Should Flyers make deal? Is Emery's stay here done?
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull
Should Flyers make deal? Is Emery's stay here done?
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
The Flyers are still trying to add a player before Wednesday’s trade deadline, but head coach Peter Laviolette thinks the team can challenge for the Stanley Cup _ without making a deal.
“I think if we continue to play hard and execute, we can beat anyone that we have to beat," Laviolette said after his team skated Tuesday morning in preparation for tonight's game against Tampa Bay. "Over the last 25 games, we’ve found more consistency on a lot more nights than not. We’re playing with a style and an identity that I think is conducive to winning."
The next six weeks "will determine our seed and our place in life _ and our right to play for the Cup, really," he said. "We’ve got to get there before we can actually try to win it.”
An NHL source said the Flyers have Ottawa’s Matt Cullen, Los Angeles’ Alexander Frolov and Columbus’ Raffi Torres among the forwards on their wish list, along with Nashville defenseman Dan Hamhuis. Atlanta winger Colby Armstrong has also drawn the Flyers’ interest.
“My gut feeling is that we’re going to get something done,” a Flyers official said.
The source said the Flyers are content with the goaltending duo of Michael Leighton and Brian Boucher. Ray Emery will miss undergo hip surgery and miss the rest of the season.
The trade deadline is 3 p.m. Wednesday.
“The trade deadline is unsettling for everybody,” Laviolette said. “It presents possible change, and change sometimes is hard. But it happens every year at the trade deadline, so it’s just something you have to deal with.”
* * * * * * * * *
Defenseman Danny Syvret and forward Riley Cote cleared waivers Tuesday and can be sent to the AHL Phantoms.
* * * * * * * * * * *
As expected, the Flyers announced that Emery will have surgery and not play again this season.
The question is, should the Flyers resign him for next year?
My answer: No. A goalie coming off hip surgery is a risky proposition. Move on.
Give me your take on it.
* * * * * * * *
Defenseman Ryan Parent, who is the subject of trade rumors, will replace the injured Oskars Bartulis in Tuesday’s lineup against the Lightning. Parent, 22, who is returning from back surgery, will play his first game since Dec. 23 _ coincidentally, that game was also in Tampa.
Bartulis suffered a groin strain while playing in the Olympics for Latvia. He is day to day.
General manager Paul Holmgren on Saturday said Bartulis was healthy and that he hadn’t practiced since his Olympic return because the Flyers wanted him to rest.
Yesterday, the GM backtracked and said Bartulis had some soreness in his groin when he returned from Vancouver. Holmgren said an MRI showed there was no damage.
After a slow start, Bartulis had improved dramatically in recent weeks; he was plus-7 in his last 13 games.
Parent will be paired with Braydon Coburn on Tuesday.
* * * * * *
Laviolette said he would not reduce the minutes played by the three Flyers who won Olympic medals _ Chris Pronger, Mike Richards and Kimmo Timonen.
“We need them playing well tonight," he said. "They’re the leaders on this team. We need them to lead tonight. We’re going to try to win a hockey game, and the players who give us the best chance to do that will probably get a majority of the minutes."
Added Laviolette: "Everybody wishes we could give them a couple of days off and relax a little bit, but that’s not the case. That’s not the way it works.”
The Flyers play 16 games in the next 27 days.
Comment removed.- Comment removed.
Yes something will get done...but with no draft picks to offer I don't think it will be anything significant. We just need to kill off the horrendous contracts we are stuck with.— ant8817- Added Laviolette: "Everybody wishes we could give them a couple of days off and relax a little bit, but that’s not the case. That’s not the way it works.” Love that attitude! Get back to work before I give you a beatin'!— TobyRitter
- “I think if we continue to play hard and execute, we can beat anyone that we have to beat," That's the problem. This group of players does not play hard everynight or for a full 60 minutes. They take games and periods off. Until that is rectified, they are going nowhere.— AreaMan
- Comment removed.
- yahmpy exactly how much cap space do Parent and Coburn take up?? Not much. And when did draft picks become such a hot commodity??? People always love to complain about stuff they don't have. Just deal with it. Bottom line is, this franchise is stuck in neutral until after 2011, when Gagne's salary is freed up and those oh-so-precious draft picks are restored.— UncleEddie
- yahmpy wat would you get for those two than? Hamhuis is a very good defenseman and if we only had to give up thsoe two your not losin much..Parent is constantly injured and Coburn has been horrible this year and who knows if he can get of the slump..why not trade him now for a better defenseman who is rarely ever injured..that deal would work out great for the flyers— PhillySports23
- Holmgren has really back himself into a corner. Team not good enough with little cap room, and no-trade contracts. A receipe for making the playoffs and an early exit.— snakeman
Emery was just another goalie, his numbers, when healthy, were not that impressive. we need consistancy for next year, maybe finally a goalie that will be a solid #1 for years to come. The fans have asked for it and past champions have shown, more often that not, that it wins cups. Let him go, ride Leighton with Boosh backing him up, evaluate the "late bloomer" and see who is available in post market. just sayin'— Inchon- AreaMan, you are correct sir. And the biggest offender is Richards. The guy lacks intensity....and the others (with the exception of a few) follow his lead.
I love Lavi's attitide. These are not boys playing a game on ice anymore. Bring your lunchpail to work and suck it up.- Bring back Primeau— ant8817
- Emery's numbers -- when healthy, i.e. not counting the 5 games he played in late November with his abdominal injury -- amounted to a 2.20 goals-against average. That would be 5th-best in the NHL, and a sliver away from 2nd-best in the league. That actually IS impressive.— PhilaLogic
- Trade the owner!— eMMster
- Emery's career could well be over. Avascular Necrosis is what Bo Jackson had and he eventually needed hip replacement.— CarterRocks
- Face it, the Fly Boys are cooked this year. Ain't going nowhere.— King Of Philly
- A)Why does a newspaper, a place supposedly about free speech, censor so many comments. I've been blocked three times and there are 5 posts above that are harsher than any I have ever posted. They don't even have the decency to let you know which post got you banned. All that to say, Flyers stuck in mediocrity for years. Holmgren has done a poor job.— UncleStosh
- hey PhillyBurbs...YOU ARE A COMPLETE & UTTER IDIOT!!! "richards..lacks intensity"....RIIIIIGHT. The guy just won a gold medal (playing on Canada's best line w/Toews and Nash) and all he did tonight was SCORE A GOAL AND GET 3 ASSISTS. MAYBE YOU SHOULD ACTUALLY WATCH A GAME OR TWO BEFORE RUNNING YOUR MOUTH. YOU are the WORST kind of Flyers fan. DO US ALL A FAVOR AND STOP FOLLOWING THIS TEAM. You clearly know NOTHING about hockey.— thomaspfoolery
- I think we can win a first round series against any team but the Caps with the guys we have right now. Don't do anything, Homer.— vafan
- With Crosby, Malkin, Ovechkin and Kovalchuk playing on our biggest rivals we are at a severe disadvantage. Oh wait, we have Hartnell and Briere. My mistake.. we should win it all.— bradco
- Emery was always a gamble, so I think you continue to roll the dice in net. Leighton has been solid - who knows if he folds or under pressure? Make a move on D to strengthen the team for the longer haul. The problem is that it's been the forwards who have disappointed, so if they don't pick it up a couple of strides it doesn't matter. Unless this team can bust through four teams ahead of them and poach on a weak team in the first round they have a tough road. Can you see this team beating the Devils, then Penguins, then Caps, then Sharks or Hawks? Hard to imagine, especially because Pronger, while still good, is not the game-controller he was six years ago. I watched the Anaheim-Detroit series last year, the best or second-best series during the playoffs. He hasn't been the same player this year.— roadtriptoday
