Bryz Nay-Sayers

[radoran]

Well that's what I needed, some snot nosed punk know it all with a blog admonishing me for stating what we all could plainly see - that Bryz flat out stunk. For months. Great that he's hopefully found his groove, but the author also fails to point out that his hot streak pretty much coincides with the D pulling itself together after the acquisitions of Grossman and Kubina.

In fairness to Bleacher Report here

The case could be made that had the Flyers never lost Chris Pronger to season-ending injury that Bryzgalov's woes would have been minimized. His improved play with Niklas Grossmann and Pavel Kubina strengthens that theory.

[OccamsRazor]

I'll flat out say that I'm still not a believer, but I'm also not an admonisher. How did Beezer turn out for us with his three straight SOs? How's Boucher doing after his six straight? I'm sorry but these recent numbers are masked by 4 of 5 SOs, and some flat out absurd defense. Compare that to his first 3/4s of the season and we still don't know what we have yet. Dont get me wrong, im super pleased that he has found some rhythm and confidence. I expected that only an offseason would help that. Let's reassess in the playoffs.

So when they win or even better get a shutout it's the guys in front of him????

But when they lose 6-4 or 7-4......it's Bryz's fault?????

Really?

Not what you're saying?

Sure looks like it, that mindset is in no way fair...

[s3x]

So when they win or even better get a shutout it's the guys in front of him????

But when they lose 6-4 or 7-4......it's Bryz's fault?????

Really?

Not what you're saying?

Sure looks like it, that mindset is in no way fair...

Really, that's what you got out of it? That those 6-4 losses were all on Bryz? I'm not sure where I said that considering I referred to Bryz's play "AND" the defense, but I will say that you have to credit the defense in addition to Bryzgalov when it comes to these recent games, just like you have to blame both the defense and Bryzgalov for those awful losses.

Take it down a notch. The guy isn't a sub .900 goalie but he's not a .980 goalie either. Let's be real. He still hasn't shown his true colors yet, so let's see what we get when the going gets tough and luck is made on your own.

Edited March 15, 2012 by s3x

[radoran]

It's not "Bryzgalov" or "the defense" - it's both. It's everything. It has to be.

Hockey is, in my opinion, the ultimate team game.

In few other sports, if any, can the team itself be such a factor.

It's the new players on the ice. It's the season's roster coming together. It's Bryzgalov playing better. It's what you hope to see in a team heading towards the playoffs.

To worry about who said what about who when and how that meant what to whatever whenever for what is truly missing the point.

It's not like some fool said something about Nodl outscoring Jagr or anything...

[OzFlyer]

@radoran I couldn't find a "Like" link on your post but I agree!!

Homer was replacing Pronger with Phantoms call ups. The big question is what happens in the off-season???

Edited March 15, 2012 by OzFlyer

[aziz]

@radoran

shutup

[Flyingswede]

I will admit to being one who did lose faith in Bryz. I hope he continues to prove that my doubting Thomas feeling was wrong.

Last night was as he has been saying,"a team effort," Keep on Keeping on.

I've been a nay sayer.

Its not about loosing faith or being a nay sayer. Its about a golie who have not been playing good. Period. So now he is playing great, well thats awesome! not a day too early. FINALLY he is doing what we paying him for. If he continues we'll keep him if he going to his old self then we wack him.

[OccamsRazor]

Really, that's what you got out of it? That those 6-4 losses were all on Bryz? I'm not sure where I said that considering I referred to Bryz's play "AND" the defense, but I will say that you have to credit the defense in addition to Bryzgalov when it comes to these recent games, just like you have to blame both the defense and Bryzgalov for those awful losses.

Take it down a notch. The guy isn't a sub .900 goalie but he's not a .980 goalie either. Let's be real. He still hasn't shown his true colors yet, so let's see what we get when the going gets tough and luck is made on your own.

Well say what you want that how it read to me. I'm not here to argue, actually just don't have the time.

Not sure where he sits in the save % category but i do know that in the last 3 years no one has more shutouts than Bryz beside Lundqvist...that my friend is some HELLA GOOD COMPANY we can both agree on.

[flyercanuck]

I've been a nay sayer.

Its not about loosing faith or being a nay sayer. Its about a golie who have not been playing good. Period. So now he is playing great, well thats awesome! not a day too early. FINALLY he is doing what we paying him for. If he continues we'll keep him if he going to his old self then we wack him.

This.

When a veteran player comes in making 10 million and is ranked almost dead last, he deserves nothing but boos. The fact he felt it important to have plenty of zany quotes for the media whilst absolutely sucking at what he was brought in for made him look even more like an idiot. Now he's playing well, and is getting respect for doing what he's supposed to.

[The Quigster]

The only logical explanation for his transformation is Ed Snider exorcized him. Thats what Danny meant to say??

[idahophilly]

He was never in this enviroment before. I know 10 million should make you put up results but that just isn't human nature. He comes here, tries to show his personality and that he's got interests and such (the universe and dog stuff) then gets crussified for it. Then the defence in front of him has been in chaos most of the year. Then, add in Lavy's offence approach which is not what he was used to. A new system to boot. Oh, and just for fun, an unrelenting media making fun of him every day and rumors about how they could get rid of him.... Gee... I get why he wasn't good for 2/3 of the season.... That's why I was cutting him slack all season. Gotta give a man room to breath for god's sake...

[AndyS]

@idahophilly Exactly.

I know we think that making humongous money means that our favorite robots, er, athletes should just perform well regardless of circumstances. But all of those things that you mentioned make a big difference.

Bryz never knew a media/fan crush or pressure like he has seen in Philly. Anahheim & Phoenix are nothing like this. Of course, now he is finally also seeing the good side of that situation.

Add in Pronger's injury and Lavy's system & it all adds up to a major adjustment period for our new franchise goalie.

Very happy to see him playing well.

Hope he sets the all-time Flyers shutout record tonght.

[flyercanuck]

Oh, and just for fun, an unrelenting media making fun of him every day and rumors about how they could get rid of him.... Gee... I get why he wasn't good for 2/3 of the season.... That's why I was cutting him slack all season. Gotta give a man room to breath for god's sake...

Well lets face it...he brought the media upon himself.

[idahophilly]

Well lets face it...he brought the media upon himself.

Are you serious...? He loves dogs and talked about his philosophy about life. That's all. You have hobbies? How would you like to be ripped apart for talking about them. Then the woods thing... I commend him for saying he was lost when it's the truth... Finally someone owning up to their failures. Truth is, Philly media is way unfair in all sports. It's like a dog with a bone...

[flyercanuck]

The universe is humongous? My dog is like a hot girl? The guy loved having the media all over him until they (and he, and everyone else) realized he was playing horrible goal. Then they turned on him. It's ok to be a whackjob when you're Patrick Roy in goal. It's not so funny when you are horrible.

[idahophilly]

The universe IS humongous...

And the hot girl thing about the dog was just a english thing where he was searching for words... I mean really!!!

Lets face it... You have been negative about him from the start (negative about most things)...

[Green Man]

True Idaho - it's real tempting to throw the negativity back at a lot of the posters in here who were all over this guy months back. I was guilty myself in the Bryz shutout thread telling guys to eat crow becasue I was KILLED months back trying to defend the guy.

I guess it's just human nature to complain when things are not going right, but stay quiet when things are ok.

Either way many of these dudes look a bit foolish now, and they won't own up to it in the least bit. Proud to boo players on your own team? And you wonder why I have to defend myself as a Philly fan half the time.

I think its all water under the bridge, I just wish people would not overreact so much and drop the hate on players so hastily or when they are slumping.

Patience is real tough for a lot of people in a world that is based on instant gratification more than ever.

Edited March 15, 2012 by Green Man

[s3x]

I love how everyone thinks its totally okay for a goalie to play as poor as he did and not get criticized. I'm not saying he should have been booed and for the most part, people that have criticized Bryzgalov have agreed that he had a window that extended into next year to right the ship. All the critics were saying is that we cannot go forward this postseason with this sort of play in net.

Bryzgalov opened himself up to fan criticism when he began to abuse the media about not playing in the WC and his remarks about this city. Yet fans still wanted him to do well here.

I love how 99% of fans are now saying that they were never naysayers and are embarrassed by those that were/are and want them to eat crow. Really? I'm sure you loved him when he was giving up the first goal on the first shot in 10 out of 11 games. It was a risk thinking he would figure it out this year, and that's what the critics were upset about -- putting this team's playoff hopes on his shoulders.

I hope his confidence continues to build and this play continues. But don't expect us critics to think for one second that his childish to superhuman play is a true transformation. I'll believe what I see in the playoffs.

[flyercanuck]

@idahophilly

Negative about most things? I was fine with trading Carter for Voracek and a pick. I loved it when we drafted Couturier. Getting Simmonds and Schenn was fine though I wasn't happy to trade Richards. I like our defence, though it's far from great. I've been a fan of Giroux since day 1. On a scale of how everyone has felt about Hartnell since he's been in Philly I'd have to put myself near the top fan-wise. I've been pleasantly surprised that Rinaldo has become a decent NHLer having watched him play junior here and seen his mindless hits. I haven't had a bad thing to say about Jagr since he started actually playing for Philly. Matt Read has been more than we could have ever hoped. I liked the Talbot signing, though it may have been a slight overpayment. I'm still waiting for JVR to show some form of consistency, but wouldn't trade him unless blown away by a deal.

I don't like and never did, Prongers contract. Do you? I don't like Brieres. He has had a couple of great playoffs though. I don't like Bryzgalovs contract. Do you? I think Holmgren is one of the best people at evaluating talent. I think his trade record is OK. I think he's an idiot when it comes to trading draft picks, anything to do with contracts, and CBA. Shelleys contract is a joke.

If that means I'm negative in your eyes, fine. I just calls it like I sees it. I'm a fan, not a homer.

[flyercanuck]

@Green Man

If Bryz came here and played well, THEN slumped, I'd have cut him some slack. If he came here and played average, I'd have cut him some slack. The guy came here and proceeded to be the worst goalie we've ever seen. And that is pretty hard to do. Then he's pointing fingers. Sorry if that ruffles your feathers, but he got what he deserved in my books.

I don't feel foolish one bit. He was horrible. Now he's playing well. But he was horrible. Not just ok, or average, absolutely horrible.

[idahophilly]

ok

[flyercanuck]

ok

Aw, c'mon Idaho, how in the hell am i supposed to argue that?

[idahophilly]

Aw, c'mon Idaho, how in the hell am i supposed to argue that?

lol... that's why I did it...!

[aziz]

Bryz never knew a media/fan crush or pressure like he has seen in Philly. Anahheim & Phoenix are nothing like this. Of course, now he is finally also seeing the good side of that situation.

Add in Pronger's injury and Lavy's system & it all adds up to a major adjustment period for our new franchise goalie.

sorry, but i think that is so much crap. this is not needing an "adjustment period":

that is just full on **** goaltending. the only possible excuse is an extreme case of nerves. *extreme* case of nerves. as in, a guy's first NHL start. or his first playoff game. or first olympic game. or maybe even his first game with a new club. not his 23rd game with a new club, 349th of his career, played in mid-december. to say that floaters from 55 feet should go in because last week the guy cashed a huge paycheck and this morning an article was written about him is nonsense. if a player is THAT fragile that an intense media environment and a ginormous paycheck can excuse playing like a 2nd string ECHL-er....that's rediculous. if that is the case, you HAVE to expect another collapse come april, do you not? if the pressure for half the season was too much to expect quality play, i can only imagine what playoff pressure is gonna do. godforbid the guy sees a much-talked-about game 7 at any point, because by this logic, that is the ultimate excuse to **** the bed in an explosive diarrhea kind of way.

if he had a shaky start to the season, sure. a couple of games, maybe a week or two, ok. three months, though, and he deserved to be sent up the flag pole. no one doing the hoisting was anything but calling it like it was. that it is not the case at the moment has nothing to do with anything other than bryzgalov not embarrassing himself and the team on a nightly basis. and good on him for it. reflects exactly zero on any of us.

[AndyS]

sorry, but i think that is so much crap. this is not needing an "adjustment period":

that is just full on **** goaltending. the only possible excuse is an extreme case of nerves. *extreme* case of nerves. as in, a guy's first NHL start. or his first playoff game. or first olympic game. or maybe even his first game with a new club. not his 23rd game with a new club, 349th of his career, played in mid-december. to say that floaters from 55 feet should go in because last week the guy cashed a huge paycheck and this morning an article was written about him is nonsense. if a player is THAT fragile that an intense media environment and a ginormous paycheck can excuse playing like a 2nd string ECHL-er....that's rediculous. if that is the case, you HAVE to expect another collapse come april, do you not? if the pressure for half the season was too much to expect quality play, i can only imagine what playoff pressure is gonna do. godforbid the guy sees a much-talked-about game 7 at any point, because by this logic, that is the ultimate excuse to **** the bed in an explosive diarrhea kind of way.

if he had a shaky start to the season, sure. a couple of games, maybe a week or two, ok. three months, though, and he deserved to be sent up the flag pole. no one doing the hoisting was anything but calling it like it was. that it is not the case at the moment has nothing to do with anything other than bryzgalov not embarrassing himself and the team on a nightly basis. and good on him for it. reflects exactly zero on any of us.

Aziz, I normallly agree with the vast majority of what you say, especially with regards to goaltending. But posting a video of one terrible goal from near the blue line (hello - Hextall in the freaking playoffs against the Devils, anyone?) is no way to make a case. You could do that about pretty much any and every NHL goalie in history.

Second, you read way too much into what I said. I did not say that his poor play was our (the fans) fault or even the negadelphia sports media's fault. I just said that those things make playing in Philly WAY different than playing in Anaheim or Phoenix (or much of the Western Conference, for that matter). Add in Lavy's attack style system (prone to breakaways and odd-man rushes, especially with our #1 D-man gone), and it is a recipe for problems.

Not making excuses for poor play per se, just saying that we shouldn't be jumping off buildings (or jumping down his throat) over it.

He has played much better recently (duh), and I attribute that to more than just the Grossmann trade. I think he is finally figuring things out here. That's all.