Yep. Toronto media saying the Flyers are still looking for a goalie. Hell, even most of the bloggers who ripped the Mason addition and spoke of regression have at leas come around to viewing him as a solid starter, if not a "plus" starter.
- Jsaquella

I have not heard Toronto media say that, they should worry about their own goalie. I would take Mason over Bernier any day.

What's Drouin doing on the 4th line with Brian Boyle?
Tampa guys help me out here.
- Marc D

He's not he has been on the top line with Stamkos and Killorn recently.

No, not tanking... but dont risk the long term health of Mason in this lost season.
- GOA88

Agreed fully. Let him sit for awhile, get fully healthy and then, when he returns give him a regular workload. Nobody is saying that he shouldn't play the majority of games, but he's played 23 of the last 27. Worse, he's played 7 straight while missing practice time and dealing with nagging injuries in games.

I won't go as far as to say they should tank, but they should definitely use the last 40 games or so to evaluate some of the kids, and make the focus on development, rather than winning games.
- Jsaquella

Do you think that will really happen with Berube as coach?

I think this would be the case if the injury was to the same body area. He missed time with back spasms, and this latest injury seems like it's probably a knee. Saying they are related is wild speculation.
- MJL

Trust me, when you injury your back you stress other body parts during recovery. Your body does rely on differrent muscles to compensate for pain, etc. It's perfectly reasonable in my mind that he's putting added stress on his knee, and even an increase in fluid in the joint can cause a great deal of pain, add in the cold and even a professional athlete can feel rusty joints. Rest is the best medicine so I'm glad they are holding him out for his future gameplay. Terrified for the next few games but ultimately glad.

I have not heard Toronto media say that, they should worry about their own goalie. I would take Mason over Bernier any day.
- 3flyerkids

Doug MacLean & Mike Zeisberger have both said they're either looking for a goalie or need to upgrade in the past ten days

Do you think that will really happen with Berube as coach?
- JFlyers00

Nope. Unless that is what he's told to focus on.

Thanks Bill. Great stuff as usual. A tough game tonight, and I think the Bolts will be there with the Pens in the playoff finals. So, good luck to Razor tonight.
I am really interested in seeing Morin, and Sanheim develop. They looked sharp when we were able to get a brief look at them earlier before the season started.
Aube-Kubel also impressed me with his energy, and determination.
Fazleev is another interesting prospect. I haven't seen him play, but would you say he has the Fedotenko style of play? Or, who would you compare him to?
It's nice to see us talking about our other players, and watching them develop. I would like to thank Hexy for giving us a future to at least look at while we watch our current .500 Flyers team.
- OrangeAndBlack1

Fazleev isn't as rugged as Fedotenko was and his shot isn't as good but he is similar in terms of being adaptable to different roles, having a good attitude, work ethic, etc. I would rate Fazleev above Fedotenko as a young player in the skating and passing areas.

Lindblom reminds me a lot of Johan Franzen in terms of an offensive game comparison.

He's stirring the pot a bit, for sure. That's the Philly media.

But I agree with him that since his return from injury, the Flyers have overused Mason. I think it's a very valid criticism, and not really in hindsight, either.

Mason gets hurt, misses a week, comes back plays in six straight games, during which time the team had one day off. He left practice at least once after tweaking an injury, and admits he was bothered by an injury in a game. Yet, in the 7th game, he's back out there and ends up getting hurt and missing time.

If my meal ticket is leaving practices & saying he tweaked an injury in games, I'm reducing his workload.
- Jsaquella

Agreed. In a season where this team is going nowhere, what is the great urgency to play Mason every game? I could see if it was late in the year a few points out of a playoff spot maybe, but in this scenario? Doesn't make much sense. Sometimes an Organization has to take the decision out of the players hands. No reason to risk this turning into something with long term ramifications, so Mason can play games now. I'd shut him down for an extra week to 10 days just to play it safe.

I don't trust the Flyers medical team as far as I can throw them. We have plenty of examples why.

Great update on prospects. It's always good to hear what they are doing and how they are progressing.Thanks Bill.


At least the College Football National Championship is on tonight. So when the Bolts start pounding the Flyers you can always watch something else.
- 3flyerkids

Why, what's on that's worth watching besides the Flyers?

Lindblom reminds me a lot of Johan Franzen in terms of an offensive game comparison.
- bmeltzer

That would be terrific.

Doug MacLean & Mike Zeisberger have both said they're either looking for a goalie or need to upgrade in the past ten days
- Jsaquella

Seriously? Mason has a higher ES save % than Lundqvist, Quick, Bernier, Hiller, Crawford, Rask, Halak, Howard, Niemi, Bobrovsky, Miller, Lehtonen, Bishop, Varlamov, just to name a few. He's 8th in the league in this category among starters that have played 15 or more games. Push that number to 20 games and he's 6th with only Rinne, Price, Schneider, Luongo and Anderson ahead of him.

Fazleev isn't as rugged as Fedotenko was and his shot isn't as good but he is similar in terms of being adaptable to different roles, having a good attitude, work ethic, etc. I would rate Fazleev above Fedotenko as a young player in the skating and passing areas.

Lindblom reminds me a lot of Johan Franzen in terms of an offensive game comparison.
- bmeltzer

Bill,

Do you think that Leier, Cousins, and Alt all register with the team as possible NHL players? It just seems like some of the AHL players get pegged as career AHLers that get a cup of coffee (Jared Ross, Lauridsen, Ben Holmstrom, Matt Konan, etc.) and are never seen again. I know the Flyers seem like they're actually trying to use the Phantoms more as a developmental team as opposed to a bunch of warm bodies to fill a roster, but I'm just wondering if you know which players the team actually see as potential full-time NHLers.

Agreed. In a season where this team is going nowhere, what is the great urgency to play Mason every game? I could see if it was late in the year a few points out of a playoff spot maybe, but in this scenario? Doesn't make much sense. Sometimes an Organization has to take the decision out of the players hands. No reason to risk this turning into something with long term ramifications, so Mason can play games now. I'd shut him down for an extra week to 10 days just to play it safe.

I don't trust the Flyers medical team as far as I can throw them. We have plenty of examples why.
- PLindbergh31

It just gets to the point where you have to balance the long term needs vs the short term probabilities. This team was not a guaranteed playoff team from the moment the puck hit the ice. They basically needed to get 65-70% of the available points in December to stay alive. They didn't.

I get the idea behind icing your best team, but when the goalie is dealing with nagging issues in games and leaving practices for MRIs, prudence needs to be taken.

Seriously? Mason has a higher ES save % than Lundqvist, Quick, Bernier, Hiller, Crawford, Rask, Halak, Howard, Niemi, Bobrovsky, Miller, Lehtonen, Bishop, Varlamov, just to name a few. He's 8th in the league in this category among starters that have played 15 or more games. Push that number to 20 games and he's 6th with only Rinne, Price, Schneider, Luongo and Anderson ahead of him.
- NickTheKid87

Yep. As Bill mentioned on Twitterr, Jeremy Roenick also talked about them needing a better goalie on NBC

Hat trick for Vinnie and teams come calling! You heard it right here.
- jstross

I'd love for the Lightning to pay him roughly 38,000 to score a hat trick against them.

Doug MacLean & Mike Zeisberger have both said they're either looking for a goalie or need to upgrade in the past ten days
- Jsaquella

Sportsnet is ripping that team apart...They want another rebuild because even though they have talented players, they dont have the work ethic...Kessel is getting the brunt of the hate.

Sportsnet is ripping that team apart...They want another rebuild because even though they have talented players, they dont have the work ethic...Kessel is getting the brunt of the hate.
- PhillaBully

The Toronto media makes the Philly media look good.

Yep. As Bill mentioned on Twitterr, Jeremy Roenick also talked about them needing a better goalie on NBC
- Jsaquella

Anyone who takes what roenick says as gospel, is a bigger fool than their prophet.

It just gets to the point where you have to balance the long term needs vs the short term probabilities. This team was not a guaranteed playoff team from the moment the puck hit the ice. They basically needed to get 65-70% of the available points in December to stay alive. They didn't.

I get the idea behind icing your best team, but when the goalie is dealing with nagging issues in games and leaving practices for MRIs, prudence needs to be taken.
- Jsaquella

Yep. The initial injury was a back injury. The spine basically controls your entire body. Your damned right there is a good chance this has caused Mason to have other issues. Overcompensating etc....

The Toronto media makes the Philly media look good.
- Jsaquella

I listen to them because their is more flyers talk on there than WIP...i dont particularly like the eagles so...

Yep. As Bill mentioned on Twitterr, Jeremy Roenick also talked about them needing a better goalie on NBC
- Jsaquella

They just say stuff; no fact checking or analysis at all. Even if you don't look at ES sv%, Mason still has a .920 sv% overall. That's good for 9th in the league for goalies that have played a minimum of 20 games and higher than Rask, Lundqvist, Quick and Bishop. SMH

I listen to them because their is more flyers talk on there than WIP...i dont particularly like the eagles so...
- PhillaBully

I'm with you. I listen to the XM hockey channel. I'm so happy I don't live close enough where WIP or The Fanatic are viable listening options, and the local (Atlantic City) station is an ESPN one where there's only one local show(which is so awful it's easy to ignore)

I listen to them because their is more flyers talk on there than WIP...i dont particularly like the eagles so...
- PhillaBully

Eagles, Eagles, Eagles, Eagles, Dallas, Eagles, Eagles, Sixers suck, Eagles, Eagles, Eagles, Eagles, Trade every Phillie, Eagles, Eagles, Eagles, Eagles, Eagles

They just say stuff; no fact checking or analysis at all. Even if you don't look at ES sv%, Mason still has a .920 sv% overall. That's good for 9th in the league for goalies that have played a minimum of 20 games and higher than Rask, Lundqvist, Quick and Bishop. SMH
- NickTheKid87

It's just an easy narrative. Players and teams get a rep and it's hard to shake it