What a horrible fate.

I think, when you're stuck like that, you just have to take a deep breath and say, "You know what? We're just not good enough. What we have simply isn't good enough, and we're only fooling ourselves by pretending that we are good enough."

Yeah, it sucks. It really sucks to realize that you're just not where you want to be with your veteran core -- in many ways, I do think the Flyers looked at Mike Richards and Jeff Carter and said, "2010 was as good as it gets for this group; we made it to the finals as an 88-point team. We're just not good enough for the long haul."

That doesn't mean that guys like Wheeler or Byugflien -- it doesn't mean it's their fault. But not everyone is a top-3 forward on a 105-point team. Not everyone is a top-2 defenseman on a 100-point team.

I just think that even if you take a step back, you have to move those guys along. Even if you don't win the deal today.
- AllInForFlyers

If they move their "core" players, they may have a hard time icing a competitive team. Even if they may not be the answer, you need guys like Little and Byfuglien and other veterans, otherwise you're icing an all-AHL team. Sometimes, you just don't have any better options.

Sure except that Mason had great numbers in front of the same D albeit a small sample.
- lar6767

1. It wasn't the same D that Bryz played behind.
2. More importantly, the team wasn't playing the same style of game at the end of the season as they did the rest of the season. Laviolette was finally forced (due to personnel) to change the style of play at the end.

If they move their "core" players, they may have a hard time icing a competitive team. Even if they may not be the answer, you need guys like Little and Byfuglien and other veterans, otherwise you're icing an all-AHL team. Sometimes, you just don't have any better options.
- jmatchett383

Especially when you must sell tickets. Not that I question the loyalty of the Jets fanbase, but didn't the NHL say something to the effect of, "We need a poopload of STHs for X years to keep this team here," when they moved the Thrashers? Icing a non-competitive roster to facilitate a rebuild would make that tough on any team.

Jagr's contract is pretty funny.
Base salary of $2M, then gets a $250k bonus for every 5 games he plays in.

I think part of the problem is that there may not have been any other viable options.

You never know- they could have shopped those guys around for young, almost NHL ready talent and picks (like the Carter/Richards Rapture) and no one bit. Maybe Peg hasn't wanted to come back with the same core and has in fact tried to shake things up. Maybe their asking prices were too high, etc

Moreover, I'll bet the Peg isn't exactly a huge attraction for top tier UFAs, both because of their perennial mediocrity and how it's a thousand below zero all the time up there....
- Giroux_Is_God

You know what the killer is? It's not like some of those guys are young, up and coming.

Enstrom and Buflygien (God, I can't spell that guy's name) are each 2003 picks. Ladd and Wheeler are '04s. Pavelec's an '05, Little's an '06.

In hockey years, with the way the league is nowadays...those guys are what they are, with maybe the exception of Pavelec, as a goalie. And what they are...well, as a whole, should that core really be fronting an organization?

I'm absolutely not saying they should move Evander Kane or Zach Bogosian. They absolutely shouldn't. They've got Schiefle, and Jacob Trouba looks like he's going to be a good one.

But man...I don't know. I just am baffled at how you lock up Bryan Little for 5 years. To do what, exactly? Get 50 points again as your No. 1 center? Because really, that's the player he is. And that's just not good enough, in the NHL.

You know what the killer is? It's not like some of those guys are young, up and coming.

Enstrom and Buflygien (God, I can't spell that guy's name) are each 2003 picks. Ladd and Wheeler are '04s. Pavelec's an '05, Little's an '06.

In hockey years, with the way the league is nowadays...those guys are what they are, with maybe the exception of Pavelec, as a goalie. And what they are...well, as a whole, should that core really be fronting an organization?

I'm absolutely not saying they should move Evander Kane or Zach Bogosian. They absolutely shouldn't. They've got Schiefle, and Jacob Trouba looks like he's going to be a good one.

But man...I don't know. I just am baffled at how you lock up Bryan Little for 5 years. To do what, exactly? Get 50 points again as your No. 1 center? Because really, that's the player he is. And that's just not good enough, in the NHL.
- AllInForFlyers

having Burmistrov walk and get nothing back is a killer

8th overall pick comes to zero

I know this: It helps me whenever I remember to do so, make an effort to do so. It makes conversing more honest and fun, to me.

Conceding a point that is well made, or acknowledging when you are wrong...I've never understood why more people simply don't do it. Because there are times when everyone remembers something incorrectly -- hell, I just did it today, and conceded the point.

I didn't burst into flames for being wrong, you know?
- AllInForFlyers

Human pride is a funny thing, unless one takes one's self too seriously or thinks too highly of one's self.

I've often said that if "to err is human," I'm one of the most human people I know.

Whichever one doesn't like fair and balanced bloggers and/or unemployed Russian goalies
- BulliesPhan87

Seravalling gully dwarf!!

Anyone care to talk Ryan Braunbuzz?
- jmatchett383

The real travesty in the whole thing is that a guy can out right cheat, have an immediate effect on multiple games and out comes, and still be allowed to continue to play.

Pete Rose goes out and... ahh forget it.

having Burmistrov walk and get nothing back is a killer

8th overall pick comes to zero
- Marc D

Man, that absolutely is a killer. You cannot let that happen. You just flat-out cannot let that happen.

i've been rooting for Sweden since 1994, Lillehammer
- Crimsoninja

It's LILYhammer.

Jagr's contract is pretty funny.
Base salary of $2M, then gets a $250k bonus for every 5 games he plays in.
- Marc D

$4M in bonuses?

having Burmistrov walk and get nothing back is a killer

8th overall pick comes to zero
- Marc D

Just like Sean Couturier

Just like Sean Couturier
- bradleyc4

YE

Sure except that Mason had great numbers in front of the same D albeit a small sample. I understand that this is difficult because everyone has been making excuses for Bryz for two years but every other team in the world can't be wrong about this guy can they? They've all determined he's not good enough to play at the highest levels so maybe its as simple as that and its not Briere not back checking.
- lar6767

Sure, but Mason also moves the puck. Mason's numbers weren't that much better then Bryz's. Like I said, if Bryz was a 3 million dollar goalie, signed shot term, nobody really cares about his performance. But the fact your ording a Ribeye of Kobe steak, and he is only giving you USDA Choice NY Strip Steak, so your much more pissed then if you ordered Strip and got Strip. At least your not getting serloin. Your still getting a decent piece of meat, though its not what you were expecting to paying for, so it makes you MAD.

$4M in bonuses?
- PhillaBully

I think the max he can earn is $4M,
so the bonuses for games played don't kick in right away or something like that

Just like Sean Couturier
- bradleyc4

This guy right here

Just like Sean Couturier
- bradleyc4

so trade him now when his value is the highest?

Sure, but Mason also moves the puck. Mason's numbers weren't that much better then Bryz's. Like I said, if Bryz was a 3 million dollar goalie, signed shot term, nobody really cares about his performance. But the fact your ording a Ribeye of Kobe steak, and he is only giving you USDA Choice NY Strip Steak, so your much more pissed then if you ordered Strip and got Strip. At least your not getting serloin. Your still getting a decent piece of meat, though its not what you were expecting to paying for, so it makes you MAD.

What I am saying is
- youarewrong

I love ribeye.. could only dream of a Kobe ribeye.

I love ribeye.. could only dream of a Kobe ribeye.
- mikel33

Yea.. You order Kobe Ribeye, and end up with a piece of meat any other time you would be happy to have....

Seriously performance wise was Bryz any worse then Biron, Boucher, Leighton, Esche, or anyone else we had in recent memory? Even Bob wasn't good enough to steal away the starting job from him. Bryz wasn't an aweful, horrible goalie... You just aren't getting what you paid for... And the price of that Kobe could have cost you a desert.

Yea.. You order Kobe Ribeye, and end up with a piece of meat any other time you would be happy to have....

Seriously performance wise was Bryz any worse then Biron, Boucher, Leighton, Esche, or anyone else we had in recent memory? Even Bob wasn't good enough to steal away the starting job from him. Bryz wasn't an aweful, horrible goalie... You just aren't getting what you paid for... And the price of that Kobe could have cost you a desert.
- youarewrong

Well, fortunately we put it on layaway, so at least we won't be starving for the next several years.

1. It wasn't the same D that Bryz played behind.
2. More importantly, the team wasn't playing the same style of game at the end of the season as they did the rest of the season. Laviolette was finally forced (due to personnel) to change the style of play at the end.
- Scoob

When they played behind the same team down the stretch, Mason's numbers were significantly better. There's factors like Bryzgalov being fatigued or fed up or maybe guys not playing as hard for him, but from the date Mason was acquired, his numbers were better than Bryz's

Today is the 14th anniversary of the death of Dimitri Tertyshny. That kid was going to be a good NHLer. Damned shame

I think the max he can earn is $4M,
so the bonuses for games played don't kick in right away or something like that
- Marc D

whats his cap hit? is it 4M?

isaiah wanted to give up 2 firsts i believe..
- Crimsoninja