This is making sense now. Conflicting style with coaching. Yea I guess I can see where the problem is. It is evidently showing up on the ice too.
- JoeRussomanno

I think the problem is more complex than a simple coaching disagreement.

Bryzgalov is used to playing 65 games or more. It's a far different system. Different city with much higher expectations and pressures. Much more hostile press corps. New conference.

Then the season starts, he does good out of the gate, but the defensive breakdowns, combined with bad luck and shaky play seems to have hurt his confidence. Then having to split time with Bob was a big adjustment. I think a lot of it has snowballed on him.

That's not an excuse, but an explanation. He could help a lot by making the routine saves routine again. The other stuff isn't going to change, until he plays better. The good thing is he obviously does want to play better. I'd be a lot more worried if he wasn't obviously trying to figure things out.

Okay but there's a clearly an issue at play here, I think we all can agree on. Didn't we live through this type of thing last year?
- JoeRussomanno

Reese does have a record of success with Khabibulin in Tampa Bay, and he helped Leighton play way over himself for half a season, so the guy does have a record to go on. That said, maybe him and Bryz just aren't as compatible. What do you do if that's the case?

I'm not saying that firing Boudreau was the wrong move, because I think that he couldn't possibly have wrung more out of the team than he did. But Hunter is looking like a horrible choice to replace him.
- Jsaquella

How much of it is Hunter and how much of it is a lack of character/leadership in the locker room? like you said, Boudreau did get a great amount out of that team.

IMO he would be canidate number 1 for contract buyout... We are deep at center, and Pronger's hit will be LTIR'd... It would be down to Bryz or Briere, and even though Bryz is having a rough year, I think he is redeemable. Briere may be clutch in playoffs, but will all this youth movement, we need to use that cap space elsewhere...
- RooNosHockey

Don't you want quality veterans to go along with the youth? He does have a high cap hit, and his last year will be the first year of Schenn, Couturier, and Giroux's next contracts, but I can think of worse players to spend $6.5 on.

The goaltending coach and different styles of goaltending has interested me before. What do teams do when they have a goalie coach that say, is good at teaching butterfly, but the team then brings in a non-butterfly type of guy? I would certainly assume you want the coach to adapt to the player and not the other way around, as the reason you brought in said goalie is how he played before you got him and that's what you want out of him. But maybe the goalie coach just isn't good at teaching the other style? What do you do?

I'm not saying that's what's going on here, but in general to anyone in the know, has this ever lead to problems on other teams?
- eayost

Quick... Someone call Hasek!!!! Goalie Coach... Dominik Hasek!!!!!

IMO he would be canidate number 1 for contract buyout... We are deep at center, and Pronger's hit will be LTIR'd... It would be down to Bryz or Briere, and even though Bryz is having a rough year, I think he is redeemable. Briere may be clutch in playoffs, but will all this youth movement, we need to use that cap space elsewhere...
- RooNosHockey

A buyout is more cap suicide IMO than just keeping the guy... or are you talking about the oft rumored "amnesty buyout" that could come along with the next CBA?

Reese does have a record of success with Khabibulin in Tampa Bay, and he helped Leighton play way over himself for half a season, so the guy does have a record to go on. That said, maybe him and Bryz just aren't as compatible. What do you do if that's the case?
- eayost

You change goalie coaches. It's easier to find someone who Bryzgalov is compatible with, then it would be getting rid of him.

I think the problem is more complex than a simple coaching disagreement.

Bryzgalov is used to playing 65 games or more. It's a far different system. Different city with much higher expectations and pressures. Much more hostile press corps. New conference.

Then the season starts, he does good out of the gate, but the defensive breakdowns, combined with bad luck and shaky play seems to have hurt his confidence. Then having to split time with Bob was a big adjustment. I think a lot of it has snowballed on him.

That's not an excuse, but an explanation. He could help a lot by making the routine saves routine again. The other stuff isn't going to change, until he plays better. The good thing is he obviously does want to play better. I'd be a lot more worried if he wasn't obviously trying to figure things out.
- Jsaquella

This season is make or break with Bryz in net. It is time for Bryz to get 7 out of every 8 starts from here on out or somewhere in that ball park.

Reese does have a record of success with Khabibulin in Tampa Bay, and he helped Leighton play way over himself for half a season, so the guy does have a record to go on. That said, maybe him and Bryz just aren't as compatible. What do you do if that's the case?
- eayost

IF so it's a whole lot easier to part ways with a coach than a guy locked into a 9 year deal with a NMC

How much of it is Hunter and how much of it is a lack of character/leadership in the locker room? like you said, Boudreau did get a great amount out of that team.
- ggunky

That's the thing, I think they needed a Hitchcock, somebody that could walk into the room with a Stanley Cup ring and say, "You guys can have one of these, too. Just follow me"

Hunter's used to dealing with kids, and has done a great job in the OHL. But the cred as a NHL head coach isn't there. Kind of like what happened to Wayne Cashman in Philly.

I think the problem is more complex than a simple coaching disagreement.

Bryzgalov is used to playing 65 games or more. It's a far different system. Different city with much higher expectations and pressures. Much more hostile press corps. New conference.

Then the season starts, he does good out of the gate, but the defensive breakdowns, combined with bad luck and shaky play seems to have hurt his confidence. Then having to split time with Bob was a big adjustment. I think a lot of it has snowballed on him.

That's not an excuse, but an explanation. He could help a lot by making the routine saves routine again. The other stuff isn't going to change, until he plays better. The good thing is he obviously does want to play better. I'd be a lot more worried if he wasn't obviously trying to figure things out.
- Jsaquella

Exactly. It's been one thing after another this year. Again, not excusing the play, but sometimes poop happens. It's the first year of a 9 year contract. He'll probably have another bad year before it's up. But like you said, he's obviously not satisfied with his play. That's a definite positive.

This season is make or break with Bryz in net. It is time for Bryz to get 7 out of every 8 starts from here on out or somewhere in that ball park.
- ggunky

That's how I see it, too. Let him play, play and play some more. Simple fact is, he's not going to get his confidence back sitting next to Harry Bricker

Don't you want quality veterans to go along with the youth? He does have a high cap hit, and his last year will be the first year of Schenn, Couturier, and Giroux's next contracts, but I can think of worse players to spend $6.5 on.
- jd342

I do want quality veterans... But you forgot Read and Meszaros too... Those are some Big raises to accomodate when Briere is making 6.5 million and is like 36....

http://www.csnphilly.com/blog/flyers-talk/post/Kubinas-right-handed-shot-valuable-to-Fl?blockID=655238&feedID=695

Ok, question..Why does this article say that Kubina and Jagr teamed up to win the Olympic Gold Medal in 02, 06 and 10??

Um, 06 Sweden, 02, 2010 Canada. Need to check those kinds of facts..

Maybe they won the World gold medals those years but I don't remember that..
- Hextall271

Nope not world golds either. And not just medals. So another hallucination.

Reese does have a record of success with Khabibulin in Tampa Bay, and he helped Leighton play way over himself for half a season, so the guy does have a record to go on. That said, maybe him and Bryz just aren't as compatible. What do you do if that's the case?
- eayost

if your franchise goalie is having a problem with the goalie coach the goalie coach needs to change his approach.

I think the problem is more complex than a simple coaching disagreement.

Bryzgalov is used to playing 65 games or more. It's a far different system. Different city with much higher expectations and pressures. Much more hostile press corps. New conference.

Then the season starts, he does good out of the gate, but the defensive breakdowns, combined with bad luck and shaky play seems to have hurt his confidence. Then having to split time with Bob was a big adjustment. I think a lot of it has snowballed on him.

That's not an excuse, but an explanation. He could help a lot by making the routine saves routine again. The other stuff isn't going to change, until he plays better. The good thing is he obviously does want to play better. I'd be a lot more worried if he wasn't obviously trying to figure things out.
- Jsaquella

Yea but if there is an issue there it will affect play. You don't have coaches for window dressing. And there is a clear drop off to what he did in PHX to here. Yes I get big market and all that but when the puck drops and the game starts that all gets pushed aside and in game like last weekend has me wondering where just the basic fundamentals are. Any great coach will stress them to players.

A buyout is more cap suicide IMO than just keeping the guy... or are you talking about the oft rumored "amnesty buyout" that could come along with the next CBA?
- eayost

Yea the Amnity-vill buyout....

I wonder what Vladislav Tretiak is up to these days. Being the Flyers have two Russian goaltenders, if I were Paul Holmgren I might put in a call to him and see if he is interested in working with Bryzgalov and Bobrovsky. I know Hasek and Belfour have credited Tretiak for their success.

Yea but if there is an issue there it will affect play. You don't have coaches for window dressing. And there is a clear drop off to what he did in PHX to here. Yes I get big market and all that but when the puck drops and the game starts that all gets pushed aside and in game like last weekend has me wondering where just the basic fundamentals are. Any great coach will stress them to players.
- JoeRussomanno

Bryz's struggles are on him, not Reese.

Reese does have a record of success with Khabibulin in Tampa Bay, and he helped Leighton play way over himself for half a season, so the guy does have a record to go on. That said, maybe him and Bryz just aren't as compatible. What do you do if that's the case?
- eayost

I don't know how much Reese was behind getting Leighton to play so well. The Flyers basically did to Montreal what the Rags do to the FLyers this season through those 3 games, don't give them anything close to the net. The Boston series and Chicago weren't impressive for Leighton at all imo.

Maybe its the coaches "input" that is messing with Bryz....
- RooNosHockey

And therein lies part of the problem. His relationship with Reese is a "work in progress" (to use a hackneyed phrase), because he's been resistant to Reese's input but Reese is a hands-on type of coach. It doesn't make one man right and the other one wrong, but so far they've been trying to find a middle ground.

From what I have heard, there is no personal animosity between the two -- I want to be clear about that -- but their working relationship hasn't been as smooth as it ideally could be.

Laviolette and the Flyers brass consider Reese an excellent goaltending coach, so I don't think he's going anywhere. He and Bryzgalov need to find ways to strengthen the relationship. I believe that Reese has been making those efforts. Hopefully, Bryzgalov is receptive.

And, no, I do not think this is why Bryzgalov has struggled this year. I think it's an ancillary issue that is just part of the "noise" in the goalie's head that I referenced yesterday.

I was bored as heck last night no hockey on... was watching 2010 cup run highlights all through the playoffs... Man its amazing how good Prongs was its amaizng how many stretch passes resulted in to goals that year...anyway its funny with the Bryz bashing reminds me of the Leighton bashing..not the same situation but watching the cup run he has some really good saves.... but, all everyone will remember is the game 6 softee.... just funny how things turn out... maybe bryz can turn it around

Yea the Amnity-vill buyout....
- RooNosHockey

why cant they just cut players like in football. That i think would work out better.

I do want quality veterans... But you forgot Read and Meszaros too... Those are some Big raises to accomodate when Briere is making 6.5 million and is like 36....
- RooNosHockey

Briere's contract will be in it's last season by the time those guys are due for new deals. Plenty of time to plan for the situation then, no need to worry about it now.

Yea but if there is an issue there it will affect play. You don't have coaches for window dressing. And there is a clear drop off to what he did in PHX to here. Yes I get big market and all that but when the puck drops and the game starts that all gets pushed aside and in game like last weekend has me wondering where just the basic fundamentals are. Any great coach will stress them to players.
- JoeRussomanno

It's a confidence issue. It's like watching a hitter during a long hitting drought. The swing gets all out of whack, and every time they're at the plate, they try to do way too much to break the slump.

That's where Bryz is.