Interesting reaction on Twitter from Columbus Blue Jacket fans living in the midwest to Steve Mason.
They all like him but the book on him, they say, is that he can be very good or very average. Which sounds very much like what the Flyers have gotten from Ilya Bryzgalov these past two years.
I don't think for a second Mason was brought here to unseat Bryz as the No. 1. Bryz needed someone to spell him. Someone the Flyers could go to and know they wou ld have a shot at getting a win on any given night.
They didn't have that feeling with Michael Leighton.
When Mason arrived, I predicted the Flyers would go into this summer and amnesty Bryzgalov, then go after a No. 1 goalie.
Since then, I keep hearing from people far above the coaching staff that Bryz is staying. Yes, he didn't get with coach Peter Laviolette so that tells you who is likely NOT staying, given the season, overall.
The owner, Ed Snider, loves this guy and supports this guy. Those close to Snider says he tells everyone that Bryzgalov will be fine "if" the Flyers fill their glaring holes on defense.
Defense is what this summer will mainly concern. Remember, it was Snider who brought Bryz here and gave him all that money and insisted that the club lockup a goalie long term to stop the carousel between the nets that has been going on since ... well, since the departure of Ron Hextall, to be honest.
The kid has a great attitude and if you read between the lines, he feels he is going to get a real shot at winning the job. Which may very well happen.
Although the Flyers remain mathematically alive in the playoff hunt, realistically, they were done after losing 4 straight recently.
Hence, I would like to see the club play Mason through a stretch of games and see what we have here.
Keep is mind, it is impossible to accurately judge this team with its depleted defense. One thing about Mason, however, is that he plays the puck and saves the defense time, energy and possibly injury by not having to go behind the net every time whereas Bryz stays in goal and never moves.
Someday, we may actually see a full, healthy FLyers team where y ou can look at all the parts and make a summary judgment of what you have and what can be expected.
Yet it seems like we've been saying that for a very long time.
Here's more on the Flyers and Mason on CSNPhilly.com:
click here 
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»