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Flyers talking to Bruno Gervais?


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Posted

Definitely a depth guy. He was a healthy scratch for TB in a few games last year. He averaged 15 mins for the Islanders while he was there. Only around 12 with TB. Apparently he and Max Talbot are pretty good friends. I'm not opposed to bringing him on so long as its low money and not more than one year.

Posted

He's a career minus player, albeit one who played almost all his pro hockey in the Isles org.

I watched him in the QMJHL for a few years with Bathurst, and back then he was considered a offensive defenseman. He stats aren't too spectacular. I am not overly excited about him, Bourdon could be just as good or better.

Posted

Howdy:

He got two years at 800K I think. So Homer must see something. His career has not been with A tier squads. He has to be on par with Lilja..maybe a significant upgrade. I like Fedotenko. This is an okay pair of moves.

Best,

Howie

Posted

He's a career minus player, albeit one who played almost all his pro hockey in the Isles org.

Bill Meltzer reported on an interesting stat in his blog today. Gervais has been credited with more take aways than give aways in each of the last two seasons. That tells me that Gervais is strong on the puck, and battles well. I really see him as our 6th d-man allowing for more creativity in getting the puck out of the zone with two rightys.

Posted

@hf101

Can he skate? Or is he a plodder?

I recall seein that he has decent wheels. He probably could shoot the puck more. Possibly he could get some PP time, but I don't see him much playing on the PK.

Posted

Howdy:

He got two years at 800K I think. So Homer must see something. His career has not been with A tier squads. He has to be on par with Lilja..maybe a significant upgrade. I like Fedotenko. This is an okay pair of moves.

Best,

Howie

Howie:

I have been trying to figure out the Gervais pick-up too.

In the past 6 years he has had 10+ injuries over the time he played Bridgeport/Islanders/Tampa Bay, including a concussion. To play in the Flyers system you have to be durable. He is -64 lifetime, playing 381 games since 99/00. He was up and down 3+ times Bridgeport/Islanders 2004/06. 15G/66A/81P lifetime. As a product of the Islanders organization, Holmgren must feel there is a significantly better upside with the Flyers and his numbers will improve as a potential 6/7. Tampa Bay let him go after a year. That is what I find really interesting, and wonder all of the reasons why. Did you ever see him play in Florida? I looked over everything I could find on Gervais. He is/has a desirable RH shot. He has a good slap shot, very accurate from the point. He is very mobile and in control in close quarters. Heard a good team guy. At 27, Gervais has some good wheels and has a good offensive side. What I see is his takeaways are much better than his turnovers, and with the issue the Flyers have had with puck control in the corners and getting their transition game going, this might be the biggest reason he is a Flyer. Could Holmgren see him as a cheaper version of Matty Carle (much cheaper), with the offensive puck moving side but without the Matty turnovers? Was that turnover side a big reason Holmgren did not really actively go after keeping Carle? I have always thought Carle was modestly overrated, to a great degree becuase of his playing time with CP20. That makes any defenceman look good. If anyone else has more perspective on Gervais, it would be welcome. $850 per year for 2 years is low risk, in my opinion.

Good day up here in Pennsylvania for a nice iced Sangria cooler.

BOI

Posted

@BearOnIce

A couple of more things about Gervais. Number one he is said to be a very good friend of Talbots, so I think it is very possible Gervais WANTED to play in Philly. I read also where he earned a roster spot in Tampa after coming off a shoulder injury. He then played 50 games last season putting up 6 goals and 13pts. To compare Mezsaros had 6 goals 17 pts while in Tampa.

Mezsaros then put up 32pts in Philly the next year. Mezsaros also had a -14 that year which was improved to a +32.

I think there is a good chance that Gervais's numbers can double here as well.

Posted

hf101:

Thanks for the info.

Yes, I see that last year in Tampa Bay that Gervais had an upper body injury and missed most of March. I think there was a lot of movement too with defencemen at Tampa Bay last year trying to find something that would work as the team fell. TB missed the playoffs 4 of last 5 years and expectations are a lot higher. With Carle and Salo acquisitions though, that may now stabilize things on th blue line for the upcoming 2012/13 season.

After Mark Andre Bergeon and Victor Hedman, Gervais had the third highest TB D rating at 66.79, just ahead of Eric Brewer. Brewer had a cap hit of $3.87M. Gervais was a $525K cap hit. A rating of 70 represents a Top 4 forward or a Top 4 Defenceman.

This is why I find Gervais interesting.

Gervais looks real good on film from the point on the PP moving the puck. Also, accurate, strong shot. But 1 PP goal last year? He is tough on the puck, especially in the corners and clears well. This will be highly valued by a Flyers defence that in my opinion struggles and panics a bit here, that has a lot of younger players with inexperience under pressure, and that misses the stabilizing effect of CP20 a lot in this regard.

Holmgren has seen something. Maybe it's a simple as Gervais just staying healthy, getting some playing time, and earning a 5/6.

It would be nice to see Gervais play about 10-15 minutes and take some weight off of guys like Kimmo and Mez.

Maybe he is the secret weapon that we have been waiting for with shootouts. ,-)

BOI

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