmonds with the player of the game helmet, knowing it was likely Simmonds' last game as a member of the Flyers.
The Flyers (29-26-7) are seven points behind the Carolina Hurricanes for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. The Sabres (29-25-8) are one point ahead of the Flyers.
Coach Scott Gordon said the playoff race can give the Flyers something else to think about rather than the departure of a beloved teammate.
"We're in the situation where we ... especially these two games (Sabres on Tuesday, at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday), not that any of them aren't important, but these two games are like playoff games for us," Gordon said. "With the stakes being high with these games it should allow us to get our focus on that. But that's not to say the players' thoughts aren't with [Simmonds] and they're sad to see him leave."

Giroux especially. Their friendship dates back to when they were teammates with Canada at the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship. They didn't play together often 5-on-5 with the Flyers, but Giroux always knew Simmonds had his back on and off the ice.
"I think it was multiple times where he kind of made me feel safe or made me feel like we were all in this together," the Flyers captain said. "When I had my really bad season three years ago (58 points in 2016-17 after offseason hip and abdominal muscle surgery, I think Wayne was one guy that really supported me, kind of made sure I was OK. That's the kind of teammate he is.
"When he's in a scrum guys are a little bit more on their heels. He's got that presence that he might get angry and you don't want to get him angry. Every time he'd get angry, I'd go up to the other guys and say you just messed it up, you got Wayne Simmonds mad. His presence, in a physical game, it's not easy to miss."
Simmonds' work ethic also was easy to see, and a touchstone for younger players.
"He's done so many things in his eight years here that were so unselfish," Giroux said. "It was easy to see that he wanted to be a great teammate and he was a great teammate. But there's things that really make you think this guy is really unselfish and he cares about the team more than himself. It was easy to see."
Giroux was excited about what Hartman could bring. The 24-year-old forward had 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in 64 games with the Predators, and was fifth on Nashville with 69 hits. With the Chicago Blackhawks in 2016-17, he scored 19 goals -- 18 at even strength -- while averaging 12:46 of ice time.
"He's a very smart hockey player," Giroux said. "I think his hockey IQ is very high. He's got some skill, some grit. ... Orange and black is going to look good on him."

But he thought it also looked good on Simmonds.
"You don't have a lot of chances to say you're going to miss a guy on the ice and off the ice," Giroux said. "On the ice it's the way he plays. It looked like he was made for Flyers hockey. Off the ice you can't find a better, more genuine guy, honest, respectful. He's a good friend and he's always going to be a good friend."