Bryz Nay-Sayers

[flyercanuck]

I've been both roasting and toasting Bryzgalov and will continue to do so.

How many goalies have had to make that transition with the zoo circus of 24/7 hounding the team at every point?

None. HBO chased him around and MADE him the star of that show. The Flyers didn't go to HBO and say "focus on Bryzgalov" - the HBO editors CHOSE to do that. IMO, it was a total distraction that snowballed on itself.

The rabid local media taking EVERY comment and blowing it up over and over again. Shove a mic into someone's face who just gave up four goals and ask him how he played. Then, when he says he played like crap, people go "ZOMG BRYZ SAID HE PLAYED LIKE CRAP".

The team defense has improved, they added two quality dmen in Kubina and GrossmanN and Bryz was able to get out of the spotlight and play goal.

You want a good run of games to "be sure?" OK, here's Bryzgalov:

Pre ASG: 32 starts (33 games), 18-10-4, 2.99, .895

Post ASG: 19 starts (22 games), 12-3-3, 1.69, .938

Hell, even with the crap first half of the season, he's at 2.49/.911 for the year. That's 21 in GAA, for those who were pointing out he was in the 40s at one point. He's tied for third in the league in shutouts.

Bob? Yeah 3.03/.899.

Sometimes you just gotta give a guy his due. Other times you gotta give the guy both barrels.

And Bryzgalov has received both on this board. And deservedly so.

[canoli]

You want a good run of games to "be sure?"

No, I want him to keep playing the way he is now, that's all. Whether I'm "sure" about him or not doesn't mean a thing obviously. But given his 5 months of pathetically-poor play (and really it was legendary) I won't feel comfortable with him until many months of great, or at least good play are behind him. The timing couldn't be better for him either, since we're approaching the POs, where all is forgiven and you start over again. It may be tougher to erase those months of crap now that we're into the POs (almost) but the payoff, if he can do it, is huge. He has a good run, steals us some wins in R1 and 2...etc....and everyone will love him including me.

As far as HBO's 24/7, using that as an excuse...well it takes 2 to tango. Sure they sought him out, that's what the media does, they find the most interesting and provocative stories. But Bryzgalov made himself available and must've wanted every second of that attention. Otherwise it doesn't happen. It takes both sides.

Put it this way, how much face time did Coburn get? Kimmo? Maybe they had nothing interesting to say but I bet they were more dedicated to their jobs and less concerned about how often they were on camera.

You can be sure the guys who were on camera the most wanted to be on camera the most. That would've been fine if Bryzgalov had been playing well, but obviously it was a huge distraction for him. My point is he let it become one, nobody forced him to ham it up every time the cameras rolled.

[radoran]

No, I want him to keep playing the way he is now, that's all. Whether I'm "sure" about him or not doesn't mean a thing obviously. But given his 5 months of pathetically-poor play (and really it was legendary) I won't feel comfortable with him until many months of great, or at least good play are behind him. The timing couldn't be better for him either, since we're approaching the POs, where all is forgiven and you start over again. It may be tougher to erase those months of crap now that we're into the POs (almost) but the payoff, if he can do it, is huge. He has a good run, steals us some wins in R1 and 2...etc....and everyone will love him including me.

As far as HBO's 24/7, using that as an excuse...well it takes 2 to tango. Sure they sought him out, that's what the media does, they find the most interesting and provocative stories. But Bryzgalov made himself available and must've wanted every second of that attention. Otherwise it doesn't happen. It takes both sides.

Put it this way, how much face time did Coburn get? Kimmo? Maybe they had nothing interesting to say but I bet they were more dedicated to their jobs and less concerned about how often they were on camera.

You can be sure the guys who were on camera the most wanted to be on camera the most. That would've been fine if Bryzgalov had been playing well, but obviously it was a huge distraction for him. My point is he let it become one, nobody forced him to ham it up every time the cameras rolled.

@canoli

one man's "excuse" is another man's "reason"

I have never attempted to excuse Bryzgalov's play. I have attempted to find reasons for a former Vezina nominee to have gone so far off the reservation.

He came to a town with a media he wasn't used to, was put in the "star" position - much as Avery was for the Rags (how'd thata work out for Avery?) - and melted down. I remember the local media HOUNDINg him for a quote after he went "silent"; I remember the local media filing a grievance with the league to force him to tallk to them.

And I remember the local media kvetching about him only giving one type of answer after he was forced to talk to them again.

Coincidence that his resurgance began with rejectting the media?

Excuse or reason?

Your mileage may vary.

[Flyingswede]

@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.

Im with you flyercanuck! I can honestly say I've been a Nay sayer. There is noo reason for me to say I wasnt becouse I was right then. Im still a nay sayer becouse I cant be confident in a golie coming here and behaves like he did and play so poor game after game. Obviously he is a high risk player to have.

As a fan im glad the team seems to have confident in Bryz and he continues to play good and that it lasts. I dont like the dude, I dont like the money we drenched him in but I like that he finally playes good. Even if he wins the cup for us I rather see Homer going after something lasting in net next year.

[flyercanuck]

@Flyingswede

Well in all honesty if they win a cup I can laugh at that contract for the entire duration of it. But I have a hard time believing the Bryzgalov I saw the first half of the season who imploded under the 24/7 spotlight could handle 4 rounds of Stanley Cup playoff pressure.

[canoli]

one man's "excuse" is another man's "reason"

I guess. All I know is it took 40+ games for Bryzgalov to look like he even belonged in an NHL net. You seem to be suggesting he deserves some "slack" because of all the media "hounding him." I think that's a little silly. That "hounding" you refer to takes about 6 minutes on a game day, the rest of the time you're left pretty much alone. Obviously with HBO it was different for those couple weeks, but again - you don't "star" in that series unless you make yourself available. Bryzgalov did.

[radoran]

I am not in any way saying that Bryz doesn't share culpability, just that 24/7 was an obvious distraction.

If it wasn't - if the entire media circus wasn't a problem - how do you explain his turnaround in goal coinciding with his new media persona?

There are other factors, too, which affetced the whole team - losing the foundation of your defense, for example.

I don't know how he's going to handle the playoffs, but he has played in the second round before - notching three consecutive shutouts - and his name is on the Stanley Cup...

[canoli]

well I don't know what else to say - I'm hopeful, more than at any point in this season. And I'm more hopeful now, this late into a season than I've been in a long time. Bryzgalov's turnaround is the reason why - at least it accounts for a big part of it anyway and I give him full credit. The only "but" is that his great POs were 5 years ago; the last few tries he's pretty much sucked. I'm sure you'll agree a Save % around .870 and 4.3 GAA isn't all on the skaters.

So to leave it on a good note, it looks like he's forgotten all about the Phoenix Coyotes and he's playing 100% for the Flyers now. That's all I can ask of him.

you know Sean O'Donnell's name is on that Cup too. Just thought I'd mention it; not that it means anything...hint:hint

[radoran]

you know Sean O'Donnell's name is on that Cup too. Just thought I'd mention it; not that it means anything...hint:hint

Sean O'Donnell played 21 playoff games in 2006-2007 and finished +8. His name should be on the Cup.

And Bryz was 3-1, 2.25, .922 for the Ducks in that season's playoffs. It's not hard to see where Anaheim doesn't win the Cup if he doesn't step in for Giguere.

hint hint.

[canoli]

sure, but the point is, do you want Odie back now? That's the question at hand, what does the guy play like now?

[doom88]

sure, but the point is, do you want Odie back now? That's the question at hand, what does the guy play like now?

I'd rather O'D over his replacement (Lilja).

[JackStraw]

I"t's not hard to see where Anaheim doesn't win the Cup if he doesn't step in for Giguere."

Wow. A triple negative?