I like buff - a lot. big dude, great skater, huge rh shot. guy gets 50+ points a season in his sleep and on a bad team his +/- is not that bad. besides giroux and stammer... buff is probably the most exciting player i watch. he is an enigma... especially how well he can skate with the puck at his size. Hawks fans always lament the fact he was traded. I follow jaeckel's thread and they always bring him back up in a positive light. take it for what its worth. I think coots will be a great player but as fans i think we way over value him based on one great series against malkin. maybe i'm wrong.
- moylander

Its cool, everyone has their own views.

I live in Winnipeg so get to see quite a bit of him. The coaches have been hard on him for a while, for not showing up in shape and lazy play. He has a huge contract, and is really inconsistent in his own end while being prone to bad penalties.

On the other hand though, the Flyers have nothing even close to his offensive ability.

The last two free agency periods for goaltenders has been very soft. The Flyers unfortunately bid against themselves with Bryz.

If Bryz is bought out, I believe they can get a very good FA goalie to tandem with Mason for the price of Bryz's former cap hit or maybe even a little less.
- ravishingone

agree. it seems like the risk of keeping bryz w/ his performance so far and the recapture clause in the CBA is a particularly bad mix. he'd have to have a career yr and a deep plyoff run to justify taking on the risk and dealing w/ the contract for the duration. on top of that, i don't think he really wants to be here anymore. the mkt should be fertile enuf for alternatives to move on w/ mason and whomever.

Its cool, everyone has their own views.

I live in Winnipeg so get to see quite a bit of him. The coaches have been hard on him for a while, for not showing up in shape and lazy play. He has a huge contract, and is really inconsistent in his own end while being prone to bad penalties.

On the other hand though, the Flyers have nothing even close to his offensive ability.
- flyer_nutter

of course. not mad at ya. kinda get disappointed that most can't see past his up and down weight. The guy has always been streaky but when he's on... well we all know what that looks like (especially pronger during the scf). He's played forward and plays decent enough d. For his skills $5 mil is not THAT much... coburn, gonchar, carle, wideman, etc make just as much and don't have close to buff's ability. jmo

Its cool, everyone has their own views.

I live in Winnipeg so get to see quite a bit of him. The coaches have been hard on him for a while, for not showing up in shape and lazy play. He has a huge contract, and is really inconsistent in his own end while being prone to bad penalties.

On the other hand though, the Flyers have nothing even close to his offensive ability.
- flyer_nutter

Interesting that Buff is signed for 2 years and $300,00/yr less then Carle's contract. Or $200,000/yr and 1 year more then Gonchar.

of course. not mad at ya. kinda get disappointed that most can't see past his up and down weight. The guy has always been streaky but when he's on... well we all know what that looks like (especially pronger during the scf). He's played forward and plays decent enough d. For his skills $5 mil is not THAT much... coburn, gonchar, carle, wideman, etc make just as much and don't have close to buff's ability. jmo
- moylander

Its weird, if they bring him in I'd almost like to see them really try him again at forward.

San Jose did it with Burns, and Buff has an unreal net presence.

agree. it seems like the risk of keeping bryz w/ his performance so far and the recapture clause in the CBA is a particularly bad mix. he'd have to have a career yr and a deep plyoff run to justify taking on the risk and dealing w/ the contract for the duration. on top of that, i don't think he really wants to be here anymore. the mkt should be fertile enuf for alternatives to move on w/ mason and whomever.
- isaiah520

The recapture clause is the dagger in Bryz's fate in my opinion. Many GMs have a lot of tough decisions to make between now and next summer.

Its weird, if they bring him in I'd almost like to see them really try him again at forward.

San Jose did it with Burns, and Buff has an unreal net presence.
- flyer_nutter

the thing is trading read for a goalie and coots for a dman leaves the team really light on forwards. I'm so for just standing pat.

Maybe a Bryz buyout, combined with a Couturier/Schenn trade, combined with a Read trade means Briere stays.

Maybe a Bryz buyout, combined with a Couturier/Schenn trade, combined with a Read trade means Briere stays.
- Jsaquella

if they are trading for a $4-5 MM dman, i dunno. plus the "bigger" comment by homer would also seem to make it unlikely. but the flyers brass are a capricious bunch , so who knows?

if they are trading for a $4-5 MM dman, i dunno. plus the "bigger" comment by homer would also seem to make it unlikely. but the flyers brass are a capricious bunch , so who knows?
- isaiah520

Watch, they'll buy out Bryz and Briere, trade Couturier for Yandle, trade read for Bernier and sign Bickell

Watch, they'll buy out Bryz and Briere, trade Couturier for Yandle, trade read for Bernier and sign Bickell
- Jsaquella

they'd have to rid themselves of another large contract to do that (per capgeek). probably a dman

Watch, they'll buy out Bryz and Briere, trade Couturier for Yandle, trade read for Bernier and sign Bickell
- Jsaquella

Bickell or Clowe, who ya got?

Bickell or Clowe, who ya got?
- ravishingone

I'd prefer Bickell, I guess...not a huge Clowe fan

I'd prefer Bickell, I guess...not a huge Clowe fan
- Jsaquella

bickell until 3 weeks ago has been terrible as a hawk. id take stalberg before i take bickell.

kings tie it up

bickell until 3 weeks ago has been terrible as a hawk. id take stalberg before i take bickell.

kings tie it up
- moylander

I'd take Stalberg first, too, but Bickell hasn't been awful.

He' going to massively overpaid off these playoffs.

I'd take Stalberg first, too, but Bickell hasn't been awful.

He' going to massively overpaid off these playoffs.
- Jsaquella

I'm still trying to figure out the interest in Clowe at the trade deadline. Unfortunately, I'm not sure that fascination has gone away from Homer.

Watch, they'll buy out Bryz and Briere, trade Couturier for Yandle, trade read for Bernier and sign Bickell
- Jsaquella

would you be in favor of all of these moves? i'm at a point that i would be.

I'd take Stalberg first, too, but Bickell hasn't been awful.

He' going to massively overpaid off these playoffs.
- Jsaquella

this i agree with

would you be in favor of all of these moves? i'm at a point that i would be.
- isaiah520

I'm definitely on board with the first two...Not sold on Bickell, and I'd be open to the others...not eager, but open

I'm still trying to figure out the interest in Clowe at the trade deadline. Unfortunately, I'm not sure that fascination has gone away from Homer.
- ravishingone

Big guy, can play physical and score 17-20 goals. I dont really get it myself. Not a bad player, but not a guy I break bank for, at all.

Big guy, can play physical and score 17-20 goals. I dont really get it myself. Not a bad player, but not a guy I break bank for, at all.
- Jsaquella

My concern is redundancy. Hartnell, Simmonds, and McGinn play a similar style. I guess if you move one of the first two out it makes sense.

My concern is redundancy. Hartnell, Simmonds, and McGinn play a similar style. I guess if you move one of the first two out it makes sense.
- ravishingone

They are similar...I was just tossing out wild guesses based on the rumors of the day

They are similar...I was just tossing out wild guesses based on the rumors of the day
- Jsaquella

Understood, as we inch closer to the draft more rumors will surface. McKenzie is very tied in and is not one to just throw something out there and hope it sticks. Bryz's contract in the new CBA is a killer plain and simple.

Understood, as we inch closer to the draft more rumors will surface. McKenzie is very tied in and is not one to just throw something out there and hope it sticks. Bryz's contract in the new CBA is a killer plain and simple.
- ravishingone

The only reason I posted those is because both are not usually given to rumor mongering, especially McKenzie.

uh oh, the classic "no call" leads to a Hawks goal.