I said maybe a week or so ago that at some point, Paul Holmgren's temper was going to catch up to him and he was going to be straight po'd that they missed the playoffs.

Rumors are rumors; I don't know who to believe.

But one thing I know is this: The last time Paul Holmgren was REALLY MAD was when the Flyers got embarrassed by the Bruins in the playoffs. Result: Mike Richards and Jeff Carter got moved within 30 minutes of each other.

Think about this year. The Flyers didn't make the playoffs. And Holmgren went off on the players about their effort and willingness to compete.

And, most tellingly, he didn't fire the coach.

That kinda tells me, just me, that if Homer's still seething about missing the playoffs, or if he's gotten more sour as time passed...well, guess what?

It'll be players that will get moved. The only three people who would be safe are Claude Giroux, Mark Streit and Kimmo Timonen, because Holmgren's working on Giroux's extension, Streit just got one and Holmgren thinks Timonen's the toughest SOB the Flyers have.

Everybody else...man, I don't know. This many rumors out there...it might get kinda hot next week, because with that much smoke, somebody's dreams might get set on fire.
- AllInForFlyers

Homer knows he failed last yr and his neck might be on the line. If he's patient and doesn't act w/ undue desperation, he could do some positive things for the team. Would love to be wrong in my assessment of him cause I want this team to ascend towards Cup contention again. Right now they look to be at least 2 yrs away

Ritch Winter tell me he spoke with Holmgren again a few mins ago. Holmgren told Winter his comments were fair based on their earlier convos.



Bryz you can thank your agent for just settling your destiny with the Flyers. SEEYA. What a DUMB move by Winter!

Gus is excellent. No idea why you're down on him. Look at his +/- going back. He gets it done. He was slowed early last year by injuries, but he is a key piece moving forward.
- jstross

!?!?
i (frank)ing love Gus! He's not ahead of those 6 dmen currently though!!!

Ritch Winter tell me he spoke with Holmgren again a few mins ago. Holmgren told Winter his comments were fair based on their earlier convos.



Bryz you can thank your agent for just settling your destiny with the Flyers. SEEYA. What a DUMB move by Winter!
- FLYERSROCK!

What happened? I missed it.

Ritch Winter tell me he spoke with Holmgren again a few mins ago. Holmgren told Winter his comments were fair based on their earlier convos.



Bryz you can thank your agent for just settling your destiny with the Flyers. SEEYA. What a DUMB move by Winter!
- FLYERSROCK!

Honestly, nothing his Agent said is going to factor in to the Flyers decision on what they do with Bryzgalov.

What happened? I missed it.
- stveshdy

Nothing really. Apparently just some miscommunication.

Ritch Winter tell me he spoke with Holmgren again a few mins ago. Holmgren told Winter his comments were fair based on their earlier convos.



Bryz you can thank your agent for just settling your destiny with the Flyers. SEEYA. What a DUMB move by Winter!
- FLYERSROCK!

Could be deliberate...

Nothing really. Apparently just some miscommunication.
- MJL

Oh okay.

Homer knows he failed last yr and his neck might be on the line. If he's patient and doesn't act w/ undue desperation, he could do some positive things for the team. Would love to be wrong in my assessment of him cause I want this team to ascend towards Cup contention again. Right now they look to be at least 2 yrs away
- isaiah520

I don't dispute that his neck is on the block, but for whatever reason, I don't think that Paul Holmgren makes moves based on that.

In the few interviews he gives -- hell, even the comments that he reportedly made to Panaccio tonight -- he always mentions doing what's best for the Flyers. For the team.

He gets really, really mad when guys aren't committed to "team" AND THEN they get beat. I don't think they even hide that.

Whatever we might think of, say, Riley Cote or Ian Laperriere and even more recently, Antero Niittymaki being hired as a scout, Holmgren keeps guys around who he thinks are committed to "team."

I mean, seriously. I don't know much more about "Dry Island" than what's been written, and I have no idea how much of that to believe.

But should anybody have been shocked that it was the poster children for "Dry Island" who got moved?

It's stuff like that -- I think Paul Holmgren wants a goalie to shut the hell up and stop the puck and compete. I think he likes Claude Giroux because he put Sidney Crosby on his arse and then scored. I think he likes Kimmo Timonen because he will play hurt game after game after game.

I think he loves Ian Laperriere because he blocked a slap shot with his face.

Other guys...well, man. I don't know. I think Holmgren might've been more angry than even I realized, and he just didn't blame the coach for this ridiculous year.

Gonna be needing a new avatar in about a week or so. Any suggestions?
- eayost

Tim Duncan

I don't dispute that his neck is on the block, but for whatever reason, I don't think that Paul Holmgren makes moves based on that.

In the few interviews he gives -- hell, even the comments that he reportedly made to Panaccio tonight -- he always mentions doing what's best for the Flyers. For the team.

He gets really, really mad when guys aren't committed to "team" AND THEN they get beat. I don't think they even hide that.

Whatever we might think of, say, Riley Cote or Ian Laperriere and even more recently, Antero Niittymaki being hired as a scout, Holmgren keeps guys around who he thinks are committed to "team."

I mean, seriously. I don't know much more about "Dry Island" than what's been written, and I have no idea how much of that to believe.

But should anybody have been shocked that it was the poster children for "Dry Island" who got moved?

It's stuff like that -- I think Paul Holmgren wants a goalie to shut the hell up and stop the puck and compete. I think he likes Claude Giroux because he put Sidney Crosby on his arse and then scored. I think he likes Kimmo Timonen because he will play hurt game after game after game.

I think he loves Ian Laperriere because he blocked a slap shot with his face.

Other guys...well, man. I don't know. I think Holmgren might've been more angry than even I realized, and he just didn't blame the coach for this ridiculous year.
- AllInForFlyers

I personally don't believe that Holmgren is in the least bit of danger concerning his job status.

I personally don't believe that Holmgren is in the least bit of danger concerning his job status.
- MJL

Personally, I don't think he should be, but I do think that Ed Snider's age and desire to win a cup right now...I don't believe the Flyers can miss the playoffs ever again under Holmgren, and I do believe that they have to look like a contender...well...soon.

Maybe sooner than we thought. Which means...young guys could get moved.

I'm just bracing myself. I like Sean Couturier and Brayden Schenn, and I've been vocal about keeping them.

But for some reason...something's changed. The vibe you get now is that...something's changed.

Personally, I don't think he should be, but I do think that Ed Snider's age and desire to win a cup right now...I don't believe the Flyers can miss the playoffs ever again under Holmgren, and I do believe that they have to look like a contender...well...soon.

Maybe sooner than we thought. Which means...young guys could get moved.

I'm just bracing myself. I like Sean Couturier and Brayden Schenn, and I've been vocal about keeping them.

But for some reason...something's changed. The vibe you get now is that...something's changed.
- AllInForFlyers

i just don't see the flyers moving guys like couturier and schenn for established nhl players because you will take on so much salary and you guys are already pretty close to the cap.

Personally, I don't think he should be, but I do think that Ed Snider's age and desire to win a cup right now...I don't believe the Flyers can miss the playoffs ever again under Holmgren, and I do believe that they have to look like a contender...well...soon.

Maybe sooner than we thought. Which means...young guys could get moved.

I'm just bracing myself. I like Sean Couturier and Brayden Schenn, and I've been vocal about keeping them.

But for some reason...something's changed. The vibe you get now is that...something's changed.
- AllInForFlyers

Flyers have always been a team that is about now. I like that. They try to win. Which is why they traded for a 35 year defenseman.

I don't dispute that his neck is on the block, but for whatever reason, I don't think that Paul Holmgren makes moves based on that.

In the few interviews he gives -- hell, even the comments that he reportedly made to Panaccio tonight -- he always mentions doing what's best for the Flyers. For the team.

He gets really, really mad when guys aren't committed to "team" AND THEN they get beat. I don't think they even hide that.

Whatever we might think of, say, Riley Cote or Ian Laperriere and even more recently, Antero Niittymaki being hired as a scout, Holmgren keeps guys around who he thinks are committed to "team."

I mean, seriously. I don't know much more about "Dry Island" than what's been written, and I have no idea how much of that to believe.

But should anybody have been shocked that it was the poster children for "Dry Island" who got moved?

It's stuff like that -- I think Paul Holmgren wants a goalie to shut the hell up and stop the puck and compete. I think he likes Claude Giroux because he put Sidney Crosby on his arse and then scored. I think he likes Kimmo Timonen because he will play hurt game after game after game.

I think he loves Ian Laperriere because he blocked a slap shot with his face.

Other guys...well, man. I don't know. I think Holmgren might've been more angry than even I realized, and he just didn't blame the coach for this ridiculous year.
- AllInForFlyers

Bravo man, well said.

i just don't see the flyers moving guys like couturier and schenn for established nhl players because you will take on so much salary and you guys are already pretty close to the cap.
- rangerdanger94

Not really, and certainly not as much as people think -- Briere's gone. Bryzgalov likely will be. And if you move Andrej Meszaros, then you've cleared $16 million in a matter of minutes.

Yes, Mark Streit takes up $5.25 million of that. But somebody needs to post that picture of dominoes, because if nobody's safe, then that means Braydon Coburn's $4.5 million could also be in play, in which case you've got plenty of cash available to do just about anything you'd like.

Not really, and certainly not as much as people think -- Briere's gone. Bryzgalov likely will be. And if you move Andrej Meszaros, then you've cleared $16 million in a matter of minutes.

Yes, Mark Streit takes up $5.25 million of that. But somebody needs to post that picture of dominoes, because if nobody's safe, then that means Braydon Coburn's $4.5 million could also be in play, in which case you've got plenty of cash available to do just about anything you'd like.
- AllInForFlyers

yeaaa but thats a big if. you need to find someone willing to take mesz's and coburn's contract. mesz's health is pretty questionable recently right?

but then you're talking moving coburn and mesz just so you have enough space to move coots and schenn and at that point you basically have redone the majority of the roster. as a rangers fan with experience from last offseason, a lot of turnover is a really bad thing.

yeaaa but thats a big if. you need to find someone willing to take mesz's and coburn's contract. mesz's health is pretty questionable recently right?

but then you're talking moving coburn and mesz just so you have enough space to move coots and schenn and at that point you basically have redone the majority of the roster. as a rangers fan with experience from last offseason, a lot of turnover is a really bad thing.
- rangerdanger94

whoa, find someone to take coburn's contract? why? if that were the case, i'm sure they'd find plenty of willing dance partners

and i think they'll find something for mesz. i'm sure it won't be much of a return though

whoa, find someone to take coburn's contract? why? if that were the case, i'm sure they'd find plenty of willing dance partners

and i think they'll find something for mesz. i'm sure it won't be much of a return though
- FlyerMike18

i was gonna ask you if coburn has been playing at a $4.5 million level. i'm assuming he has by your reply tho haha.

What if Bryzgalov retired tomorrow and took his cup ring from the Ducks back to Russia? Ouch

Personally, I don't think he should be, but I do think that Ed Snider's age and desire to win a cup right now...I don't believe the Flyers can miss the playoffs ever again under Holmgren, and I do believe that they have to look like a contender...well...soon.

Maybe sooner than we thought. Which means...young guys could get moved.

I'm just bracing myself. I like Sean Couturier and Brayden Schenn, and I've been vocal about keeping them.

But for some reason...something's changed. The vibe you get now is that...something's changed.
- AllInForFlyers

If something's changed, maybe its a sense of urgency coming off of a non playoff season. That's a different element here. Re your earlier comments, the spirit of them would make bryz a goner for sure. It wouldn't surprise me if today's revelations from winter were yet another nudge maybe based on homer indicating to him that his current plan was to bring ilya back. Pure speculation on my part of course.

Another question that comes to mind. Would you be bracing yourself if the GM was a guy like Holland or sciarelli?

yeaaa but thats a big if. you need to find someone willing to take mesz's and coburn's contract. mesz's health is pretty questionable recently right?

but then you're talking moving coburn and mesz just so you have enough space to move coots and schenn and at that point you basically have redone the majority of the roster. as a rangers fan with experience from last offseason, a lot of turnover is a really bad thing.
- rangerdanger94

The Flyers have never been afraid of a lot of turnover, though -- they just aren't afraid of it. They aren't afraid of playing young players, and that could easily have been a factor in Peter Laviolette keeping his job, because he'll play young kids.

They missed the playoffs. I think it was Bob Clarke who once said that nobody should buy a house after you miss the playoffs.

I'm telling you right now that if Meszaros has been medically cleared, he won't be on this team next year. That's obvious to anybody who follows this team. He just won't be.

That rumor about Coburn and the 11th to move up...that one...I could easily see the Flyers doing that.

I wouldn't. But I could easily see the Flyers doing it.

i was gonna ask you if coburn has been playing at a $4.5 million level. i'm assuming he has by your reply tho haha.
- rangerdanger94

One subpar season. It happens. He's still a good d-man a lot of teams would be interesting in IMO. If they were to move Coburn, I think it'd be in a significant trade, not just a salary dump

i was gonna ask you if coburn has been playing at a $4.5 million level. i'm assuming he has by your reply tho haha.
- rangerdanger94

had a bad year last year, but has been a pretty solid top-4 defensive d-man for the bulk of his career. i think that if the flyers decided they were going to shop him they'd receive considerable interest. i'm not talking a king's ransom or anything, but it wouldn't be a give away type of situation

What if Bryzgalov retired tomorrow and took his cup ring from the Ducks back to Russia? Ouch
- eayost

He'd forfit a poop ton of money, that's what.