Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: On Reese, Bryz and Granqvist

Not every goalie is a head case but there are probably more strangely idiosyncratic space cadets among the goaltending fraternity than all the rest of the players combined. Since most goalie coaches are themselves from the puck stopping ranks it is likely that a few of the goalie coaches might also be different in an eccentric sort of way.

I know it is not the most popular point of view but I thought Holmgren should have given Bryzgalov another year to try and figure it out. I think he is a good goalie in need of an attitude adjustment. But, he can play. Holmgren had another year left on the amnesty buy out option.

I have been a strong supporter of Holmgren's management style and I think everything he has done over the last few years has set the Flyers up to be an elite contending team for many years to come. But, Emery and/or Mason replacing Bryzgalov might prove problematic.

It's not like Bryzgalov was lights out in the playoffs for the Coyotes nor did he endear himself to Coyotes teammates (at least if Derek Morris and Adrian Aucoin were shooting straight in public comments after the goalie's departure) any more than he subsequently did in Philly. The goalie allegedly has a long-time locker room reputation for openly blaming teammates, especially his defensemen, when opposing teams scored goals against him. Then again, Bryz has also been known to literally embrace a teammate who bailed him out after one of his own mistakes, as Bryzgalov memorably did this past season when he threw his arms around Nicklas Grossmann in a bearhug after the big Swede blocked a shot with Bryzgalov caught far out of the net.

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Be careful Bill, I've been clearly told by a poster on this board over and over that unless every player on the team plus the coaches make a sworn affidavit that Bryz is difficult to play with and throws teammates under the bus, that the people who do speak out against him have an agenda. I've been told that the Redwings would've made Brodeur and Roy in their primes look bad in those 2 playoff years in Phoneix. It's not Bryz's fault, leave him alone

I think Russia made the correct choice in excluding him from the Olympics and I hope Bob wins the starting job. I will be rooting for him.

Bryz got 40 million reasons from Ed Snider not to care what Russia or the rest of the hockey world thinks.

It's not like Bryzgalov was lights out in the playoffs for the Coyotes nor did he endear himself to Coyotes teammates (at least if Derek Morris and Adrian Aucoin were shooting straight in public comments after the goalie's departure) any more than he subsequently did in Philly. The goalie allegedly has a long-time locker room reputation for openly blaming teammates, especially his defensemen, when opposing teams scored goals against him. Then again, Bryz has also been known to literally embrace a teammate who bailed him out after one of his own mistakes, as Bryzgalov memorably did this past season when he threw his arms around Nicklas Grossmann in a bearhug after the big Swede blocked a shot with Bryzgalov caught far out of the net.

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Be careful Bill, I've been clearly told by a poster on this board over and over that unless every player on the team plus the coaches make a sworn affidavit that Bryz is difficult to play with and throws teammates under the bus, that the people who do speak out against him have an agenda. I've been told that the Redwings would've made Brodeur and Roy in their primes look bad in those 2 playoff years in Phoneix. It's not Bryz's fault, leave him alone

I think Russia made the correct choice in excluding him from the Olympics and I hope Bob wins the starting job. I will be rooting for him.

Bryz got 40 million reasons from Ed Snider not to care what Russia or the rest of the hockey world thinks.
- Flyers_01

I love it when posters turn in to little babies on the internet because "a poster" said something they didn't like. At least show some balls and call him MJL.

I notice no one mentioned MJL yesterday when Bill's Jody Shelley blog basically echoed things MJL (notice I mention him by name again) had been saying about Jody Shelley all along and getting ripped by the same little babies.



I

Not every goalie is a head case but there are probably more strangely idiosyncratic space cadets among the goaltending fraternity than all the rest of the players combined. Since most goalie coaches are themselves from the puck stopping ranks it is likely that a few of the goalie coaches might also be different in an eccentric sort of way.

I know it is not the most popular point of view but I thought Holmgren should have given Bryzgalov another year to try and figure it out. I think he is a good goalie in need of an attitude adjustment. But, he can play. Holmgren had another year left on the amnesty buy out option.

I have been a strong supporter of Holmgren's management style and I think everything he has done over the last few years has set the Flyers up to be an elite contending team for many years to come. But, Emery and/or Mason replacing Bryzgalov might prove problematic.
- spatso

I was on the fence initially. Bryz is def still an NHL goalie. The contract and the off chance that he could get himself injured and thus escape a buyout is too big of a risk to take.

I don't know, but I'm pretty sure most players during exit interviews are tired of the circus surrounding him that's fabricated by local media. Which is a shame

2 things about bry's game bother me
1. He's not a battler. Initial saves get made yes, he's a positional goalie and his lack of effort on 2nd chances is awful

2. This should probably be put first. He might be the worst puck handler in the league. When mason came in it was like night and day how he was able to put the puck in a position where the dman could take it up ice. Honestly it's like adding a top pick moving dman to your squad. It can't be overstated

It's hard for me to blame Reese for Bryzgalov, when every other goalie he's worked with his done very well.

In Bryzgalov's case, the goalie simply didn't play consistently enough to stick around. I defended him, backed him and still feel he's a good goalie. But he's way too easily distracted and while I do not think that he's lazy or unwilling to work hard, he is not what I'd call a battler.

The trail of teammates who have been less than complimentary of Bryzgalov is long enough to accept that he can be a difficult guy to deal with. But that's no more than a mitigating factor. The bottom line is, Bryzgalov's level of play didn't even come close to justifying the financial and time commitments made to him by the Flyers.

Here we go again, another day another blog defending Bryz. Now it's Reese's fault that he didn't get along with Bryzgalov even though it's been well documented that most every teammate he has had doesn't like him. Bill even goes as far today as implying that Morris and Aucoin were lying when they made their comments about him to make the point. Unbelievable. It's also uncalled for to campaign for the Flyers to fire him and replace him with some guy in Sweden who has no NHL coaching experience simply because he must be superior to Reese since Bryz hasn't completely alienated him yet. Give him another month and I'm sure he will.

Bryz is the Antichrist, move along

Here we go again, another day another blog defending Bryz. Now it's Reese's fault that he didn't get along with Bryzgalov even though it's been well documented that most every teammate he has had doesn't like him. Bill even goes as far today as implying that Morris and Aucoin were lying when they made their comments about him to make the point. Unbelievable. It's also uncalled for to campaign for the Flyers to fire him and replace him with some guy in Sweden who has no NHL coaching experience simply because he must be superior to Reese since Bryz hasn't completely alienated him yet. Give him another month and I'm sure he will.
- lar6767

Reading is fundamental

Here we go again, another day another blog defending Bryz. Now it's Reese's fault that he didn't get along with Bryzgalov even though it's been well documented that most every teammate he has had doesn't like him. Bill even goes as far today as implying that Morris and Aucoin were lying when they made their comments about him to make the point. Unbelievable. It's also uncalled for to campaign for the Flyers to fire him and replace him with some guy in Sweden who has no NHL coaching experience simply because he must be superior to Reese since Bryz hasn't completely alienated him yet. Give him another month and I'm sure he will.
- lar6767

Any resemblance between this and what I actually blogged is purely coincidental. Wow.

I love it when posters turn in to little babies on the internet because "a poster" said something they didn't like. At least show some balls and call him MJL.

I notice no one mentioned MJL yesterday when Bill's Jody Shelley blog basically echoed things MJL (notice I mention him by name again) had been saying about Jody Shelley all along and getting ripped by the same little babies.



I

- MBFlyerfan

You do realize how ironic this post is don't you?

Just because you feel the need to defend a guy who is more than happy to defend himself (ad nauseum) doesn't mean he needs defending. He was more than happy to defend Bryz's record and personality to everyone on the board over and over and over and over and over and over, until he to was finally over Bryz.

I didn't really feel the need to comment on the Shelley thread. He was an overpaid, rarely used player on the ice but a heckuva teammate and hard worker off the ice. I don't think anyone disagrees with that so i'm not sure why you felt the need to bring it up but if you are that sensitive to MJL's needs maybe you and him need to have a heart to heart.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: On Reese, Bryz and Granqvist
- bmeltzer

Nice blog, Bill.

It gives an honest, balanced, and objective look at the goalie position just before and during the Breeze years. Not pointing the finger at anyone, just stating the reality of the unfortunate situation that (as was always my opinion) led to Bobo getting moved way too early, and the subsequent utter failure of the organization's attempt to solidify the goaltending carousel.

And nice plug for Granqvist. But Pasi Nurminen?

I'm sure (I hope) the ads were exaggerated to generate some interest in the team. But in reality if Nurminen's half of what's shown in the videos, he looks like Mike Keenan on crack.

Here we go again, another day another blog defending Bryz. Now it's Reese's fault that he didn't get along with Bryzgalov even though it's been well documented that most every teammate he has had doesn't like him. Bill even goes as far today as implying that Morris and Aucoin were lying when they made their comments about him to make the point. Unbelievable. It's also uncalled for to campaign for the Flyers to fire him and replace him with some guy in Sweden who has no NHL coaching experience simply because he must be superior to Reese since Bryz hasn't completely alienated him yet. Give him another month and I'm sure he will.
- lar6767

I'm hoping this is parody.

those commercials were great

It's not like Bryzgalov was lights out in the playoffs for the Coyotes nor did he endear himself to Coyotes teammates (at least if Derek Morris and Adrian Aucoin were shooting straight in public comments after the goalie's departure) any more than he subsequently did in Philly. The goalie allegedly has a long-time locker room reputation for openly blaming teammates, especially his defensemen, when opposing teams scored goals against him. Then again, Bryz has also been known to literally embrace a teammate who bailed him out after one of his own mistakes, as Bryzgalov memorably did this past season when he threw his arms around Nicklas Grossmann in a bearhug after the big Swede blocked a shot with Bryzgalov caught far out of the net.

-------------

Be careful Bill, I've been clearly told by a poster on this board over and over that unless every player on the team plus the coaches make a sworn affidavit that Bryz is difficult to play with and throws teammates under the bus, that the people who do speak out against him have an agenda. I've been told that the Redwings would've made Brodeur and Roy in their primes look bad in those 2 playoff years in Phoneix. It's not Bryz's fault, leave him alone

I think Russia made the correct choice in excluding him from the Olympics and I hope Bob wins the starting job. I will be rooting for him.

Bryz got 40 million reasons from Ed Snider not to care what Russia or the rest of the hockey world thinks.
- Flyers_01

and this ends today's lesson in exaggeration101

Wow couple testy people here today. Not me, had an awesome time last night at the Black Sabbath concert, Ozzy and the boys can still bring it!!

My top 10 list for today: Top 10 most influential figures in Flyers history other than players.

1. Ed Snider
Love him or hate him, Chairman Ed got the whole thing going here in Philly and without him, there may very well not have been NHL hockey in Philadelphia. Plus you gotta love a guy who will do anything to win and who told the Russians in '76 to get back on the ice if they want to get paid!

2. Keith Allen
The first coach and much more importantly, the architect of the Broad Street Bullies. They didn't call him "Keith the Thief" for nothing! He rarely lost a trade and drafted well too.

3. Fred Shero
The "Fog" was finally enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame this year, an honor that was LONG overdue! A brilliant coach and way ahead of his time, Freddie built the Flyers into the hardest working club in the league and led them to back to back cups and 3 straight trips to the finals.

4. Gene Hart
Besides being a fantastic announcer and ambassador for the team and hockey in general, Gene basically taught hockey to the Delaware Valley. All I can say is whether on the street or on the ice, everytime I or one of my teammates scored, it was FOR A CASE OF TASTYCAKE! Gene, you are missed!

5. Bob Clarke
Forget Bobby Clarke the player, I am only talking about Bob Clarke the GM here. Lord knows he had his faults, handling Lindros, patience, and understanding how to operate under a cap being 3 that quickly come to mind, but overall he was very successful as a GM. He had the sense to hire Mike Keenan, and go with youth in the mid 80s and he was able to build a club that most likely would have won a cup in many eras. He also came back in 94, and took over a team that was in disarray and quickly built that club into a contender too.

6. Joe Scott
Many fans won't remember Joe Scott, but he was a vital source of $$ for the team in its early days and without his financial contributions and his influence and standing in the Philadelphia financial community, the team may have never gotten off the ground. A class act.

7. Mike Keenan
Brought a level of intensity to the club that had not been seen the days of the Broad Street Bullies. "Iron Mike" certainly had a short shelf life, but he was the perfect coach for this team in the mid 80s. I truly feel a combination of injuries and having to face a team that seemed to be half made up of hall of famers are the only reasons his teams didn't win Lord Stanley's cup.

8. The Roberts family
While Ed Snider is still the unquestioned top dog of the Flyers, they would not be able to spend the way they have and compete with the Rangers and Red Wings of the world without the $$$ provided by Comcast and the Roberts family. While I curse them every month when my cable bill arrives, it's a lot better than having the type of unstable or shaky ownership that plagues many NHL teams. I also respect the fact that they let Snider, who truly lives and dies with team, run the club in a manner in which winning is just as important as turning a profit.

9. Paul Holmgren
Homer has his detractors to be sure, but he has managed to keep the club competitive nearly every season in the cap era, something few other teams can say. His record the 1st round of the draft is excellent and he is never afraid to make a bold move to try and improve the team. Finally, he still may have the most intimidating stare in the NHL!

10. Bob McCammon
Couldn't stand him as a coach, but his '82 and '83 drafts as GM were amazing. He selected the following players: Ron Sutter, Miroslav Dvorak, Ron Hextall, Dave Brown, Peter Zezel, Pelle Eklund, Rick Tocchet and Derrick Smith. Thats pretty impressive group and without those drafts, the Flyers don't have nearly as much success in the mid 80s

Just missed the cut:
Lou Scheinfeld - was responsible for marketing the club in the late 60s and 70s and will always be remembered for being the guy who first played "God Bless America" at the start of a game and who brought in Kate Smith to sing live.

Ken Hitchcock - brought discipline and a hard work ethic to team badly in need of it in 2002.

Russ Farwell - drafted Forsberg, acquired Brind'amour and Recchi and pulled off the Lindros deal which helped build the Wells Fargo Center. His achilles heel was his inability to make good deals at key times during the season, but he still made some very important moves in club history.

and i don't care if every other flyer hated bryz they shouldn't say a word about it

morris and aucoin made themselves look very unprofessional imo

and i don't care if every other flyer hated bryz they shouldn't say a word about it

morris and aucoin made themselves look very unprofessional imo
- -davies-

Word. Turn the page on Bryz. Flyers moving on.

nice top 10, biggE

Here we go again, another day another blog defending Bryz. Now it's Reese's fault that he didn't get along with Bryzgalov even though it's been well documented that most every teammate he has had doesn't like him. Bill even goes as far today as implying that Morris and Aucoin were lying when they made their comments about him to make the point. Unbelievable. It's also uncalled for to campaign for the Flyers to fire him and replace him with some guy in Sweden who has no NHL coaching experience simply because he must be superior to Reese since Bryz hasn't completely alienated him yet. Give him another month and I'm sure he will.
- lar6767

Have to disagree here, I think Lucky Charms top Trix any day of the week. How you could think otherwise is beyond me.

My top 10 list for today: Top 10 most influential figures in Flyers history other than players.
- BiggE

Good stuff!!!

And nice plug for Granqvist. But Pasi Nurminen?

I'm sure (I hope) the ads were exaggerated to generate some interest in the team. But in reality if Nurminen's half of what's shown in the videos, he looks like Mike Keenan on crack.
- 77rams

The ads are, of course, an exaggerated self-parody. But Nurminen is indeed known for being ultra-intense. It's worked for him.

My top 10 list for today: Top 10 most influential figures in Flyers history other than players.
- BiggE

Very impressive job.

I'd have to give a shout out to Gerry Melnyk, however, if even in the "just missed" category only because it was his insistence that finally convinced Bud Poile to draft Bobby Clarke.

Here we go again, another day another blog defending Bryz. Now it's Reese's fault that he didn't get along with Bryzgalov even though it's been well documented that most every teammate he has had doesn't like him. Bill even goes as far today as implying that Morris and Aucoin were lying when they made their comments about him to make the point. Unbelievable. It's also uncalled for to campaign for the Flyers to fire him and replace him with some guy in Sweden who has no NHL coaching experience simply because he must be superior to Reese since Bryz hasn't completely alienated him yet. Give him another month and I'm sure he will.
- lar6767

Wait, are you serious?