Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Bryzgalov Shines, Defense Expectations vs. Realities

Want to say Bryzgalov played a marvelous game! Now I am going to enjoy reading Bill's reflections on the game.

Being a typically Philadelphian I would say that we will end up with just enough wins to put us comfortably out of both the playoffs AND the lottery.

It's was clearly the best game Bryz played....and one of the few games where he did not give up a horrific goal. It makes a difference when your goalie plays like a top goalie!

I was so impressed with Bryzgalov last night I wanted to first comment without reading any other comments. Now having read Bill's thoughts I can say he is dead on in his evaluation of the game. I was really surprised by how much jump the Devils had in their legs. It seemed the Flyers were always a step behind in getting on the puck.

Having your goaltender steal a game can be great incentive for everyone else. These guys now know that they owe him one and they should come out stronger Monday.

Also thought Read looked more responsible than most of the other Flyer skaters most of the night.

Being a typically Philadelphian I would say that we will end up with just enough wins to put us comfortably out of both the playoffs AND the lottery.
- section32

New lottery rules make both impossible however 14th seed is less than 1% chance of winning lottery.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Bryzgalov Shines, Defense Expectations vs. Realities
- bmeltzer

I think Bill is way off base again.
Coburn is a good player that has struggled a bit like MANY players this season. I think the Fyers were right to extend him last year.
I agree on Grossmann.
Mez has had injury problems and Bill rights him off. I suggest he read the J. Roenick book where he spends a paragraph summarizing the serious injuries he suffered in his career and he did OK. It is nonsense to suggest that Mez has the easy lines to play against. The Flyers use him on the left and right side and always with different partners. He has played a handful of games and he is rated by Bill - should be a pass. Fortunately, the Flyers see more in him than Bill does.
Schenn has been a find. I hope they handle him appropriately. He could be solid for a long time.

The flyers improved a couple percentage points last night until that horrible 3rd period. Still an alarming rate of turnovers in the neutral zone, too many lost puck battles, unduscoplined play. They seemed to fix the issue of getting all three forwards caught deep in their zone leading to end to end breakaways. Lets see it their starting to lay a foundation

I think Bill is way off base again.
Coburn is a good player that has struggled a bit like MANY players this season. I think the Fyers were right to extend him last year.
I agree on Grossmann.
Mez has had injury problems and Bill rights him off. I suggest he read the J. Roenick book where he spends a paragraph summarizing the serious injuries he suffered in his career and he did OK. It is nonsense to suggest that Mez has the easy lines to play against. The Flyers use him on the left and right side and always with different partners. He has played a handful of games and he is rated by Bill - should be a pass. Fortunately, the Flyers see more in him than Bill does.
Schenn has been a find. I hope they handle him appropriately. He could be solid for a long time.
- strongsupporter

Didn't say they were wrong to extend Coburn at all. But he's really struggled this year in a year where he had to assert himself. One of the very few things that Chico Resch said last night that I agreed with was that the Flyers were counting on a lot more from Coburn this year than he's delivered.

Secondly, I didn't "right" Meszaros off. I said that back surgery, achilles tendon surgery and a separated shoulder (which he has also separated in the past) are a concern in a 12-month period.

Throughout his Flyers tenure, he's primarily played on the third pairing,which does not make him the #5 defenseman by ice time -- he has usually played right about 20 mins -- but it has gotten him into some more favorable defensive matchups at 5-on-5 over the years. That is the proper way to use him, because when Tampa tried to turn him into a shutdown D, he was a disaster.

In Meszaros' first year in Philly, the Pronger-Carle and Timonen-Coburn pairings got the tough matchups and Meszaros-O'Donnell thrived together as the third pair. Meszaros won the Barry Ashbee Trophy in that role.

In 2011-12, Meszaros struggled when moved up in the rotation early in the year and then settled in nicely again as the anchor of the third pair before the back surgery.

Meszaros can be very effective at times. He can also be very streaky in a negative way. When healthy, he's a good number three or four defenseman -- in a third-pairing role at even strength. That's just the reality of who he is. At age 27, he's in his prime years if his body cooperates a little more.

Didn't say they were wrong to extend Coburn at all. But he's really struggled this year in a year where he had to assert himself. One of the very few things that Chico Resch said last night that I agreed with was that the Flyers were counting on a lot more from Coburn this year than he's delivered.

Secondly, I didn't "right" Meszaros off. I said that back surgery, achilles tendon surgery and a separated shoulder (which he has also separated in the past) are a concern in a 12-month period.

Throughout his Flyers tenure, he's primarily played on the third pairing,which does not make him the #5 defenseman by ice time -- he has usually played right about 20 mins -- but it has gotten him into some more favorable defensive matchups at 5-on-5 over the years. That is the proper way to use him, because when Tampa tried to turn him into a shutdown D, he was a disaster.

In Meszaros' first year in Philly, the Pronger-Carle and Timonen-Coburn pairings got the tough matchups and Meszaros-O'Donnell thrived together as the third pair. Meszaros won the Barry Ashbee Trophy in that role.

In 2011-12, Meszaros struggled when moved up in the rotation early in the year and then settled in nicely again as the anchor of the third pair before the back surgery.

Meszaros can be very effective at times. He can also be very streaky in a negative way. When healthy, he's a good number three or four defenseman -- in a third-pairing role at even strength. That's just the reality of who he is. At age 27, he's in his prime years if his body cooperates a little more.
- bmeltzer

Boom...

Didn't say they were wrong to extend Coburn at all. But he's really struggled this year in a year where he had to assert himself. One of the very few things that Chico Resch said last night that I agreed with was that the Flyers were counting on a lot more from Coburn this year than he's delivered.

Secondly, I didn't "right" Meszaros off. I said that back surgery, achilles tendon surgery and a separated shoulder (which he has also separated in the past) are a concern in a 12-month period.

Throughout his Flyers tenure, he's primarily played on the third pairing,which does not make him the #5 defenseman by ice time -- he has usually played right about 20 mins -- but it has gotten him into some more favorable defensive matchups at 5-on-5 over the years. That is the proper way to use him, because when Tampa tried to turn him into a shutdown D, he was a disaster.

In Meszaros' first year in Philly, the Pronger-Carle and Timonen-Coburn pairings got the tough matchups and Meszaros-O'Donnell thrived together as the third pair. Meszaros won the Barry Ashbee Trophy in that role.

In 2011-12, Meszaros struggled when moved up in the rotation early in the year and then settled in nicely again as the anchor of the third pair before the back surgery.

Meszaros can be very effective at times. He can also be very streaky in a negative way. When healthy, he's a good number three or four defenseman -- in a third-pairing role at even strength. That's just the reality of who he is. At age 27, he's in his prime years if his body cooperates a little more.
- bmeltzer

nice of you to right him back.

nice of you to right him back.
- Don'tForgetTocchet

any word on why gagne didn't play in OT?

- tangent_man

lol

Didn't say they were wrong to extend Coburn at all. But he's really struggled this year in a year where he had to assert himself. One of the very few things that Chico Resch said last night that I agreed with was that the Flyers were counting on a lot more from Coburn this year than he's delivered.

Secondly, I didn't "right" Meszaros off. I said that back surgery, achilles tendon surgery and a separated shoulder (which he has also separated in the past) are a concern in a 12-month period.

Throughout his Flyers tenure, he's primarily played on the third pairing,which does not make him the #5 defenseman by ice time -- he has usually played right about 20 mins -- but it has gotten him into some more favorable defensive matchups at 5-on-5 over the years. That is the proper way to use him, because when Tampa tried to turn him into a shutdown D, he was a disaster.

In Meszaros' first year in Philly, the Pronger-Carle and Timonen-Coburn pairings got the tough matchups and Meszaros-O'Donnell thrived together as the third pair. Meszaros won the Barry Ashbee Trophy in that role.

In 2011-12, Meszaros struggled when moved up in the rotation early in the year and then settled in nicely again as the anchor of the third pair before the back surgery.

Meszaros can be very effective at times. He can also be very streaky in a negative way. When healthy, he's a good number three or four defenseman -- in a third-pairing role at even strength. That's just the reality of who he is. At age 27, he's in his prime years if his body cooperates a little more.
- bmeltzer

you're write, Bill

Didn't say they were wrong to extend Coburn at all. But he's really struggled this year in a year where he had to assert himself. One of the very few things that Chico Resch said last night that I agreed with was that the Flyers were counting on a lot more from Coburn this year than he's delivered.

Secondly, I didn't "right" Meszaros off. I said that back surgery, achilles tendon surgery and a separated shoulder (which he has also separated in the past) are a concern in a 12-month period.

Throughout his Flyers tenure, he's primarily played on the third pairing,which does not make him the #5 defenseman by ice time -- he has usually played right about 20 mins -- but it has gotten him into some more favorable defensive matchups at 5-on-5 over the years. That is the proper way to use him, because when Tampa tried to turn him into a shutdown D, he was a disaster.

In Meszaros' first year in Philly, the Pronger-Carle and Timonen-Coburn pairings got the tough matchups and Meszaros-O'Donnell thrived together as the third pair. Meszaros won the Barry Ashbee Trophy in that role.

In 2011-12, Meszaros struggled when moved up in the rotation early in the year and then settled in nicely again as the anchor of the third pair before the back surgery.

Meszaros can be very effective at times. He can also be very streaky in a negative way. When healthy, he's a good number three or four defenseman -- in a third-pairing role at even strength. That's just the reality of who he is. At age 27, he's in his prime years if his body cooperates a little more.
- bmeltzer

Bill; Re Mez - it's your judgemental comments that bother me. For example, can you source your comments that in Tampa he was a 'disaster'? The then GM didn't think so - the whole team was a mess. They have not done that well without him
In Ottawa, he was not a bottom group defensemen - he played three years there and got himself a six year $24 million extension (and for those who will interject that it was because he played with Chara, he didn't).
When he played with O'Donnell (part time), did you ever think he elevated O'Ds game?
I really fail to see how you rank Schenn or the others (except perhaps Kimmo) above Mez. Before the injury last year, he was encouraged to hit and to charge the net. I noticed that you said then that he was always out of position. A forward is supposed to cover in those situations.
I am ranting, not because of your "opinions", but because of your "judgements".
I still read your stuff every day (and mostly enjoy it).

good write up, i was thinking to myself last night it was bryz best game as a flyer, total brick wall.

last nights game does not change what i have been feeling all season, trade briere and kimmo and hope for a #1 or #2 pick.

boy, briere looks like a wounded bird out there, he is obviously half as fast as i recall

i guees all of us dreamers can forget about oel, another top dman scratched of our list.

im $hitting myself at the thought we dont make the playoffs or have an early exit and miss out on a top pick, i wish we would get out of the middle.

good write up, i was thinking to myself last night it was bryz best game as a flyer, total brick wall.

last nights game does not change what i have been feeling all season, trade briere and kimmo and hope for a #1 or #2 pick.

boy, briere looks like a wounded bird out there, he is obviously half as fast as i recall
- mydoglicks

I don't see either of them being traded.

I don't see either of them being traded.
- Feanor

Kimmo won't be. The team needs him next year. Briere prob won't be only Bc of his own poor play. I would agree neither get traded

As always, good stuff Mr. Meltzer.

Kimmo won't be. The team needs him next year. Briere prob won't be only Bc of his own poor play. I would agree neither get traded
- Just5

it would behoove them to trade briere since he seems like a lock to be bought out.

Another aspect to this team is everyone is handed their roles on a silver platter. There is nobody in the minor leagues to even push the bottom 6 grouping. You can keep making dumb decisions. Like jumping into a player with under 2 minutes in a tie game. And not have repurcussion. Where is the incentive to change

Bill; Re Mez - it's your judgemental comments that bother me. For example, can you source your comments that in Tampa he was a 'disaster'? The then GM didn't think so - the whole team was a mess. They have not done that well without him
In Ottawa, he was not a bottom group defensemen - he played three years there and got himself a six year $24 million extension (and for those who will interject that it was because he played with Chara, he didn't).
When he played with O'Donnell (part time), did you ever think he elevated O'Ds game?
I really fail to see how you rank Schenn or the others (except perhaps Kimmo) above Mez. Before the injury last year, he was encouraged to hit and to charge the net. I noticed that you said then that he was always out of position. A forward is supposed to cover in those situations.
I am ranting, not because of your "opinions", but because of your "judgements".
I still read your stuff every day (and mostly enjoy it).
- strongsupporter

In Ottawa Mez played split times between Phillips and Volchenkov, depending on the time and situation, he was either a 2nd or 3rd pairing defenseman up there as well. He was never a 1st pair and when he was like Bill pointed out in Tampa it was atrocious. The only thing you need to look at is the play of the individual not what the teams churns out. In Ottawa there was only 1 first pairing guy, Redden, he was usually paired with Volchenkov, but he saw many different guys with him as well. (Post Chara)

it would behoove them to trade briere since he seems like a lock to be bought out.
- isaiah520

I could see the Flyers trading Briere as a rental, the team he goes to buying him out in the offseason and then resigning in Philly for a MUCH lower cap hit

Another aspect to this team is everyone is handed their roles on a silver platter. There is nobody in the minor leagues to even push the bottom 6 grouping. You can keep making dumb decisions. Like jumping into a player with under 2 minutes in a tie game. And not have repurcussion. Where is the incentive to change
- Just5

i agree 100%

hopefully we can have laughton & cousins on the phantoms next year, provide a little competition (not sure if laughton is eligible for the ahl yet). maybe mcginn won't be in a starting role immediately as well