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Leafs Interested in Kiprusoff? Plus, Does Mezsaros Injury Change Flyers? |
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A few quick hits this summer afternoon...
I am hearing the Leafs are looking into other goalie options given the price-tag for Luongo and have considered both Kiprusoff and Backstrom as possibilities. I have written about Backstrom before, given the re-signing of Harding in Minnesota, but now it looks like Kiprusoff is on their radar. As an aside, despite the Leafs making it known back around the draft they would like to make a deal for Getzlaf, nothing has developed and nothing new on that front for over a month now.
On the Flyers...
The Flyers got some really bad news today as it was discovered that Andrej Mezsaros will have to miss a good portion of the upcoming season after suffering a Achilles Heal injury which requires surgery... This is a major blow to a team who has already sacrificed a young star in JvR to build the defense. Adding the Mezsaros injury to the loss of Matt Carle to Tampa, a beaten up Kimmo Timonen, and the very likely to never return Pronger it isn't hard to see the Flyers will now have to address this as their first priority.
In Gustafsson and Bourdon the Flyers have potential youngsters to step in, and the additions of Luke Schenn and Bruno Gervais appear huge now, but still, knowing this front office as I do, I don't see this group as the eventual defensive group when the puck drops to begin the season.
I would expect the Flyers to look hard at Jay Bouwmeester, Keith Yandle, and Dan Boyle to lend some experience to the back end. These Flyers prefer to keep youth at forward and age at D. I have also heard Michael Rozsival's name mentioned, but for all together different reasons I would call that doubtful.
If the Flyers turn to D it is more likely they would look to a former Flyer like (the currently retired) Sean O'Donnell or Randy Jones to fill the void. Scott Hannan is also a possibility....
The only thing that would surprise me would be if the Flyers were to wait even beyond the next 24 hours to make a signing here.
On Bobby Ryan?
So how would this affect the Flyers #1 target Bobby Ryan? As of now, it is too soon to say. If the Flyers can fill this hole via free agency it is still highly likely the Flyers could still make a move for Ryan. Rumors on Ryan have continued to be consistent and right now held up by Shane Doan and the Rangers (who also want Bobby Ryan in a big way) I am told the Flyers see Ryan as taking Jagr's spot on the wing alongside Giroux and Hartnell.
more to come...
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