I'm not against that either, in fact it makes the most sense. However, the Flyers have seem to go sour on JvR (just my opinion).
- stveshdy

It does seem like they have gone sour. I haven't. But it does seem that way.

Michael Ryder?
- rockychocbill

Again I think its a poor example.. Ryder was putting up very similar stats over the first 3-4 seasons of his career.

As Bill pointed out, he played with Brad Richards in Dallas. That's a pretty legit center
- Jsaquella

I dont think Richards is on the level of Malkin, Giroux or Crosby. Thats my opinion.

Those players are elite, Richards isnt.

No clue... but I will say this.. Scott Hartnell is the ONLY player that has been consistently on the top producing line (offensively) for the Flyers over the last 5 seasons.
- jak521

Well 3 years ago people were saying that Scott Hartnell's 4.2 million contract was a big time over payment for a 25 goal scorer, and 3 years ago they were right. But as the cap went up, 4.2 million is not all that bad for a 25 goal scorer.

So what I am saying as long as the Cap keeps going up, in a few years Nash's cap hit could be the norm for what Nash brings to the table.

It does seem like they have gone sour. I haven't. But it does seem that way.
- Daman

I'm all for keeping JvR but something tells me that Homer is not a fan of the player anymore. He was basically an "untouchable" heading into last year and now hes available if they can get Nash or Ryan. Why is that?

I dont think Richards is on the level of Malkin, Giroux or Crosby. Thats my opinion.

Those players are elite, Richards isnt.
- stveshdy

I agree. Richards isnt a slouch but not on the level of malkin and the rest mentioned

Well 3 years ago people were saying that Scott Hartnell's 4.2 million contract was a big time over payment for a 25 goal scorer, and 3 years ago they were right. But as the cap went up, 4.2 million is not all that bad for a 25 goal scorer.

So what I am saying as long as the Cap keeps going up, in a few years Nash's cap hit could be the norm for what Nash brings to the table.
- RooNosHockey

So take on 7.8 and (crosses fingers) hope it keeps going up??

If anything it will drop again.. We are going into a season with an expiring CBA.. the last thing you want to do is over spend... even with the reported 70.3 mil cap this season.

More great work, Bill!

1) The easy out is always to give the goalies too much blame in defeat and too much credit in victory. That is often a much easier storyline to peddle in lieu of actual analysis.

This pretty much sums up Philadelphia's media coverage of hockey, in one fell swoop.

The ride with Bryzgalov is never going to be a totally smooth one, but as long as the end result one of these years is a parade down Broad Street no one will care. Well, at least not until the team's next losing skid the following season.

*breathe* Well put.

Several clips from the 1985 HNIC interview are interspersed in this retrospective profile of Lindbergh narrated by Al Meltzer.

*sigh* I remember see that as a kid. Still cannot believe he's gone - and in the way it happened. The weight on Hexy's shoulders in 1986-87, taking on the mantle of the next goalie in light of the loss of Pelle 10 months prior to the start of his rookie season makes me appreciate Hexy even more than just the way he played.

Dang, I miss the late 80's.

*puts on U2's The Joshua Tree, an Ocean Pacific t-shirt and Jams shorts*

Well 3 years ago people were saying that Scott Hartnell's 4.2 million contract was a big time over payment for a 25 goal scorer, and 3 years ago they were right. But as the cap went up, 4.2 million is not all that bad for a 25 goal scorer.

So what I am saying as long as the Cap keeps going up, in a few years Nash's cap hit could be the norm for what Nash brings to the table.
- RooNosHockey

Good point. Only issue is future cap is unknown especially with a new CBA coming up. Sound logic though and makes sense of cap keeps going up.

Bill, thanks for the great points. Honestly if you give Bryz a little slack for being injured during the Pittsburgh barn burner series, he really had a great end to the season.

I've never been concerned with Bryz's on-ice play. It's been his off-ice personality that has always concerned me. Doing research on him with his "Why you Haft to be mad..." speech he gave in Anaheim. Some people thought that was very funny, but I just saw it as a roasting pan if that happened in Philly. We (fans and media) can be a real angry bunch. Especially when we are not winning. My worry was that even when he was playing well, he seemed to be not enjoying the good attention, which would eventually give way to bad. I think as a player you need to take in some of that good feeling to recharge a bit. I don't care that he doesn't like the media (it's not their job to be liked) But I do worry when he seems to be disenchanted with the fans.

I'm not normally one to worry about a players psyche and would love to say, he'll deal with it, it's a player's job etc. But Goalies can be odd and Bryz is pretty odd, even amongst goalies. Bryz showed in March what he can do when the team is committed to Defense.

I don't think it'd be magical, just logical.

Since the lockout, there's been two seasons where the Blue Jackets had more than one player besides Nash top 50 points. 2005-06, David Vyborny and Nik Zherdev topped 50 points, along with Nash, and 2009-10, when a handful of guys did it. For the most part, Nash has been scoring 60+ points, one teammate has managed to get to 55 or so, and the rest have been under 50.

Nash has consistently been a 30-30 guy for years, without playing on a team with a consistently good playmaking center or even a consistent secondary scoring threat. With those pieces in place, especially on a team with an uptempo system like the Flyers, I think Nash's numbers would definitely improve.
- Jsaquella

my other concern is that i think jvr's progression and nash regression are a wash or favor jvr over the next 3 or so year. and at $3m+ more a year plus other assets. no. please no.

You guys think if there might be a deal for Ryan +rights to negotiate with schultz for JVR +...that wouldnt be so bad...

So take on 7.8 and (crosses fingers) hope it keeps going up??

If anything it will drop again.. We are going into a season with an expiring CBA.. the last thing you want to do is over spend... even with the reported 70.3 mil cap this season.
- jak521

Like you said, you take the gamble there are no negative cap situations in the future. I still think 7.8 will be viewed as high in 3 years, but could be more affordable.

Thanks for your support. My first one ever on here.

Although agreement with me is probably is a bad thing for you!

There are probably some Philly fans that think Mike Schmidt sucked, so it's no wonder JVR gets a rough time. But it is probably a short list of players that peaked at JVR's age.
- Daman

You are on a roll today.

*butters Daman up*

my other concern is that i think jvr's progression and nash regression are a wash or favor jvr over the next 3 or so year. and at $3m+ more a year plus other assets. no. please no.
- OrangeBlack27

The Flyers should give JvR a full year and allow him to play healthy with Giroux. Lets see what the kid can do. I have this gut feeling they believe his hip wont hold up for an entire season without getting the surgery. I have no facts, evidence, CIA info to prove it just stating what I think.

I'd love to do what a poster said earlier, which is add Mike Weaver and Adam Burish, then next year try to sign Bogosian and or Enstrom. If Bryz pulls his game together, this team will be incredibly hard to beat.

You guys think if there might be a deal for Ryan +rights to negotiate with schultz for JVR +...that wouldnt be so bad...
- Philly1980

Never know. Things will get interesting very shortly

*puts on U2's The Joshua Tree, an Ocean Pacific t-shirt and
- Flyskippy

Jams

shorts*

do you actually have a pair?

As always, common sense, good hockey analysis and even handed discussion that brings all the factors to bear and results in people actually opening their eyes to what really happened.

Bryzgalov struggled. He was the first to admit he didn't play as well as he expected or wanted to. He was inconsistent and he has to play better.

On the flip side, let's look at a couple other goalies. Henrik Lundqvist and Jonathan Quick. Both goalies played brilliantly, but both also had teams that really played very good to great defense in front of them.

One really telling stat on how good Lundqvist was is the percentage of wins the Rangers had in games he started vs games Marty Biron started. When King Henrik was in, the Rangers won 62% of their games. That's a great percentage in the parity of the NHL.

When Marty Biron was called on, the Rangers won at a 60% clip. The Rangers team defense was incredible.
- Jsaquella

Pfft. Facts...

do you actually have a pair?



- phi1671

Not anymore. I no longer wear 28 waist shorts or weigh 127 pounds like I did in 1989.

If only Briere's contract ended a year earlier and his $6.5M could be spread across Giroux, Schenn & Coots contracts.... I think I'd be more comfortable with the Nash rumor if that were the case but alas....

If only Briere's contract ended a year earlier and his $6.5M could be spread across Giroux, Schenn & Coots contracts.... I think I'd be more comfortable with the Nash rumor if that were the case but alas....
- Comeback Rico

alas indeed sir...

Good point. Only issue is future cap is unknown especially with a new CBA coming up. Sound logic though and makes sense of cap keeps going up.
- funmaster18

Thanks. I have heard that if they do end up lowering the Cap, they will lower players cap hits by a certain percentage. So if the Cap goes down, so will Nash's cap hit.

And I would like to point out that the Flyers didn't know the cap hit was going to go up like this when Hartnell signed either. They took a chance and it worked. Hockey is booming right now, and as long as there is no stoppage it should continue to up-trend.

i say (frank) it and waive everyone and start over...

EA Sports
It's in the game.

8 game road trip this year, huh. should make for a fun new year.