I'm ready to watch Read have a kick butt game tonight. It looks like he is beginning to get his wind back and it's nice to see.
I know he's not "safe" in the off season and might get moved for blueline help but I really would like to see him stick around.
- FlyersGrace

2nd that.

did we get seth jones yet?

edit: Schenn for the Ashbee....
- Philly1980

Nope.

Here's John Paul Jones, though....

I would give the Dupree award to bryz Instead of Briere. Bryz was honest about the teams play earlier in the season and should be commended for not sugar coating things. He hasn't been a sideshow when he easily could have due to his awful teammates play leaving him high and dry.

Also. Danny was Mia for about 2 months due to injury? Also is mia on the ice. No awards deserved.
- Just5

Bryz has zero shot at the Dupre (F/K/A Class Guy or Good Guy Award). He'd probably be the least likely guy on the team to win it, in fact. He is not well-liked either by many teammates or by most writers, though I know one of the beats is personally fond of him. I don't think he's a bad guy, BTW. Perhaps a bit misunderstood, but some of that is his own doing.

Danny was accessible whenever you wanted him, just couldn't discuss the injury. He could have won the Dupre every year of his Flyers career but they have always tried to give it to a different player each year.

Most improved should go to Bobrovsky. Maybe he can fly in from Columbus to accept.

I would give the Dupree award to bryz Instead of Briere. Bryz was honest about the teams play earlier in the season and should be commended for not sugar coating things. He hasn't been a sideshow when he easily could have due to his awful teammates play leaving him high and dry.

Also. Danny was Mia for about 2 months due to injury? Also is mia on the ice. No awards deserved.
- Just5

Totally agree...Briere with the media...Just says things you want to hear and never does poop on the ice to back things up... totally agree

Yep, I'm a woman... But I can see where you might have an issue!
- FlyersGrace

BALDERDASH!!! No way your a woman! Women have to much to do to be on hb all day everyday like yourself.

Bryz has zero shot at the Dupre (F/K/A Class Guy or Good Guy Award). He'd probably be the least likely guy on the team to win it, in fact. He is not well-liked either by many teammates or by most writers, though I know one of the beats is personally fond of him. I don't think he's a bad guy, BTW. Perhaps a bit misunderstood, but some of that is his own doing.

Danny was accessible whenever you wanted him, just couldn't discuss the injury. He could have won the Dupre every year of his Flyers career but they have always tried to give it to a different player each year.
- bmeltzer

Briere just says things you want to hear.never backs it up on the ice...I totally disagree with this...Bryz was honest and in most cases made himself available only to be mocked at for his accent. its hard to make yourself available when these guys constantly belittle you.

BALDERDASH!!! No way your a woman! Women have to much to do to be on hb all day everyday like yourself.
- SMS4016

HA! Once work picks up I won't be on as much and you guys will miss me. But until then you can just suffer through it...

Nope.

Here's John Paul Jones, though....


- Giroux_Is_God

Most improved should go to Bobrovsky. Maybe he can fly in from Columbus to accept.
- hockeylover

I'm going to address this an offseason blog -- since it's going to be a looooong offseason -- but might as well touch upon it briefly now.

1) At the point Bobrovsky was traded, few organizations thought that amnesty was going to be part of the next CBA (though the idea had been kicked around). The Flyers operated under belief they would have Bryzgalov on their cap for the duration of his contract. That meant Bobrovsky wasn't going to get much chance at a starting job any time soon.

2) Bobrovsky was primarily traded because the Flyers wanted to free up some cap space relative to what they were paying their backup goaltender. They also planned to increase Bryzgalov's workload this year.

3) Even if he had stayed, I don't think Bobrovsky would have had nearly the same success. There was a number one job to be won there, with Mason having done so little since his Calder season. Also, let's see if Bobrovsky carries that regular season success over into the playoffs (if Columbus makes it) and especially into next year. He had a fine half-season for the Flyers in his rookie year and then struggled in second half. He's more mature and confident now, but I want to see a full season and not a shortened regular season before I declare that he's truly broken through into the top echelon of the NHL.

- johndewar

One of my favorite Zeppelin songs...up there with Babe I'm Gonna Leave You and I Can't Quit You Baby

I wanna see these guys win out. Nothing better than winning. (frank) the draft pick, we'll come out with a solid kid either way.

Win and let this team have something to build off of for next year!

Briere just says things you want to hear.never backs it up on the ice...I totally disagree with this...Bryz was honest and in most cases made himself available only to be mocked at for his accent. its hard to make yourself available when these guys constantly belittle you.
- Philly1980

Bryz has gotten a bad rap, true...
But think of this award as more like Team Mom... If Bryz was made team mom everyone would be very well educated in science and be absolutely psychotic. He's not outgoing and doesn't interact with people well, he's a tough guy to love. Not necessarily his fault as we like to crucify our goalies here. But half of his image was his bed to make. So I stopped feeling sorry for him awhile ago.

Briere on the other hand is VERY good at herding cats (the media), and at reaching out to help those who need it both inside and outside the team in a supportive way. You may think he only says what people want to hear but I disagree, I think he puts tough topics into a good light which makes his quotes MUCH harder to sell to a drama infused media market.

Briere just says things you want to hear.never backs it up on the ice...I totally disagree with this...Bryz was honest and in most cases made himself available only to be mocked at for his accent. its hard to make yourself available when these guys constantly belittle you.
- Philly1980

Briere gives honest assessments in his own right, and is particularly insightful about what it takes to win in big-game situations (something the weight of his history has proven he knows a thing or two about). He is a positive person by nature, so he tries to couch things in positive terms, but that's not "saying what you want to hear."

Nobody but Barkann has mocked Bryzgalov for his accent. He gets mocked nationally and locally for his combined goofiness and moodiness (which was his rep long before 24/7). Around the team, he specifically criticized for having thrown his defensemen under the bus both publicly and, allegedly, behind the scenes too (including games where he was less-than-stellar himself).

HA! Once work picks up I won't be on as much and you guys will miss me. But until then you can just suffer through it...

- FlyersGrace

I have to do this... I just can't pass it up because you left yourself wide open... Are you on craigslist? Does "business" get busier in warmer weather? I'm just playing. I had to just had to

Briere just says things you want to hear.never backs it up on the ice...I totally disagree with this...Bryz was honest and in most cases made himself available only to be mocked at for his accent. its hard to make yourself available when these guys constantly belittle you.
- Philly1980

If Danny Briere had only helped bring along Claude Giroux and Sean Couturier and been mediocre on the ice, he STILL would have provided more value to this franchise than Ilya Bryzgalov.

That's not a knock on Bryz (Bryz supporters, put away your weapons....I mean you no harm).

But I think you are strongly undervaluing what Briere has done for this franchise in his time here, both on and off the ice.

He is not well-liked either by many teammates...
- bmeltzer

Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised to hear that he's not exactly popular with teammates... he does have a history of openly questioning coaches and management, throwing teammates under the bus, and being an attention-hound. Not a lot of guys who have played with him in the past have had many good things to say about him as a teammate.

But like you said, he's not a bad person, just a bit too far removed from the approved Canadian hockey player behavioral archetype.

Totally agree...Briere with the media...Just says things you want to hear and never does poop on the ice to back things up... totally agree
- Philly1980

Yeah, you're right. All he's ever done is become the NHL's leading playoff goal-scorer since the last lockout, and had a pair of 30-goal regular season in Philly (and four in his career). Oh, and during his Flyers' career, Briere has notched a combined 23 game-winners (14 in the regular season and nine in the playoffs). Counting ONLY regular season games, he has scored 11 overtime goals in his career, including four in a Flyers uniform.

But apart from THAT, what has he ever done on the ice for the Flyers?

Tim P is reporting that Kimmo likely broke his foot on 2/16 after getting hit with a puck. He declined an MRI and continued to play with pain. The guy is unbelievable.

I have to do this... I just can't pass it up because you left yourself wide open... Are you on craigslist? Does "business" get busier in warmer weather? I'm just playing. I had to just had to
- SMS4016

Lmao nope, not on Craigslist... And Business ramps up whenever a release comes up so I tend to go into hiding for 2 months about 5 times a year.
Although when I get super stressed I like to come in here and complain about my favorite team... So even then I'll be around.

Tim P is reporting that Kimmo likely broke his foot on 2/16 after getting hit with a puck. He declined an MRI and continued to play with pain. The guy is unbelievable.
- Marc D

Kimmo Timonen is a beast.

Tim P is reporting that Kimmo likely broke his foot on 2/16 after getting hit with a puck. He declined an MRI and continued to play with pain. The guy is unbelievable.
- Marc D

Yes, Holmgren said that on Tuesday. Said the team asked him about getting an MRI and he said it was starting to feel better and he didn't need one. Homer also said Timonen was in bad mood about missing the remaining games this season. In fact, he was indeed frowning up in the pressbox while the other players up there were mostly in good spirits.

Yeah, you're right. All he's ever done is become the NHL's leading playoff goal-scorer since the last lockout, and had a pair of 30-goal regular season in Philly (and four in his career). Oh, and during his Flyers' career, Briere has notched a combined 23 game-winners (14 in the regular season and nine in the playoffs). Counting ONLY regular season games, he has scored 11 overtime goals in his career, including four in a Flyers uniform.

But apart from THAT, what has he ever done on the ice for the Flyers?
- bmeltzer

Remember where this franchise was that year BEFORE Danny Briere got here?

Not fun times.

Briere was definitely a big part in turning it around.

I'm actually pretty sad if this is really the end of Briere with the Flyers.
I understand if he leaves, but I will miss him and his fist pump goal celebration.

Tim P is reporting that Kimmo likely broke his foot on 2/16 after getting hit with a puck. He declined an MRI and continued to play with pain. The guy is unbelievable.
- Marc D

He's very special. I'll miss the Ironman when he retires. I was happy when they re-signed him for next season. The only better ending would be for him to raise a cup before he goes.
And going back to the media and honesty. If you're looking for someone who is honest, has a sense of humor, and doesn't let poop slide I think Timmonen does a very good job in his interviews.
Although I do miss Pronger. There is no one in the locker room who could put an idiot in their place like Pronger...

Yes, Holmgren said that on Tuesday. Said the team asked him about getting an MRI and he said it was starting to feel better and he didn't need one. Homer also said Timonen was in bad mood about missing the remaining games this season. In fact, he was indeed frowning up in the pressbox while the other players up there were mostly in good spirits.
- bmeltzer

Do you know why they shut him down this week? With no chance for the playoffs, the team told him he had to sit down and not play, or did his symptoms get worse?