Source: Flyers to sign Gervais
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Source: Flyers to sign Gervais
The Flyers are close to signing defenseman Bruno Gervais. (AP Photo / Chris O'Meara)
The Flyers are close to signing defenseman Bruno Gervais, according to an NHL source.
Gervais (6-1, 200), an unresricted free agent who made $525,000 last season, would add some size and a right-handed shot to the Flyers' defense. He had six goals for the Tampa Bay Lightning last year.
Gervais, a seven-year NHL veteran, he will be about $4.5M (per-season cap hit) cheaper than Matt Carle, who signed with Tampa Bay. Carle got a six-year deal for $33 million, an annual cap hit of $5.5 million.
The 27-year-old Gervais would compete for a spot on the Flyers' third D pairing.
For an earlier post on Zach Parise, Ryan Suter and the Flyers' plans, click here.
Comments (53)
With $15 mill in cap space now (not including Pronger), do we put in an offer sheet to Weber for 10 yrs, $130 mill? Still will allow us to sign a guy like K. Wellwood and we try to trade Vorachek, Read, Mez for Ryan.- Cant put in an offer for weber since he isnt a free agent until next year. I love all of these armchair GMs that dont even know what the hell is going on. Nashville probably gonna lose him NEXT year anyway so they would have to put a trade offer in for him.— drysdale101
- Actually, Drysdale, the Flyers (and anyone else too) CAN out in an offer sheet for Weber since he's in the last year of his contract. But its risky for all parties involved to do that-- the offering team, the Predators and Weber, and almost no one does it. There was just a story about this possibility today somewhere, can't remember where I saw it , maybe ESPN?— beachlawyr
- The Weber offer sheet story was in Bleacherreport today:
"A final option is the dreaded offer sheet. This one is dangerous for Weber, the Predators and the team offering the sheet.
If Weber signs an offer sheet and the Predators match that deal he is stuck with the terms of that offer and will stay with the Predators for the duration of the offer, something that may not appeal to him. The offer sheet is dangerous for the Predators because it will lock them in at a higher salary rate than what they may have liked to pay for what will surely be a long-term deal. For the team offering the deal, they will be giving up first round draft picks as compensation, something that is always a crapshoot."
— beachlawyr - Weber only has one year left on his deal so a trade isn't warranted in this case and wouldn't be appropriate, draft picks only...prob early to middle rounds.— elixmusic
- I only hope Burr Head Homer doesn't make a stupid signing. Gervais sounds a lot like Carle who I am not crazy about. Good, they saved money. Load up on cap space and draft picks. Stupid move last year when they signed Pavel Kubina. TB is still laughing about that one. Lost a pick and he sucked. STOP BEING A BURR HEAD HOMER!— Pete60
- Everyone who wanted Matt Carle gone got their wish. Even though he never distinguished himself as a 2 way d-man when Homer acquired him, the Flyers will miss Carle. Carle signing for $5.5M a season might have some Flyer fans beleiving that was too much for him. Just giving Flyer fans a much needed heads up here. Even though most Flyer fans felt Carle turned the puck over too much, they're going to lose their minds when they watch Scheen. If the Flyers are serious about signing Gervais, Flyer fans will be looking back on Carle stay here and wondering why Homer let him go. The first player Burke looked to move when he became GM of the Leafs was Scheen. He may be more physical than Carle but he's slower and doesn't possess any offensive touch. Flyer fans better hope that Bourdon claims that 6th d-man spot because Gervais, if he's signed, is worse than Bourdon and even the under-sized Gustafsson. Carle might not be worth $5.5M, but believe he's much better than Scheen, Gustafsson & Bourdon. I feel Homer took him for granted and felt Carle would sign for much less than he got from TB because Carle liked it here andwanted to stay. With Homer offering so much money to Suter, Carle must have felt slighted. I guess Homer will be a big player in the Shea Weber sweepstakes next season, considerimg how Weber felt the Suter negotiations would factor into his signing long term in Nashville. Timonen turns 38 this season and is the last yr of his contract. Every Flyer fan isn't holding their breath waiting for Pronger to return, he turns 38 this as well. The Flyers will miss Carle, who turns 28 this season. I'm going to give Homer the benefit here and hope he wassn't counting on Luke Scheen or Gervais to replace Carle.— sox12st
- Thank god he's gone, he was not going to be the difference between winning the cup this season or losing it. If anything he would have made a key turnover that lost game 5 in the playoffs and he sure as f#$k wasn't putting a body on anyone on the opposing team as they come into our zone to slow them down. GOOD RIDDENS, he's your problem now Tampa Bay. Clearly homer is trying to give fans the impression that he's offered the farm to win now, knowing full well that he was going to let Carle walk and that Parise and Suter were not signing here. My hope is that like me he knows this team has no chance in hell at winning a cup this season with our defensive pairings. He's gearing up to make a HUGE splash in 2014. That might finally be the year of our next parade if everything goes well for us. I'm SO GLAD we did not make the mistake of over paying average players like Suter, Parise and Carle. Great move by not making any move Homer. Now please DO NOT trade Courteier or Read and build us a defense.
- Put Pronger in even with the headaches.— neddyflanders
- This is a depth move, creating competition for the No. 6 spot. With JVR/Jagr/Carle gone (and none of them will be missed), Holmer needs to stay the course with the kids next season...NO trades of Coots, Schenn, Read, Voracek, Simmonds, or Wellwood! Add Doan if you can and maybe a bit more blue line depth and let's go into next season (if there is one) with the kids!— Phront_Runner
- Doan = old and uninterested in playing here. Flyers are in deep doo doo this year, we'll score a lot and stop nobody from scoring. Looking forward to 2014.
- Wait until Tampa wins the Cup next year and we have to listen to idiots saying what a mistake it was for the Flyers to part with Matt "Norris" Carle. Carle was a nice piece on the blue line and he had stretches where he looked really good. He was also a College MVP. But, he was not consistent and hos mistakes in 2012 were magnified without Pronger. Good luck to him but he was not worth that commitment from the Flyers. For all of the big name ex-Flyers that had success, let's not forget about the nice players that left for big salaries elsewhere, only to prove they were not studs (e.g., Leino, Umberger). Homer knows what he is doing.— thawthor88
- Might as well report Gervais signing as official...already on NHL.com's Flyer roster list...— dave1walsh
Comment removed.- Oh yeah, the coveted right hand shot from the point. The same thing they claimed about Pavel Kubina (from the same TB team btw).— BobbyD
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Broad Street Bull is the Inquirer's blog covering the Philadelphia Flyers and the National Hockey League.
Reach Sam at scarchidi@phillynews.com.
Sam Carchidi
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