Pannchio: Flyers are better off having traded Bobrovsky

[murraycraven]

This could be the worst article surrounding the Flyers that I have ever read - ever, ever, ever:

The outrage pours onto the streets in Philadelphia as yet another ex-Flyer achieves fame and immortality somewhere else.

Last summer, it was Jeff Carter and Mike Richards winning the Stanley Cup with the L.A. Kings.

Before that, it was Dennis Seidenberg, a guy the Flyers gave up on, winning a Cup in Boston. And he could do it again this year, too.

Sometimes, the truth hurts. But the reality was: Carter and Richards weren’t going to win a Cup with the Flyers as the team was constructed.

Sometimes, it just works out better somewhere else.

Which brings us to the Sergei Bobrovsky debacle, as some people see it.

This weekend, the Russian goalie won the Vezina Trophy with the Columbus Blue Jackets, as the league's best goalie. His season was outstanding: 21 wins, a 2.00 goals-against average and .932 save percentage on a team that, like the Flyers, didn’t make the playoffs.

NHL general managers pick the Vezina –- not the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

“I didn’t know a lot about Sergei before we acquired him,” Blue Jackets coach Todd Richards told the Columbus Dispatch. “But after the trade was out at the draft, [Flyers coach] Peter Laviolette tapped me on the shoulder and wanted to talk.

“He just went on about Sergei Bobrovsky: ‘You’re going to love this guy. He competes. He works. He’ll help drive your team. He’s a great kid.’ That got me excited, and he was absolutely right on all of it.”

Anyone who watched the Flyers when Bob was playing behind Ilya Bryzgalov knows that he simply wasn’t a good fit as Bryz’s backup.

It was an untenable situation for him, bad for his development and anything but ideal for the Flyers.

In 2011-12, as Bryz’s backup, Bobrovsky had a 3.02 GAA and .899 save percentage. He was rather unhappy here, though he worked his tail off and never complained.

For his own good, Bobrovsky, now 24, had to be moved so he could grow into a No. 1 and his destination was Columbus, who acquired him in exchange for three draft picks.

One of those picks, -– a second rounder -- became goalie Anthony Stolarz, who already has risen to become the best net prospect in the Flyers' entire system.

And remember: As good as Bobrovsky’s rookie season was with the Flyers –- 28 wins, 2.59 GAA and .915 save percentage -- he was pretty mediocre during the playoffs against both Buffalo and Boston (3.23 GAA, .877).

Which is why management and ownership decided to go find a proven veteran.

I have never had a problem with the Flyers moving players to see them develop their full potential elsewhere. I was fine with the Bobrovsky deal.

You don’t sign Bryzgalov to a contract longer than most people’s marriages and then force a young player like Bobrovsky, who needs to play, into a backup role permanently. You let him play somewhere else.

If I recall, most fans didn’t have an issue with the Bobrovsky deal last summer, either. It wasn’t until things went up in Flyers-orange flames this season as Bryz struggled and Bob caught fire that fans began to really get upset.

Hindsight is always 20/20.

Let me ask you this: Was the Bobrovsky deal worse than the Patrick Sharp disaster?

Remember Sharpie?

I agree with what Bob Clarke told ESPN.com last week -– one of the organization’s worst trades was the deal he completed back in 2006, trading the young Sharp to Chicago for Matt Ellison and a third-round pick.

Now an alternate captain, Sharp has really blossomed with the Blackhawks. He already has one Stanley Cup ring and could get his second this month.

At the time, Sharp kept butting heads with coach Ken Hitchcock about defensive responsibilities and his overall game.

Clarke said he made the trade because Sharp needed far more ice time than he was going to get as a Flyer on that veteran club.

To me, that deal was far worse than shipping Bobrovsky off to Columbus. Ellison was a nothing player in the NHL and the third-round pick was later shipped to Montreal.

One more thing ...

Bobrovsky’s emergence led to Steve Mason’s exile in Columbus and his eventual trade to the Flyers.

Essentially, the Flyers and Blue Jackets exchanged backup goalies and the way I see it, both teams are the better for it and both have already benefited.

Right now, Flyers fans seem rather pumped over Mason and what he might do for this club this coming fall. Truthfully, Mason has a much better chance to make an impact here -- even if Bryz remains -- than Bobrovsky would have.

Pain is something every hockey player lives with. And in some NHL cities, like Philadelphia, fans have to learn to live with such, as well.

[radoran]

I agreed with Panotch on teh Twitter that trading Bob made the most sense after they acquired Bryzgalov

The point being that the real, horrible, stupid, franchise-crippling move was signing Bryzgalov.

[flyercanuck]

I didn't waste my time reading it. Which is funny because i read TFs posts.

[brelic]

I guess Panaccio and SanFilippo are vying for the Biggest Organizational Shill of 2013 award.

Talk about a slanted article.

[radoran]

I guess Panaccio and SanFilippo are vying for the Biggest Organizational Shill of 2013 award.

Talk about a slanted article.

You're acting as if either of them weren't cashing paychecks from a Comcast affiliate.

They don't have to "vie" for anything. They signed up for it.

[brelic]

You're acting as if either of them weren't cashing paychecks from a Comcast affiliate.

They don't have to "vie" for anything. They signed up for it.

And the shame of it is that both were decent a few years ago... you know, before cashing Sniderbucks.

[radoran]

And the shame of it is that both were decent a few years ago... you know, before cashing Sniderbucks.

Once you are inside the bubble, you are out of perspective - at least as far as you are allowed to report.

I believe you(?) posted the story about the LA Kings blogger being sacked for some obscure violation of team policy. SanFilippo "writes" for philadelphiaflyers.com

Panaccio works for an organization that claims to be separate from the Flyers - Comcast SportsNet.

They all work in the same building. They all work for organizations with "Comcast" in the name and don't for a second believe that everyone working in that building doesn't know that Mister Snider built it and runs it.

Which, to be clear, I give him all the honor and respect in the world for. How he runs his hockey team is another thing entirely.

I don't hate the man. I don't wish him ill. I really don't expect anything to change. Old dogs, new tricks.

But I am a Flyers have - always have been and always will be.

The crest on the front, not the name on the letterhead.

[jammer2]

"I have never had a problem with the Flyers moving players to see them develop their full potential elsewhere. I was fine with the Bobrovsky deal."

What the hell is this, what a horrible way of thinking. It's downright disgraceful if you ask me. This is a friggin business here, if you have an asset, you sit on it, do what's best for the org, not the player. For example, the Kings will get WAY more for Bernier this summer than they would have after his rookie year.....why, because they had patience, let their asset develop.....and then get the big return. If we had only held unto to Bob for one more year, we would have either have A)never dealt him....or at least B) get a boatload of picks and prospects.....wtf, what a backwards way of thinking. I lose more respect for TImmy everytime I read one of his articles.

[Polaris922]

This guy is a tool. Lol

[LegionOfDoom]

I'm not a fan per se of Pinach, I don't always appreciates the questions he asks players, "How do you feel about...." line of questioning.

The truth, "FACT" many wanted Bob shipped out because he was "TOO EXPENSIVE" as a backup, His "develope-ment" will be "stifled"

I for the record never wanted him traded and he should of not of played all those games to be inelligable to play for us in the AHL(clear waivers BS risk for us), if we we're going to go with the Bryz experiment at the time.

Bob played small but I knew he was a gem.(Of coarse not a Vezina gem but a gem none the less).

Like some brought out, had we kept Bob and not of had Bryz, would Bob of won a Vezina? (I don't honestly know)

He struggled at times, but that's to be expected for a young rookie.

But Pinach brings up a good point that the Flyer's org, NEEDED to go out and bring a veteran in at the time. And some rightfully said it should of been a solid backup/possible starter to co-in-side with Bob's developement...didn't happen.

The orgainzation didn't step back and look at the perspective, we are of the mentality to win it now.

But let it be known Flyers Organization, YOU are loosing out on YOUR players and giving away OUR talent to other teams, this is not the first time this has happened, in fact it's been trending for a few years now.

(Remember though people call the Kings, Flyers West, we ARE "Hollywood East", we can't ever look bad as an organization on TV)

[radoran]

But Pinach brings up a good point that the Flyer's org, NEEDED to go out and bring a veteran in at the time. And some rightfully said it should of been a solid backup/possible starter to co-in-side with Bob's developement...didn't happen.

I don't see why they HAD to go out and get a veteran netminder. Not at all.

Especially not one for NINE YEARS.

This was a complete panic move by the organization. A short-sighted, ill-conceived, badly-executed, tragically-flawed approach to solving a "problem" which was entirely created by how the coach irresponsibly juggled his goalies and set this organization back several years.

Bob went out and posted a 1.02/.960 in his first playoff game, ever. The Flyers, again, failed to score a goal and blamed the goalie. Bob had a shaky Game 2 - as did the entire team to start - and then was pulled.

For two weeks.

The team panicked. Snider made his famous "we're not going to have this again" statement and, two years later, here we are.

The big dramatic move didn't pay off. The big veteran signing was an abject disaster. They traded away a young Vezina-quality talent (were they too stupid to see that? Not from the comments of every executive who decided to trade Bob).

They didn't HAVE TO make a move, they MADE THEMSELVES make the move.

Anything else is simply an apology for their rank incompetence at running a hockey franchise.

Then, having mortgaged the future of the franchise, they "had to" deal away Bob. Well, sure, having cut off your arm at the elbow, who cares if you go all the way to the shoulder?

With $70 Million, Scott Howson could do better than this. Don Waddell. Hell, I've venture to guess that Mike Milbury could be this "successful" with the resources of Comcast to paper over the massive, glaring errors made.

[LegionOfDoom]

I agree that they pushed it "WAY too FARR! " with the Bryz signing, Way to over the top, WTH, were they thinking. I'm glad that during the Reagan era the Flyers organization wasn't in charge of our military or we would of been in WWIII because Russia sneezed.

The orgainzation Needed to bring a veteran, to help Bob, unfortunately they campaigned "Operation Occupy Goalie Starter Position" forever and screwed up Bob's chances to run for Goalie President.

I believe a veteran backup/possible starter goalie should of been brought in, I felt Bob was the real deal and a minority few still believed it to be so, after the "goalie carousel debacle" that closed the park down season.

It is what it is, I can go on and on about how I wanted Bob to stay, but it does us no good. And no point of I told you so's will change things.

We are where we're at. And the bottom line is, we have Mason, who I believe is a better puck handler than Bob and will bring back memories of Hexy this year in how he handles the puck hopefully.

Though his glove catching I think can improve, hopefully. This team Needs a goalie who can dish out the puck to his players, ( I look back and see if Mason was on net against the devils when Bryz tried to push it out and ended up back in the net, how would that play of gone down had it been Mason.)

Though I miss Bob, I am looking forward to Mason and his dishout passes to our players, and having Streit in the lineup should help us out in charging out Lavy's system of attack.

I don't agree with Pinach's statement of we are better off trading Bob, though I couldn't stand here and say with a certainty if Bob would of won the Vezina if he had been in our roster.

Edited June 18, 2013 by LegionOfDoom

[murraycraven]

I don't see why they HAD to go out and get a veteran netminder. Not at all.

I still think the largest miscue of this entire deal was creating a market for Bryz that was not there - hence giving Bryz an outrageous contract and length.

[radoran]

I still think the largest miscue of this entire deal was creating a market for Bryz that was not there - hence giving Bryz an outrageous contract and length.

Then they went and did the same thing with Streit.

Was someone really going to offer him 4 years/$24M?

I am MUCH happier with Streit but still think it was a stupid move.

[DaGreatGazoo]

Was someone really going to offer him 4 years/$24M?

Hey, it's ONLY $21 million....

[OccamsRazor]

Hey, it's ONLY $21 million....

i think i got that in the ash tray in my car....

[doom88]

The Flyers needed a vet goalie, but as a backup with starter capabilities. Name: Vokoun.

[Polaris922]

The Flyers needed a vet goalie, but as a backup with starter capabilities. Name: Vokoun.

Sorry! (Not!)