So you are telling me you are one of those retards who believe the Flyers did not do their due diligence on Bryzgalov and are somehow surprised with his personality and demeanor with the media? Really?!

You are telling me that somehow we as a whole, on a small message board, knew exactly what the Flyers were getting in terms of his personality and the Flyers didn't? Ill say it once again....give me a break.

And yes, I'm the same guy on Philly.com saying the same things here that I say there. And I will call out stupid reporting and stupid comments wherever I see them.
- MBFlyerfan

The flyers knew what they were getting only he is still on route from Phoenix and should be here in March. I don't know why you are arguing with me on this one. The Matheson article is garbage to me as well. I a just saying that the flyers need a stud dman that is nasty and offensive. Coburn has it all except his nature is passive. I say we need a guy that will hurt you if you run our goalie. Nobody stands up for our goalies with any authority. Weber, Schenn, Chara, and their types make you pay.

I don't see the point in knocking Carle when he's arguably been the team's 2nd best defenseman this season. We have enough defensive team issues as is, and he isn't exactly the problem.

Coburn needs to improve his game dramatically IMO. He has blown several coverages in the past week or so, and we NEED him to start clearing the porch. With Prongs out, he is know our biggest defenseman and he needs to start playing like it. I want to see one of those Coburn mean streaks in the near future. It's long overdue.

Meszy has really stepped it up over the past month or so, and I applaud his efforts. However, the team as a whole needs to really clamp down and play better, smarter defense. The forwards included.

We can't expect our attack to score 4-5 goals a night, especially when our top line is out of sync.
- LeachHextall27

I agree with pretty much everything. I just think this clearing the porch issues is being made into too much. You can't physically remove a player from the front of the net like you could in previous eras.

The flyers knew what they were getting only he is still on route from Phoenix and should be here in March. I don't know why you are arguing with me on this one. The Matheson article is garbage to me as well. I a just saying that the flyers need a stud dman that is nasty and offensive. Coburn has it all except his nature is passive. I say we need a guy that will hurt you if you run our goalie. Nobody stands up for our goalies with any authority. Weber, Schenn, Chara, and their types make you pay.
- flyerdude17

I disagree that Coburn is passive by nature.

that jvr for schenn was nice and juicy, eh? i spent many an hour pondering it
- flyerscup2011

I know why did jvr have to say he hasn't been feeling rite

i'm cool as long as they go one of two ways: 1) youth movement, don't trade away assets/ stay the course or 2) trade draft picks or prospects for defense help and make a run at the cup.

IMO if they can get bryz going at a high level and acquire 1 or 2 defensive dmen they can compete with boston. otherwise stand pat and do something this franchise is not accustomed to..... draft
- flyerscup2011

Agreed!

Part of me wonders if Bob is not used as a large piece of some trade either at the deadline or during the off season.

I think we all know that Bryz HAS to be the guy, and that Bob, if he continues to show he is the real deal, could fetch a handsome return, especially if the Flyers dont panic and deal from a position pf weakness.

To be fair you also said there is no way the Flyers would trade Carter.
- archion113

Like I pointed out earlier, MJL is a flyer die hard that loves his team so dearly that sometime he cannot see the bad in their game. This happens to all of us at times. We have all been wrong about certain players. I hated Versteeg when he was in Chicago and evern worse in Philly but holy Jesus he has proved me wrong in Florida. Just saying! Now what else can we disagree on?

I disagree that Coburn is passive by nature.
- MJL

He's not. We've seen Coburn play very physical games in the past.

To be fair you also said there is no way the Flyers would trade Carter.
- archion113

Absolutely I did say that. And I would say the same thing again in that situation. But really, what does that have to do with the topic?

I know why did jvr have to say he hasn't been feeling rite
- griouxmvp2012

it was a dirty ass hit by his former teammate/ roommate (?). total shame cuz he was starting to play better and i'm a huge fan of luke

Like I pointed out earlier, MJL is a flyer die hard that loves his team so dearly that sometime he cannot see the bad in their game. This happens to all of us at times. We have all been wrong about certain players. I hated Versteeg when he was in Chicago and evern worse in Philly but holy Jesus he has proved me wrong in Florida. Just saying! Now what else can we disagree on?
- flyerdude17

Do me a favor, and stop talking about me, and talk about the game.

Agreed!

Part of me wonders if Bob is not used as a large piece of some trade either at the deadline or during the off season.

I think we all know that Bryz HAS to be the guy, and that Bob, if he continues to show he is the real deal, could fetch a handsome return, especially if the Flyers dont panic and deal from a position pf weakness.
- MBFlyerfan

if bob could bring a dman that can help us or a 1st rd pick i'd say move him, but we'd have to acquire a decent back up tender or run the risk of putting leighton thru waivers and then have the risk of him being our backup

I disagree that Coburn is passive by nature.
- MJL

In the playoff run two years ago Coburn was a physical monster and was arguably the team's top dman. That nastiness is not shown enough.'
He is tougher than hell and needs to drop them more often. He can do it but he would rather be nice guy. I have seen him fight and he could be the guy we are looking for if we could feed him raw meat or something to make him more aggressive. I still say that until he gets the raw meat he could be playing a more physical game.

Jim Matheson this morning:

I know the Philadelphia Flyers aren’t thrilled with Ilya Bryzgalov — they think he talks too much, and his stats are certainly far from $10 million a year worthy (3.07 goals-against average, .891 save percentage) — but did they not do their due diligence. Bryzgalov is off-the-wall; he’s a character. He is who he is (he was one of the stars on the 24-7 HBO show), and now the Flyers want to limit him to two-minute sound bites with the media. He is not worth that kind of dough (who is?), but he’s a good goalie. He has only played four games since Christmas. Ride him, like the Coyotes did, even if one New York Rangers player said “it looks like he’s fighting every shot, a sure sign of a guy with no confidence.” You can’t decide now you like backup Sergei Bobrovsky more.

interesting, even if I don't agree w/ all of it.
- isaiah520

I agree with the part about riding him. Not sure about the due diligence bit. Given his mental makeup, in order to feel confident and comfortable out there he needs to feel like he has the trust and confidence of his coaches and teammates. Playing him in a rotation (or in only 4 games since Christmas) is not going to build that feeling.

I get that people want him to "earn" his starts with better play. But that's not how it works with some goalies. Sometimes, you have to show the trust and confidence in order to get the caliber of play that "earns" it. I think Bryz is that kind of goalie. If we platoon him, we're not going to like the results. He has to feel like he's the man before he'll play like it. Telling him he has to earn each start he gets, or that if he has a bad game Bob gets the next game, is not going to make him play better. I think it will have the opposite effect.

I love Laviolette as a coach, but if he has a weakness I think it's handling goalies. I think he did a poor job of that in last year's playoffs, and I'm not wild about how he's handled Bryz and Bob this year so far. I hope for all our sakes he figures out soon how to get Bryz playing at a high level. Personally, I think that is best accomplished by playing the hell out of him and letting both him and the team work through it.

it was a dirty ass hit by his former teammate/ roommate (?). total shame cuz he was starting to play better and i'm a huge fan of luke
- flyerscup2011

Yea he can sure light some people up. Just what we have been missing a huge hitting shutdown d man that will make u think twice about posting up in front of the net

In the playoff run two years ago Coburn was a physical monster and was arguably the team's top dman. That nastiness is not shown enough.'
He is tougher than hell and needs to drop them more often. He can do it but he would rather be nice guy. I have seen him fight and he could be the guy we are looking for if we could feed him raw meat or something to make him more aggressive. I still say that until he gets the raw meat he could be playing a more physical game.
- flyerdude17

The last thing we need Coburn to do is fight. That is not a problem for the Flyers or for Coburn's game. We just need him to play more consistently.

In the playoff run two years ago Coburn was a physical monster and was arguably the team's top dman. That nastiness is not shown enough.'
He is tougher than hell and needs to drop them more often. He can do it but he would rather be nice guy. I have seen him fight and he could be the guy we are looking for if we could feed him raw meat or something to make him more aggressive. I still say that until he gets the raw meat he could be playing a more physical game.
- flyerdude17

i wish he would bring that on a game to game basis, we need the snarl

Do me a favor, and stop talking about me, and talk about the game.
- MJL

I like talking about you and how your robot style black and orange comments are to be interpreted. I like to know what makes individuals say the things they do and you are no exception. Just like what make Bryz want to speculate on worldly mattters, I do not think he is weird, I think he is special and I enjoy every minute of it. It comes down to stopping the puck and if he does he is a beauty, like you.

Yea he can sure light some people up. Just what we have been missing a huge hitting shutdown d man that will make u think twice about posting up in front of the net
- griouxmvp2012

weird under clarke we had big unmobile dmen and we failed, now under homer we have undersized dmen who can skate like a mofo and we still fail. need balance and perhaps some nastiness. love me some nasty. we need some attitude back there, like don't (frank) with us!

I agree with the part about riding him. Not sure about the due diligence bit. Given his mental makeup, in order to feel confident and comfortable out there he needs to feel like he has the trust and confidence of his coaches and teammates. Playing him in a rotation (or in only 4 games since Christmas) is not going to build that feeling.

I get that people want him to "earn" his starts with better play. But that's not how it works with some goalies. Sometimes, you have to show the trust and confidence in order to get the caliber of play that "earns" it. I think Bryz is that kind of goalie. If we platoon him, we're not going to like the results. He has to feel like he's the man before he'll play like it. Telling him he has to earn each start he gets, or that if he has a bad game Bob gets the next game, is not going to make him play better. I think it will have the opposite effect.

I love Laviolette as a coach, but if he has a weakness I think it's handling goalies. I think he did a poor job of that in last year's playoffs, and I'm not wild about how he's handled Bryz and Bob this year so far. I hope for all our sakes he figures out soon how to get Bryz playing at a high level. Personally, I think that is best accomplished by playing the hell out of him and letting both him and the team work through it.
- BringBack25

In my opinion, if all of that it true about Bryzgalov, then I want him to play even less, and I'll take my chances with Bobrovsky.

I hear this a lot about Laviolette. And most of it is because of last year, where as a Coach, he was stuck between a rock and hard place. We forget that Laviolette made goaltending decisions that resulted in a Stanley Cup.

Absolutely I did say that. And I would say the same thing again in that situation. But really, what does that have to do with the topic?
- MJL

THey feel inferior to your intellect and need to deflect your attacks on their flimsy arguments by reaching waaaaaaaaay back into the past for something irrelevant.

I like talking about you and how your robot style black and orange comments are to be interpreted. I like to know what makes individuals say the things they do and you are no exception. Just like what make Bryz want to speculate on worldly mattters, I do not think he is weird, I think he is special and I enjoy every minute of it. It comes down to stopping the puck and if he does he is a beauty, like you.
- flyerdude17

I've asked nicely.

weird under clarke we had big unmobile dmen and we failed, now under homer we have undersized dmen who can skate like a mofo and we still fail. need balance and perhaps some nastiness. love me some nasty. we need some attitude back there, like don't (frank) with us!
- flyerscup2011

Yea that exactly what we need wear teams down by taking the body all nite long

The last thing we need Coburn to do is fight. That is not a problem for the Flyers or for Coburn's game. We just need him to play more consistently.
- MJL

I do not think you have played tough hockey MJL. If a guy like Coburn got pissed and dropped the gloves once in awhile he would be much more respected, example how many guy drop the gloves with Chara?? Nobody anymore if they want to remember their wives name and where they live. My point being if he dummied a few more on a regular basis he would not have to even fight, just be there. If you have ever been dummied by a real mean ass you would know what I mean. I thought I was pretty tough once when I met one of them and will never challenge that dude again. I stayed away from him forever after the beating he gave me. I hope you see the point. Once you earn the total respect as a mean sob you can pretty much do what you want out there.

In my opinion, if all of that it true about Bryzgalov, then I want him to play even less, and I'll take my chances with Bobrovsky.

I hear this a lot about Laviolette. And most of it is because of last year, where as a Coach, he was stuck between a rock and hard place. We forget that Laviolette made goaltending decisions that resulted in a Stanley Cup.
- MJL

Those decisions worked for him in Carolina but I think here not so much. If his decisions continue to fail to reap the benefit of good play from either goalie then I think he needs to re-evaluate his approach.

I do not think you have played tough hockey MJL. If a guy like Coburn got pissed and dropped the gloves once in awhile he would be much more respected, example how many guy drop the gloves with Chara?? Nobody anymore if they want to remember their wives name and where they live. My point being if he dummied a few more on a regular basis he would not have to even fight, just be there. If you have ever been dummied by a real mean ass you would know what I mean. I thought I was pretty tough once when I met one of them and will never challenge that dude again. I stayed away from him forever after the beating he gave me. I hope you see the point. Once you earn the total respect as a mean sob you can pretty much do what you want out there.
- flyerdude17

I guess u didn't see coburn destroy downie a few weeks ago