agreed, and nor should he look to move him. i would also suggest that even if he did look, he would not find a trading partner.
- hammarby31

He showed signs of being what they need. Not perfect but when he was on he was very good.

I that half the people on here ripping into him have teams that either didn't make the playoffs or got knocked out before the Flyers. Anyone who watched the series knows he wasn't the reason they lost.

My opinion of Bryz is simply this. We didn't lose this series because of Bryz. This season wasn't pissed away because of Bryz. In my opinion 24/7 was the worst thing to happen to Ilya Bryzgalov. Not only did Bryz have the local media on him all season long for his universe comments but the entire league. The guy was just trying to explain that he's a simple and easy going guy. He likes to learn and he likes to read and yet this was all used against him. I'm sure those comments about the Tigers would have been said with or without the cameras in the room. All I know is, he has one season of being a Flyer under his belt and he has to come back stronger next season.

As for the Flyers as a whole, a lot of players including Giroux just mailed it in. I think Talbot and Briere are probably the only 2 players who didn't...
- roenick97

Briere was crap defensively

I wish people would wake up...problem this year wasn't bryz, put any goalie in there with the horrible team defense and they would do the same bryz will be stellar if he get support like he did in march

Homer has work to do, but I think we have more defensive depth than people realize.

Lots of people itch and moan about not having that bona fide #1 beast dman (especially since Kimmo has been declining). With this being said, let's look at our defense corps:

Kimmo- the iron horse is finally showing his age, but he's still as reliable as they come. Will he return? His salary is declining with his health, and soon he'll be completely off the books.

Coburn- he's really rounding into form as a top pairing guy. At best, Braydon can be called an above average 2nd pair guy.

Carle- ahhhhhhh good ol Matty Carle. The muffinman. He has his ups and downs, and I don't expect him to be a Flyer next season. We can ignore him, for my purposes.

Mez- he's showed flashes of solid play in both the D and O zones. Definitely a solid player, and still has some time to improve. I'd say there's no question that he's a 2nd pairing player on most teams.

Lilja- though I scapegoated him, maybe sometimes unfairly, throughout the season, he came here to be the veteran #7 that can step in when needed, and he did in a major way. I believe he exceeded expectations.

Gus- finally...it looks like we've actually groomed an NHL dman. Gus is promising to me, and has the tools to grow into a solid defenseman. Right now, he's still going to play on the 3rd pair.

Grossmann- nothing needs to be said here. A great defenseman. A lot like Kimmo...just roll him out and forget it.

So, even with Pronger as a question mark, I think our D depth is overlooked. And in letting Carle walk, we could have some dough here to provide short term plugs until Prongs and Kimmo come off the books.

Once that happens, we can definitely get that stud we're looking for. To which I say, "Watch out, NHL."

Just some random observations....kind of rambling. What can I say. I'm a ramblin man (ALLMAN BROS REFERENCE).
- Giroux_Is_God

Grossman is not much like Kimmo IMO

Hoo boy.
- nfph

Grossman is not much like Kimmo IMO
- Just5

I meant he's like Kimmo in his reliability, not his style of play.

I meant he's like Kimmo in his reliability, not his style of play.
- Giroux_Is_God

I like Grossmann. He was a solid addition and a type of defenseman that every team needs. But he's being overrated by some.

I like Grossmann. He was a solid addition and a type of defenseman that every team needs. But he's being overrated by some.
- MJL

How so?

Before he was hurt he was absolutely solid. He'd block shots, hit everything, separate players from the puck...I don't think he was very overrated.

I'm not going to lie and say I'm disappointed that the Flyers lost, you all know better anyways...but I will says this was a good season to build on by a young group. I don't think the letdown factor after beating the Pens can be underestimated. They Flyers played at such a high level in the Pens series and just couldn't maintain it. No shame in losing to Marty B either.

If there is an amnesty buyout, I use it on Briere.
- Jsaquella

Briere is good or the playoffs, I'd use it on Bryz. I think the Flyers organization would too.

He said(paraphrasing here), "It'd be crazy to comapre the firefighters and police to hockey players..."

Then he compared firefighters and police officers to hockey players. It was stellar.
- Jsaquella

Ever have a dream where you're driving and you tap the brake, and realize there's no brake? I'm thinkin Ron just lived that dream.

I also think that Bryzgalov, now that he's seen and dealt with the city, it's fans and media is going to rebound strongly.
- Jsaquella

Ditto. And I can't wait so that the dummies can stfu.

Briere was crap defensively
- Richieattack18

Yes...and if amnesty is there....well, you all know my position. Same position over this whole season. He scores goals. Many times timely goals. But he is also put in the ice in the most convenient of situations and places.

I meant he's like Kimmo in his reliability, not his style of play.
- Giroux_Is_God

I havent seen enough to put him in that category either. I like him and I think his injuries really hampered him. Heres to hoping the knees feel better next year.

He said(paraphrasing here), "It'd be crazy to comapre the firefighters and police to hockey players..."

Then he compared firefighters and police officers to hockey players. It was stellar.
- Jsaquella

@DownGoesBrown: No athlete should ever be compared to firefighters. Except for Leaf goalies, since they're constantly around sirens and flashing red lights.

Is there a presser tommorow on Pronger or was that a BS post?

@DownGoesBrown: No athlete should ever be compared to firefighters. Except for Leaf goalies, since they're constantly around sirens and flashing red lights.


- Scoob

I like Grossmann. He was a solid addition and a type of defenseman that every team needs. But he's being overrated by some.
- MJL

I overrate him because I love his game. The Flyers need a guy like him on the backend. A physical player who also blocks a ton of shots. He obviously wasnt the same after the knee injury and the concussion. Come next year I'm expecting him to be that guy he was before.

I'm not going to lie and say I'm disappointed that the Flyers lost, you all know better anyways...but I will says this was a good season to build on by a young group. I don't think the letdown factor after beating the Pens can be underestimated. They Flyers played at such a high level in the Pens series and just couldn't maintain it. No shame in losing to Marty B either.
- Emperor Filonius

i don't know how much stock i put in the letdown factor for an entire series. they should have been able to move past the pens and focus on their next opponent. they had a whole (frank)ing week to put it behind them.

and afaic, they didn't lose to marty, he was a nonfactor. they lost to the team in front of him. he had very little to do as the series moved along, particularly in the 2nd half of games.

i don't know how much stock i put in the letdown factor for an entire series. they should have been able to move past the pens and focus on their next opponent. they had a whole (frank)ing week to put it behind them.

and afaic, they didn't lose to marty, he was a nonfactor. they lost to the team in front of him. he had very little to do as the series moved along, particularly in the 2nd half of games.
- hammarby31

His biggest contribution was handling the puck that came on the dump in. I guess theres something to be said for that. He blew other than that I agree. He fought the puck the whole time. If only the flyers would have made him work.

I wish people would wake up...problem this year wasn't bryz, put any goalie in there with the horrible team defense and they would do the same bryz will be stellar if he get support like he did in march
- Philly1980

He played unbelievable in March and was not the problem they lost to NJ. I agree with this post that the team defense needs to be vastly improved this year. If we had a Holtby, Smith, even Broduer, the Flyers would have not made it past NJ.

How so?

Before he was hurt he was absolutely solid. He'd block shots, hit everything, separate players from the puck...I don't think he was very overrated.
- Giroux_Is_God

Comparing him to Timonen is overrating him. He is a nice 2nd pair defensive defenseman. A valuable player to a team.

Briere is good or the playoffs, I'd use it on Bryz. I think the Flyers organization would too.
- Richieattack18

No they wouldn't.

i don't know how much stock i put in the letdown factor for an entire series. they should have been able to move past the pens and focus on their next opponent. they had a whole (frank)ing week to put it behind them.

and afaic, they didn't lose to marty, he was a nonfactor. they lost to the team in front of him. he had very little to do as the series moved along, particularly in the 2nd half of games.
- hammarby31

Brodeur was a huge factor in the way he moved the puck and kept the Flyers from getting a forecheck going. It was like having a 3rd defenseman back there.

His biggest contribution was handling the puck that came on the dump in. I guess theres something to be said for that. He blew other than that I agree. He fought the puck the whole time. If only the flyers would have made him work.
- Just5

true..wasn't thinking about that. that's always been an element to his game, and he wasn't as good there as he normally is either. flyers executed poorly on the dump-ins and allowed him to get involved. he's lost his quickness and certainly his recovery ability for rebounds. he's just not that good anymore.