This shortened season is a good opportunity to quickly reboot. A few months of pain and we can get some good assets in the draft. Trade off whatever vets we can for additional assets. Fill in the holes with UFA/trade this summer with the added cap space and assets.
- phillydentist

The FA market isn't that impressive, but the draft class is a good one.

Granted, there could be names like Perry or Getzlaff, but the drop off after them is steep. Michael Ryder is probably going to get a multi year deal for near $5mm per year.

And boosh the douche hds modern record for longest shutout streak. Guess he should be starter then right???
- SMS4016

Boucher was never a starter that put up very good numbers over a period of years. Huge difference between a guy that had sustained success over a period of years and a guy who had a stellar week.

So, say they buy him out after next year...what established vets are out there that are going to be better and more affordable as the cap (and salaries) are going up accordingly?
- tangent_man

BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT. BRYZ SUCKS. THAT'S WHAT MATTERS.

This shortened season is a good opportunity to quickly reboot. A few months of pain and we can get some good assets in the draft. Trade off whatever vets we can for additional assets. Fill in the holes with UFA/trade this summer with the added cap space and assets.
- phillydentist

That's pretty meaningless without specifics. Briere is the only veteran with any value, and he has a NMC. Timonen looks old and slow, keeps making awful errors, and for some reason got a new $6 million contract.

So, say they buy him out after next year...what established vets are out there that are going to be better and more affordable as the cap (and salaries) are going up accordingly?
- tangent_man

Trade Kimmo and briere to boston for their first.....

Flip it + prospect to LA for bernier....

As NFL GM's say, there is nothing worse than being 7-9, 8-8. This Flyers team has that kind of feel to it. Missing the playoffs, and not getting a top 10 pick would really suck.

Wouldn't you consider this to be what they're doing?
- tangent_man

No... Bryz signed 9 year deal... If it was maybe only up to 5 fine but 9 is an absolute joke. I can see if they got someone like price or Quick and signed them 9 years but not a 31 year old goalie. He will be 40!!! When contract up. We can't bury him in minors anymore. Gotta buy him out.

I think our best option, to avoid over-spending this offseason is to trade picks + Laughton for a big scoring winger and sign better depth players. We don't need Laughton AT ALL, and I really think the Flyers have been drafting too many centermen over the years... That was the problem with Carter/Richards era, too many centers on the team, and not all of them can play wing.

Its poop like this that makes them so predictable.. Last year they had three to worry about, jagr, hartnell, or giroux could bury that thing...
- Philly1980

Voracek is becoming a threat as is Schenn and Simmonds. I think the problem is that the second unit can't get anything going whatsoever.

The FA market isn't that impressive, but the draft class is a good one.

Granted, there could be names like Perry or Getzlaff, but the drop off after them is steep. Michael Ryder is probably going to get a multi year deal for near $5mm per year.
- Jsaquella

Would you rather they keep playing barely good enough to make us happy every other game and barely make/miss the playoffs? The team has too many holes on the roster and in their in-game performance.

Not the point. Bryz has played at a higher level more consistently. He can be the goalie the team needs but they can't leave him out to dry. He can only do so much. He isn't the problem here. It's just a lot more convenient to blame/scapegoat the goalie when you don't understand or choose to acknowledge the real issues.
- NickTheKid87

And certainly Bryz doesn't look his best right now, but he's not flat out awful. Fatigue is likely a factor, but in any season there's an ebb and flow. You can't expect him to be the Flyers best player literally every game.

Not to say he's utterly blameless, either.

No... Bryz signed 9 year deal... If it was maybe only up to 5 fine but 9 is an absolute joke. I can see if they got someone like price or Quick and signed them 9 years but not a 31 year old goalie. He will be 40!!! When contract up. We can't bury him in minors anymore. Gotta buy him out.
- SMS4016

Bryz is just as good as Price and Quick.

Trade Kimmo and briere to boston for their first.....

Flip it + prospect to LA for bernier....
- Philly1980

Then flip Bernier and a every first for the next decade for STAMCOZE

But get BOB RYAB FIST

As NFL GM's say, there is nothing worse than being 7-9, 8-8. This Flyers team has that kind of feel to it. Missing the playoffs, and not getting a top 10 pick would really suck.
- PLindbergh31

Maybe they'll pull a 2011 Eagles and suck really bad, be in position for a top 10 pick then go on a crazy run a miss the playoffs by a few points.

Couts + Read + Laughton for Richards, carter, Bernier....

No... Bryz signed 9 year deal... If it was maybe only up to 5 fine but 9 is an absolute joke. I can see if they got someone like price or Quick and signed them 9 years but not a 31 year old goalie. He will be 40!!! When contract up. We can't bury him in minors anymore. Gotta buy him out.
- SMS4016

9 years is a long time, and they may well want to buy him out in June 2014 because he is overpaid. But it's not gonna be this offseason.

Boucher was never a starter that put up very good numbers over a period of years. Huge difference between a guy that had sustained success over a period of years and a guy who had a stellar week.
- Jsaquella

It seems like everytime that Stolarz kid name is mentioned, its something good. I'd ride Bryzgalov out until they can find a replacement. Only thing buying bryz out and getting a so called veteran replacement does is save maybe a mill and half to two mill against the cap. Not that big of a deal when you consider the other big contracts coming off the books.

Stanley Cup winning goalies since 2005:

Cam Ward
Jean-Sebastian Giguere
Chris Osgood
Marc-Andre Fleury
Antti Niemi
Tim Thomas
Jonathan Quick

Other than the retired guy and Quick who would you want off this list to replace Bryz.

Bryz is just as good as Price and Quick.
- KGBflyers10

Would you rather they keep playing barely good enough to make us happy every other game and barely make/miss the playoffs? The team has too many holes on the roster and in their in-game performance.
- phillydentist

I don't want them to spend the money simply because they have it to spend. If Perry and Getzlaff stay in Anaheim, or don't sign here, I don't want to see them run out and give 5 years to Ryder because they didn't get Perry.

And certainly Bryz doesn't look his best right now, but he's not flat out awful. Fatigue is likely a factor, but in any season there's an ebb and flow. You can't expect him to be the Flyers best player literally every game.

Not to say he's utterly blameless, either.
- BulliesPhan87

Exactly. It's easy to blame Bryz, but really if you've watched all the games. He makes saves that KEEP US in the game, and actually save us from being absolutely destroyed some nights.

And certainly Bryz doesn't look his best right now, but he's not flat out awful. Fatigue is likely a factor, but in any season there's an ebb and flow. You can't expect him to be the Flyers best player literally every game.

Not to say he's utterly blameless, either.
- BulliesPhan87

He has his share of the blame recently but the team needs to pick him up they way he was picking them up earlier. He let in two iffy goals last night but he kept the team in the game. The offense needs to help him out in that regard.

No... Bryz signed 9 year deal... If it was maybe only up to 5 fine but 9 is an absolute joke. I can see if they got someone like price or Quick and signed them 9 years but not a 31 year old goalie. He will be 40!!! When contract up. We can't bury him in minors anymore. Gotta buy him out.
- SMS4016

Exactly. I brought up Bryz today because I get the sense people have gotten happy with Fool's Gold from the first 10 games of the season. I hope Holmgren isn't as shortsighted. Bryzgalov will be a huge monkey on the team's back for a very long time if not bought out by '14.

Not the point. Bryz has played at a higher level more consistently. He can be the goalie the team needs but they can't leave him out to dry. He can only do so much. He isn't the problem here. It's just a lot more convenient to blame/scapegoat the goalie when you don't understand or choose to acknowledge the real issues.
- NickTheKid87

He shoots...he scores!

Bryz is just as good as Price and Quick.
- KGBflyers10

I don't know about Quick but I'd say he's in the same neighborhood as Price.

Thing that a lot forget is this club got to game 6 of the finals with a Boucher/Leighton tandem, they can do that and more with Bryzgalov. If people don't realize that their being biased imo.