Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: WJC Camp, Knuble, Brind'Amour, Team of 2000s Line Combos

Good read Bill. I always loved Brindy. I just got back from a Godsmack concert. So I'm a little tired, deaf, and not wanting to go to work tomorrow. Oh well. So is life. Bill, get some sleep for God's sake.

It's fine until you get to the goalies - l know it's stale but that is just bad. At the end of the day in a dog fight I'd take Esche every day of the week. But it's all in good fun at this point

It's fine until you get to the goalies - l know it's stale but that is just bad. At the end of the day in a dog fight I'd take Esche every day of the week. But it's all in good fun at this point
- wilsonecho91

I laughed when I read Cechmanek.

How did Voracek make that list? He didn't even play for the Flyers that decade. Am I missing something?

Prongs and Kim - what a good paring that would be.

That primeau for Brindy trade still makes me sad.

How did Voracek make that list? He didn't even play for the Flyers that decade. Am I missing something?
- pens_66

It wasn't limited to just 2000-2009, but open to the years 2000-2013.

I laughed when I read Cechmanek.
- Blackstrom2

Based strictly on stats, Cechmanek is stellar. His lowest save % as a Flyer was .921 and his highest GAA was 2.05. Even in the playoffs, his numbers are solid : .909 and 2.33. Throw out his first playoff year, and his playoff numbers are just as good as his regular season numbers.

What happened to hagg?

I laughed when I read Cechmanek.
- Blackstrom2

You can laugh but Cechmanek may be the most underrated goalie in Flyers history. 1st season in Philly- 35-15, 2.01GAA, .921sv%. 2nd season- 24-13, 2.05GAA, .921sv%. 3rd season- 33-15, 1.83GAA, .925sv%... those are Vezina-caliber statistics. Unfortunately it's his 9-14, 2.33GAA, .909sv%, in the playoffs that ppl remember. Although he didn't get much help from his teammates. Cechmanek was elite during his 3 seasons in Philly (atleast in the regular season).

And speaking of underrated players ... Brind'amour was awesome. A 1-2 punch of Lindros-Brind'amour, in their primes, could rival almost any center combo in today's game. Both are HOF quality, IMO. I loved Primeau but I kinda wish we had kept Brindy. Of course then we wouldn't have witnessed Primeau's 5OT winner against Pittsburgh in 2000 or his game-tying goal in game 6 of the 2004 ECFs with under 2minutes against Tampa. It's tough to decide who I'd rather have.

What happened to hagg?
- Just5

Nothing that I have seen.

Good lines, Just cant see how Briere isnt in the starting lineup, Gagne-Forsberg-Briere would be nice. Richards-Roenick-Voracek, Hartnell-Primeau-Carter

Based strictly on stats, Cechmanek is stellar. His lowest save % as a Flyer was .921 and his highest GAA was 2.05. Even in the playoffs, his numbers are solid : .909 and 2.33. Throw out his first playoff year, and his playoff numbers are just as good as his regular season numbers.
- Jsaquella

The way he was treated here -- and remembered still -- is nigh criminal.

Man it would have been so sick to have Giroux and Forsberg as our centers in the same year....

You can laugh but Cechmanek may be the most underrated goalie in Flyers history. 1st season in Philly- 35-15, 2.01GAA, .921sv%. 2nd season- 24-13, 2.05GAA, .921sv%. 3rd season- 33-15, 1.83GAA, .925sv%... those are Vezina-caliber statistics. Unfortunately it's his 9-14, 2.33GAA, .909sv%, in the playoffs that ppl remember. Although he didn't get much help from his teammates. Cechmanek was elite during his 3 seasons in Philly (atleast in the regular season).

And speaking of underrated players ... Brind'amour was awesome. A 1-2 punch of Lindros-Brind'amour, in their primes, could rival almost any center combo in today's game. Both are HOF quality, IMO. I loved Primeau but I kinda wish we had kept Brindy. Of course then we wouldn't have witnessed Primeau's 5OT winner against Pittsburgh in 2000 or his game-tying goal in game 6 of the 2004 ECFs with under 2minutes against Tampa. It's tough to decide who I'd rather have.
- phillyphanatic

Brind'Amour also had a cool Nike commercial based on him while a Flyer: the Panthers goalie who turned to robbing banks with a skate.

The way he was treated here -- and remembered still -- is nigh criminal.
- Flyskippy

Most of what I remember from him is the soft goals in the playoffs. Is that fair? Maybe not but thats the case

Good lines, Just cant see how Briere isnt in the starting lineup, Gagne-Forsberg-Briere would be nice. Richards-Roenick-Voracek, Hartnell-Primeau-Carter
- GOA88

Again, you can make a case for Briere, but he was never able to adapt to playing wing.

Most of what I remember from him is the soft goals in the playoffs. Is that fair? Maybe not but thats the case
- GOA88

Not, but it's how I remember Leighton; Game 6, OT, through the legs on an awful shot.
And it's how I remember Carter: Game 6, end of regulation, half a net to shoot at, and our sniper shoots it at the goalie.

Sadly, it's the bad things that are more easily remembered.

Not, but it's how I remember Leighton; Game 6, OT, through the legs on an awful shot.
And it's how I remember Carter: Game 6, end of regulation, half a net to shoot at, and our sniper shoots it at the goalie.

Sadly, it's the bad things that are more easily remembered.
- jmatchett383

Im not sure I have the capacity to forgive those awful performances. I mean....WTF
Losing that cup finals still stings, I was pretty bent out of shape after losing that game. I've been... NO, WE HAVE ALL been waiting our whole lives to watch the flyers win the cup unless you were born in the 60's

Im not sure I have the capacity to forgive those awful performances. I mean....WTF
Losing that cup finals still stings, I was pretty bent out of shape after losing that game. I've been... NO, WE HAVE ALL been waiting our whole lives to watch the flyers win the cup unless you were born in the 60's
- GOA88

I still can't watch the OT highlights. When Kane (sorta? what?) scored, the place went dead silent. Never in my life have I been in a quieter hockey arena, and I've been to a game in Columbus.
I actually kinda feel bad for Chicago fans on that one. They didn't have their big moment, because no one besides Kane knew what happened. There was a Hawks fan a few rows in front of me who kinda half stood up, and wasn't sure what to do. Like, he had no idea if they had won or not.

Brind'Amour earned a spot in the 1992 NHL All-Star Game, which was played at the Philadelphia Spectrum.

It's unconscionable that the NHL hasn't had the All-Star game in one of the only sports arenas in the country that wasn't built with public funds.

I still can't watch the OT highlights. When Kane (sorta? what?) scored, the place went dead silent. Never in my life have I been in a quieter hockey arena, and I've been to a game in Columbus.
I actually kinda feel bad for Chicago fans on that one. They didn't have their big moment, because no one besides Kane knew what happened. There was a Hawks fan a few rows in front of me who kinda half stood up, and wasn't sure what to do. Like, he had no idea if they had won or not.
- jmatchett383

Basically its the worst ending to a cup finals ever. Im pretty sure of that. Because most if not all the time you dont have such a sup par goaltender playing in the finals to allow what I call a gift goal. "Here you go guys!!! this ones on me!!!"

It was only in his final couple years in Carolina that people leaguewide started to realize just how good his career was in many different aspects of the game.

Brind'Amour's winning the Selke in Carolina was analagous to Scott Rolen making the All-Star team in St. Louis.

Both of them should have had more league wide recognition when they were in Philly.

I still can't watch the OT highlights. When Kane (sorta? what?) scored, the place went dead silent. Never in my life have I been in a quieter hockey arena, and I've been to a game in Columbus.
I actually kinda feel bad for Chicago fans on that one. They didn't have their big moment, because no one besides Kane knew what happened. There was a Hawks fan a few rows in front of me who kinda half stood up, and wasn't sure what to do. Like, he had no idea if they had won or not.
- jmatchett383

I was in shock. It was such a harmless play... it was like Leighton wasn't even paying attention...

Dude probably woulda been a better goalie for us if he took some Adderall or something. His side to side movements were boarder-line pathetic and we almost won a cup with him. It will always boggle my mind that we got that close with him.

Basically its the worst ending to a cup finals ever. Im pretty sure of that. Because most if not all the time you dont have such a sup par goaltender playing in the finals to allow what I call a gift goal. "Here you go guys!!! this ones on me!!!"
- GOA88

Yeah... It should have been a good goalie like Halak with the Habs playing in that series.