Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Flyers-Caps Wrap, 50th Anniversary, Couturier, Mason

Can we stop with the Gudas/Medvedev pairing yet?

Even a bigger problem right now then the defense core is secondary scoring.

This is mind boggling. The corpse of Vinny Lecavalier has more goals in 11 games with the Kings, than 5 Flyers regular forwards. Let that sink in. That is completely absurd.

Can't compare the 2.

LA right now has a better lineup and pieces around Vinny. Yes he is doing well to capitalize but they just have better pieces.

The Flyers have 2 fourth lines right now and really lack playmakers other then Giroux and Voracek.

thanks, bill, for defending mason. goaltending has been a bright spot for the flyers since his arrival. it's not debatable. neuvirth has only made it brighter this year. you hit the nail on the head. the rest of the team is real thin, and anyone with a clue who has watched the team this year would know this.

Fact: Since his arrival on the Flyers late in the lockout-shortened 2013 season, Mason boasts the NHL's second highest five-on-five save percentage. He's done it behind a mediocre-to-average team defense and, in the last two years, has been sorely lacking on goal support.

Bill, that was an awesome blog, especially after a disappointing weekend. You really put this Flyers team into perspective. Also, there are a lot of issues with the current team, but Steve Mason is not one of them.

This is mind boggling. The corpse of Vinny Lecavalier has more goals in 11 games with the Kings, than 5 Flyers regular forwards. Let that sink in. That is completely absurd.

Brayden Schenn has more goals than Zetterberg, Gaborik, and Rick Nash...we could play this game all day.

Secondary scoring needs to be better, but the only thing absurd about your post is the connection you try to make

The thing about Mason is that he plays awesome making amazing save after amazing save only to let an untimely, deflating goal in that he should have had. I don't blame him though. This team has lots of heart but very little talent depth in front of him. Imagine what this team would be with Leighton or Bryzgalov. Mase keeps them in games.

Can't compare the 2.

LA right now has a better lineup and pieces around Vinny. Yes he is doing well to capitalize but they just have better pieces.

The Flyers have 2 fourth lines right now and really lack playmakers other then Giroux and Voracek.
- J35Bacher

Hence my comment secondary scoring is a huge issue. That being said Lecavalier shouldn't have more goals in 11 games than basically half the Flyers forwards. That is comical.

thanks, bill, for defending mason. goaltending has been a bright spot for the flyers since his arrival. it's not debatable. neuvirth has only made it brighter this year. you hit the nail on the head. the rest of the team is real thin, and anyone with a clue who has watched the team this year would know this.
- hammarby31

So since we are looking to the future, both goalies are UFA next season. Is Mason worth about 6 million? Because that is probably about where he will be.
Top 10 goalie cap hits:
1. Henrik Lundqvist UFA G New York Rangers 33 $8,500,000
2. Sergei Bobrovsky UFA G Columbus Blue Jackets 27 $7,425,000
3. Pekka Rinne UFA G Nashville Predators 33 $7,000,000
4. Tuukka Rask UFA G Boston Bruins 28 $7,000,000
5. Carey Price UFA G Montreal Canadiens 28 $6,500,000
6. Braden Holtby UFA G Washington Capitals 26 $6,100,000
7. Ryan Miller UFA G Vancouver Canucks 35 $6,000,000
8. Corey Crawford UFA G Chicago Blackhawks 31 $6,000,000
9. Cory Schneider UFA G New Jersey Devils 29 $6,000,000
10. Ben Bishop UFA G Tampa Bay Lightning 29 $5,950,000

The thing about Mason is that he plays awesome making amazing save after amazing save only to let an untimely, deflating goal in that he should have had. I don't blame him though. This team has lots of heart but very little talent depth in front of him. Imagine what this team would be with Leighton or Bryzgalov. Mase keeps them in games.
- redcoat75

all goalies do this at some point. there's almost zero margin for error here, and with the talent or lack thereof in front of him, it's not sustainable. mentally or physically.

So since we are looking to the future, both goalies are UFA next season. Is Mason worth about 6 million? Because that is probably about where he will be.
Top 10 goalie cap hits:
1. Henrik Lundqvist UFA G New York Rangers 33 $8,500,000
2. Sergei Bobrovsky UFA G Columbus Blue Jackets 27 $7,425,000
3. Pekka Rinne UFA G Nashville Predators 33 $7,000,000
4. Tuukka Rask UFA G Boston Bruins 28 $7,000,000
5. Carey Price UFA G Montreal Canadiens 28 $6,500,000
6. Braden Holtby UFA G Washington Capitals 26 $6,100,000
7. Ryan Miller UFA G Vancouver Canucks 35 $6,000,000
8. Corey Crawford UFA G Chicago Blackhawks 31 $6,000,000
9. Cory Schneider UFA G New Jersey Devils 29 $6,000,000
10. Ben Bishop UFA G Tampa Bay Lightning 29 $5,950,000
- J35Bacher

It is really a debate of is it worth spending that much on goaltending? I dont think the debate is whether Mason is worth that....but do the Flyers want to spend 7 million on goaltending. Years play a big factor as well. I think the flyers could manage under 6 with more years tacked on

The thing about Mason is that he plays awesome making amazing save after amazing save only to let an untimely, deflating goal in that he should have had. I don't blame him though. This team has lots of heart but very little talent depth in front of him. Imagine what this team would be with Leighton or Bryzgalov. Mase keeps them in games.
- redcoat75

Which untimely, deflating goal are you referring to?

Is Mason worth about 6 million?
- J35Bacher

Not for this team moving forward.

Have to hand the reigns over to someone else after next season, IMO.

Hence my comment secondary scoring is a huge issue. That being said Lecavalier shouldn't have more goals in 11 games than basically half the Flyers forwards. That is comical.
- PLindbergh31

It is an issue.

But hopefully it gets worked out as some of the youth starts to work into the roster. Hopefully guys like Leier, Bardreau, Martel, Konecny, Linholm, Cousins and Goulbourne work into roles that right now are handled by players like Vandevelde, White and Bellemare.

You hope Laughton take this season and learns from it.

My view is for 17-18 and if they can make some shrewed moves at the TDL, draft well and continue to develop I think you'll see a better roster. A roster with more depth that can roll 4 lines more frequently and still have success.

I believe the Flyers record without Couturier is now 2-7-2.

So since we are looking to the future, both goalies are UFA next season. Is Mason worth about 6 million? Because that is probably about where he will be.
Top 10 goalie cap hits:
1. Henrik Lundqvist UFA G New York Rangers 33 $8,500,000
2. Sergei Bobrovsky UFA G Columbus Blue Jackets 27 $7,425,000
3. Pekka Rinne UFA G Nashville Predators 33 $7,000,000
4. Tuukka Rask UFA G Boston Bruins 28 $7,000,000
5. Carey Price UFA G Montreal Canadiens 28 $6,500,000
6. Braden Holtby UFA G Washington Capitals 26 $6,100,000
7. Ryan Miller UFA G Vancouver Canucks 35 $6,000,000
8. Corey Crawford UFA G Chicago Blackhawks 31 $6,000,000
9. Cory Schneider UFA G New Jersey Devils 29 $6,000,000
10. Ben Bishop UFA G Tampa Bay Lightning 29 $5,950,000
- J35Bacher

i don't know. he's been more than solid here. no question marks. but is he worth that? maybe. it wouldn't be crazy more, but i think it's a little more than i'd like to spend.

Not for this team moving forward.

Have to hand the reigns over to someone else after next season, IMO.
- Tomahawk

And that is my reason I would trade Mason. Also the lingering injuries worry me with goalies.

I might feel different if I thought Mason was head and shoulder better then Neuvirth.

BUt a team like Montreal could really use Mason if they want to try and push for the playoffs. Also Galgary is always looking to upgrade and so if AZ.

I would rather move sooner then wait till teams like Detriot shop Howard.

For me I would rather pay Neuvirth something like 4 millon for 3 years over the 6million I might have to make to Mason

Not for this team moving forward.

Have to hand the reigns over to someone else after next season, IMO.
- Tomahawk

you want to move on from mason?

Even a bigger problem right now then the defense core is secondary scoring.

This is mind boggling. The corpse of Vinny Lecavalier has more goals in 11 games with the Kings, than 5 Flyers regular forwards. Let that sink in. That is completely absurd.
- PLindbergh31

Vinny's goals are almost all on the PP. Can you link me to the posts from earlier this season where you said we should play Vinny and play him on the PP to provide secondary scoring?

i don't know. he's been more than solid here. no question marks. but is he worth that? maybe. it wouldn't be crazy more, but i think it's a little more than i'd like to spend.
- hammarby31

I get worried by the injuries. When goalies seem to get those nagging type injuries it seems to continue throughout the career.

The Flyers organization keeps everything so hush hush that it is hard to feel sorry for a player who makes millions but has personal issues that may effect his play when the normal person making 50k a year has to work with the same issues.

So since we are looking to the future, both goalies are UFA next season. Is Mason worth about 6 million? Because that is probably about where he will be.
Top 10 goalie cap hits:
1. Henrik Lundqvist UFA G New York Rangers 33 $8,500,000
2. Sergei Bobrovsky UFA G Columbus Blue Jackets 27 $7,425,000
3. Pekka Rinne UFA G Nashville Predators 33 $7,000,000
4. Tuukka Rask UFA G Boston Bruins 28 $7,000,000
5. Carey Price UFA G Montreal Canadiens 28 $6,500,000
6. Braden Holtby UFA G Washington Capitals 26 $6,100,000
7. Ryan Miller UFA G Vancouver Canucks 35 $6,000,000
8. Corey Crawford UFA G Chicago Blackhawks 31 $6,000,000
9. Cory Schneider UFA G New Jersey Devils 29 $6,000,000
10. Ben Bishop UFA G Tampa Bay Lightning 29 $5,950,000
- J35Bacher

They can just let things play out then make a decision in FA next year. Stolarz will be further along, we'll get a larger sample size on Neuvirth and see if Mason can be healthy enough.

When goalies reach FA, they haven't really been getting paid a ton.

The thing about Mason is that he plays awesome making amazing save after amazing save only to let an untimely, deflating goal in that he should have had.
- redcoat75

Why should he have had the Niskanen goal? The player broke in up the middle with great speed and elevated the puck from in close. That's not a routine save.

And that is my reason I would trade Mason. Also the lingering injuries worry me with goalies.
- J35Bacher

I wouldn't trade him... just let him run out the string... then look at a short-term extension after that, if he continues to play well.

Would be nice to have stability in net while working the kids in, but I'm not paying $5-6M for the privilege, as much as I love Mason.