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)
mos19delta - nobody's saying Voracek is a bad player, but to get Ryan he will probably be requested in the trade package. Bobby Ryan is only 25 and is a better player than Voracek so why wouldn't the flyers jump on an opportunity if it arises? Nobody wants to trade Couturier or Schenn which are the young talented players everyone is banking on to become stars.— the sichee-ation- Bruno is a minus 66 player in his 7 year career. Do some homework. A "young" Carle? You couldn't be any more wrong. And he's only making $500 K? There is a reason for that. Jody Shelley makes $1.3 million a year. Horrible signing. Worse than Walker or Lilja? Time will tell.— MichaelZoe
- Here are their numbers: D Bruno Gervais (2 years, $825,000 avg per season) and F Ruslan Fedotenko (1 year, $1.75 M)
— iggles23 - Fedotenko....a penalty kill specialist. Sounds like Homer may be setting up a Couts trade for something larger— phillyfan880123
- So they let a +55 player in Carle walk, but sign a -66 player in return? You somehow think that is good how? Lilja, Walker, now this clown. Holmgrem loves to make the big trade or signing. Getting Pronger was the "easy" part. He always gets the little things wrong. Talbot is about the only good little move Holmer made that worked. Really, this is just awful. But not maybe as awful as the sportscasters in this town playing up to Mr Snider and Paul actually thinking they're in the running for Nash or somehow were calling the shots on the Suter/Parise situation. Driving up the price to limit other team's Cap? We are the laughing stock of the NHL right now. Hopefully, Giroux doesn't ask to be traded.— MichaelZoe
- Flyers signed Gervais and Ruslan Fedetenko— iggles23
- Beginning to believe a trade is a certainty with the Gervais signing....why would we have 4 guys compete for the 6th/7th spots? Gus or Bourdon in a package with Read and another forward. Could it be for Ryan? Not sure that gets it done in comparison to other teams in the running. I would also like to see Voracek back....good young player that we can lock up for several years at a manageable cap hit.
- i still get perplexed by this obsession with some of you people to trade vorachec, he's a young speedy winger who can drive down the right side wth strength & agility, & if you haven't noticed he a darn good Passer. which by the way so many goal scoring chances are generated from with in the offensive zone. strong winger making plays from either down low or middle of the wings. but again these are the same fans who talk oabout the flyer never giving young player a chance to develop, but then talk about trading packages of them away for player like nash or ryan.— mos19delta
- 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
Comment removed.- Might as well report Gervais signing as official...already on NHL.com's Flyer roster list...— dave1walsh
- 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
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.- 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
- Put Pronger in even with the headaches.— neddyflanders
- 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.
- 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
- 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
- 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 - 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
- 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
- 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.
- Flyers should sign Shane Doan, then trade Couts/Voracek and 1st rounder for Yandle. Then Read, Meszaros for Bobby Ryan. Giroux, Briere, Hartnell, Ryan, Schenn, Doan, Simmonds, Talbot.....defense of Timonen, Yandle, Coburn, Schenn, Grossman, Bourdon, etc. Maybe these moves aren't realistic, but the bottom line is the Flyers did the right thing by not trying to sign Suter, Parise or Carle. There are still plenty of things we can (and will) do to shake up the roster between now and the start of the season— phillyfan880123
- Please tell me you are kidding. There is no way someone could ACTUALLY advocate any of that right?
— Neebo - No more worrying about if the Flyers will overpay for Carle. He signed back on with tampa bay, 6 years $33 mil. I feel a trade in the works now that cap money is available.— the sichee-ation
- Carle to tb
— fman727 - I agree Ricky Gervais signing would make me want to buy tickets.— bababooey2yall
- Looks like the flyers are making cap room for a trade. Instead of paying Carle 5.5 mil, maybe something is in the works for Ryan who also makes around 5.5mil/year. I'm fine with that as long as Couturier is not part of any trade that happens.— the sichee-ation
- THE CUP IS OURS!!!!— argonne
- Carle ain't worth 5.5 million so go get someone else if necessary. Overpaying for an average talent is a HUGE mistake.— doctorlivingstone
- Should have offered $ 100,000,000 to Parise and Suter with whatever years they wanted ! We got burnt !— newsy
- The only thing burnt is your brain fool. They were both highly over paid. Thank god we didn't sign either of them or Carle. I got my wish.
- Comment removed.
- "When I go to Parx to play poker, I ask who at the table is a Flyers fan. THAT is the moron I designate as the biggest and most unintelligent sap, and then I proceed to take his money. 2nd winningest Franchise = first loser."
— mrjetsondc420
The people who work there wonder if most of the gamblers have the brains to find their way home afterwards. I would judge that pertains to you. When you shake your head, rivets fall out. Keep that poker face on, bubba.— Claudio Vernight - I'd love to play you in poker, I'd take your money and pay someone to assassinate you so I had to stop reading your brainless posts every day. You - Loser for entire life.
- mrjetsondc420= senior pizza delivery driver, living comfortably in parent's basement, recently applied for supervisor position at KMart...— jamarder
- hahahahaha the only inflated price they are willing to pay a defenseman is for over rated Nash— mold1103
- If the Flyers go for Gervais instead of Carle they're apparently loading up for an even bigger deal. Last summer Paul Holmgren was labeled a genius; this summer he brings to mind John Steinbeck's "the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry." Whatever the Flyers are doing to date in the offseason, they haven't impressed--yet.— schultz08
- They could just be looking for an affordable short-term replacement for Carle. Top pairings containing Meszaros, Coburn, Timonen, and Grossman isn't that awful.
Recall he made news last summer by trading the core of the franchise for prospects/young players. I have no concern about them "winning" the off-season. If what they want/need isn't there, the last thing I'd want them to do is spent it one whomever is left just so they could say they did "something." I want them to win next spring.— sklandog - I think if u make this acquisition along with a premium forward like Semin or Doan then this makes good sense. You can't have superstars at every position.— feudal_nobility09
- mrjets=scotstevensisgod?— NYPHILLYPHAN
- I'd rather sign Ricky Gervais, but seriously MrJitsonhimself what's your problem. If you don't like the Flyers, fine, but I can never understand someone like you coming to a Flyer fan page & ripping on Flyers & fans. Go write something positive about your team on your webpage. And also it takes no balls to call people names from behind your computer.— philadavephia
- Doan reportedly won't sign anywhere until July 9 - or whenever the Phoenix ownership situation is resolved. At this point, there's probably little harm in waiting. — sklandog
- The Flyers should sign Shane Doan. He is a tough Flyer-type player that the fans would love and would be very productive. He is a winger, can play man down and would grind for either of the top two lines. He is like a smarter version of Hartnell. He would also make a great Alternate to Giroux as Captain.— airpope
- Good 5th-6th guy. Depth. Which means get ready for trade. Also keep in mind timm gone next year. Good move. Doesn't mean carle not back though. Keeping cap open for weber, hopefully— fman727
- Not an overwhelming signing but not horrible either. Good skater, moves the puck well but isnt real physical for his size. Considering his price, low risk decent possibility for reward.— Neebo
- so does this mean Carle is gone?— ESFjellin
- You'd sure have to think so. Or Homer's working something behind the scenes that involves Gus or Bourdon. I'm thinking the former, but with Homer you can never tell.
I'm not sweating it. There's plenty of time left before the playoffs start. The cap room they gain by not re-signing Jagr and (probably) not re-signing Carle will still be there. They don't need to spend it before camp opens if what they want and need isn't jumping into their lap.— sklandog - It's done to get a response. Why are you replying? — sklandog
-
This according to TB scouting report: "Strengths: Moves the puck out of the defensive zone swiftly and with aplomb (?). Has sound all-around upside and poise under pressure. Weaknesses: Is somewhat inconsistent in all areas of the game. Doesn't use his 6-1 frame enough to gain the upper hand on opponents in the defensive zone.
Projection: Puck-moving depth defenseman." Sounds like Carle already only cheaper...
— rubberbullet - Is this Plan B, C, D or F???— shawnmac
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Broad Street Bull is the Inquirer's blog covering the Philadelphia Flyers and the National Hockey League.
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