The Flyers core is a good group of young forwards. In a short season, I would much rather the club show some patience and not move one of their good young players for a solid, but not spectacular defenseman.

What I would like to see them do is make a couple of minor moves that could pay off big come playoff time. Any of the following would help a lot.

1. Get a better backup goalie; this shouldn't cost more than a 3rd round pick by the deadline.
2. Get a legit 4th line center who can win faceoffs such as Toronto's Dave Steckel or a similar player. Once again this shouldn't cost more than a B level prospect and mid round draft pick
3. Get one more solid 4/5 defenseman and waive Foster. This would probably cost a 2nd and perhaps a decent but not blue chip prospect.

All three of these moves are doable and won't cost the team an impact player, a 1st or a top prospect like Laughton, yet all can payoff big time in the playoffs.

Still apparently nowhere close to a deal with the Avalanche. The Avs want him to sign a bridge contract of two years, at about $3.5 million per), and he wants five years, at about $5 million cap hit. I suspect he could end up being traded if this drags on much longer. Quite frankly, I side with the Avs on this one.
- bmeltzer

If thats what he wants I cant see a team even bothering trying to acquire him.

Agree with you.
Read is one of their best snipers right now.
When Giroux and Briere have scoring droughts, the goal scoring is led by Read.
- Marc D

Bingo. Cant let Read go. Even if it means making a trade to make it work.

One of the cases where as long as he doesnt ask for the moon the contract will be worth every penny.

Bill as always a great summary and Op-Ed

The home stand was not great, but 7 out of 8 points is still 7 out of 8. The team play, the pick-me up shift after shift...it was heartening. And Bryz has been the glue that was advertised when he signed. Is he the greatest goalie in the league...no. But he is consistently giving the team a chance to win/compete every night.

The downside is that right now to compete they Flyers have to play Bryz almost every game. That will bite them in the long run. Having a real backup, not just a warm up backup would really come in handy.

Knowing that Mez is a couple weeks away, how long before a serious move to help the blue line happens? The Kings/Fla trade was, as Ek pointed out, a lot like the Flyers getting Coburn. It is, IMHO, the kind of move the Flyers should look at...just my food for thought...
- wbon22

The thing with Bryz is he's one of those guys that needs to play and play a lot to find and stay in his groove. He did the same thing out in the desert. Tippet was rollin him out there for 65+ games since '09.

Then he came to Philly and we had a capable backup. He played 55 games last year or something, and had a subpar year to his standards.

Maybe having a capable backup wouldn't help? I don't think it would. I want to see Bryz play 35 games this year.

The Flyers core is a good group of young forwards. In a short season, I would much rather the club show some patience and not move one of their good young players for a solid, but not spectacular defenseman.

What I would like to see them do is make a couple of minor moves that could pay off big come playoff time. Any of the following would help a lot.

1. Get a better backup goalie; this shouldn't cost more than a 3rd round pick by the deadline.
2. Get a legit 4th line center who can win faceoffs such as Toronto's Dave Steckel or a similar player. Once again this shouldn't cost more than a B level prospect and mid round draft pick
3. Get one more solid 4/5 defenseman and waive Foster. This would probably cost a 2nd and perhaps a decent but not blue chip prospect.

All three of these moves are doable and won't cost the team an impact player, a 1st or a top prospect like Laughton, yet all can payoff big time in the playoffs.
- BiggE

I like what you're saying but I think they have that 4th line center guy already in Laughton.

The Flyers core is a good group of young forwards. In a short season, I would much rather the club show some patience and not move one of their good young players for a solid, but not spectacular defenseman.

What I would like to see them do is make a couple of minor moves that could pay off big come playoff time. Any of the following would help a lot.

1. Get a better backup goalie; this shouldn't cost more than a 3rd round pick by the deadline.
2. Get a legit 4th line center who can win faceoffs such as Toronto's Dave Steckel or a similar player. Once again this shouldn't cost more than a B level prospect and mid round draft pick
3. Get one more solid 4/5 defenseman and waive Foster. This would probably cost a 2nd and perhaps a decent but not blue chip prospect.

All three of these moves are doable and won't cost the team an impact player, a 1st or a top prospect like Laughton, yet all can payoff big time in the playoffs.
- BiggE

So do you want to go into the draft this season with 4 picks?

If I'm another GM and a team comes calling offering picks, I'm adamant in those picks being for the upcoming draft because it's one of the deepest in the last few decades....

So do you want to go into the draft this season with 4 oicks?
- Giroux_Is_God

I hope they stay with what they have unless a great deal comes across.

If Leighton is a goalie who thrives on playing long stretches of games and Bryz is the same kind of player who does best with lots of games, maybe the Flyers management should have taken this into account when they were looking for a back up goalie last off season.

I am rarely critical of Flyers management because I love how they always try to ice the best team possible, but the Leighton signing still has me scratching my head a bit.
- Marc D

totally agree
especially after the hidden back injury stuff came out, left me with a bad taste in my mouth

A lot of talk here about leighton, I can see both sides but in all fairness we need to give him a handful of games before declaring him incapable of being a bsckup. Did ride him pretty far in 2010 and that's something to remember in case Bryz goes down. Probably what management thought too when signing him.

I like what you're saying but I think they have that 4th line center guy already in Laughton.
- JoeRussomanno

if laughton is not a 4th line option this yr. the player we could use is along the lines of a scott nichol.

totally agree
especially after the hidden back injury stuff came out, left me with a bad taste in my mouth
- Don'tForgetTocchet

He hasn't been the only player here with hidden injuries tho. It seems like every post season players that barely sniffed the injury report needed a critical surgery, most recently Goroux getting both wrists worked on.

A lot of talk here about leighton, I can see both sides but in all fairness we need to give him a handful of games before declaring him incapable of being a bsckup. Did ride him pretty far in 2010 and that's something to remember in case Bryz goes down. Probably what management thought too when signing him.
- JoeRussomanno

i think hindsight will prove this move to be a miscalculation.

He hasn't been the only player here with hidden injuries tho. It seems like every post season players that barely sniffed the injury report needed a critical surgery, most recently Goroux getting both wrists worked on.
- JoeRussomanno

hiding one during contract negotiations is different, imo

if laughton is not a 4th line option this yr. the player we could use is along the lines of a scott nichol.
- isaiah520

Sorry meant for next year but if nichol can be had without losing anyone significant then by all means.

hiding one during contract negotiations is different, imo
- Don'tForgetTocchet

Are we sure he did this or is this conjecture?

A lot of talk here about leighton, I can see both sides but in all fairness we need to give him a handful of games before declaring him incapable of being a bsckup. Did ride him pretty far in 2010 and that's something to remember in case Bryz goes down. Probably what management thought too when signing him.
- JoeRussomanno

Will see what happens. Bryzgalov will get the bulk of games but with the season so short every game (points) are valuable. Hopefully Leighton can get the job done when called on for his starts.

I hope they stay with what they have unless a great deal comes across.
- stveshdy

I endorse this statement.

i think hindsight will prove this move to be a miscalculation.
- isaiah520

You're probably right and he wasn't my first choice either but he's here now. So to be fair especially considering his play which didn't end how we wanted in 2010, I'm just remaining patient. I'd hate to get all up in arms and then he plays out of his mind forcing the required flyer goalie controversy... Oh good lord heaven forbid plz...

Will see what happens. Bryzgalov will get the bulk of games but with the season so short every game (points) are valuable. Hopefully Leighton can get the job done when called on for his starts.
- stveshdy

As Bill says, I suspect Leights will get the Winterpeg start. Gonna be a tough game to win.

Are we sure he did this or is this conjecture?
- JoeRussomanno

http://philly.sbnation.co...-michael-leightons-injury

http://philly.sbnation.com/philadelphia-flyers/2010/10/13/1748674/the-curious-case-of-michael-leightons-injury
- Don'tForgetTocchet

Nothing in that article says leighton hid an injury. Apparently the author has little experience in dealing with these injuries. I personally have undergone spinal fusion. Discs often times start out bulging. The normal treatment is rest and physical therapy at that point. Leighton complained of the issue and that is indicated in the article. He followed the doctors advice and it seems like the issue went away. Training camp starts and sometime into it, he has a herniated disc now, there's absolutely nothing unusual about this. Here's the thing the disc could have herniated while he rested over the summer. When he resumed physical activity the disc probably became inflamed thus prompting medical staff to co duct further testing. A herniated disc becomes a problem when it either is inflamed or pushes on a nerve causing a radiculapathy. The series of events that the article described sounds a lot like what many people with this problem go through. If there's an issue here it could be that the flyers signed him with a bulging disc in his back.

He hasn't been the only player here with hidden injuries tho. It seems like every post season players that barely sniffed the injury report needed a critical surgery, most recently Goroux getting both wrists worked on.
- JoeRussomanno

This is the one thing about the sport that drives me absolutely nuts.

Call me crazy but I'd rather have a healthy guy in the game than a badly injured star. I understand guys play through all sorts of pain but there has to be a limit.

The Flyers core is a good group of young forwards. In a short season, I would much rather the club show some patience and not move one of their good young players for a solid, but not spectacular defenseman.

What I would like to see them do is make a couple of minor moves that could pay off big come playoff time. Any of the following would help a lot.

1. Get a better backup goalie; this shouldn't cost more than a 3rd round pick by the deadline.
2. Get a legit 4th line center who can win faceoffs such as Toronto's Dave Steckel or a similar player. Once again this shouldn't cost more than a B level prospect and mid round draft pick
3. Get one more solid 4/5 defenseman and waive Foster. This would probably cost a 2nd and perhaps a decent but not blue chip prospect.

All three of these moves are doable and won't cost the team an impact player, a 1st or a top prospect like Laughton, yet all can payoff big time in the playoffs.
- BiggE

all valid points, let's just see how it looks when we get a little closer to the deadline

i see the goalie one as a total luxury, though. probably could be done without....once it's playoff time it's bryz or bust. and if they're really in that precarious of a position where such a move may mean making/missing the playoffs, i'm not sure if i'm in favor of them moving future assets for a quick fix

if they are in solid position though, the 4lc and depth d-man could be big helps

Lava attempted to protect Bryzgalov against the first away game @ Winnipeg last season.

Thats when things started to go south for him.

Don't shield the guy. Give him the game against the Jets, and let him silence the crowd.

Lava attempted to protect Bryzgalov against the first away game @ Winnipeg last season.

Thats when things started to go south for him.

Don't shield the guy. Give him the game against the Jets, and let him silence the crowd.
- flyer_nutter

I'd say things started going south for him when Winnipeg absolutely ripped him apart in relief of Bobrovsky in the first meeting of the season (before they played in Tampa) , one game after the Habs strafed him for a five-spot.

But the reason why Bryzgalov shouldn't play in Winnipeg isn't to shield him so much as it is the nature of the road trip. Bryzgalov has played in every game but one, the game will be the third game of a 3-in-4, one night after playing in Toronto. It just makes more sense to give Boucher that game, with another 3-in-4 and then a game against the Penguins following it up.