CoachX

Cotourier is the JVR in my opinion. Shows flashes of brilliance that turns into a frenzy of expectation, then when he comes back to earth, what he did becomes the standard that he has to live up to. Instead of being able to develop and learn, he now becomes a failure and disappointment, and gets shipped off to become a good player for another team. The upside is, JVR and Coots will be able to retire in Philadlephia after they go win individual awards and a Cup with some other team. Let's face it the, the Flyers are Florida, the place where you go to retire after your success has been attained

i don't think its a far stretch to tie trade rumors to poor perfromance in the case of Briere. Briere has the right to contorl his destiny as far as whihc franchise roster he is on, but he has no control over playing time. He absolutely needs to be benched. Send whatever message you can. My only problem with benching him is it may dminish his value should the trade option airse. This team is a product of the management, which is a product of the vision, and that is a result of the mentality of the owner. as someone else recently pointed out, Snider is the Jerry Jones/George Steinbrenner/Al Davis of the NHL. They need to change their vision and way of doing things. Its time to revamp this team. Bryz, Briere, Timmonen, Fedotenko, Gagne, Boucher and Leighton should be gone. Their is a fresh young core that needs to be developed and lead this team forward. I don't see them making the playoffs, and quite honestly I'm happy about it. Its the only chance that will elicit change

After th after this loss, the Flyers should just pack it in and come back season. That was the most awful display I saw since the last time they did this against the Penguins. MAybe Talbot shoulod have went out there and let Cooke beat his ass. I guess when you change shirts, you change styles

This is exactly why this is all media speculation and Flyers bias arguments over this issue. I don't believe all the comments about family stability. When he has that kind of money and a chance to compete for a cup, how do you turn it down? I mean seriously.. Who would turn down a a chance to win a championship and cash in, while already making millions, because your kids play hoceky in the Philly area? I'm not questioning the kid dynamic, I'm just saying he has options that none of us ever will, and can make anything work. But it doesn't make a shred of sense that he would use that argument after playing in Germany.

I think I read that the compliance buy out works in this manner .... The teams get 2, they can use them both this year, or both next year, or one in each year

WARNING: You are about to be lambasted by an acute case of "homerism". You should not take Danny's name in vain, he has kids ya know?

The only reality in your argument is that Briere cannot be traded unless he waives his clause. After that, everything you say is as much speculation asn anything I say. It has been shown, season after season, that GM's will pay out bung for players they need at the deadline. Why you choose to acknowledge this is beyond me. I never said the Flyers would get a "22 year odl stud defenseman", you did. I did say they could get a valuable return, and I believe they would. Briere has definite value, his playoff history solidifies that. The only question is how much value? Again, thats speculation. If you want to argue about Briere's motivation, his kids school, whether he likes cheesesteaks or Eagles games, that's up to you. My reality, based on past actions by NHL Gm's at the trade deadline, tells me the guy is a hot comodity. My reality also tells me that Briere holds more value negotiating a potential new deal, or extension, now, with a new team, then he would if he waits until he is bought out. You don't agree. Fine with me

There was the one point where I saw Neil yipping at Schenn...yeah there's an equal combatant. Way to follow the code <cough-cough>. Then Simmonds come by and he barely acknowledges him. Now that i think about it, this seems like a pretty normal thing for Ottawa, trying to engage with lesser combatants. I remember in the brawl how Chara the bulley, rag dolled Matty Timmander

The dynamics of this situation make you completely right. If he decides not to leave, then he doesn't have to. The Flyers made this bed. The issue of doing something about are up for anyone's specualtion. And how much what they can do will impact him is anyone's guess. Let's just say for the sake of argument that the Flyers try to trade him. He refuses. If they know they are not going far in the playoffs, and will buy him out, they could send him to the 4th line and give other players better opportunities with more ice time. I'm not saying they will do this, but they definitely could I still think your argument, other than the obvious fact of what his clause allows, is based on pure speculation and bias becasue you don't want Briere to move. We will see how this plays out and decided who has the plate of crow. I still say that if the Flyers want to move him to a contender, that he will waive his clause, and he will bring value back to the team.

Now that we have had time to disect and analyze Harry Z's hit, I want to offer an observation the ensuing fight. I thought it was funny that the oficials tried to initially break it up, but Zac wanted to go so bad, he drug that away from them, through all the scattered equipement and then pounded on him. I don't think that poor guy wanted any part of that fight, or Zac. If I had any feelings, I would almost have felt bad for him. But he did drop his gloves and heplays ont he other team, so F--k him. I also kinda wonder why Chris Neil, who was trying his damnedest to get a fight, was going after guys out of his weight class? I mean, if Zac wants to fight, and Chris wants to fight, let's throw down. Maybe if he had gone to Zac, the other would have been spared a beat down. I'm not saying Neil was ducking anyone, but I have seen him do this before. I also don't know how Zac would've fared, but I would like to see it first hand.

I just can't get past this "time and place" element. We all look at things with the advantage of hindsight. Had Z hit the guy, and no penalty was called, all we would be hearing is what an awesome hit it was. But since that isn't the case, he should be more slective of when to hit people. I would think that if it was that easy to get a hit like that, we would see it happeneing all the time. I watch higlights and only see a few of those kind of hits. Again, Z was trying to play hard and was not trying to injure the other guy. He was trying to deliver a hard hit and show that side of his game. Of course, next time he can make sure his doesn't hit anyone like that. He can wait and playit safe. That way, when he is back in the minors, he will have things to think about

I know the rules say you can't leave your feet. And within those rules, Z should not have done so. But it is damned hard when you are playing a sport where hitting is a major part, to take away that instinct. Boxers don't punch with their arms extended already. They gets their hips an legs behind it. football players "load up" before a tackle. In a hitting situation you are trying to inflict punishment on the player and stop whatever action said player is doing. Whether you are tryining to knock out an opponent, separate the man from the ball, or stop a rush toward the goal, you hit with power and force. That is what Harry was doing. There is no way he was "intentionally trying to hurt another player"

SECOND!

Intent is the key word.... I don't think Z intended to hurt or injure the player. Just prior tp contact, he bent his knees and squatted. As the contact ocurred, he started to lift into the hit but the skater started going lower. When Harry made contact he looked to me like he was aiming for the chest, but by coming up, while the other guy was going down, there was head contact. Its kinda like when a DB lowers his shoulder to hit a RB, but the RB goes even lower. I dont think this should be a suspension. He got 5 and a game. Penalty assessed

my comment was soaked in sarcasm based off an argument from his previous hit last game I wish he had kept his feet on the ice

He shouldn't have left his feet. What an awesome hit though However it was a bit unnescessary becasue the player was just inside the blue line...he couldn't score from there

Its very convenient for simple fans to evaluate based on our own values. But when you are a millionaire athlete, I don't think you play by the same rules. Losing 1.66 million is a huge deal. For that money I could hire a tutor to teach my kids. I don't think they would be devastated by a move. As another poster eloquently stated, he was in Germany playing hockey. I still contend that he would waive his clause if the Flyers really want to trade him

I still contned that anytime you get to wreck the opposition, you do it

And i will round up a couple of venomous aramadillos to help in this quest. Make sure I have a GPS leading to all escalators

Actually Rux, he has waivered, In one breath he is saying clean hit, in the other he says it was a cheap shot

which could be his best interest I'm hoping he would accept a trade and the Flyers get value for him

Ok, stop filling in the blanks with crap I have never said. I never said anything about a 22 year old stud defenseman, or a 1 st round pick. i hear what you are saying, you just keep deflecting and changing/ignoring the topic. First, you are right, I am a TOTAL homer. I am not an NHL fan, I am a Flyer fan. Eric Lindros was my favorite player until the day he left. The second he was gone, I hated him. Second, if you want to believe what the media has to report, go ahead Third, I'll see your Gagne and a 4th for Wlaker, and I'll raise you a Zhitnik for Coburn NHL teams going into the deadline, with their eyes set on a cup run, are more willing to spend for what they need now, and less at teh beginning of the next season. Just becasue Timmonen signed, doesn't mean he won't be moved. Just becasue the medai reported Briere won't waive his clause, doesn't mean thats true. I never said any specific they would get in return, but I would be willing to bet they hold high value and could bring back something useful. A cheap shot is one that is illegal. An unnecessary one is one that didn't need to happen. They are totally different. And since you obviously didn't read it the first time I posted (proof you don't hear what I am saying), yes I would be pissed if the hit was done to a Flyer. I would want retribution and blood. But I wouldn't say it was "cheap", "illegal", or unnecessary

I don't know what his best interest are any more than you or Radoran do. And I think I said clearly that the decision to stay where he wants, especially for his family, would be in his best interest. My opinion is just that, an opinion. It seems logical to me that any player who has a chance to go to a cup contending team, especially when he is in the final years of a contract that will pay him less, on a team that is most likely ready to part ways with him, would jump at the chance. If he waits until after the season, and say Boston wins the cup, they won't have much demand for him like they do now. Its a gamble. Like you said though, its his right to stay, and if he does, than that's his choice

Oh, now its a cheap shot? I thought it was unnecessary. But now its cheap. Ok I don't get why this is so tough for you. I think the Flyers should try to pressure Briere to accept a trade. I think they should also trade Timmonen. I think they can get good return on those two players, then work toward building this team for the future. Howver, until that happens, or if it doesn't happen, they play as hard as they can to go as far as they can. If they get to the playoffs, anything can happen.

LOL ... I didn't hear a horn blow and that 'ol bitty was still trying to go glove side. Totally necessary