Emery signing a plus only if it leads to a quality defenseman
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull
Emery signing a plus only if it leads to a quality defenseman
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
Goalie Ray Emery was articulate and honest - and didn’t throw a single punch at Flyers trainer Jim McCrossin when he was introduced at Wednesday’s news conference in Voorhees.
OK, that was a cheap shot. But when you come with Emery’s baggage, you expose yourself to all types of criticism.
That said, Emery could emerge as the bargain of the year.
The Flyers announced Wednesday they had agreed to a one-year deal with the 6-foot-2, 196-pound Emery. The deal is for $1.5 million, and if Emery returns to his 2006-07 form - he led Ottawa to the Stanley Cup Finals - the Flyers will be feeling very good about themselves.
Though I was in favor of re-signing Marty Biron, I like this move - if it enables the Flyers to sign Jay Bouwmeester or Mike Komisarek, a pair of defensemen who can become free agents on July 1.
It would have taken about $3.5 million to $4 million a year to re-sign Biron. So the Flyers’ savings, coupled with some other cost-cutting moves (a trade of Joffrey Lupul?), could help the club improve its defense in the free-agent market.
In the playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Biron was not the reason the Flyers lost in six games. The Flyers’ defense and Jeff Carter’s scoring slump were bigger factors.
Emery, of course, has had a long list of off-the-ice problems, including an altercation with a Russian trainer in late January. There were also fights with Ottawa teammates, missed practices, suspensions and, oh, about 30 driving violations.
But he seemed contrite on Wednesday, seemed genuinely sincere about re-inventing himself after being, in effect, exiled from the NHL and sent to Russia.
He will add some fire to a laid-back locker room, and he should be more physical in scrambles around the net - a Biron shortcoming in the Game 6 loss to Pittsburgh.
The addition of Emery is a win-win situation for the team and the goalie, said Peter Luukko, the Comcast-Spectacor president.
“I think it’s a pretty good formula when you have a hungry young man who wants to prove himself,” Luukko said.
Emery, whose heavy partying became a part of his identity in Ottawa, vowed that his off-ice conduct will be much improved.
“At the same time, I’m not saying I’m not going to be a fiery guy,” he said. “I play hockey. I throw it out there. Like I said, I know I have the opportunity and I’m not going to do anything to jeopardize that or make people who are giving me this opportunity look bad.”
One of those people is John Paddock, who coached Emery during his tumultuous time in Ottawa and is now the Phantoms' coach.
Paddock recommended that the Flyers sign Emery.
Emery said he wishes he would reverse his final season in Ottawa in 2007-08.
“I didn’t have a great work ethic at the start of the year,” he admitted. “I came in out of shape and wasn’t willing to work like I had in the past. I made a lot of mistakes, but I know this is a last chance for me. I have that knowledge of that past and I’m getting a shot to correct those things.”
Coach John Stevens recently spent several hours with Emery and said he was impressed with the goalie’s makeup.
“He admits he made mistakes and now he’s ready to move on and make amends _ and we’re glad he’s going to do it here,” Stevens said.
On paper, Emery and Biron are about equal. But if signing Emery frees cap space that helps the Flyers land a top-notch defenseman, it will be a move that was worth the risk.
The next move is up to general manager Paul Holmgren.
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Holmgren seemed upbeat about the possibility of re-signing potential free-agent Mike Knuble….Holmgren also said Antero Niittymaki’s hip injury is not as bad as first feared. There is still a chance that Nitty, a potential free agent, will re-sign with the Flyers and be Emery’s backup....For what it's worth, Emery said he scored over 1,300 on his SAT.
If you look at it from a purely logical point of view, this is a great signing. Emery is a definate upgrade over Biron.(no matter what Paddy says) No more play good for a week and the very average or below for 3 weeks and back to good for a week. No more "oopsy, sorry I missed the puck 50 feet out of my net." I'm tired of bland personalities in the goal. Remind me who the goalie was for the Islanders in the early 80's. He had no problems right?— dj.curly- No matter the website, no other team is in worst cap trouble in the league. Curly....if emery is such an upgrade, then why did no team acquire him last year or this year. A salary of $1.5 mln indicates that no other team was in the running. The Flyers were the only buyers.....because of their cap constraints.— St.Patrick33
Craig Anderson (age 26), who was an impressive 15-7-5 for a very mediocre Florida team and posted a 2.77 GAA and a .924 sv pctg (Biron 2.76 / .915) IN THE NHL could have been signed...Again, his stats were established in the NHL. His salary last year: $550,000. Why not go for him?? Instead, we go after a question mark in Emery. Doesn't matter. The Flyers refusal to wade in the GLOBAL talent pool will ultimately doom them. The league's international flavor of talent will lap the Fyers' roster of slower, less efficient, less creative, good ol' Canadian boys. If the Flyers' brass get their collective heads out of their Canadian-bacon rears, FIRE their current Euro scouting team, and develop a more diverse and broader talent pool, only THEN can we talk like our goaltending even matters. Otherwise, it's 1975-76 here we come!!!!- What a headline. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...— Downie27
- chrisc4499....there will be many teams intersted in Anderson. There were none for Emery. The Flyers can't afford Anderson given their current cap situation. Emery is a gamble both on-ice and obviously off-ice.— St.Patrick33
- They needed to do the Emory deal, cap space. now they need to shed some salary to get some decent D help. We don't know what they are going to do so why speculate? We'll see what happens when it does...— DJ
- If Phaneuf is indeed available, we'll gladly take Calgary's sloppy seconds.— toccheyhockey
Comment removed.- I'm not saying this deal wasn't cap related. The mismanage of the cap kind of forced them to make a huge upgrade. There is an absolute risk in this deal but the reward is very much worth it. Skill wise Emery is way up on Biron(The Streak) Somebody please tell me that goaltending didn't cost them at the very minimum, 10 games last year. That's 20 points. Now tell me how many games the goalies stole for them? Was there any? Possibly but I don't remember them. Point being Emery WILL steal some games.— dj.curly
- There is nothing wrong with people liking Biron as a person but he is way overrated as a goalie. Look at his years in Buffalo. They made a huge mistake thinking that he could replace Hasek. It didn't take long for them to see how average he was and go get Miller. The Flyers management may have backed into a huge signing.— dj.curly
- He got pulled over 30 times, and recieved 3 (THREE) violations. Do your research instead of perpetuating false information. You must have been a political reporter in the past.— MBFlyerfan
- I'm just surprised that they take the SATs in Canada. Can't they go to school for free up there? Also, don't hockey players not have to go to school?— HandNik
- Comment removed.
- I'm not so sure the Flyers are that far over the cap, considering that Hatcher and Rajthe come off the books. Bouwmeester would be great, Komisarek...not so much. But even a trade for Phaneuf would be a great acquisition.— pizano13
- J-Bo is a good player and I'd be happy to have him but I think there are more some other more affordable options out there that should be considered, namely Beauchemin, Ohlund, Boynton, and Seidenberg. I am not a Komisarek fan at all. Emery has one year at a bargain. If all goes well, his salary will likely double next summer. Coburn and Parent will both have to be resigned next summer. Within the next few seasons Giroux (big jump in salary), Carter (Briere money), and Gagne will become free agents. The salary cap is also on the decline for the time being. J-Bo is going to get a long term deal and if it is with the Flyers it would give us problems later on. But right now I'm more concerned about reports that the Flyers might bring back Esche.— DRocco
