radoran

Without Pronger, this is just not the same group. And the whole team defense has been very inconsistent at best. But this group is what it is. ...

But they *can* make a change in net. This, to me, is what Holmgren and the coaching staff should be working on as we speak... or this will be another disappointing season before we notice it.

I'm not expecting a Cup, but they should make the playoffs.

I'm not opposed to a change in net at all. But I don't expect it to make a blossoming bit of difference if the team keeps leaving players like Steven Stamkos wide open in scoring position.

The goalies also are what they are. And the Flyers shot themselves in the foot with how they've handled Bob, IMO.

@Mad Dog

As you note, "premier goalies are tough to come by" - why the Flyers thought that at the exact moment they decided they "needed" a "#1 G" that the universe would simply drop one in their laps is beyond me.

They didn't "need' to sign a guy this past offseason - they NEEDED a PLAN to get/develop a premier goalie. A "plan" isn't the owner telling the GM to acquire a guy who had four career appearances against the Flyers. And three starts. Granted he was 1.86/.927 in those games - and @TedZep notes Bryz does have the capability of playing to that level - but how many times could Snider POSSIBLY have seen Bryzgalov actually play?

I don't think Bryz's situation will improve with "competition" - it's not lack of effort of desire at this point. It is simply that he is not the world-beating goalie he was touted as by Flyer management.

At this point, IMO, the best thing Lavy could do is get his team to, yes, play tighter defense. Let's look at Tampa. It wasn't Bryzgalov who lost track of Steven "leading the league in goals" Stamkos in the slot right in front of Bryz. It was Giroux. And it wasn't Bryzgalov who left Stamkos open again on the power play, nor was he responsible for the penalty.

You leave Steve Stamkos wide open in the slot or alone on the left side during a power play and more often than not you're going to have two goals against no matter WHO is in goal.

The Schenn screen/redirect on goal one is debateable - but there have been a ridiculous amount of deflections and "own goal" deflections this season (IMO).

The Downie goal was inexcusable. And indicative of Bryz's lack of lateral mobility.

On top of that, you have forwards who, IMO, are more interested in being at the front of a rush than making sure some of the league's most dangerous players are covered down low.

Bryz has played abysmally. But you can't really say the Flyers have been playing solid team defense in front of him.

There's been a lot a lot of talk about Drew Stafford... And Roy, I think, too.

There's no reason to lose a guy going down or coming up.

@radoran

BoB did nothing to earn the no.1 but Bryz is playing himself out of the no.1 goalie. Do we have any other options right now? I agree that was a knee jerk reaction last offseason. Brian Burke had him and the Leafs had a unproven goalie going into the season and he didn't even make a pitch for Bryz at all. That tells the tale of how he thought of Bryz.

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.

Bryaden McNabb has been one if not the best Sabres defenseman since his call up. With Tyler Myers set to return soon, what do the Sabres do with McNabb? What about Weber and Gragnani?

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.

I've been most disappointed in Ehrhoff. Not worth a 10 year contract. He hasn't added enough to the offense or defense to justify that. I think he has caused more goals by allowing too many odd man rushes.

Most impressive has been Zack Kassian. He has put some points up on the board and has a physical presence that draws penalties. I do wish he would be a little more physical. I think Sabres fans have a lot of expectations for him to be our big hitter even more so then Kaleta.

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

Bob has done nothing to lose his job as a #1 goalie. It's a no-brainer.

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??

@radoran

I hear you on the unproven aspect of Bobrovsky and it is a coin toss to see what we get. But at this point why not give Bobrovsky as shot until Bryzgalov can find his way out of the woods, or whatever he calls it?

I am not too sure who is better at this point, but for the price on his contract he has to find a way to step up to the plate. Either that or Lavy needs to adjust his defensive scheme so they can adjust to Bryzgalov's game.

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.

There is still Leighton who is better than Bryzo(this guy get worse every game).Homer needs to put Bryzo on LTIR and keep him there! NEXT!!!!!!!

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

We have the good goalie with Bobrovsky. It's just too bad he has to sit behind Bustgalov....

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.

Exactly, because in that scenario, if Bob rises to the challenge, either Bryz becomes expendable or Bob's trade value goes up. If Bob falters, then his value declines, but we have a better idea what we're dealing with.

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?

You're absolutely right. For more than a few reasons, I just can't see a buyout, one of which is giving Bryzgalov more time to get his sh!t together. But, I wouldn't be surprised that if he looks like this next season, it will be in the backup role.

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.

Of course it sounds easy enough. But after awhile, having 20,000 rabid fans foaming at the mouth, screaming at you, throwing batteries, burning white blue eyed dogs in effigy on your front lawn might get a little tiresome.

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.

true, gagne waived his no-trade, but i don't believe he waived the NTC and then holmgren went shopping. as i recall, the move was presented to him and he accepted...and the lightening weren't exactly a penny pinching bottomfeeder looking to claw their way above the cap floor by means of a cap hit/cash salary differential, which was the senario presented.

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)

yeah? tell me the last time a guy with a full NMC waived it entirely. i've seen some give a short list of acceptable teams to their GM, and i've seen some accept a trade that has already been negotiated, but i've never seen one agree to be sent to the AHL, or be traded to the islanders.

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)

Sure, he has a choice. He doesn't need to sign anything. The Flyers won't let that happen.. they will in all likelihood trade him.

Bob will be traded or Bryz will be bought out.

The latter the less likely of the two.

That seems easy enough and I bet they signed him for a lot less than $51 million......

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.

So much hate thrown at a guy who has only played 1/3 of a season. I'm concerned about his play and the contract like most but this might still turn out really good. "Everyone's" been screaming for a big time goal tender for 20+ years and then they go ahead and get one and everyone is upset...

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).

It looks like Bryzo is in line for a complete mental/psychological work-up to try and determine just "what the hell is going on" in that shrinking brain of his. Homer needs to the exactly same work-up for singing him.

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.