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Saturday, May 25, 2013

Broad Street Bull

Flyers headed for surgery; Bryz's ranking, 'Giroux's Tears'

The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull

55 comments

Flyers headed for surgery; Bryz's ranking, 'Giroux's Tears'

POSTED: Saturday, May 12, 2012, 10:34 AM

Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer

Several Flyers will undergo offseason surgery, the team will announce during the upcoming week.

Paul Holmgren, the Flyers’ GM, said he would have a report a few days ago, but the list is apparently so lengthy that it had to be delayed while more players get examined to see if surgery is required.

One of the Flyers’ biggest problems in the stunning five-game loss to New Jersey was that they had problems getting out of their defensive zone. Injuries to defenseman Kimmo Timonen and Nick Grossmann contributed; both had knee injuries, among other ailments, and both are expected to be on the lengthy surgery list.

* * * * * *

Bryz ranking. How did Ilya Bryzgalov compare with Flyers goalies over the last 10 seasons?

He tied for the most wins in a season over the last decade, was fourth in goals-against average and seventh in save percentage.

The numbers on Flyers goalies who played the most games in each of the last 10 seasons:

GP Record GAA SP

2001-02 Roman Cechmanek 46 24-13-6 2.05 .921
2002-03 Roman Cechmanek 58 33-15-10 1.83 .925
2003-04 Robert Esche 40 21-11-7 2.04 .915
2004-05 lockout
2005-06 Antero Niittymaki 46 23-15-6 2.97 .895
2006-07 Antero Niittymaki 52 9-29-9 3.38 .894
2007-08 Marty Biron 62 30-20-9 2.59 .918
2008-09 Marty Biron 55 29-19-5 2.76 .915
2009-10 Brian Boucher 33 9-18-3 2.76 .899
2010-11 Sergei Bobrovsky 54 28-13-8 2.59 .915
2011-12 Ilya Bryzgalov 59 33-16-7 2.48 .909

* * * * *

In a Russian interview for SovSport that was translated for Puck Daddy at Yahoo!, the Penguins Evgeni Malkin was asked about there being a "sort of beer" in Philadelphia called Crosby's Tears.

Malkin laughed.

"What can I say? I don't think I can say anything. This is Philadelphia and they all know how they feel toward Pittsburgh and Crosby. I hope next year we will beat them and come up with our own beer and call it maybe Giroux's Tears."

Malkin was also asked how Bryzgalov can handle the pressure of playing in Philly.

"I know it is tough and it affects your psyche, first of all. But he should have realized that Philadelphia is just that kind of a city, and it has always been like that," Malkin said. "Maybe he could have stayed in Phoenix and it would have been different? I don't know. You can never know what lies ahead.

"In a career of a hockey player it's important to 'guess a fit' sort of speak and get on the right team, the right coach, the right fans. It's not always what it seems. But you have to get over it. I know (Ilya) Kovalchuk had some tough times in New Jersey when he first joined the team. It was tough to think that Bryzgalov would go to Philadelphia and they would win the Cup that first year. But they have a great team and will have a real chance to win it next year."

Since Bryz has eight more years on his contract, it "means he will compete for the Cup every year he is in Philadelphia with the squad they have over there," Malkin said. "Just get some patience. You can't get anywhere in sports without patience.

"And one more advice: don't read papers and talk less to the media."

Follow Sam Carchidi on Twitter @BroadStBull.

55 comments

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Comments (55)

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:43 PM, 05/18/2012

@Nitro, Brayden Schenn's cap hit is 3.1 million according to capgeek.com Schenn can not play first line minutes for this club and expect to be successful.

— Hexy4GM

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 8:30 AM, 05/18/2012

I keep posting this:

Hartnell 4.2 Giroux 3.75 Schenn 1.75
JVR 4.25 Briere 6.5 Simmonds 1.75
Read .9 Couturier 1.375 Voracek 3.5
Rinaldo .55 XXXXXX Talbot 1.75
Wellwood .6

Forwards total: 30.875

Grossmann 3.5 Coburn 4.5
Meszaros 4 Suter 6.5
Carle 4 Timonen 6.3
Lilja .737
D-men total: 29.537

Bryzgalov 5.6
XXXXXX

Total 66.012

— Nitroglycerin

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:34 PM, 05/16/2012

All the get "get rid of Carle" talk is so poorly thought out. The Flyers do not have a guy who is more capable of skating the puck out of their zone, than Matt Carle. You get rid of him, you have to replace him. Replacing him with Suter would be great. So....where is the other 3.5 million gonna come from to pay Suter? Get rid of Jagr? All for it. So...then you need another top 6 forward that is willing to play for free.

You are basically getting rid of 2 players, and paying 7 million dollars for a guy who, over the past 2 years, put up 85 points, and was a +35. Over Carle, who had 73 points and was a +34.

Also, Suter has been paired with Shea Weber (which kinda helps a guy out). Where Carle has played the past season, and half of the previous one, without his regular partner.

I am obviously not saying that Carle is an equal of Suter. And I am definitely not saying that losing Jagr would hurt. HOWEVER, if dumping Carle, means that Schenn is forced to move up to a second/first line winger...this team does not get better with the upgrade on D. Great defensemen, and great goalies, are no match for a barrage of odd-man advantages.

— Hexy4GM

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 2:21 PM, 05/16/2012

Some fans like Bryzgalov some fans don't. (I do not like him)

One thing for sure, you cannot have too many Carle like d-men playing in front of goalie like Bryzgalov. Ilya is no Rinney, Ward, Miller, Quick or Lundquist. Got to get Suter and maybe take a shot at Weber next year. Predators are almost like our farm team. :)
If Homer wants to keep Carle fine but do not pay him 5M a year. We got to get someone better into our line up. Carle is not cutting it.

— Nitroglycerin

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 9:25 AM, 05/16/2012

sdeens: Most talented in the world? no way. Miller, Lundquist, Quick, I can name a few more with more talent. Hell, Bryzg can't match Nabokov's record seasons with the Sharks (awesome defense). He is a really good goalie, with lousy habits, and a bad attitude. Despite that, I applaud Holmer for going after the best goalie in free agency. Paying him that much over that long is a problem with Holmer's math and the NHL's horrible Cap scenario. Vet players have been buried in the AHL due to the length of these pro-rated contracts. Bryzg is a good goalie who has flashes of greatness. With the right atttiude, work ethic, and team he can DEFINITELY win the Cup.

— MichaelZoe

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 9:19 AM, 05/16/2012

Yeah, I can remember these same debates about Brodeur, Jonathon Quick, and Lundquist, right? NO. Point being forget asking is he good enough to win the Cup (yes), is he a good goalie (yes), is he streaky (of course), or is he weird (all goalies are). You could slant or tilt the goalie stat anyway you want since the lockout (see Jiggy, Niemi, Fleury and Osgood). Regardless, drafting the right goalie, developing them, and having THAT contract fit into your salary structure is the way to go in post-lockout NHL. Not dumping huge money into long-term contracts. Broduer (still paying for himself after all of these years), Lundquist (team got him a solid roster after several years of stellar play), and Quick (team used a series of 4th place finishes in strong division to draft well) - all under contract; all gave team salary space and room to build around them. Holmer has to drawn the line now with these free agent signings and Cap issues. Go young, or go home. The freakin Kings drafted Brown (their captain), Doughty (top D man), Kopitar (top skilled forward), and Quick (top goalie) from 2004-2008.

— MichaelZoe

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 8:47 AM, 05/16/2012

Wow! there are some great arguments from every side. Except the pens fans that seem to be Flyers fans cause they can't seem to stop reading PHILLY papers or paying attention to PHILLY news. Anyway, the bottom line is inconsistency. Bryz is a continuation of the same, inconsistent goaltending. Do I hold out hope for him to do better? He is a Flyer and just that fact makes me want to hold out hope for a better season if Holmer decided to keep him. But there is also some serious inconsistency in the defense. Carle while a good player is a turn over machine, I think it is time to find a replacement for him. The other is to develop the rookies and perhaps get a vet to help support the older vets like Timmonen

— philygrl14

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 8:51 PM, 05/15/2012

Bryz is a great goalie who is plagued with some nasty little habits; his stick work is sloppy and he moves too slowly sometimes right to left, which i think is more lazines rather than lack of quickness.

These are easily fixed in the off season if he gets dedicated too it;; go see Sean Burke in the off season..they were better togther.

Martin Brodeur was right when he recently said Bryz is the most talented goalie in the world;

I think at times in the playoffs he looked confused and other times maginificant.

He's the real deal, hang in there Bryz things will get better defensively in front, I support you and I know vezina is in your future with this team.

patience everyone, championhips are earned NOT won. This goalie is good enough to win it next year if the team is DEDICATED to MAJOR updagres on defense.

time for a new coach? Hitchcock would love comming back to this team.

— sdeens

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 8:39 PM, 05/15/2012

@Nitro, his salary is the main reason people criticize him. No goaltender can play so well, as to justify that salary. Luongo could not do it last year (and his contract is the leading factor in the distain that Canucks fans have for him). Bryzgalov also made an amazing save in the last minute off Crosby (went off his glove and out the other side) that was similar to the Letang one. He pulled one off the goal line, in either game 4 or 5, versus New Jersey. Those were all spectacular saves at important times. The standard for the goaltender (based mostly on his salary and NOT a thorough analysis of his performance) was far too high. For the record, no goalie is paid to make THOSE saves. In fact, the forwards are paid to make sure that the goaltender does not face those shots. The real problem was the forwards all season long. I give Bryzgalov a ton of credit for standing up and admitting when he played poorly. The forwards on this year's club allowed him to be hung out to dry, and never were held accountable.

— Hexy4GM

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 10:01 AM, 05/15/2012

Hi central Pam

— Sasquatch

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 8:26 AM, 05/15/2012

@Hexy4GM, take away that save (which by the was great) and Bryzgalov gave up 29 goals in 6 games. He sucked in 1st round. I have no idea how/why MAF was worse. No idea. He is paid to make such saves. He is in the group of top 3 highest paid goalies in the NHL THIS year.. There are expectations. He looked better against Devils but overall this season is a disaster.

— Nitroglycerin

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 6:32 PM, 05/14/2012

I am no fan of Malkin or his cheap shots, but he gave all the right answers on that quiz.

— NYPHILLYPHAN

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 6:07 PM, 05/14/2012

@Nitro, you are making my point. You have forgotten his glove save of Letang in game 1 vs Pittsburgh. You have forgotten that Bryzgalov gave the Flyers a chance to win games 2 and 5 against New Jersey. I bet you haven't forgotten a single mistake he made all season. You give him the blame for whatever goes wrong. Do you think LA Kings fans will care about the goal the Quick let in? Do you think they care that Kings were dominating the Coyotes, and that shot was only the second one Quick faced...he let it in from center to tie the game? Quick did not win that game last night. The shots were 22-9 for the Kings at one point. Sound familiar? Watch game 2 of the Flyers/Jersey series. Only the Flyers were the ones getting pounded. The Kings are a hard working defensive club. The forwards play the game on the right side of the puck, they back check hard, and they rarely give up odd-man opportunities. That is why Quick can set up 2 feet outside the crease to cut down the angle. The Flyers are constantly chasing the puck. This stuff is not the goalies fault. If Bryzgalov let in a goal from center, every article would be about how horrible he is, regardless of the outcome. It is merely laughed off in LA.

— Hexy4GM

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:15 PM, 05/14/2012

I think all of you need to look at Lundqvist and remember that this is his first time in the Eastern Conference Finals and he's been around for a while. I'm not at all a Flyers fan, but you guys have a young team. Nobody wins the cup by themselves (looking at you fans pointing fingers at Bryz). I'm the biggest Brodeur fan and Devils fan around, but even I can admit that Brodeur is looking his age and isn't performing like the Marty of the mid 2000's. He is in the ECF because he has a good team in front of him. I'm afraid of what this same Flyers team will do in the Atlantic division 2 years from now.

— SoJerseyDevsFan

Comment removed.

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:53 PM, 05/14/2012

What kind of surgery is Claudia having? Probably a pedicure so her toes will sparkle in her new pumps!

— CentralPAman

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 9:40 AM, 05/14/2012

Vegas Trend: First year signings after biggest contracts of their life...generally pro athletes fall below their previous standard performance years..just the way it is...after that first year they begin to excel again. Happens in all sports.

— Romus

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 8:37 AM, 05/14/2012

@Hexy4GM,Smith, Henrick and Quick bail their teams out on regular basis this season. Ilya is not even close.

— Nitroglycerin

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 2:24 AM, 05/14/2012

Bryzgalov gets blamed for every goal that goes in. Flyers fans seem to feel like every team has a better goaltender. What they don't realize..things happen. Bryzgalov was blamed for losing the series against the Devils because he banked one in off Clarkson.

Here is Jonathan Quick tonight:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA5z2TG53AI

Here is Holtby earlier in the year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eKLfaaupgU

Mike Smith from last season:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4m4VJNr-t0

These were 3 of the best goalies in the playoffs this year...if this team would tighten up defensively, and protect the goalie, the Flyers could have success and Bryzgalov's numbers would be amongst the elite again.

— Hexy4GM

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 11:38 PM, 05/13/2012

Malkin should have pointed out that Philadelphia hasn't won a Cup since 11 years before he (Crosby) was born.

The Russians would have enjoyed a good laugh together.

— WhatWhiners

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 6:57 PM, 05/13/2012

Bryz was just fine. Saner than Roman. But not by a lot.

— LaCroix,Nolet,Gendron

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 12:42 PM, 05/13/2012

The bottm line is the guy can't handle pressure. This was the best chance the Flyers had to win the cup with more talented teams like Van., Det., Chic. out (yes I think we could have beat the Rags, the 8 and 7 seeds took them to game 7). The Pens are sure to improve their D. So that's 4 teams right there were you would need a goalie to steal a game or two. Also Lavy's demanding ways usually wear thin about now. This was their best shot.

— jking91

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 8:52 AM, 05/13/2012

Malkin is right on the money, as much as it pains me it write it. Seems like a pretty wise person, actually. I'd like to get his honest answer to 'What's it like playing with such a cry baby?'
I'd like to know what he really thinks of Cindy.

— Poppys

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 8:50 AM, 05/13/2012

Two power plays in overtime = 1 shot on goal. Stretches of time no shots on gaol, i.e. 18 minutes of period 2. From game 2 on, Flyers were vastly outplayed by NJD. Defense was bad, back check was bad, forecheck didn't work - and Bryz keep them in the series. He should be commended. Don't pin this series loss on Bryz.

— BillyPhilly

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 11:27 PM, 05/12/2012

Bring back lockout, he too will make Bryz look better

— P2will

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 10:40 PM, 05/12/2012

sorry- my last comment was for Flyers1000, and not jabey.

— JosephL

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 10:10 PM, 05/12/2012

Are there any high priced goalies who have over-stayed their welcome and could use a change of scenery. Seems like Bryz would be better off with a franchise without a passionate fan base, like Dallas or either of the Florida teams. Any chance Ryan Miller could be stolen away from Buffalo? What would we be without wishful thinking?

— wilcowaits

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 9:13 PM, 05/12/2012

Uh, Jabey- Bryz was 3-0 against the Devils this year. You call that getting smoked? The Devils series loss was NOT his fault! Point of fact; he may have been the best Flyer in that series, and had he had a decent defense the last series, we would still be playing. But not tonight.

— JosephL

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 7:38 PM, 05/12/2012

Jabey..did I say anywhere that BRYZ was the reason they lost to the Devils?? The answer is no.....But Bryz is not a goalie who can steal you games or even a series..he is at best and average goalie who doesnt want to be here and you will continue to get mediocre results but that seems to satisfy some Flyer fans....You want to keep getting smoked by the Rangers and Devs ?? Thats whats going to happen. And the answer to your other question is I would not have signed any of the other FA goalies....there were none worthy...I would have gone with Bob and Leighton and the end results might have been the same but I would not be locked into a goalie that the Flyers really dont want now for 8 more years. And now I would be freed to go after Luongo. Dont you think that if some team in the NHL offered the Flyers a bag of used pucks in a trade for BRYZ that the Flyers wouldnt jump at that. They would drive him to his new home.

— flyers1000

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 7:33 PM, 05/12/2012

Holmer...is there anyone who played in this years's playoffs who has a worst minus than Matt Carle? I applaud your moves last year (my gm of the year b.t.w.) but can we get Mr Snyder's signee (Bryz), something better than that cough-it-up machine called Carle?

— coastflyer

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 7:28 PM, 05/12/2012

Three Flyers Goalies gaa for 2011 playoffs: .888
One Flyers Goalies (Bryz) Goalies gaa: .887
WTF? Bryz...your teammates and coaches carried you like the whining crybaby you are and you still whine to the Russian friendly press. How about you S.T.F.U., get in shape, spend some time in philly, and stop scoring for the other team; or give mr snyder his money back and we'll forget the whole nightmare called your first season in philly.

— coastflyer

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:19 PM, 05/12/2012

Amazing that you know so little about hockey considering how long you've been watching. Bryzgalov is so clearly not the reason the Flyers lost that series. Which free agent goalie would you have signed?

— Jabey

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:38 PM, 05/12/2012

BRYZ has that WTF look in his eyes all the time...how about that 875 save percentage for the playoffs...How about 1 good month of hockey from him and 6 bad ones....how about the fact that he admits he cant handle the pressure of playing in philly.....Yes the defense is average but BRYZ is clearly below average and he is the one we cant get rid of...You guys appear to be very happy with mediocrity and thats what you will get...enjoy watching other teams hoist the cup the next 8 yrs while we pay MOON MAN....I am not a bandwagon I have followed Flyers since their inception...but the handwriting is on the wall for the future with this guy in goal

— flyers1000

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:07 PM, 05/12/2012

And one more tiny little point. On the terrible goal that most will never forgive Bryz for...was that puck not dumped back in towards him by a defenseman, who was either too tired or too timid to clear it away from Clarkson, bearing down at 30 miles an hour? Whose job to clear that puck was it, really? I don't think it was Bryzgalov's...

— JosephL

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:20 PM, 05/12/2012

Exactly. That's not a set play and is never worked on in practice. Timonen had the puck and it was his responsibility to control or clear it. Passing it to Bryz surprised Bryz as much as the rest of us. You could see "WTF?!" in his eyes. Bryz made a bad split-second decision that he never should've been forced to make. That was Timonen's gaffe as much as Bryz's, but Bryz will get all the blame for it from those who fail to analyze the entire sequence of events on that play.

— StayOnYourSkates

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 3:33 PM, 05/12/2012

@flyers1000. Good. U can give your ticket to someone who's not a bandwagoner....like me. Bryz was by far the flyers best player in the jersey series, although he did flub in game 5 that ultimately took their energy. But if it weren't for him. Every game would've been a blowout with the way the devs were controlling the pace of the game.

— Omorales510

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 2:40 PM, 05/12/2012

Johnnycrunch-th-stayonyourskates...I love your eternal optimism..You make Ed Snider very happy...I guess the defense gave upo all those soft goals that a High School goltender could have stopped or mishandled the puck time after time....this guy is a total bust and we are going to pay for this mistake for many years....but keep buying tix and mercahndise MR Snyder loves your positive attitude..For me I am not renewing my season tix next year is going to be a disaster with him in goal....

— flyers1000

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:08 PM, 05/12/2012

Glad you won't be around. We won't miss you.

— StayOnYourSkates

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 2:09 PM, 05/12/2012

Perhaps I'm too pie-in-the-sky, but I think Bryzgalov will surprise us next year with his good play as much as he surprised us this year with his bad play. He's shown us he has the talent. Perhaps it'll take him a year to show us that his head can handle playing in Philly.

— StayOnYourSkates

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:59 PM, 05/12/2012

Agree about Bryz, he's not a worry for next year, the defense is.

— th

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:40 PM, 05/12/2012

I agree with Joseph. I thought Bryz was figuring things out and too often got hung out to dry. He is not a real worry for next year for me...defence needs an overhaul..Please, please sign Suter! Hang in there Bryz. been a flyers fan all my life and have seen what this city does to goalies, we all need to take a pill and give the man a chance, I like him and he does have the talent.

— johnnycrunch

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 12:46 PM, 05/12/2012

And of course, not lost on all of you experts are these facts...
It was Bryz's fault that the defensemen were often so out of position, he was often left hung out to dry.
It was Bryz's fault that he had to face so many odd-man rushes.
And without a doubt, it was Bryz's fault that the forwards could not get the puck out of his zone; no sooner did the forwards cough it up a center ice, the Devils were charging back in right at him.
All of this was his fault and his alone. Get rid of him. And forget the blunders of the team in front of him...

— JosephL

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:46 PM, 05/12/2012

YoJoe! Rational discourse like this is not all that appreciated, ya know? Just kidding! Sarcastic point taken.

— SpokaneFlyer

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 12:44 PM, 05/12/2012

Leave it to a Penguin to add a rational voice to the incessant crying of the Philadelphia Whiners, er, Philadelphia Cryers, I mean, Flyers.

— Tom Pandolfo

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:36 PM, 05/12/2012

A rational voice? LOL This guy has been on Philly.com for weeks, crying about the Flyers beating the Penguins.
He calls himself, rational? LOL Yo Tommy, this is for you:

Best Pittsburgh Psychiatrists:
www.angieslist.com/companylist/pittsburgh/psychiatry.htm

— FlyerFan4Life

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 8:09 PM, 05/12/2012

I don't always agree with you, but I gotta admit, most of your posts leave me LMAO...

— backhand

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:54 PM, 05/12/2012

"Rational voice?" Ya mean the guy who threw an elbow to Grossman's head don't you? What goes around comes around. Hope Mr. Malkin gets the same Karma he gives out. As for Mr. Crosby--the opinion is league wide on him. Not just in Philly. Keep up the "bunker mentality" you'll need it!!

— SpokaneFlyer

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 12:22 PM, 05/12/2012

It's bad enough that he gave us only one good month. But after reading how brutal Bryz thought the scrutiny was his first year, I can't root for the flake anymore. I'd love to see him traded to say, New York. Then he'll know what real scrutiny is.

— VicM

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 11:28 AM, 05/12/2012

09-10 numbers should include Leightons 27 16-5-2 2.48 .920

— bosso_fataka

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 6:15 PM, 05/14/2012

The article mentions that those numbers are for the goalie that played the most games for the Flyers in that particular year. Leighton's 27 < Boucher's 33

— Hexy4GM

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 11:28 AM, 05/12/2012

09-10 numbers should include Leightons 27 16-5-2 2.48 .920

— bosso_fataka

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 11:23 AM, 05/12/2012

Bryz numbers are just more of the same ...year in and year out we lack quality goaltending the same old story...and we are locked into this guy for the next decade...very sad prospect for the FLYERS knowing this is your goaltending for the decaed..It was a decision that will kill the franchise for years....Maybe BRYZ is on the list for surgeries ...cant they implant an attitude change with surgery?? Someone who cares ??

— flyers1000

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 10:45 AM, 05/12/2012

Those numbers for Cechmanek and Esche are deceiving when you consider the clutching and grabbing that was prevalent prior to the lock out.

— Chasev

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 6:13 PM, 05/14/2012

Actually, those numbers have a lot more to do with the demands of Ken Hitchcock. Players under his aggressive forecheck are REQUIRED to be responsible defensively (unlike the current coach). If you look at Hitch's career path, and look at the numbers for his goaltenders, you will see the correlation. He rarely has the best goaltender, but he routinely has the goaltender with the best numbers.

Roman Cechmanek, Steve Mason, and Brian Elliot all led the league in several goaltending statistics under Ken Hitchcock. Outside of his system, none have them have proven to be of professional calibre.

Coaching. Not goaltending. Killed this club.

— Hexy4GM