Blog - Internet Flyers need a better backup for Bryzgalov

[doom88]

Even with the max cap hit of 1.75m, I'm having a hard time believing everyone else would take a pass on Bob.

[aziz]

@doom88

oh, i agree, he'd get grabbed on the way down. just no consequence beyond losing him.

also, that cap hit is gonna go down, anyway. his salary is only $900k. in all years of the cap, with the single exception of last, bonuses didn't count against the cap until they were earned. problem was, that could (and did) put teams over the cap when things were tallied up at the end of the season. previously, that overage would get charged to the team's cap number the next season...but with the CBA expiring, no possibilities of overages were allowed last season. with a new CBA, and barring any major changes to how the cap works, bob's hit will probably go back to $900k next fall.

[canoli]

Maybe if the Flyers gave Bob more than ONE SINGLE SEASON of an opportunity, he could have developed. But no, he rots on the bench while Bryz gets all the ice time, and coaching efforts to make him a servicable starter - which he really isn't giving up those momentum crushing stinkers. At least Bob was coachable and wanted to get better more than anything, but now he doesn't get nearly the developmental attention he needs and frankly after his first promising season, deserves. Yeah he stunk in Feb - no one was playing backside defense. His sporatic starting schedule didn't help matters through most of the rest of the season. Awful situation. As someone else put it, the Flyers are well on their way to have Niitty'd Bobrovsky. I'm disgusted.

just thought this deserved repeating... Well-said Doom. And now we're going to lose him ... the first really promising prospect in net since Pelle and we trade away his future for a PITA Bryzgalov loser.

Oh well, maybe at some point over the next 8 years Bryzgalov will become a great team player and actually work hard to get better. But I doubt it. Why should he? According to his interviews, reading between the lines a bit I admit, he already believes he's doing a good-enough job. He thinks he's getting a raw deal in Philly, where the fans and the media are out to get him.

No, I'm afraid with Ilya Bryzgalov WYSIWYG. Morris and Aucoin were right.

[mojo1917]

And I will have you know, good Sir, I am certainly not Kuato, wise and upstanding gentleman though he be. To suggest I am he would be intellectually dishonest.

this is a little scary looking, and reads very kuato-esque.

other than that though how's the whole owning the Nodl comment working out, from where i sit the the armpit of PA it seems as though it's going very well. soon everyone will think you're just a guy who appreciates hard working role players with speed. win/win. maybe i'll change my name to KLatt or something.

Edited May 25, 2012 by mojo1917

[Bertmega]

Flyers need a better backup for Bryzgalov

Fixed.

Edited May 25, 2012 by Bertmega

[canoli]

Flyers need a way to get rid of better backup for Bryzgalov

Fixed.

good fix Bert but I like mine better - only because I doubt yours is possible...

[Polaris922]

I gotta tell you guys, as a Pens fan I was always worried more about Bob starting than Bryz. And I liked Bryz in Phoenix. I think the contrast in playing style from Phoenix to Philly is what you're seeing with him there. Phoenix was more a defense first organization. I've always wondered how a guy like Brodeur would do elsewhere when defense isn't first... the mind wanders...

[mojo1917]

@Polaris922

marty is doing pretty well this year, and the devils aren't your daddy's trapping team anymore.

he does have stretches where he looks average, i don't know if that's his age or the new style. probably a little of both.

[doom88]

@doom88

oh, i agree, he'd get grabbed on the way down. just no consequence beyond losing him.

also, that cap hit is gonna go down, anyway. his salary is only $900k. in all years of the cap, with the single exception of last, bonuses didn't count against the cap until they were earned. problem was, that could (and did) put teams over the cap when things were tallied up at the end of the season. previously, that overage would get charged to the team's cap number the next season...but with the CBA expiring, no possibilities of overages were allowed last season. with a new CBA, and barring any major changes to how the cap works, bob's hit will probably go back to $900k next fall.

I vaguely recall hearing teams might get the unused bonus credited back this fall? I may have made that up though.

[Vanflyer]

@Irishjim, @all

I just don't think the Flyers are as stuck with Bryz as much as they think they are. They are stuck for the next two years, but after that I don't thinks so. For starters, if Breezy has as bad a time next year as he did this year and it looks like he is not the goalie for the following 7 years, I could completely see Bobs given every opportunity to win the starting job in year 3 (particularly if he plays well next year).

After Bryz's third year, his salary payment will drop to 4.2M for the final 6 years as almost 50% of his salary will have been paid in the first three years of the contract. I could easily see that if it was clear that the Flyers were shifting to Bobs as their guy in Year three AND Bryz had a bad experience in year two, that he would waive his NMC.

I also have a suspicion that his NMC (similar to Richards and Carters), may be null and void if Bryz agrees to a trade.

What that would mean is an accepting trade partner would not mind the 5.6m cap hit or 4.2m salary hit knowing they are not locked into him for 6 years.

[canoli]

I guess that's a hopeful scenario but it means Bryzgalov has sucked for 3 years in a row...his salary will be close to 1/2 of what it is now but you're still talking big $$ for an overpriced loser. I can't see any team willingly taking on Bryzgalov's cap hit after 3 years of failure in Philly. The excuse that he was playing for a lousy team won't be plausible next time. The Flyers have a few shortcomings, obviously, as all teams do, but they aren't anything like Phoenix when Bryzgalov was there.

I think it'll be a tough sell.

[Vanflyer]

@canoli

Time will tell. I just don't know if I see it as this monstrous albatross that many portray. He may just hate it here so much, take his half contract money after three years and go back to KHL.

[terp]

I guess that's a hopeful scenario but it means Bryzgalov has sucked for 3 years in a row...his salary will be close to 1/2 of what it is now but you're still talking big $$ for an overpriced loser. I can't see any team willingly taking on Bryzgalov's cap hit after 3 years of failure in Philly. The excuse that he was playing for a lousy team won't be plausible next time. The Flyers have a few shortcomings, obviously, as all teams do, but they aren't anything like Phoenix when Bryzgalov was there.

I think it'll be a tough sell.

It is always better all around for him to play better but Vanflyers point is valid. There are teams that don't spend the cap who are focused on Bryzgalov's salary rather than his cap hit. Suppose he plays decent and somehow in 3 years we have a Corey Schneider type situation with a drafted player (fantasy, I know, but humor me). Bryzgalov could be moved to a small market team that likes his 4 year deal at less than $4MM per.

[radoran]

I also have a suspicion that his NMC (similar to Richards and Carters), may be null and void if Bryz agrees to a trade.

Neither Richards or Crater had an active NTC. They were both dealt right before they were about to go into effect.

I have never expected Bryz to finish out this contract. I expect him back in Russia before the end of it. That said, if he is willing to waive the NMC a team needing to hit the cap floor might very well pick up Bryz for a high cap hit/low(er) actualy salary.

Despite his struggles this season and the opinions of players who have never been around winners, I have a feeling Bryzgalov's stock isn't as low around the league as it is in Philly sports fans. Goalies can have bad years, especially in new situations.

If he doesn't pick up, the Flyers will buy him out if nothing else. There are two "bad" salary years in a buyout situation and with an increasing cap they should be able to weather them adequately.

I could see 2014 being the decision time.

Even year.

[Vanflyer]

@radoran

"Neither Richards or Crater had an active NTC. They were both dealt right before they were about to go into effect.

I have never expected Bryz to finish out this contract. I expect him back in Russia before the end of it. That said, if he is willing to waive the NMC a team needing to hit the cap floor might very well pick up Bryz for a high cap hit/low(er) actualy salary.

Despite his struggles this season and the opinions of players who have never been around winners, I have a feeling Bryzgalov's stock isn't as low around the league as it is in Philly sports fans. Goalies can have bad years, especially in new situations.

If he doesn't pick up, the Flyers will buy him out if nothing else. There are two "bad" salary years in a buyout situation and with an increasing cap they should be able to weather them adequately.

I could see 2014 being the decision time.

Even year."

On Richards and Carter, I think I was alluding to the fact that if they are traded, their NTC / NMC was null and void (regardless that neither were enacted). There now is an * on cap geek alluding to many of the NMC / NTC are only in affect for the originating team. To me, that means they are saying "we won't pull the carpet out from underneath you and trade you wimsy flimsy, however, if things should not work out a solution needs to be found".

I agree with his stock not being as low around the league and was kind of my point. He is a 2.45 / .910 goalie for the right style team who can get hot time to time. After his third year here, his salary drops to LESS than what he was earning in Phoenix. For some teams, particularly those on the cap basement, that could be very palatable.

Agree year 2014 is the year.

[aziz]

After his third year here, his salary drops to LESS than what he was earning in Phoenix. For some teams, particularly those on the cap basement, that could be very palatable.

um. according to cap geek, his salary goes:

11-12 - $10mil

12-13 - $6.5

13-14 - $8

14-15 - $6

15-16 - $6

16-17 - $5.5

17-18 - $5.5

18-19 - $2.25

19-20 - $1.25

his last -and highest- salary in phoenix was $4.5mil.

the idea of the inflated cap number as compared to actual salary is good, but bryzgalov will be making more than his cap hit until 2016-17, at which point he'll make $166k less than his cap hit for 2 years. the last two years of his contract are the only ones where the difference will be enough to entice a cap floor team into taking his contract, and he'll be 38 and 39 for the start of those two seasons.

[Vanflyer]

@

good catch. I was originally speaking to the point of him waiving his NMC to go to a team at the cap floor. His remaining salary averages to 4.4 (not the 4.2 I had stated) for the remainder of the contract. I can see how that would be far less palatable, then say two or three years at 4.4.

[aziz]

@Vanflyer

ah, i get, the value of the remainder of the contract, not the actual salary per year. gotcha. that's an interesting angle...and at that point, the buyout penalty might be extra helpful, given that it'd be it's biggest in the last two seasons of the deal.

definitely an interesting thought. i'm still a fan of luring several bears into his house, but that might work down the road.

[flyercanuck]

um. according to cap geek, his salary goes:

11-12 - $10mil

12-13 - $6.5

13-14 - $8

14-15 - $6

15-16 - $6

16-17 - $5.5

17-18 - $5.5

18-19 - $2.25

19-20 - $1.25

his last -and highest- salary in phoenix was $4.5mil.

the idea of the inflated cap number as compared to actual salary is good, but bryzgalov will be making more than his cap hit until 2016-17, at which point he'll make $166k less than his cap hit for 2 years. the last two years of his contract are the only ones where the difference will be enough to entice a cap floor team into taking his contract, and he'll be 38 and 39 for the start of those two seasons.

What kind of idiot would pay Ilya Bryzgalov $10 million, $6.5 million, $8 million, $6 million, then $6 million??? Seriously, you'd have to be an idiot. He may not have been for a long time. But now it's official...IDIOT!!!

[Vanflyer]

@flyercanuck

"What kind of idiot would pay Ilya Bryzgalov $10 million, $6.5 million, $8 million, $6 million, then $6 million??? Seriously, you'd have to be an idiot. He may not have been for a long time. But now it's official...IDIOT!!!"

Ummmmm.....Snider!!!! Bryz is Sniders boy and the contract is his as well. Maybe next year Bryz will be everything that we wanted him to be and the squawking about the contract will be diminished, but as it stands now, this was one of the worse signings the Flyers have ever made.

[radoran]

What kind of idiot would pay Ilya Bryzgalov $10 million, $6.5 million, $8 million, $6 million, then $6 million???

The same guy you think will try to fix it?

[aziz]

The same guy you think will try to fix it?

well, yeah. you'd think the guy willing to commit $51mil because he didn't like what happened over a 3 week span would be the same guy willing to pay half of that right away because he didn't like what happened over a 9 month span.

you'd think.

[radoran]

well, yeah. you'd think the guy willing to commit $51mil because he didn't like what happened over a 3 week span would be the same guy willing to pay half of that right away because he didn't like what happened over a 9 month span.

you'd think.

So you're saying you do hope that the same guy who screwed up monumentally (in your eyes) will magically make it all better?

Click your heels together three times and say "there's no place like home" - either that or KEEP CLAPPING! ;-)

[aziz]

no, there is no all better from here. there is only minimizing damage. and i do hope he does.

clapping? well. i'll try.

[radoran]

clapping? well. i'll try.

Tinkerbell reference? :-)