radoran

Fine, and you're Danny Briere and you want to leave the Flyers because...?

So you were completely wrong about your first assertion, which only makes your second assertion even more right. And, having never met either Danny nor the former Missus, nor any of their children, and holding no degree in any sort of psychological or psychiatric realm, you are qualified to inform people exactly how people you've never met are reacting to a situation you are obviously completely ignorant of. Hope that works out for you. The only evidence we have is from the stories about Couturier staying with Briere this season, and Giroux last season, where his kids are thrilled to be living with their father and happy to have teammates who are even closer to their age staying with them. But don't let the facts get in the way of your ignorant speculation. You never do.

This is JVR's third year... he doesn't make the "big bucks" until next season (by "big bucks" I mean his new contract). Improved every year so far... Better have two. Just to make sure he first one doesn't get lonely.

The Flyers are paying Scott Hartnell $4.2M - on a contract signed when his career high in points was 48 and his career average if 45. JVR is signed for $4.5M next season - and he's "on pace" for (career high) 50 points this season. If he hits 50, his career average in points (3 seasons) will be... 44. I think the Flyers see a developing asset, improving year after year, and are expecting that JVR will replace Scott Hartnell both on the cap and on the ice before the end of his deal. I don't think they are "disappointed" as much as the fan base is.

I think it's a little early to be writing off the 22-year-old who's set to record his third straight season with more points than the last. Your cup may be half-empty, but mine's got whiskey in it :-)

Seabrook should never have been allowed to get the shot off, but of the 3rd and 4th that is the one Bryz "should" have had. I thought he looked good for most of the game and you really can't fault him on Bourdon failing to clear, giving it to Toews to Sharp to Kane alone in the slot and bang. Bryz needs SEVERAL games in which he's got two on the board and shuts down the other team. NEEDS them.

Let's see: Steve Stamkos alone in the slot - goal. Brad Richards alone on the right side - goal. Patrick Kane alone in the slot - goal. Show me the goalie that stops those three in those situations more times than he doesn't. Show me one, The bastard clone of Patrick Roy, Vladislav Tretiak and Bernie Parent doesn't make those stops more times than not. Bobrovsky? Um, no. I was deflated by the 3rd and 4th goals, not becaue they were Bryzgalov's fault, but because the Flyers were being obviously outplayed by the 'Hawks for most of the third period. Good to come back and get the win. One thing about this team, it doesn't seem to have any "quit" in it.

The insinuation that the Ranger fan "was probably drunk" has no basis in reality. There is no evidence to support this. At all. The assertion that "something" must have happened beforehand has been proven true - the "Flyers fans" paid a homelss guy to harass the Rangers fan. Yes, "just walk away" is a reasonable thing to do - if you're expecting to be assaulted while standing in line for a sandwich because you're wearing clothes someone else doesn't like. If you're an off-duty police officer, however, you might be more inclined to try to "keep the peace". I don't care what team you are a fan of, you have the right to wear your jersey standing in line to buy a sandwich without being assaulted by gutless, pathetic excuses for human beings. There is no excuse for this. None.

His entire reason for signing the long term deal here - by his own statement - was to give his kids stability in the same place. His kids live with him and Sean Couturier...

If Brian Burke is worried about Colton Orr not having a place in the NHL - why did he waive him?

And if you're Danny Briere you want to go to Nashville because...?

Assuming we do panic - what the hell do we do about it? Certainly the bleacherreport offers no suggestions. The G situation isn't going to change. We can only hope they play better. The team D is the main issue - if they can tighten that up, then they're in much better shape. Injury? Show me any team that can lose 2-3 top six forwards or a few defesemen and still be legitimate contenders. There aren't any. Hartnell? It would be a BAD THING if Hartnell posts career numbers? JVR? JVR's a disappointment (putting up career bests) for not living up to NEXT YEAR'S contract? (I think JVR should be doing better, too - but if Hartnell is "emerging" as a power forward at 29, are we expecting too much too soon from JVR?) Depth scoring? Yes, the top line is stacked, but the Flyers have seven guys with 10+ goals and JVR at 9. Want to see top teams with scoring depth problems?Chicago, New York and San Jose have three 10+ goal scorers. Boston, Pittsburgh and Vancouver have five apiece. Detroit and Florida have four each. Panic? I'm not panicking. But I guess it depends on what you were expecting.

The NHL Coaches' Association thanks you for your support. I thnk we can do better on the 4th line than offering the opposing team three pylons to practice skating around.

I am quite familiar with the events of last Spring :-) I concur that the team was flailing around at that point and, of course, that team play does have an effect on goalie performance... Remember, though, that they never intended for Bob to be the breakout rookie in goal. They were going with Boucher and Leighton from the jump (even re-signed Mr. Softee to a two year deal). There were questions about whether Bob would accept going to Glens Falls or back to Russia, before he won the roster spot. Bob played himself into the role - and did well, again, for a rookie. As for the playoffs, I think Bob got a raw deal. He certainly wasn't the reason they lost Game 1 1-0 and IMO should have been given another shot in Game 3 despite the Game 2 opening problem. IMO, Lavy blew that decision - and badly. Going back to Bob in desperation against Boston was likewise a stupid coaching move. As was overplaying Bob during the season. Again - what the hell is Laviolette thinking with goalies? Only the Shadow knows... @FC - the word "Bryzgalov" was intentionally omitted from my post about Bob's numbers - a post which, as noted, was strictly about showing why the Flyers brass in their infinite wisdom might not have seem him as an obvious answer to the Goalie Carousel. This has nothing to do with "Bryzgalov."

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Tortorella has the right to free speech. The NHL has the right to fine him. There's nothing "anti-American" about this in the slightest. There is no constitutional guarantee that you can say whatever the hell you damn well please about your employer and they have no recourse whatsoever. The New York Rangers are sanctioned to play in the NHL by the NHL and they are subject to the discipline of the NHL. If he doesn't want to be fined for exercising his free speech, leave the NHL and flap your yap on ESPN, CBC or whatever they're calling VERSUS these days. To publicly and loudly proclaim that there is a CONSPIRACY between the league and the officials to DETERMINE THE OUTCOME OF A GAME is to call into question the foundation of the sport itself. Either this is the WWE or it's the NHL. It's not the WWE. The outcome of contests are not predetermined or determined anywhere but on the ice. Tortorella himself says what he said was wrong, inexcusable, reflects badly on the sport and that he deserved what he got. For once, I agree with him.

Bob's "Excellent Numbers" as a rookie? 2.59/.915 - indeed, not bad. Still - 19th in GAA, 15th in SV% among goalies with more than 50 starts. Everybody seems to remember the goalie who was undefeated in January and forget about the one who was winless in April and got pulled against the Islanders. He had a great October, a stellar November and undefeated (6-0) January. 18-3-2 in those months. 10-10-6 in December, February, March and April. Pre All-Star: 2.42/.920 Post All-Star: 2.84/.907 Feb-Apr 2011?: 21 starts, 7-7-5 April? 4 starts, 0-1-2, 3.95/.880 - pulled against the Islanders. When it was crunch time, Bob got crunched. In case anyone was wondering why the Flyers might not have seen Bob as "the answer" to Ed Snider's directive to find a solid #1 G. To be clear, I would have been fine riding him into this season as the #1 G. That wasn't because of his "excellent numbers" but rather because he showed some great "potential." I think he got a real raw deal in the Buffalo series and that Lavy handled the situation abysmally. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

Aside from the FACT that you have NO IDEA WHAT THE HELL YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT you may want to just shut your pie hole. In fact, you may want to do that regardless of the fact that you have no idea what the hell you are talking about.

DL - thanks for the post. Good reading and a nice sum or a bunch of stuff.

Yes, well, the off-duty cop was from North Jersey. And the reason that they released the video of the incident is that THERE WAS VIDEO OF THE INCIDENT. Most people standing in line to buy a sandwich on the streets of a major metropolitan city in the United States of Americaaren't expecting to be brutally assaulted. As for "couldn't stand for himself" - you try taking on three drunken punks and see how you do. Making excuses for this behavior is despicable. Anyone who does should be ashamed of themselves.

Here's the Police-edited video (the original was taken down from YouTube): http://www.philly.com/philly/video/136693928.html This "good old rough housing" consists of at least three, if not more, "Flyers fans" beating on an off-duty police officer and his son. I'm sure the cop was just looking for trouble - you know how they are... You can also see who throws the first punch - the "Flyers fan" wearing #28. You can also see many other fans wearing jerseys from both teams in line. It's ridiculous to say that people can't go stand in line for a cheesesteak (no matter how awful Geno's is) wearing a Rangers jersey without some loser-ass punk exercising his alcohol-fueled testosterone because his team lost. As Sam Wyche once said: "You don't live in Cleveland!" There's also the moron who posted on Facebook that it was him and he was proud to be beating a guy on the sidewalk. They need some good old fashioned jail time. And quick.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=610012&cmpid=nhl-rxl-fb Tim Thomas is obvious. Karlsson has a good argument. Spezza? Michalek?? ALFREDSSON??? A joke. Nothing more.

Tell him about the Twinkie.

Gosh, Geno's is usually known as a bastion of tolerance and reason...

Can't make it in Tronno - perfect for Philadelphia? Um, no.