- mhp

Hey dude, how are things?

Hey dude, how are things?
- whipper334

very well good sir, how are you up there?

Anaheim and Phoenix were indeed non hockey cities as said above. They also had elite defenses and defensive minded coaches.

Philly, on the other hand, is a hockey town with a brutal media and poor defense (or did prior to this season).


Who is Edmonton closer to?

Who is Edmonton closer to?
- Hesh_

Santa Claus

Look, I turned on Bryz later than most Philly fans. I liked him. I loved his interviews (I still do). I tried to defend him by saying "he's a victim of double deflections and poor defensive play"!

And he was!

But he also was good for a weak goal every game. In addition he was USELESS on an odd man rush. Yeah, that's a breakdown on defense, but the Oil certainly let those up and you have to have a goalie that bails you out SOMETIMES.

Bryz did not.

Bryz was a failed experiment.

Look, I like both him and the oilers, so I wish them the best. I'm happy with Mason right now (how could I not be), so honestly best of luck to both of them

I just don't see it as a good marriage.

Hopefully I'm wrong.

My $.02 on Bryz:

He was and may still be capable of being a top 5-10 NHL goaltender. That is of course partially based on the system that is played in front of him. He is also as we who were/are goaltenders would call a case.

Bryz has a lot of talent, and a lot of it is wasted on off ice crap. He gets hung up on who and what and when and not stopping the next shot. During his hot streak in Philly he was devoutly stopping the puck and keeping his mouth shut. His teammates seemed to rally to that Bryz. The one who blamed his teammates for not collecting the puck when he couldn't make an outlet pass 12 feet...that one not so much...

If the Oilers play a system like Phoenix and the team, as a team, realizes that they are there to help him build/pad his stats...then all will be fine. Once any of the above doesn't happen...look out. That was the case in Anaheim when although he was statistically better than Giggy, the team to a player wanted him gone...in Phoenix where they had no interest in offering him the kind of money he would have gotten even if the Flyers hadn't gone crazy on him...and well, in Philly where it was worth $50 million no to have him around.

He's not as terrible as people make him out to be.
He's just a goof that got paid way too much.

Now his play in the playoffs...that was pretty turrible.

He's not as terrible as people make him out to be.
He's just a goof that got paid way too much.

Now his play in the playoffs...that was pretty turrible.
- houseofcards74

Lol.

No. No he was terrible in the regular season as a Flyer as well

Like I said, I liked the guy. MAYBE he was just terrible as a Flyer.

But c'mon flyers fans. You know all of you, even the best of us, said "aw Christ, Bryz" at least once a game.

I ran out of excuses and accepted the truth.

Look, defend him all you want fans of cities that have yet to experience him, but the guy is worthless on the odd man rush, and Edmonton gives a ton of those up.

very well good sir, how are you up there?
- mhp

MAXIMUM HORSE POWER!!!!!!!

MAXIMUM HORSE POWER!!!!!!!
- weirdoh

Hi weirdoh.

Does anyone else see the irony with Bryz signing in edmonton? I'm mean seriously, after the comments he made about the coyotes possibly moving to winnipeg I can't believe he's playing in a place where its winter 7 months of the year. I do like this signing in edmonton though, I dont think the tending can get worse. Dubs is over rated imo and edmonton needs solid, I can only hope bryz shows he wants to stay in the nhl. this will likely be his last shot.

Does anyone else see the irony with Bryz signing in edmonton? I'm mean seriously, after the comments he made about the coyotes possibly moving to winnipeg I can't believe he's playing in a place where its winter 7 months of the year. I do like this signing in edmonton though, I dont think the tending can get worse. Dubs is over rated imo and edmonton needs solid, I can only hope bryz shows he wants to stay in the nhl. this will likely be his last shot.
- Myron1982

He's Russian doesn't Russia have some pretty nasty winter weather ? I think he will survive in Edmonton just fine...

So, being more interesting and thoughtful than a garden-variety laconic jock makes you a bad teammate?

Rye & gingers for everyone!
- oniremosewa

no but openly criticizing teammates, bringing unnecessary scrutiny to your locker room, and generally being average while doing it does.
stellar play covers a multitude of crazy antics; bryz doesn't play to that level enough

God I hope so.
Is he a good enough goalie to steal a game or 2 when his team plays like crap? Is he good enough to stop the easy shots he's supposed to stop?

Dubnyk unfortunately doesn't do these things very often. I can't see how this isn't an upgrade .

Like I said, I liked the guy. MAYBE he was just terrible as a Flyer.

But c'mon flyers fans. You know all of you, even the best of us, said "aw Christ, Bryz" at least once a game.

I ran out of excuses and accepted the truth.

Look, defend him all you want fans of cities that have yet to experience him, but the guy is worthless on the odd man rush, and Edmonton gives a ton of those up.
- Hesh_

I agree with these points. I might have been the last guy to give up on Bryz in Philly. He is terrible in a shootout, which unfortunately, is part of today's game and is to stay, even if it has nothing to do with hockey. He also lets in the easy goal every game. Player shoots, Bryz drops to his knees and the puck scores high over his left shoulder. He also is a nightmare with the puck. Once things go bad, he shrinks. Edmonton is clearly a great hockey town, which has had a poor team for too long. The pressure will be there too. I have no idea if the Edmonton media is as clueless as Philly's but today's media is basically the same every where. They are cut out of the same clothe (lazy and uninformed and looking for the easy story), so I don't expect that to be any different.

I think it says a lot that three teams now just wanted him gone, even though he played well, at times, for all of them. The Flyers even paid 22 million over 14 years ($1.5 million a year), maybe more, just so he would be gone.

He's Russian doesn't Russia have some pretty nasty winter weather ? I think he will survive in Edmonton just fine...
- jaumiller

I completely agree. it was a jab at bryz. when things are good he wouldnt have considered edmonton. now that his career needs help, he ends up on a team in need.

No, a situation like Edmonton is the worst possible landing spot for him. Sure, he could win the job, the talented Oilers could go on a run, and it will be looked back on as a genius maneuver; however, the more likely scenario is that Bryz struggles behind a worse defense than he played with in Philly, insults the city of Edmonton (like he did with Philly and Winnipeg), undermines Dubnyk's confidence even more, and becomes a true cancer in a locker room full of young, impressionable, youth on their correct development tracks. Not to mention he's not even that great of a goalie. Better than Jason Lababera or Richard Bachman? Probably, but is it really worth it to bring in the circus that could provide you maybe 3 or 4 more wins?

I've seen Bryz play A LOT, and I'm so tired of hearing from casual fans from other cities: "who could win with that supporting cast?!"... I'm telling you ppl it was 75% Bryz, 25% team. The guy is slower than molasses post to post. He's literally scared of the puck coming at him (I know natural human reaction, but these guys aren't supposed to be normal). He's guaranteed to let in atleast one soft goal on a nightly basis, and they're usually back-breakers. His rebound control is subpar and teams look forward to playing him. He's just average; there's no other way to put. anyone who's watched him outside Tippets system knows (hell his own country, who's trying to poach any and every Russian didn't want him). it could pay huge dividends and MacT looks like a genius or it blows up and we Philadelphians get to laugh at someone else's Bryzgalov misfortunes . Either way I'll be watching... but maybe that's the point.

Bryz needs to be in a place where the media doesn't care. SJ, Clb, etc
- Bieksa#3

This is one of the smarter comments.

He also played in front of a decent D-group for 2 years. Keith Yandle, Ed Jovanovski, Adrian Aucoin, Zbynek Michalek, Jim Vandermeer, and Sami Lepisto. Now that's a pretty decent defense core, no doubt. Also note: Team finished with the 4th most wins in the NHL. 5th best team in the NHL even strength. Finished 17th Shots against. It could got either way. I don't see him as the savior. Could also get completely embarrsed and then EDM will need to do something drastic. How many #1 picks do my oilers need

This is one of the smarter comments.

He also played in front of a decent D-group for 2 years. Keith Yandle, Ed Jovanovski, Adrian Aucoin, Zbynek Michalek, Jim Vandermeer, and Sami Lepisto. Now that's a pretty decent defense core, no doubt. Also note: Team finished with the 4th most wins in the NHL. 5th best team in the NHL even strength. Finished 17th Shots against. It could got either way. I don't see him as the savior. Could also get completely embarrsed and then EDM will need to do something drastic. How many #1 picks do my oilers need
- King_Karlsson

That's why this is all on MacT, who said he's been talking to Bryz for months. So, I'm sure lots of Fans from all over will be watching Edm as the developments occur!

yes. I'm sure he is hellbent on proving he can be a number one.
how this even remotely seen as negative is asinine.
well worth the risk.
the oilers would be above 500 with even mediocre goaltending.
their current threesome is absolutely abysmal.
- Barx

they have two regulation wins...its not all goal tending their D is terrible. And I don't see the point of signing this guy to a one year deal when the team is already out of contention.

This is nothing more than another fan poll. How about some insight from an insider once in a while? Even Flyerbuzz would be better than this. Who cares what the team battling for worst record is doing, unless it's a trade? If your goal is finishing last and keeping the media busy not dwelling on it, then Bryz is an absolutely brilliant addition to your team. Where have all the rumors gone?

I completely agree. it was a jab at bryz. when things are good he wouldnt have considered edmonton. now that his career needs help, he ends up on a team in need.
- Myron1982

If they can get a defense to function in front of him he should be decent.

Generally, I think the overall take on the story is pretty good.

But, I think it is somewhat dismissive of the importance of the tv 24/7 coverage. Right now CH 24 is ripping the Montreal dressing room in much the same way. Subban and Therrien are shown as being in conflict and it is causing all kinds of speculation about major problems in the dressing room.

All dressing rooms are made up of a diverse mix of personalities with idiosyncratic behaviors. The broadcasters have an interest in hyping entertainment. So, they focus on the controversial and it only serves to alienate team members.

I believe that Bryzgalov would still be a Flyer if the 24/7 coverage had not happened. Despite the 24/7 coverage it was not wise for the Flyers to buy out Bryzgalov, many of us said so at the time. They had a two year window to exercise the option.

they have two regulation wins...its not all goal tending their D is terrible. And I don't see the point of signing this guy to a one year deal when the team is already out of contention.
- flashfire

to show their fans who pay the bills that they actually give at least a wee fukk whether they win another game this season.