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).
- bmeltzer

Team Bryz needs to hire a PR guy. Bill isn't sugarcoating things today. Bryz is not "misunderstood". He's an intelligent guy who has been in north america for 10+ years. He knows what he's doing when he talks to the press or when he does things during games that cause controversy.

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...
- FlyersGrace

Well said and very true about Timonen. He'll flatly call the team on its shortcomings, be brutally honest about his own performance, call out the writers when he thinks it is merited and does it all with a very dry sense of humor (except when he's legitimately ticked off). When he declines to comment on something, he looks you straight in the eye. You know what he really feels but he's not going to put a quote out to attach to it.

I think he'd make a great coach -- and he wouldn't be a players' coach, either. He'd push the guys hard and spare no feelings behind closed doors.

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?
- Marc D

It got worse and the team shut him down. He wasn't happy about it, apparently. He hates sitting out for any reason, even in games that are meaningless by this point. He has a hard-wired competitive nature.

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.
- bmeltzer

As big a fan of Bob as I am, he never would've gotten the chance (after Bryz was signed) to do in Philly what he has done in Columbus. I don't think anyone will argue that rushing to sign Bryz was a mistake.

I think Bob's for real but we'll see in the next year or 2. Hopefully the change of scenery will be good for Mason longterm as well.

Well said and very true about Timonen. He'll flatly call the team on its shortcomings, be brutally honest about his own performance, call out the writers when he thinks it is merited and does it all with a very dry sense of humor (except when he's legitimately ticked off). When he declines to comment on something, he looks you straight in the eye. You know what he really feels but he's not going to put a quote out to attach to it.

I think he'd make a great coach -- and he wouldn't be a players' coach, either. He'd push the guys hard and spare no feelings behind closed doors.
- bmeltzer

Any idea on whether or not he'd be interested in coaching? I'd love to see him still with the organization.

Well said and very true about Timonen. He'll flatly call the team on its shortcomings, be brutally honest about his own performance, call out the writers when he thinks it is merited and does it all with a very dry sense of humor (except when he's legitimately ticked off). When he declines to comment on something, he looks you straight in the eye. You know what he really feels but he's not going to put a quote out to attach to it.

I think he'd make a great coach -- and he wouldn't be a players' coach, either. He'd push the guys hard and spare no feelings behind closed doors.
- bmeltzer

Sounds like the perfect guy to mentor a young Finnish defenseman next year. Do you have any idea if the Flyers are interested in drafting Ristolainen?

Bill,

If the Flyers end up at pick #8, and assuming Seth Jones and Darnell Nurse are off the board, which would you prefer?

1.) Select the best player available -- which would probably be a forward

2.) Reach for a defenseman to fill a huge organizational need. With the assumption that the scouts feel he might become a top pairing guy down the road, and with the added risks of drafting defensemen.

3.) Trade the pick (or part of a package) to acquire a top-4, puck-moving defenseman

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.

- FlyersGrace

Omg!!! WTF!!! Your "release" makes you go into hiding for 2 months? My "release" only makes me hide for about 10 seconds. I'm soooooooooooooooo jealous

Bill,

If the Flyers end up at pick #8, and assuming Seth Jones and Darnell Nurse are off the board, which would you prefer?

1.) Select the best player available -- which would probably be a forward

2.) Reach for a defenseman to fill a huge organizational need. With the assumption that the scouts feel he might become a top pairing guy down the road, and with the added risks of drafting defensemen.

3.) Trade the pick (or part of a package) to acquire a top-4, puck-moving defenseman
- bradleyc4

#8 and Brayden Schenn for #2 pick

3.) Trade the pick (or part of a package) to acquire a top-4, puck-moving defenseman
- bradleyc4

God, I hope they don't do that... Eminger for Carlson is still too fresh in the memory.

For some reason, the Flyers pro scouting group has a habit of letting them down. The amateur scouting group is consistently awesome.

#8 and Brayden Schenn for #2 pick
- mighty13duck

No thanks.

Omg!!! WTF!!! Your "release" makes you go into hiding for 2 months? My "release" only makes me hide for about 10 seconds. I'm soooooooooooooooo jealous
- SMS4016

Mine's a LOT of work...

God, I hope they don't do that... Eminger for Carlson is still too fresh in the memory.

For some reason, the Flyers pro scouting group has a habit of letting them down. The amateur scouting group is consistently awesome.
- Tomahawk

I was thinking more along the lines of Yandle or Ehrhoff.

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

#8 and Brayden Schenn for #2 pick
- mighty13duck

Yeah Brayden didn't have the year we wanted from him, but the draft is strong enough we won't want to move up that badly...
He's still an integral piece of our young core.

I was thinking more along the lines of Yandle or Ehrhoff.
- bradleyc4

I just don't want to see them give up the chance to select in the top-10 in such a fantastic draft-class. They could chase an (expensive) top-4 NHL dman today, or they could have a better one in the stable under their control for a good 7-8 years.

Sounds like the perfect guy to mentor a young Finnish defenseman next year. Do you have any idea if the Flyers are interested in drafting Ristolainen?
- Feanor

The only thing I've gotten, either on or off-record, about the Flyers' drafting intentions is that there is no one in the consensus top dozen picks whom they wouldn't feel comfortable drafting depending on how things shake out earlier. Very vague, I know.

Last year, I heard they really liked the upside of Finnish winger Teuvo Teravainen and they correctly predicted he would drop from his projected top 5-7 spot due to his lack of size and strength--- he nearly dropped to them at 20th before finally getting selected by Chicago at 18th. Had he been there at #20, I think he'd have been their pick over Laughton.

Personally, for the Flyers, I would take Pulock over Ristolainen. Bigger risk on Pulock but also bigger home run potential. I don't think Ristolainen has top-pairing upside (top four quite possibly), whereas Pulock does. Darnell Nurse is the least refined hockey-sense wise of the bunch, but he has enormous physical upside.

I just don't want to see them give up the chance to select in the top-10 in such a fantastic draft-class. They could chase an (expensive) top-4 NHL dman today, or they could have a better one in the stable under their control for a good 7-8 years.
- Tomahawk

The use of stable always amuses me. Of course I have a mind perpetually in the gutter...

Yeah Brayden didn't have the year we wanted from him, but the draft is strong enough we won't want to move up that badly...
He's still an integral piece of our young core.
- FlyersGrace

It is risky. But the top three picks are supposed to be future superstars.

Bill,

If the Flyers end up at pick #8, and assuming Seth Jones and Darnell Nurse are off the board, which would you prefer?

1.) Select the best player available -- which would probably be a forward

2.) Reach for a defenseman to fill a huge organizational need. With the assumption that the scouts feel he might become a top pairing guy down the road, and with the added risks of drafting defensemen.

3.) Trade the pick (or part of a package) to acquire a top-4, puck-moving defenseman
- bradleyc4

Best player available, and I would do that even if Nurse were still on the board at #8. In order to part with the pick, especially in a package deal, it would have to be a really damn good and reasonably young puck-mover coming back this way.

Bill,

If the Flyers end up at pick #8, and assuming Seth Jones and Darnell Nurse are off the board, which would you prefer?

1.) Select the best player available -- which would probably be a forward

2.) Reach for a defenseman to fill a huge organizational need. With the assumption that the scouts feel he might become a top pairing guy down the road, and with the added risks of drafting defensemen.

3.) Trade the pick (or part of a package) to acquire a top-4, puck-moving defenseman
- bradleyc4

#1
unless the offer for #3 is really good

edit leight

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

"The aquaduct?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSELOCMmw4A

I just don't want to see them give up the chance to select in the top-10 in such a fantastic draft-class. They could chase an (expensive) top-4 NHL dman today, or they could have a better one in the stable under their control for a good 7-8 years.
- Tomahawk

I just don't think that player (defenseman) is available in the draft -- or at least identifiable yet.

If I can get an Ehrhoff, Yandle or even a Kulikov in some deal involving that pick, I'd consider it.

Best player available is how I would draft it, however. As it should always be.

It is risky. But the top three picks are supposed to be future superstars.
- mighty13duck

I haven't given up that Brayden could be as well. Will he be Stamkos? No. But we don't need him to be.
I think he needs to find a line that works for him with some chemistry. He needs to have some of the pressure taken off of him so he can play and I think we'll see more goals... His brother inspires him to play with a more physical edge. I haven't given up hope that the offensive side will follow.

Best player available, and I would do that even if Nurse were still on the board at #8. In order to part with the pick, especially in a package deal, it would have to be a really damn good and reasonably young puck-mover coming back this way.
- bmeltzer

Hey Bill - have you had a chance to look at the potential UFAs out there? Do you think there are certain players the Flyers should target?