Navyhockey

Mature hockey talk is your strong suit eh?

Well if honest hockey talk = mature hockey talk, then he's spot on. Emery is a backup, Fleury chokes in the playoffs, and Crosby is a cry baby. Don't see the issue with him listing 3 facts.

Well it has been widely reported that Hextall was instrumental in improving LA's minor league team, which then fed the Kings with good, young players. That is the type of rebuilding this team needs.

I'm debating taking my daughter(3) and going tomorrow morning to see what it's like.  I figure it will be the least crowded of the 3 days, and if it stinks/too crowded, we can just go to the zoo or Please Touch Museum.  Anyone else planning on heading down?  I saw there are 3 groups skating at 8:30, 10:30, and 12:30 plus an outdoor fanfest with some games, merchandise, etc. 

Thank you @Poulin20 and @Adamflyers, this was a great read. I wonder with Hextall now in the fold, will the Flyers take a step back on trading youth for veterans since that's where he is more experienced?

Well move Mezz in one of those deals even it's a throw in it will free up 4 mill...and if Read is involved that will free up another 900k...really all i got and i really don't want to move Read if we don't have too...

...so that leaves me with nothing else but the obvious buh bye Bryz...

I can't see any team taking Mez as a throw in though without adding another prospect to the deal. He is damaged goods, and even the teams that need to get to the cap floor can do it more responsibly. Maybe you convince someone to take him on and then immediately buy him out (if that's allowed) but again, you have to toss in something good to make that a reality.

This is what I don't understand. I could see the league or the city floating loans to entice ownership.....like the first couple if years. But how long has this failed experiment been going on, and everything I read STILL has to do with Phoenix indemnifying new ownership against losses. How critical is it to league success to have a team in that market???

Well it looks like the NHL is trying to play tough with the city of Phoenix after bending over backwards to try and keep them there. I don't know if Phoenix can take the NHL seriously because they always cave to keep the Phoenix experiment rolling along. And how serious is the Seattle option? They don't have an arena yet, so they would play in a 11,000 seat rink for at least 2 years. At least it won't play out too much longer because something needs to be done for next season. The funny thing will be if it's the Phoenix Coyotes at the Draft and Seattle Starbucks when free agency opens!

@flyer33716

That remains to be seen.

@LegionOfDoom

That's so full of southern drawl and bad cliches I'm actually confused as to the real meaning. I think I understand your intent though. Yes my franchise tanked up to eight meaningless games to out tank the Devils for arguably the greatest player to ever play the game. And I'm proud they had the balls to do what's necessary to save the franchise. I'm going to defend my team against ANY post that attempts to insult them. You should know that by now.

Enjoy your time in the "saloon". I reckon...

Arguably the greatest player to ever play the game? You have zero credibility with that comment.

I mentioned this in one of the threads, but I really think this team is going to get hot at the right time and get into the playoffs. And with all things clicking, plus a few people returning from injury, they will make a run much like 2010. I think they end up playing Montreal in the 1st round instead of the Pens, so they won't be as worn down from a physically and mentally draining first round like last year. But I see good things ahead, and certainly have no interest in stinking up the joint so we have a chance (which isn't a sure thing thanks to the draft lottery) at getting Jones. I will be back home right as the playoffs start, and I plan on watching the Flyers in the playoffs, hopefully live.

The next few weeks can really be a lot of fun. This team never had an issue with talent; it was all about playing with heart. They are showing that now. A team that plays with heart never thinks they're out of the game, no matter how many goals they are down. This is a vital mentality to have come the playoffs. It was vital in 2010 against the Bruins. I think some of that magical run will rub off on this year's Flyers before it's all said and done.

I would just like to point out that I was extremely wrong with this post! Although they probably will get hot at the end of the season, thereby screwing their draft position. I guess I allowed personal feelings of wanting to see Flyers playoff hockey to cloud my judgement. Oh well, I guess I will celebrate the homecoming with some Phillies baseball. What's that, they suck too? It's going to be a long summer!

Do they take jones or do they select a forward or trade down a little? They are deep on the blue line. There needs are at forward.

I think they sell the pick to the highest bidder. If the Flyers want Jones, they will have to part with a lot, probably something like their 1st, 2nd, and one of the young guns (Cousins, Couturier, or Laughton). If they think they can get Nurse, may want to settle for him, or at worst make a smaller trade up to 4-5 to get him.

I mentioned this in one of the threads, but I really think this team is going to get hot at the right time and get into the playoffs. And with all things clicking, plus a few people returning from injury, they will make a run much like 2010. I think they end up playing Montreal in the 1st round instead of the Pens, so they won't be as worn down from a physically and mentally draining first round like last year. But I see good things ahead, and certainly have no interest in stinking up the joint so we have a chance (which isn't a sure thing thanks to the draft lottery) at getting Jones. I will be back home right as the playoffs start, and I plan on watching the Flyers in the playoffs, hopefully live.

The next few weeks can really be a lot of fun. This team never had an issue with talent; it was all about playing with heart. They are showing that now. A team that plays with heart never thinks they're out of the game, no matter how many goals they are down. This is a vital mentality to have come the playoffs. It was vital in 2010 against the Bruins. I think some of that magical run will rub off on this year's Flyers before it's all said and done.

.899 sv pctg and a 2.82 gaa? The defence is bad, but Bryz is not the reason the team has a sniff. Look at what Bobs (sigh) is doing in Columbus!!!

1. Bob has nothing to do with what Bryz and the Flyers have done this season. 2. I have no idea what you were watching if you don't think Bryz was the best, or at worst second best, Flyer of the first half of the season.

This will turn out to be just like 2010. Sneak into the playoffs and then do some real damage.

@filly4life

I'm not saying Bryz is the reason they're winning now. But you can't just ignore how it was really just Bryz and Voracek for the first half of the season.

This guy...

I swear, does LAvvy have to tie him up in the net like Emilio Estevez did to Goldberg in the Mighty Ducks?!

Luckily for Bryz, once his NHL career is over (which is hopefully sooner rather than later) he can always find a job in the adult film industry, Seems fitting for someone who is down on their knees so often.

Another win for Bryz. Complain all you want, but he's one of the biggest reasons they even have a sniff of the playoffs.

And on top of that salary, the Blues gave up a lot to get him. Glad the Flyers didn't fork over a deal like that.

Then you got Giroux getting his face smashed into the glass. I'm less upset that there was no call than I am the fact that the rest of the Flyers didn't even step up to defend their captain... this team is a MESS!!!!

I only get a couple of the games out here, and this wasn't one of them. But it's a disgrace that the team didn't put up a fight if Giroux was blasted. The good news is that the Flyers went into a slump right before the deadline, so hopefully we can cast off some players who don't fit the long-term plans. They were able to do it the last time they missed the playoffs, although that was in the offseason, and it helped push them to the Cup Finals just a few short years later. A core of Giroux, Voracek, Laughton, Cousins, etc. should give them a bright future. But it's time to dump Briere and almost every member of the D.

@pilldoc I was stationed in Norfolk for 4 years, so I would drive that bridge monthly on visits home. It was great when I left because I felt like I was officially on my way once I got to the end. But coming home, at the end of a 5 hour drive, the bridge/tunnel sucked!

I also drove the Chesapeake Bay Bridge a lot during college. Maybe I need to get away from places with long bridges!

The amount of games they've already played does concern me a bit. However, I think that is offset by the amount of road games they have already played. So later in the season, the Flyers should be well-rested and playing at home, which should give them a big advantage over their opponents. I think that sets up nicely for the team to go on a run when it matters most, taking that momentum into the playoffs.

I just read that the Flyers now have over $62MM committed to just 19 players next year and he cap will be $64MM. If that's true, then this really IS interesting.

Flyers will put Pronger on LTIR, so that will free up money. The D will be set, they can sign a cheap backup goalie, and will have about 5 million available to fill out the forward positions. At least one of those spots will go to Laughton, so another cheap contract. And they always have the buyout option, which I think may be what happens to Briere. If that's the case, there is another 6.5 million freed up, and suddenly we're in the bidding for Getzlaf or Perry.

Is it that crazy for me to think Bryz is going to bounce back this season?

I am in the same boat as you. I think Bryz plays like a #1 goalie. Not elite, but he will have stretches where he puts the team on his back. I always let this team crush my hopes each season, but I'm signing up for it again this year. I think we make it to the conference finals, and next year we win it all, with Bryz as the goalie.

So I don't know how much I buy there is serious interest, but multiple writers are reporting that the Flyers are indeed interested in trading for Luongo. And if this is true, I can't possibly imagine how this would work out. What would we be giving up to get him? Why have that much money tied up in goaltending this season, even with the possibility of buying out at least one of the goalies in the offseason, if not both?

I will agree with anyone that says when Luongo is on, he is as good as they get. However, what confidence can you possibly have in him being on? Do you really think the Flyers are on the cusp this season and Bryz is the only thing keeping them from winning it all? I just don't see the logic in this move. I rather trade for that franchise D that will take Kimmo's spot next season and beyond. Interested on other people's thoughts. Maybe I am off on my thinking because I'm not in the States, so I may not have the full picture on how dire our goaltending situation is, or how cheap Luongo could be had.

I didn't know Eklund knew how to write in French!

Not really going to be able to low ball the Ducks. Ryan doesn't have a NTC so whoever wants to pay the price for him will get him. A 1st round pick offer with nothing else will not cut it, probably looking at a 1st, a younger dman (Mesz/Coburn), and probably a forward (Vorachek/Read) for them to even consider it. Regardless of where the player wants to go, he has no say in the matter without that NTC/NMC.

Would love to see Ryan in the O&B but be prepared to give up more than just a 1st round pick.

My offer would be Read, Harry Z, Bourdon, and a 1st for Ryan. Then I don't resign Carle and make a big offer to Suter. We could have Timonen, Coburn, Suter, Grossmann, Schenn, and Meszaros as our D, with Lilja and Gustafsson as backups. I would call that a very positive offseason.

Understatement. Bryz put the game and series winning goal into his own net.

It was a bad goal, but Bryz was FAR FAR FAR from the reason why they lost the series. Only about 3 players even showed up in the series, and Bryz was one of them.

If Yes, who dresses? Rinaldo?

Everyone needs to take a breath and maybe a shot too. It was one bad game. We had one last series too. They read into their own hype and laid an egg. That won't happen again this series. I expect the team to come out like gangbusters tonight. Nobody needs to be benched.