My preference would be a full blown competition in camp and whoever is better starts game 1. The Flyers have started slow two straight years. (Not blaming the goalies for all that). I would start the guy who played best in camp and try to get a good start to the season.
- J35Bacher

Honestly, its how it should be for every position. especially the defense and the bottom 6/9. hell, there should even be competition for who flanks G!

Honestly, its how it should be for every position. especially the defense and the bottom 6/9. hell, there should even be competition for who flanks G!
- sjk540

If Giroux doesn't go all-out in camp, he should be a healthy scratch. Because you want your top veterans going all-out in preseason games.

Coaches coach, players play. It was a team failure on special teams in the playoffs.

Honestly, its how it should be for every position. especially the defense and the bottom 6/9. hell, there should even be competition for who flanks G!
- sjk540

In theory I understand but with guys under contract sometimes that doesn't work out.

with both mason and neuvirth UFA after next season I really think you need a legit competition. they will need to decide who they commit two and money could be very different. Neuvirth will be coming off a deal that that had a cap hit of 1.625 while Mason has a 4.100. I am not a fan of paying goalies in the 6mil range unless special.

For me, and just my opinion, Mason needs to be head and shoulders better then neuvirth for me to commit a cap near 6 to him. If not I think I would rather try to lock Neuvirth up on a 3 year deal at something like 3-4mil cap hit.

For me, and just my opinion, Mason needs to be head and shoulders better then neuvirth for me to commit a cap near 6 to him. If not I think I would rather try to lock Neuvirth up on a 3 year deal at something like 3-4mil cap hit.
- J35Bacher

If Neuvirth is on his game, there aren't many goalies who can be head and shoulders better than him, so I don't think that's realistic.

This.
- MBFlyerfan

Exactly, to me, Mase is the clear cut #1 and Neuvirth is basically what I'd call a 1A.

It's Mason's job to lose and I'm just thankful that they have basically another starter in Neuvirth who can step in and play extremely well if Mason does lose his spot or gets injured.

Hoping the Wheat Kings win the memorial cup! Should be good though either way and im looking forward to seeing them play London For you Flyers guys who was the biggest disappointment this season ?
- Blizzzard

I'd probably go with Laughton. most of the team matched expectations or exceeded them IMO.

Hoping the Wheat Kings win the memorial cup! Should be good though either way and im looking forward to seeing them play London For you Flyers guys who was the biggest disappointment this season ?
- blizzzard

Voracek and Streit but injuries played a factor.

In terms of healthy players, Medvedev and Laughton.

If Neuvirth is on his game, there aren't many goalies who can be head and shoulders better than him, so I don't think that's realistic.
- MJL

So what happens if just say we have a repeat of what happened this year?

I myself would be leary to sign Mason to something near 6. But I also understand the only issue with Neuvirth has seemed to be his injury history.

If I was the GM, just my thinking, I would look to move Mason to a team like Calgary whose needs goaltending bad, and then look to sign James Reimer. I don't think Reimer is nearly as bad as what people think and actually really surprised Toronto didn't move Bernier over Reimer.

But that's me. bring on the rocks and pitchforks for my head.

Caps just have so many weapons on the PP; especially when Carlson was playing as well as he was in the series against us. Between the 3 of Ovi, Backstrom,and Carlson, we couldn't contain all 3.
- arichardson22

doesn't help when supercoots is gone for most of the series either.

if they had him...and maybe neuvirth gets game 3....maybe they survive. then again...they still had no production from most of the team, primarily their best players, so....probably not.

malkin and crosby didn't produce either, yet they won.

doesn't help when supercoots is gone for most of the series either.

if they had him...and maybe neuvirth gets game 3....maybe they survive. then again...they still had no production from most of the team, primarily their best players, so....probably not.

malkin and crosby didn't produce either, yet they won.
- hammarby31

Lose your best penalty killer and even strength scorer. Couldn't kill penalties or score at even strength in the series......hmmmmm

Also Holtby didn't allow any suspect goals against the Flyers. He seemed very meh in the Penguins series.
- J35Bacher

he made some great saves vs. pittsburgh, but he has tracking issues with lateral movement sometimes. he opens up and pulls away from shots - like the game 4 ot winner. he was not super human. that said, they certainly didn't lose because of him.

while the benefactor of a bunch of posts, he did get beat due to some bounces that the flyers simply didn't get and there were a few that could have just as easily gone in. still the flyers didn't work nearly hard enough around the net to create that puck luck.

If Giroux doesn't go all-out in camp, he should be a healthy scratch. Because you want your top veterans going all-out in preseason games.
- jmatchett383

Obviously missing my point, and honestly, bottom 6/9 shouldn't be competing. Simmer, Voracek, and G are not in the bottom 6/9 in my opinion. Obv not coots or schenn. But there should still be heavy competition for pretty much every defensemen, every goalie, and about 2/3's of the forwards.

more subtle displays of sarcasm go further bro

Lose your best penalty killer and even strength scorer. Couldn't kill penalties or score at even strength in the series......hmmmmm
- MBFlyerfan

it was a huge problem. nobody else really stepped up. getting blanked 1-0 in your own building in game 6. pathetic. pa-thetic.

The failed clears were frustrating because it seemed like everytime a Flyer failed to clear, not only did they not get the puck out of the zone, but the puck seemed to end up perfectly right on the tape of a Caps player waiting to make a play in the other direction.
- johndewar

it seemed that way because that's what happened. always a cap in motion, always in just the right spot for a carom, deflection, bounce or bad pass. and their puck movement through the neutral zone was ridiculous. it wasn't nearly as good vs. pittsburgh because in large part of how pittsburgh played.

And the people will defend Neuvirth if he gives up the same goal because he played really well for us for 3 months.

Mason lets up a bad goal - burn him
Neuvirth/Emery give up a bad goal - they've played well for us.
- jmatchett383

i call it like it see it, no matter who's in net. if it's bad, i say it's bad, imo of course.

i defend mason because of his consistency. the only area he struggles in is the shootout, but that is a whole other can of worms. if his teammates ever gave him some goal support in that area, it might be different.

and for the record, i love both of our goalies. i enjoy watching neuvirth play more than mason. just my preference.

So going into this training camp is this a goalie competition? Or is Mason de facto number one?
- J35Bacher

that FA from yale will be the starter. book it.

that FA from yale will be the starter. book it.
- hammarby31

You're absolutely dominating the boards today.

You're absolutely dominating the boards today.
- mayorofangrytown

that's what i do. i'm consistent in my consistency of dominating dominance. sometimes.

I'm not a #fancystats fan, and I have no idea what any of the #fancymetrics are for that series. I'm going by my own eyes.
- Scoob

The fancy stats say they were outplayed at even strength, though the numbers are skewed a bit by game 5

that's what i do. i'm consistent in my consistency of dominating dominance. sometimes.
- hammarby31

The Raptors could use you.

See I have never said Mason sucks.
I have also never said Neuvirth is god.

I try to make rational opinions from what I see.

Yes. MY preference is Neuvirth. I have my reasons. Do I think Mason sucks. No

I just find it funny that when someone plays good(Neuvirth) the people like to knock it back to small sample size yet can bring every reason to defend someone like Mason if he struggles.
- J35Bacher

I'm not sure what you're arguing right now. There are rational arguments for keeping both or moving one or the other.

Seems to me, the people who criticize Mason the most bring no statistical evidence to back their claims.

The Raptors could use you.

- mayorofangrytown

i have a mean sky hook.

Quoting Ek here....

I am putting together my rumor chart (which will launch on Monday) and having many conversations with sources around the league and one player who keeps coming up in UFA to be Loui Eriksson. I have talked to three sources who tell me the Flyers are the team to beat on this one, as the Flyers don't want to rush their young forward talent, and really see Eriksson as some proven secondary scoring they lack.

Hoping the Wheat Kings win the memorial cup!
- blizzzard

If only Wheaton King still played for them... he'd put them over the top.