Flyers' goalie dilemma a win-win
Flyers' goalie dilemma a win-win
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
The unsettled goalie situation is actually a win-win for the Flyers.
It will provide both goalies _ Antero Niittymaki and Marty Biron _ with extra focus as they try to be the go-to guy in the Flyers’ last 30 regular-season games.
Both are not only trying to steer the Flyers to the Atlantic Division title and a high Eastern Conference seeding, but they are playing for a contract.
Talk about incentive.
Niittymaki has been the much more consistent and deserves to be No. 1 right now. But don’t discount Biron. The feeling here is that elevating Niittymaki to No. 1 will light a fire under Biron. Don’t be surprised if Biron goes on a hot streak and ends up being the Flyers’ main goalie down the stretch and into the playoffs.
If not, Niittymaki is more than capable and is playing with a high confidence level.
Either way, the goalie competition _ at least with 30 games left _ is a good thing for the Flyers.
That said, they need a clear-cut No. 1 heading into the playoffs.
They also need some cap space to land a bruising defenseman before the March 4 trade deadline. That makes Biron ($3.5 million) the goalie they would prefer to trade. There are a few playoff contenders that could use a goalie.
Why would they deal for the slumping Biron?
Take a look at the video form last year’s first two playoff rounds.
_ Sam Carchidi
a win win? yeah more like a lose lose? as in lose in the first round of the playoffs or the second. they need a goalie badly but i don't see how it can happen until the offseason. and as for the defensemen, there aren't very many bruising d men left out there because of the style of play and the new rules. can't clear the crease in the new nhl and you're taking a chance everytime you try to throw a big hit, so why bring in a penalty machine to a team that has trouble staying out of the box already. flyers d is just fine, goalie is their only problem. although i know some fans would like to trade randy jones and andrew alberts for dennis gauthier.— kappadonna- Sam still thinks it's 1995 Poor dumb Sam— Captain Splendor
- Yeah a two goalie system has always worked in this town. Remember 1997 when we couldn't decide on Hextall or Snow? That blew up in our face.— RichardsCaptain08
- Trade Biron, let Nitty play, bring up Munroe, go after Tim Thomas in the off season. Never will happen. Someday the Flyers will realize goalkeeping is the key to winning a Cup.— AreaMan
- I agree it's a win-win because of the nature of the two goalies. Biron and Niittymaki have complementary styles and seem to get along, unlike the Robert Esche-Roman Cechmanek era. Hextall and Snow were basically the same goalie: overly aggressive in net and prone to softies at critical moments. But Biron-Niittymaki seem to have a workable blend. Niittymaki is more athletic goalie than Biron, who is a better positional player when he's on his game. It's good to have them both because I don't think either is a workhorse capable of playing a ton of games in a row like Martin Broduer. And a question for those itching for a goalie trade for a stud defenseman: If one is dealt, who will be the new backup?— phillyfandc
- Wasn't Manny Legace just put on Waivers. I say pick him up and get rid of biron. Try and trade Biron to Florida for Jay Bouwmeester!— spzaks
- Wasn't Manny Legace just put on Waivers. I say pick him up and get rid of biron. Try and trade Biron to Florida for Jay Bouwmeester!— spzaks
- Legace is another Biron. Also i am sure there is a reason he was put on waivers and #1 goalies dont exactly grow on trees. If the defense plays better in front of either goalie we will be fine. The defense has been streaky this year and seems loose when we are up in the final 10 minutes or so of games and thats where a lot of our losses have come from.— Prego614
Comment removed.- Detroit won Cups with Osgood who has not beengood for some time. I would take Niitty over Osgood in a cheesesteak second.— rockinrob
All you Jay Bouwmeester lovers need to give it up. He makes $4.875 million a year. We can barely fit Briere into the lineup with his $6.5 million salary. If we did, I would be all for it and will eat my words. But we're not getting Bouwmeester, so drop it— jamarder- why would fla. take biron?— marley
- Comment removed.
- They should go after Backstrom from the Minn. Wild this offseason— HockeyAdam22
- Biron has a nmc, he isn't going anywhere, perhaps you should mention that part when talking about trades.— MBFlyerfan
