radoran

I was just responding to MD saying that Bob hasn't done anything to lose his job as a #1 goalie. He did. Ending last season with four losses and getting pulled against the Islanders and then imploding in Game 2 (I would have gone back to him in Game 3 but that's another story). That's why he wasn't the #1 goalie coming into this season and has not been the #1 goalie this season. I just don't know if the forest Bryz is in is the size of the universe or if he can find his way out of it. I do think that the coach simply doing the same things expecting different results - which is what I see out there - isn't working. Go more defensive. Tighten up. Be a tough team to play against. You've got three good scoring lines and should be able to score from that position. Heck, Hitchcock's teams did. The 03-04 squad had five 20-goal scorers and Roenick with 19 in 62 games, plus two more 10+ players. Heck, Eshe was 2.04/.915 behind a pretty defensive-minded team. And, no matter what happens - NO LEIGHTON.

The problem of too many talented young defensemen is a good one to have. Don't over-expose them, let them develop. A lot of the decision on "who goes" will be contract-based. Who's got options to be sent down? And contract size. They may send Weber down just to save the fraction of the $400K on the cap.

Leino is hands-down the biggest disappointment. Ehrhofff not that far behind, but much more was expected of Leino. And the length of contract as well. Ehrhoff is displaying the same weaknesses he had in Vancouver. I have no idea why Reigier gave him a decade-long deal. GMs are sinking franchises with ridiculous long-term contracts. It's like everybody's turning into Mike freaking Milbury. If Yashin and DiPietro* didn't show the league the dangers of decade-long contracts, I don't know what else they need. IMO, it's past time to change GMs. I'm not throwing Ruff under the bus, necessarily. Yet. * not Milbury, granted

My only point here is that Bob has done precious little to EARN a job as a #1 goalie. If he had, we wouldn't be in this situation. His collapse at the end of last season and in the playoffs put the fear into management that they "needed a #1 G now" Washington's deal with Vokoun reveals their decision about Bryzgalov as the panicky, knee-jerk style that they have used for at least the past few decades. Who else out there would have bid for Bryzgalov last season??

I'm ridiculously frustrated that they took a goalie from a strong defensive system and gave him to a coach known for his up-tempo offensive schemes. And that nobody has seemed to make any adjustments to anything. Much less given it any thought before signing away the next decade. Lavy is on the hot seat here. The Flyers will make a coaching change before they admit they made a $42M mistake. I think the coach has misplayed the goalie position at almost every possible opportunity.

If I NEVER see Leighton in a Flyers uniform again, it will be too soon.

At best, Bob has potential and is unproven. At worst, he implodes and is exposed worse than Bryz. Most likely, he does what he's already done - which is pretty much the same as Bryz. numbers-wise (prior to Bryz's recent collapse) Also, if Bryz has "bad playoffs" - here's Bob: 3 starts 0-2-0, 6.00 GAA, .877 SV% pulled once (stats from starts only) Overall? 0-2-0, 3.77, .877 - six total playoff appearances. At best, unproven. I am not on a Bryzgalov bandwagon - and I was outraged that Bob was thrown under the bus after Game 2 last year (which as I recally, a lot of people favored) - but am certainly not convinced that "Bob" is the "good goalie ready to step in and lead them." And clearly neither were the Flyers.

At that point, I honestly think if Bob steps up and claims it (and Bryz has been so gorram terrible as against Tampa) - they might go the buyout route.

The first goal was a true groaner. You hope you can recover from that - and they did. The second, Giroux loses Stamkos in front and Bryz gives up a big rebound to one of the top scorers in the game alone on the doorstep. The Downie goal was a disgrace. Bryz on his knees to the left side of the goal. Puck goes across the ice, off a skate, deflects off the boards to Downie. He shoots. He scores. And Bryz still hadn't even MOVED (except for his head following the puck) The fourth, Stamkos on the power play, alone (again) on the opposite side. The fifth was meaningless, and painful at the same time. 5 goals on 16 shots. What more do you need to say?

Completely agreed. They wouldn't throw him under the bus in Y1. If his play stays at this level this season and into next, he'll be relegated and they WILL "see what they have" with Bob before trading him.

If he stays he makes additional $36Million And when was the last time a Flyers fan threw a battery? Bryz holds all the cards in this situation except the buyout ace. In which case, at this point, he walks away with FORTY. MILLION. DOLLARS. $5M signing bonus, $10M salary, $27.47M buyout. To be clear, I can see him in 3-4 years taking the waiver wire out of town for the KHL or allowing a trade. His value right now will never be lower...

honestly, what stops Bryz from taking the "pressure" from the front office and playing worse without moving his NMC? Suppose he just decides he's fine sitting on the bench for $5.6M per for the next eight? I could make that work.

I was actually SUPPORTING your point. We got bubkus for Gagne and he had the franchise over a barrel.

I just can't see the Flyers taking a buyout after Y1. The degree of egg on their face would make a chicken farm look low cholesterol. It would also start to attrract the attention of bigwigs at Comcast as to how Snider's been running things. Lets not forget that he was in charge of the 76ers as well who, I am told, remain a professional sports franchise somehow. They will notice a $42.5M blunder ($15M this year and $27.47 buyout)

Case in point - although a NTC and not NMC: Simon Gagne. Also, Bob's already signed next season for $1.75M.

Good technique can raise your luck quotient - like good positioning. There is also something to be said for the stability of the team in front of the goalie. And Marty Biron? 7-1-0, 1.84, .933 this season. How does that stack up against Bob's current numbers? (7-2-1, 2.57/.913 this year)

Bob will be traded or Bryz will be bought out. The latter the less likely of the two.

Lundqvist's current deal is six years at $6.875M per - probably close to what it would have taken to sign Bryz for a shorter term.. Obviously Lundqvist's entry level was lower.

I certainly don't "hate" Bryzgalov. I do hate the 9-year, NMC deal. I hope he can turn it around in the second half and don't really think Bob's "the answer" at this point... We'll see.

I think Bryz needs a muzzle or a filter at times. Meltzer's right that Bryz has been "OK" but not great. He was signed to be great. Something has to give.

I find the aarticle typical of the lazy reporting done in the "MSM" - it reads like they just cribbed some notes off this site. For one, I love the concept of the backup being "more consistent" - having never played consistently... Then there's the "deceptive" record - the facst are that prior to the Rangers both Bob and Bryz had given up four or more goals in 1/3 of their starts. I still think the Flyers are tied to Bryzgalov like a pair of cement overshoes, but that's the bed they made for themselves. I would have probably liked to see what the younger guy had in the tank, but Snider was cleary not happy with a young Russian and wanted an older one... Maybe the best thing for Bryz is to play Bob until he's not the "consistent" goalie that everyone seems to think he is. Then peope will start demanding that they play the backup... I think a $51M mistake will be the end of Homer if they buy out Bryz. Only god is removing Snider (or Snider himself).

I'm increasingly of the impression they made a $51M, 9-year, franchise-altering commitment to a man they'd never even met. This deal was a potential trainwreck from the moment they signed it. It is turning into a disaster of epic proportions if Bryzgalov doesn't find his way out of it.

Absolutely true, but also an inadequate statistical set - especially 3 games vs. 8. Dropping the outlier - a completely accepted practice in statistical analysis - his two games of .938 and.903 (the .968 against DAL being dropped) are more in line with his career .915 mark. It's also why looking at a guy who's got three starts in a month and calling him the "hot hand" is a bit hyperbolic. I'll put a "potentially" before "lesser" just because we honestly don't know how Bob will be long-term. Given his age, he should continue to develop into a better goalie. Some guys do, as you know, plateau, however. I just don't see the "upside" of playing Bob "for the hot hand." Suppose he goes on a five-game tear and reels off wins in a row. He had six consecutive wins twice last season - the last coming in January, 2011. Then he ended the season with his last 16 games being 5-4-5 and pulled twice. And that's not counting the playoffs. What's the GAIN here? That we develop a dominant goalie we're totally in love with who's contract is up after next season and we can't afford to keep with the "#1 G" that we "had to sign" in this past offseason? Ilya Bryzgalov for better or worse is a Vezina Trophy nominee averaging 60 starts a year for the past four years with a .920+ SV% in 3 of the 4. Sergei Bobrovsky has great potential but I am hesitant to say that he has been "consistent". Again I LIKE BOB - but I can see why Flyers management wasn't prepared to hand him the reins to start this season and why they're not going to do it now.

So it wasn't the first time this happened and likely won't be the last. And Ott is a sputtering, jabbering mess because of it? Puh-leeze. Games aren't won in the tunnel, Steverino. Maybe if you weren't getting your collective heads handed to you on the ice, the tunnel wouldn't have been so important...

21-8-4, top of the conference. Two regulation losses and two OTLs in the past two months. He has been a real drag on this team's chances... In the two OTLs - one a shoot out - the team in front of him has scored a total of a whopping three goals (1.5 GPG). I think some momentum-generating offense might be something to look for? Again - my decisionis based upon what MANAGEMENT decided over the summer. PERIOD. I am DISAPPOINTED in Bryzgalov's play. I would LIKE IT TO BE BETTER. But as long as he's got the 9-year, $51M, NMC contract, he's your #1 goalie and the facts are simply this: You play your #1 goalie against division opponents on the road 10 days before you see them in a showcase Winter Classic. You don't dicker around "trying out" your backup to see if you can "ride the hot hand." And Bryzgalov - for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health - was given a big, shiny, $51M ring by Flyers management.