It is, and management hasnt helped him much there either. Having him play in front of a team that sucks defensively for 2 years, and no back-up goaltender this season.
- flyer_nutter

Agreed.

WILL CEMENT THAT REPUTATION
- Crimsoninja

Et tu?

As every day passes, I get more pissed off they traded away Bob.

Impatience has set this team back 5 years.

Yes, Shea Weber didn't sign a 14 year offer sheet in excess of $100. Obviously never happened.

And neither Carle nor Jagr wanted to return at all. Couldn't wait to get the Hell out of Dodge. And hey, Hartnell and Simmonds never signed 6 year extensions, because it's such an anti-player environment.

It's horrible. Obviously they're doomed to be the Edmonton Oilers of the East coast.
- Jsaquella

I dont think its a huge issue, but signing Richards, Carter and JVR for huge deals then dealing them, while now probably buying out Briere and perhaps Bryzgalov would weigh on me if I had an offer from Philadelphia compared to another team.

Thats where player evaluation comes into play, and what those players realistically can and will do for your team. Where they fit into the big picture.

According to one of the beat writers (I won't name names), I'm "just a blogger and not a professional hockey writer" although I've been credentialed in NHL press boxes since 2000 (and in the AHL since 1996) and hockey writing has encompassed 90 percent of my income since 2009, between HB, NHL.com, the Flyers official site, IIHF.com and the daily blog I did for two seasons at the now-defunct Versus official site before the NBC merger. The lockout was a severe financial blow to me, but hockey writing is still my job.

Anyway, apart from that one person who has always been nice to my face and then talked behind my back in order to deny me entry into the PHWA, I get along great with and have the utmost respect for the other beat guys in the city as well as the CSN folks.
- bmeltzer

Take it as a compliment.

Best thing about the rise of blogs is that it's made talented writers like yourself more accessible to a wider audience.

Et tu?
- mayorofangrytown

oh indeed

My take is that he was trying to say that he has no control over management decisions so why worry about it.

"I maybe want one thing and they want a different thing" doesn't say to me that he doesn't care whether he's a Flyer next year. In fact you can choose to read it as meaning the opposite - that he wants to stay but if the brass moves him, he won't sweat it.
- 77rams

Exactly how I took it.

As every day passes, I get more pissed off they traded away Bob.

Impatience has set this team back 5 years.
- the deaninator

I'd say a lack of long term planning. Going after Pronger is one thing but knowing that you will soon have to replace him and Timonen without trying to fix the issue is another.

Flyers had a window to bring in young d-men with potential, to start and bridge the gap or help fix the issue in the draft. They didnt, and waited too long.

That whole "best player available" thing in the draft I hate personally. I hope all those talented forwards can play as d-men as well.

Yet it just creates more BS, because people expect that kind of stuff from him because of last year which is not forgotten.

He should know by now, and his team will have to answer questions about it. Bryzgalov had the opportunity to make it a non-issue by giving a classic cliche answer, or saying he simply wants to remain a Flyer. He opened the box, and that is on him. His team will now, like many times before, have to answer for his actions.
- flyer_nutter

The whole point is that he didn't open any box. He was asked a question and he answered it. It's nothing.

I dont think its a huge issue, but signing Richards, Carter and JVR for huge deals then dealing them, while now probably buying out Briere and perhaps Bryzgalov would weigh on me if I had an offer from Philadelphia compared to another team.

Thats where player evaluation comes into play, and what those players realistically can and will do for your team. Where they fit into the big picture.
- flyer_nutter

It may make players wary, but I doubt they'll shy away from coming to a team who has the resources the Flyers do and the desire and willingness use them to try and win.

oh indeed
- Crimsoninja

Disappointing

The whole point is that he didn't open any box. He was asked a question and he answered it. It's nothing.
- MJL

My point is that it is nothing to us, and probably a lot of people.

Yet its already a story on TSN, and you know his team will have to answer for it.

He could have easily said " I want to remain a Flyer and help this city win a championship". Or another cliche response.

According to one of the beat writers (I won't name names), I'm "just a blogger and not a professional hockey writer" although I've been credentialed in NHL press boxes since 2000 (and in the AHL since 1996) and hockey writing has encompassed 90 percent of my income since 2009, between HB, NHL.com, the Flyers official site, IIHF.com and the daily blog I did for two seasons at the now-defunct Versus official site before the NBC merger. The lockout was a severe financial blow to me, but hockey writing is still my job.

Anyway, apart from that one person who has always been nice to my face and then talked behind my back in order to deny me entry into the PHWA, I get along great with and have the utmost respect for the other beat guys in the city as well as the CSN folks.
- bmeltzer

Who is it?

http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/10/report-multiple-players-confirm-bryz-closed-his-eyes-during-team-meeting/
- Just5

Be aware of anonymous sources. Articles are written like that because there is no way the source can be confirmed.

It may make players wary, but I doubt they'll shy away from coming to a team who has the resources the Flyers do and the desire and willingness use them to try and win.
- Jsaquella

He gets this and I get three paragraphs of angry sarcasm short of name calling...

It may make players wary, but I doubt they'll shy away from coming to a team who has the resources the Flyers do and the desire and willingness use them to try and win.
- Jsaquella

See it shouldnt matter if they are wary even.

Flyers need to realise that the days of buying a team in FA, or waiting to sign that big FA piece your team desperately needs are dead.

Just for curiosity, what would you want that identity to be? I think shifting toward more consistent talent in all 3 zones is a must.

However there seems to be a vibe that the shift should go toward a more defensive first scheme. Offensive, and defensive styles both have big advantages and disadvantages if they are employed correctly. Both need certain kinds of players to make them work well.

If its not with Lava, who I agree probably needs to go, I'd still like them to be somewhat of an aggressive team, and carry that phisolophy. Something like Chicago, Pittsburgh or even Detriot to a degree.
- flyer_nutter

All players are capable of playing well defensively. And improving their defensive play. I do not want a strict defensive style, nor do I want an overaggressive offensive style. Find a middle ground. And be able to play a wider range of ways for game situations.

This whole thread is like some sort of giant pity party. It's one bad (and short) season. It happens. Get over yourselves for crying out loud.

This is one of the most successful hockey franchises ever. We've won more playoff games in the past 10 years than all but one team. We're perennial playoff contenders, with very few exceptions. Our overall winning percentage is second in the league behind only Montreal. And we still hold the record for the longest unbeaten streak in the NHL. It's not like we're the Panthers or some poop and we just suck ad nauseum.

Yes, we haven't won a Cup in a while. And that can certainly be frustrating. I want a Cup just as much as the next guy. But please stop with all the BS about how screwed up the organization is, and how we need wholesale organizational changes, have no identity, etc., etc. Is it perfect? No, but even including this season, this is still one of the best franchises in all of sports. There may be some changes this summer. It wouldn't surprise me at all since it's been a down year this year for sure. But we'll be back. We always are.

So cowboy the (frank) up for crying out loud. It's one bad year. And a short one at that. Some of you folks are worse than the frigging Courier-Post with your BS.

Exactly how I took it.
- MJL

Really? Where's the fun in that? The best thing to do is to completely misconstrue it, create controversy, and then have another hack journalist write a ridiculous piece in order to have everything boil over.

Philly media is a freaking joke. It's not just the Flyers; it's every sport. A few idiots with a keyboard are somehow anointed as the go-to sources and the idiots that tune into the CSN and 94.1/97.5 are somehow the loudest.

There is no need for it though.

He couldnt have answered much differently and made it a complete non issue.

If this was the first time with Bryzgalov alright, but the team has had to cover for his ass too much over the last 2 years. The media is what it is, and Bryzgalov falls for the game too easily.
- flyer_nutter

I think you're making this into way more then it is.

See it shouldnt matter if they are wary even.

Flyers need to realise that the days of buying a team in FA, or waiting to sign that big FA piece your team desperately needs are dead.
- flyer_nutter

Build through the draft and add UFA pieces (1-2) to take you over the top.

All players are capable of playing well defensively. And improving their defensive play. I do not want a strict defensive style, nor do I want an overaggressive offensive style. Find a middle ground. And be able to play a wider range of ways for game situations.
- MJL

If you watch the Pens, Dan Bylsma seems to have no problem doing this very thing.

This whole thread is like some sort of giant pity party. It's one bad (and short) season. It happens. Get over yourselves for crying out loud.

This is one of the most successful hockey franchises ever. We've won more playoff games in the past 10 years than all but one team. We're perennial playoff contenders, with very few exceptions. Our overall winning percentage is second in the league behind only Montreal. And we still hold the record for the longest unbeaten streak in the NHL. It's not like we're the Panthers or some poop and we just suck ad nauseum.

Yes, we haven't won a Cup in a while. And that can certainly be frustrating. I want a Cup just as much as the next guy. But please stop with all the BS about how screwed up the organization is, and how we need wholesale organizational changes, have no identity, etc., etc. Is it perfect? No, but even including this season, this is still one of the best franchises in all of sports. There may be some changes this summer. It wouldn't surprise me at all since it's been a down year this year for sure. But we'll be back. We always are.

So cowboy the (frank) up for crying out loud. It's one bad year. And a short one at that. Some of you folks are worse than the frigging Courier-Post with your BS.
- BringBack25

Bring Back #25

During the offseason Holmgren wanted him to change his style to focus more in the defensive zone. Why hire a coach whos all about attack (bc thats what you wanted) then decide a few years later to change it.

Stick to a style and draft players that fit it this way it doesnt matter who the coach is the players know what to expect and can be developed correctly.
- stveshdy

I agree. It was Holmgren who wanted the play a hunt the puck style. Well he got that in Laviolette. Now he realizes that they need to be better defensively. Make no mistake about it. trading a goal scoring forward for a physical defensive defenseman was not by accident.