Why? Because it is a shameless attempt to drive hits through his blog by targeting and criticising the best hockey market South of the Canada/US border.
- TheRat14

http://espn.go.com/nhl/at.../_/year/2013/sort/homePct
Chitown

[quote=PhillaBully]

I think every Flyers blogger on this site should go to the Carolina blog and write about the Hurricanes management.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/attendance/_/year/2013/sort/homePct
Chitown
- BingoLady

Philly is the only US team in the top 16 that did not make the playoffs.

..
- aightwebang17

...

Since Holmgren took over full time, the flyers missed the playoffs once last year in a lockout shortened season. During that same time, Rutherford and the hurricanes made the playoffs only once. Why has a Carolina blogger written a blog bashing Holmgren?
- psuhockey

I seem to recall a Carolina Stanley Cup win or something...not so much for the Flyers...So your argument seems kinda weak.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/attendance/_/year/2013/sort/homePct
Chitown
- BingoLady

Yep. The Flyers were tied for 5th in attendance % in a non playoff year and were 4th in the NHL when it comes to actual asses in seats. I'd hope that a team that won the Stanley Cup would draw a bit more than a non playoff team.

I seem to recall a Carolina Stanley Cup win or something...not so much for the Flyers...So your argument seems kinda weak.
- MysteryZombie

OK, point by point comments on this poorly researched(outside of figuring out the ticket costs) blog designed to get hits:

- Yes, the Flyers utilized the compliance buyout feature of the new CBA to shed two contracts that would have severely hampered them under the artificially reduced salary cap. So did Montreal, the NY Rangers, Toronto, Buffalo and a host of other teams. Tampa Bay spent more buying out Vincent Lecavalier than the Flyers will be on Bryzgalov. Strangely, no criticism of Steve Yzerman in your blog.

-Pronger was signed to his current deal at age 34, and has been basically forced to retire because of a freak injury. Pronger's prior injury history gave no indication that his career would be over 2 years later. Age had nothing to do with his inability to continue his career.

-In the Carter and Richards trades, two of the players added (Jake Voracek and Wayne Simmonds) have outscored Richards and Carter since the deals were made. The Flyers also landed 2 young forwards with tons of potential in Brayden Schenn and Sean Couturier, as well as prospect Nick Cousins, who was among the leading scorers in the OHL last year.

While Carter and Richards played big roles in the Kings winning a Stanley Cup, they were not as vital as Jonathan Quick, Drew Doughty, Anze Kopitar or Dustin Brown, among others.

-You also totally ignore the impact/influence of Ed Snider's role. The Flyers went after Bryzgalov because Snider publicly demanded that Holmgren get a big name goalie. There's plenty of circumstantial evidence that the Carter and Richards trades had Snider's finger prints all over them, for off ice issues. There's a litany of news reports about those two, so I won't bother to rehash it.

Congrats on the added hits you'll get for criticizing the Flyers. Should easily dwarf the usual 15-30 comments you regularly get. I don't mind criticism, I mind poorly researched trashing of a team, just to get hits and drive comments
- Jsaquella

Thank you for saying everything i wanted to, but was to lazy to write out! This ranks up there in quality with cloturier and garth blogs...

http://espn.go.com/nhl/attendance/_/year/2013/sort/homePct
Chitown
- BingoLady

That shows home attendance. The Flyers were second only to Detroit when it came to average road attendance. 100.5% attendance for road games.

Total attendance ranked 3rd.

In a world where Jay Feaster exists, this cannot be true.
- dilbert719

so sadly true!

As a Leafs fan I would rather have a guy like Ed Snider than a tool like Richardie Peddie calling shots.
- cragar77

I think that is essentially true. I have been a Holgren fan for a good while. But, I wonder if Snider has been the impatient push behind the scene on some of these decisions. I believe the Flyers might be getting into a deep hole and may struggle over the next few years. They are very weak on the back end. I thought they should have given Bryzgalov another year to try and become more aligned with the Flyer image. I actually thought he was pretty solid in many games.

But, it is hard to imagine the Flyers making the playoffs without a major upgrade to their defensive corps.

Honestly, I think if Bryzgalov had been solely Holmgren's call, he would have been toast. But Snider knows his public statements helped drive the train to acquire Bryzgalov and that he shared the blame.
- Jsaquella

For sure.

so sadly true!
- northern_pens

how did iggy work out for you guys

Since Holmgren took over full time...
- psuhockey

I seem to recall a Carolina Stanley Cup win or something...not so much for the Flyers...So your argument seems kinda weak.
- MysteryZombie

2005-06 Carolina Hurricanes
- Wikipedia - List of Stanley Cup Champions

He returned to Philadelphia during the 1995–96 season as the Director of Pro Scouting. He was named the Director of Player Personnel following the 1996–97 season and was named Assistant General Manager following the 1998–99 season. He served in that position under General Manager Bob Clarke until Clarke resigned a month into the 2006–07 season, at which time Holmgren was named General Manager of the club.
- Wikipedia - Paul Holmgren

Your recollection doesn't match the time frame psuhockey was referring to, so your objection to his argument seems baseless.

Well since you're not a Flyer Fan or connected to the team, I guess you can not point out the mistakes the team has made.

It was fun with Homer in the beginning.. but his act of doing random crap is growing tiresome.

They still vastly overpaid and admitted to bidding against themselves.
- JFlyers00

Agreed. Desperate times call for desperate measures, I guess.

I think that is essentially true. I have been a Holgren fan for a good while. But, I wonder if Snider has been the impatient push behind the scene on some of these decisions. I believe the Flyers might be getting into a deep hole and may struggle over the next few years. They are very weak on the back end. I thought they should have given Bryzgalov another year to try and become more aligned with the Flyer image. I actually thought he was pretty solid in many games.

But, it is hard to imagine the Flyers making the playoffs without a major upgrade to their defensive corps.
- spatso

Defensively, they arent as week as some like to let on.. assuming they remain healthy..

Timonen-Schenn
Streit-Coburn
Meszy-Grossmann
Gustafsson-Gervais/MAB

I seem to recall a Carolina Stanley Cup win or something...not so much for the Flyers...So your argument seems kinda weak.
- MysteryZombie

Yes, they did. Good for them. In 15 years in Carolina, they have made the playoffs 5 times.

How can you say that Homer traded Carter and Richy to make room for Bryz? While that did happen, even if Bryz wasn't in the picture, for Carter and Richy we got B. Schenn, Simmonds, Couturier and Voracek, plus a 2nd rounder from LA. Forget Bryz! LOOK AT THAT VALUE. Any monkey would make those deals. Homer is Brilliant!

Is it Trolling for Hits Week on Hockeybuzz?
- Atomic Wedgie

Apparently.

Snider and the Flyers are one of the richest teams in the NHL. Snider really doesn't care about money, he just wants to win. So as far as wasting money... well, I have a feeling that Bryzgalov was Snider's idea. His bold proclaimation to finally spend money on a netminder and end the 'Goalie Carousel' was pretty public. But lets go through some of your points anyway.

- As I just stated, Bryz was most likely Snider's call or at least insistence that we get the best goalie available. A GM that makes moves like that without informing his owner or buying them out by doing the same, is not going to last long. So you can assume that Snider is at least taking partial responsibility here. And Briere's contract was front loaded. Buying him out is ridiculously cheap compared to his cap hit.

- After trading Lupul who spent the next 2-3 years in injured purgatory the Flyers went on to compete in the Stanley cup finals. Mainly due to Pronger's play and leadership. It's unfortunate he got hurt the following year as he was almost a point per game those first 10 games. Injuries happen and Philly made a judgement call to get a lower cap hit. (Again, rich organization that wants to pay their players more, they just have to find creative ways to pay them while staying under the cap) Summation? Pronger's addition got us to the finals, totally worth it.

- Richards and Carter trades. I miss Richards, Simmonds & Schenn are good return but I'd have rather had mike back... that being said we totally robbed Columbus getting Voracek and a pick that turned out to be Coots. I don't think keeping those guys would have brought us the cup without us getting Quick in net. So in the end, I think getting value was worth it.

-Yes, try not to forget who's profits the smaller teams are sharing. And as we are the ones who have to write the checks, it's up to us whether or not we want to take the risks.

-Homer has not missed the playoffs with the Flyers when he has had a full 82 game season to work with. He's made the semi-finals 3 times and the finals once. All in the same conference as the Devils, Rangers, and Penguins, who all make the playoffs almost every year. I don't need to call you names to prove Homer is a savy GM.

-Screw up and waste money and still keep your job? Congressmen.

-Homer and Snider spend money and make moves to win at all costs. Those are good qualities in an owner and GM. I like them, and most of the moves they make.

In anycase this is our team and we aren't doing anything illegal except making money so we can share it with the smaller market teams. So I think I have earned a healthy case of 'mind your own business, we are just fine.' Especially when you have signed BOTH Staals, Semin and Ward to over 6 mil a piece. That's more than any of our current players. I'd give Rutherford a call and see what the heck he's been doing struggling to make the playoffs in the weakest Division in the NHL, rather than pointing fingers elsewhere.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/attendance/_/year/2013/sort/homePct
Chitown
- BingoLady

What is this ESPN and hockey thing you speak of?

Defensively, they arent as week as some like to let on.. assuming they remain healthy..

Timonen-Schenn
Streit-Coburn
Meszy-Grossmann
Gustafsson-Gervais/MAB
- jak521

That is not a playoff likely group. Especially if they play in front of dubious goaltending.

I think that is essentially true. I have been a Holgren fan for a good while. But, I wonder if Snider has been the impatient push behind the scene on some of these decisions. I believe the Flyers might be getting into a deep hole and may struggle over the next few years. They are very weak on the back end. I thought they should have given Bryzgalov another year to try and become more aligned with the Flyer image. I actually thought he was pretty solid in many games.

But, it is hard to imagine the Flyers making the playoffs without a major upgrade to their defensive corps.
- spatso

Actually, had they simply adapted their system to better fit their personnel, which is on the coach, they likely would have been a playoff team last year.

Down the stretch, when Laviolette finally decided to simplfy his system, and ensure better support and two way play from his forwards, the Flyers went 11-5, with wins over 9 playoff teams, including two over the Eastern Conference champions, Boston.

During that stretch, the top six featured an injured Timonen, Erik Gustafsson, Oliver Lauridsen, Kent Huskins and Bruno Gervais

how did iggy work out for you guys
- PhillaBully

Not to terribly bad considering we made the Eastern Conference finals, opposed to watching the entire playoffs from the 19th hole.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/attendance/_/year/2013/sort/homePct
Chitown
- BingoLady

Chicago isn't. Sure, their attendance dictates that, but that's because the United Center is one of the largest rinks in the NHL. Chicago fans are literally the DEFINITION of bandwagon fans. Where were all the fans when their teams was absolute garbage? Why was their arena almost virtually empty when they were crap? They didn't even have a TV deal before the first lockout. Honestly, if you want to see true fans, check this out:

http://www.buzzonbroad.co...-penguins-fans-says-math/


Flyers fans, through thick and thin. Hawks/Pens/new teams who are good = bandwagon!!!!!!