I think Bryz has played pretty well, my concern is with his cap hit and length of contract. 7 more years at a 5.7 million hit is just not worth it to me.

If he was going into year 3 of say a 5 year deal with a cap hit of 6 million or so, I would keep him, but with his current deal, I think its best to buy him out.

Ideally I would buy him out after next season, but with the cap ceiling dropping by 6 million next year, I think it needs to be done this summer.
- BiggE

I couldn't agree with this more if I had typed it myself.

Can somebody help me understand the benefit of waiting until next year to amnesty Bryz, if that's the route the team takes?
- flyguy12

i guess the idea is to see if he can put it together with an improved team in front of him. then they might not want to amnesty him afterall

not saying this is how'd id play it but maybe how they're thinking

I only wish Bryz had named names.

I think McGinn (if fully healthy) should be in the lineup, even if no other call-ups are made in place of Rosehill. Part of Rosehill's presence in the lineup is to be a deterrent from players on other teams taking runs at our better players. Thank God no one like Chris Neil ran around gunning for Voracek last night.

Also, as I see this team going nowhere slowly (they can't seem to do much quickly), I'd like to have the team play Shelley and Knuble int he last game as long as both are healthy, as it will likely be the last NHL game either will play. It would be the classy thing to do.
- jmatchett383

seriously ... I couldn't believe that Neil wasn't targeted after taking several runs at Jake and others.

With all the Bryz bashing and hate from the media wouldnt surprise me if Bryz wants out himself. He sure didnt sound too worried about being bought out in a recent interview. I wonder if someone would trade for him if flyers absorbed say 1-1.5 mil of his cap?

seriously ... I couldn't believe that Neil wasn't targeted after taking several runs at Jake and others.
- FlyerGuy

I didn't watch the game. Was Sheriff Rosehill deployed to put a stop to this?

I didn't watch the game. Was Sheriff Rosehill deployed to put a stop to this?
- johndewar

At the time of the big hit, he was serving a 10-minute misconduct for headbutting (it was weak, their helmets just touched). After that, he was out on the ice, and he looked to be giving Chris Neil a very stern father-to-son talking to.

On another note, how has Chris Neil never been suspended? I don't think I've ever seen him throw a hit with his skates on the ice.

I only wish Bryz had named names.
- FlyerGuy

Thanks for the reminder!
- flyerfan28

To truly improve we must always remember our darkest depths.

Awwww finally back to tank talk....

To truly improve we must always remember our darkest depths.
- JoeRussomanno

Did someone say "darkest depths"?

Whatever makes you feel batter about it, its cool. Not saying LA doesnt have a good team already but dismissing the talent Carter and Richards had here is pretty stupid.
- flyerfan28

hanging on to them w/ near-immovable contracts lasting 9-11 more yrs would have defined stupid. the team enabled some of what went on here w/ them, but they grew out of the changes. i wanted to keep carter at the time, while i thought G could replace much of what richie brought.

hanging on to them w/ near-immovable contracts lasting 9-11 more yrs would have defined stupid. the team enabled some of what went on here w/ them, but they grew out of the changes. i wanted to keep carter at the time, while i thought G could replace much of what richie brought.
- isaiah520

I felt the opposite, RE: Richards and Carter.

I felt like Carter was redundant, but Richards, to me, was going to be a perennial Selke nominee.

Whatever makes you feel batter about it, its cool. Not saying LA doesnt have a good team already but dismissing the talent Carter and Richards had here is pretty stupid.
- flyerfan28

Richards and Carter have to be loving this....Defending cup champs, back in the playoffs and playing good hockey as of late. All while basking in the LA sun! I love the guys we got back on the trade but it set this team back a few seasons.
- flyerfan28

I know I'm kinda Laught with this but, yeah...

I'm sure they happy enough IN LA, but I don't see how the Flyers are set back a few seasons when the production from just a couple of the players they received in the trade is higher than that of Carts and Richie.

Carter 29 PTS in 41 GP (24G 5A)
Voracek 39 PTS in 40 GP (17G 22A)

So, Voracek is outproducing Carter in pts by 35% in less games, plus we got the 8th overall pick, (Couturier) and a 3rd, which turned into a pretty decent prospect in Nick Cousins, one of the leading scorers in the OHL this season.

Richards 28 PTS in 41 GP (10G 18A)
Simmonds 25 PTS in 37 GP (12G 13 A)

So Simmer is basically replacing Richie's production (virtually the same points per game) plus we got Schenn who has 22 PTS in 39 GP + we got a 2nd from LA which was used to bring in Grossmann.

Given that the production of Carts and Richie was more than replaced by Voracek and Simmonds, and that the trade also added a very good young player/prospect in Couturier and a solid D man in Grossman, plus a good prospect in Cousins, I'd say the trade didn't set the team back (there are other reasons for that) and in my opinion, set them up for a brighter future.

I felt the opposite, RE: Richards and Carter.

I felt like Carter was redundant, but Richards, to me, was going to be a perennial Selke nominee.
- johndewar

either way, both are very good players for their cap hits.

What is the origin of unicorn?
- JoeRussomanno

Not sure where unicorns come from Joe

But UniCRON and his twin Primus (later becoming Cybertron) were created when the Universe was made....atleast based on the cartoon lineage.

i guess the idea is to see if he can put it together with an improved team in front of him. then they might not want to amnesty him afterall

not saying this is how'd id play it but maybe how they're thinking
- Crimsoninja

Yes, that's the theory. Another factor is the availability of alternative goalies and the expected cost of those alternatives. The consensus seems to be that the FA goalie pool will be better next summer than this one. Certainly not a lot of attractive options this year.

hanging on to them w/ near-immovable contracts lasting 9-11 more yrs would have defined stupid. the team enabled some of what went on here w/ them, but they grew out of the changes. i wanted to keep carter at the time, while i thought G could replace much of what richie brought.
- isaiah520

Well agree to disagree then, I will admit Riche was my favorite player when he was here so im slightly biased. Living close to LA I saw a lot of Simmonds so was excited to see him come over in the deal. Flyers need to get another sniper though so we'll see.

hanging on to them w/ near-immovable contracts lasting 9-11 more yrs would have defined stupid. the team enabled some of what went on here w/ them, but they grew out of the changes. i wanted to keep carter at the time, while i thought G could replace much of what richie brought.
- isaiah520

Their cap hits will become significantly less of a burden as the cap goes up (which it will after next season). Something to consider.

Yes, that's the theory. Another factor is the availability of alternative goalies and the expected cost of those alternatives. The consensus seems to be that the FA goalie pool will be better next summer than thins one. Certainly not a lot of attractive options this year.
- BringBack25

Exactly.

You really have to options:

1- You retain Bryz and aim to improve the team in front of him. Decide how to move forward for the 2014-15 season following next season.

2- You amnesty Bryz. By doing that you need a viable alternative. In order to get said alternative you either move assets to get one (not a smart move IMO) or you sign a FA. Not many refreshing faces out there, but if somehow you get a solid goalie.. ownership will now be paying three goalies.

trust me.. I agree with that to an extent.

My ideal scenario?

Bury this season. If Bryz played this way last year we wouldnt even be talking about him right now. Instead he has a bad year last year.. the team sucks this year, and were buying him out.

Nope, stick with him for one more season, work on fixing the team in front of him, because as of now.. and the way they are playing as a team, you could trade for Lundqvist and it wouldnt matter. If they fix the team, and the team picks up the slack next season, yet Bryz still struggles, buy him out next offseason.
- jak521

not unreasonable, but i'm looking at what may be a buyers mkt for goalies this off season and if there's a match, i'd buy bryz out...esp considering that it seems inevitable anyway. it's a terrible contract that he hasn't come close to playing up to.

fair or not, it hasn't worked out w/ bryz here and w/ the obvious needs this team has -think of the doubts we now have going forward about mez and nic- i want to change the equation w/ this mix a little more and i would want the cap flexibility to do so.

Yes, that's the theory. Another factor is the availability of alternative goalies and the expected cost of those alternatives. The consensus seems to be that the FA goalie pool will be better next summer than this one. Certainly not a lot of attractive options this year.
- BringBack25

I agree. It's about leverage. We jettison Breeze and we overpay for his replacement because teams know we have no other fall back. We test the market while we have one year left on his amnesty option and we're not in as much of a bind.

either way, both are very good players for their cap hits.
- jak521

I don't know, I have to question Richie's value in particular, given his declining arc of production since his breakout seasons a few years back ...these days he seems to be about a 50-60 pt player who is less of a physical and defensive force than a few years ago (Richie and Carter lead the Kings in goals allowed per 60 mins of icetime 5V5). I don't think that's worth 5.75 mil/yr. At least Carts is still sniping goals at a pretty good clip which helps justify his 5.2 mil salary a bit more?

You wouldn't take Nurse ahead of Monahan at #6?
- Feanor

Right now I don't think I would and I like both players a fair amount.

That's because the writers in this town KNOW football. They can break it down. They are unable to do that with the Flyers hockey. That's why it's a stepping-stone job to move to the football beat, like Les Bowen did. The ones sticking around either like the sport (Wayne Fish) or aren't very good writers (Tim Panaccio).
- Flyskippy

From a writing standpoint, Les actually preferred covering the Flyers (and got to know the game pretty damn well over the years, especially for a North Carolina native who never watched or covered the sport of hockey until he was assigned to do it). But no one would turn the Eagles beat because it's actually an easier gig -- much, much, much less travel -- and also higher-profile.