did see Berube play?
- vejim

Oh I saw him play a lot.

Berube's act is wearing thin on me already. It is obvious that Akeson should be the guy who takes Raffl's place. It is a win win. It helps Akeson find his game, and it keeps a level of skill on the top line that you wont get with VDV.

It has nothing to do with rewarding a player or not rewarding a player for poor play. It has to do with what is best for the team.

I'm beginning to think more and more that Berube has an arrogance about him that I didn't know he had.
- MBFlyerfan

Honestly, Berube's concept of accountability has been questionable since the start.

akeson is a 4th liner/ahl player
- 2Real

That 4th liner/ahl player has more offensive skill in his pinky than Van De Velde could acquire in 4 life times. I'd rather play the former OHL scoring champion/AHL team leading scorer than the guy with 7 points in 54 games.

He was pretty good last year in the playoffs statistically speaking (.915 sv%) but I didn't watch many of their games.
- NickTheKid87

im not a huge numbers guy when it comes to goalies.

i still think the best way to explain fleurys issues is the romo interception analogy, for those that follow football.

if you look at the numbers, romo is actually one of the better ones at not turning the ball over. but why does he have such a reputation as an epic choke artist?

goals allowed, just like interceptions, arent created equal. giving up an incredulously bad goal in the waning seconds of a period, or repeated things like kicking them in off of your own stick, are literal team backbreakers in the playoffs.

fleury is a fairly competent goalie, and on his good days can make enough outrageous saves to balance out the junk numerically. but until he shows the ability to not make glaring self inflicted wounds in the warmer months, i would have taken a wait and see approach, thats all.

the actual money and term are not crippling by any means, should those demons be exercised with the firing of the bylsma/shero regime. like you said, theyre fairly in line with statistical averages.

Honestly, Berube's concept of accountability has been questionable since the start.
- BulliesPhan87

Maybe if he'd given Erik Gustafsson adequate playing time, he'd still be here and we'd be SLIGHTLY better on the back-end.

a stacked cupboard from the dollar store
- vejim

That means there is plenty of cap room!

akeson is a 4th liner/ahl player
- 2Real

Currently he's a practice player.

I feel the same way about him as I did Gustafson. There's no need to bury the guy in a no win situation. Get him in the game or waive him and let him play else where. Guy's played his whole life to get where he is and he's stuck in limbo, not playing at all.

He's 17th in ES save percentage among all goalies who have started 60 or more games since the beginning of last season. Mason is 18th. Guys like Halak and Hiller have similar numbers. Hiller is a little older (32) than Fluery and Halak (29).

Halak got $18M over 4 years and Hiller got $9M over 2 years. Fleury's shootout ability is a positive factor as well.

Looking at the FA market for next season and it's basically Niemi and several backups. It's not a bad deal. It's a deal the Pens were almost forced to make.
- PhillySportsGuy

im not so up in arms over the deal itself, but more so the timing.

im not a huge numbers guy when it comes to goalies.

i still think the best way to explain fleurys issues is the romo interception analogy, for those that follow football.

if you look at the numbers, romo is actually one of the better ones at not turning the ball over. but why does he have such a reputation as an epic choke artist?

goals allowed, just like interceptions, arent created equal. giving up an incredulously bad goal in the waning seconds of a period, or repeated things like kicking them in off of your own stick, are literal team backbreakers in the playoffs.

fleury is a fairly competent goalie, and on his good days can make enough outrageous saves to balance out the junk numerically. but until he shows the ability to not make glaring self inflicted wounds in the warmer months, i would have taken a wait and see approach, thats all.

the actual money and term are not crippling by any means, should those demons be exercised with the firing of the bylsma/shero regime. like you said, theyre fairly in line with statistical averages.
- stayinthefnnet

Pretty much. He's prone to complete meltdowns at any moment in the playoffs (Game 4 vs. CBJ last year), but he's also athletic enough to win you a game you have no business winning on any given night.

im not a huge numbers guy when it comes to goalies.

i still think the best way to explain fleurys issues is the romo interception analogy, for those that follow football.

if you look at the numbers, romo is actually one of the better ones at not turning the ball over. but why does he have such a reputation as an epic choke artist?

goals allowed, just like interceptions, arent created equal. giving up an incredulously bad goal in the waning seconds of a period, or repeated things like kicking them in off of your own stick, are literal team backbreakers in the playoffs.

fleury is a fairly competent goalie, and on his good days can make enough outrageous saves to balance out the junk numerically. but until he shows the ability to not make glaring self inflicted wounds in the warmer months, i would have taken a wait and see approach, thats all.

the actual money and term are not crippling by any means, should those demons be exercised with the firing of the bylsma/shero regime. like you said, theyre fairly in line with statistical averages.
- stayinthefnnet

That makes sense. Worst case scenario is that he is backup in two years should he falter and the Penguins go after another goalie. There would also be a trade market for him I'm sure.

The whole thing with Berube was a cluster(frank) to begin with.

Waiting to fire Laviolette at such a weird time left the club with few alternatives to a head coach when other teams were snatching them up in the summer I believe.

Berube was a shoe in by Holmgren and a weird decision at that. I look forward to the day when the mess is resolved. Not a fan of Murray stepping in though.

im not so up in arms over the deal itself, but more so the timing.
- stayinthefnnet

Just wait until they give Craig Adams a pre-emptive 2-year extension.

Maybe if he'd given Erik Gustafsson adequate playing time, he'd still be here and we'd be SLIGHTLY better on the back-end.
- jmatchett383

I wouldn't take Gustafsson over any of the current Flyers defenseman, including those injured.

Maybe if he'd given Erik Gustafsson adequate playing time, he'd still be here and we'd be SLIGHTLY better on the back-end.
- jmatchett383

rah. Him no grinder, so him no try hard.

Want stretch pass instead of dump and grind?

no place for euro hockey here.

Meltzer you're becoming my favorite write on this site. Nice quote from Voracek. Looking forward to tomorrow night!

I wouldn't take Gustafsson over any of the current Flyers defenseman, including those injured.
- MJL

I'd rather have him at $1.1M than quite a few of them at their current deals.

im not so up in arms over the deal itself, but more so the timing.
- stayinthefnnet

I agree. Even with a strong playoff run, I doubt Fleury would have gotten much more than was offered.

Edit: I think teams get too worked up over getting players signed well in advance of FA. Flyers did the same thing with Hartnell and negotiated a deal after his best career season. They negotiated with him at the best point in his career.

Currently he's a practice player.

I feel the same way about him as I did Gustafson. There's no need to bury the guy in a no win situation. Get him in the game or waive him and let him play else where. Guy's played his whole life to get where he is and he's stuck in limbo, not playing at all.
- mayorofangrytown

I agree with this at some point, you have to move on if a player is not in your plans. But Akeson has to have some blame here. He can earn his way back into the lineup. Fair or unfair, but he has some liability here.

are we starting the fire Berube train yet?
- 2Real

Hextall obviously approves of him playing VdV on the first line and not playing Akeson at all.

I'd rather have him at $1.1M than quite a few of them at their current deals.
- jmatchett383

Such as who?

The whole thing with Berube was a cluster(frank) to begin with.

Waiting to fire Laviolette at such a weird time left the club with few alternatives to a head coach when other teams were snatching them up in the summer I believe.

Berube was a shoe in by Holmgren and a weird decision at that. I look forward to the day when the mess is resolved. Not a fan of Murray stepping in though.
- flyer_nutter

I think Hexy brings in Murray til season end then finds a new coach

He wont survive this rebuild anyway.

I think its just a ticking time bomb to when he is fired, and while I see him lasting the season.. After that I think he is out the door.
- flyer_nutter

He's a transitional coach. Like Bowa for the Phillies was. They come in during the "valleys" and are fired just before the rise starts. This would probably be Berube's fate regardless of whether he was on a level with the better coaches in the league.

The whole thing with Berube was a cluster(frank) to begin with.

Waiting to fire Laviolette at such a weird time left the club with few alternatives to a head coach when other teams were snatching them up in the summer I believe.

Berube was a shoe in by Holmgren and a weird decision at that. I look forward to the day when the mess is resolved. Not a fan of Murray stepping in though.
- flyer_nutter

Hextall could've fired Berube in the Summer and brought in another coach.

I'm betting VDV doesn't see the first line tomorrow night full-time.

I see them popping Schenn or PEB up there.

That said, no one really expected Raffl to come in and take the first line last year, so maybe Berube sees something that we're not.

Let's all remember how much poop this team was in last year when Berube took over, and still found a way to be in a competitive series with the Rangers minus a healthy Mason.

Meltzer you're becoming my favorite write on this site. Nice quote from Voracek. Looking forward to tomorrow night!
- Panthers88

You didn't think we all came here for Ek, right?