The Hockey Thread

[warwick.hoy]

So trade deadline;

Flyers picked up; among others, Steve Mason from Columbus (for Leighton and a pick). Most in the Flyers camp seem to think that this is signalling the end of Bryz's run in Philly. Bryz has 7 years left on his expensive contract,...but apparently, as a result of the new CBA and perhaps a lower salary cap,...the front office may be able to buyout Bryz's contract.

I really hope the Flyers wouldn't give up on Bryz so easily,...but perhaps that's what they need to do in order to sure up the defense in the offseason. Bryz has started 20 straight games. He has been ridden hard and put away wet. Hung out to dry too many times. Has at times played brilliantly,...but you can see he is exhausted. I'll withhold comment on his "ducking" of the knuckle ball Prust goal last night. Only Bryz knows what was going through his head on that fluky goal.

Mason had one good year and has been mediocre. I don't feel like he is the answer to the goalie situation either. I don't think there is an answer. Goaltenders are always the goats in Philly,...I would never want to be a netminder in that town.

[FancyMike]

Mason is bad. Bryz is better than him by a whole lot what Philly needs to do is actually ice some competent defencemen.

Mason is probably a better backup than whoever you have now though? Hasn't Bryzgalov been in net basically every game this season?

[Haki]

Each team gets 2 compliance buy-outs, which can be used this summer. A normal buy-out gives you a cap penalty (basically 1/3rd the cap hit each year for double the years left on the deal). Compliance buy-out gives no cap penalty, though the team will still be required to pay 2/3rd of the remaining contract to the player. Sure, it gets rid of Bryz' cap hit but you'd need a starting goaltender (you can't resign the player you bought out to a lower contract) and it'd cost a fair amount of $$$. That and the Flyers' cap problems won't start until 2014-2015 when you have to extend Giroux, Schenn and Coots. Though Timmonen and Mezsaros do come off the books then freeing up 10m.

The Ducks and Flyers swapped minor criminals. A car thief for a Kiddy porn producer; http://www.crossingbroad.com/2013/04/th ... g+Broad%29 That article doesn't mention it but the car stolen was used to drive for 20 seconds from one strip club to another.

Ducks deadline sucked. We picked up Matthew Lombardi for a fringe NHL prospect. Our GM likes picking up 'cheap' options, hoping one of them pans out rather than pony up and get a more proven commodity. We still need a top6 LW to play with Getzlaf/Perry and a center for the second line. Teemu Selanne has looked dreadful at times and I'm blaming it on crappy linemates.

[bigchiefbc]

I was actually pretty happy when I heard the B's picked up Jagr. Yeah, he's 41, but the guy can still play with the best of them (hell, he has more points this year than Iginla). And his first game with the B's last night did not disappoint, he scored the game winner. The two guys we gave up are nobody's, and the pick we gave up is only a first-rounder if we make the conference finals (in which case, it'll be gravy and no one will care). Pitt is fucking loaded, but I still think the B's could give them a fight in a 7-game series. I've walked back from the ledge now. I was mostly just worried that Ciarelli was going to get a couple schlubs after we lost Iginla. But I'll admit I was wrong, he sacked up and spent to get an impact player.

[warwick.hoy]

Jagr brings a lot more to the table than just skill. He makes the guys around him better. He brings leadership and work ethic. Philly media made a lot to do about Jagr arriving to the practice rink early,....staying late,...putting in extra hours working out and practicing, and how infectious that is. Jagr is the one loss over the last summer; whom I wish we could have hung on to.

And yes,...Bryz has started all but two games this season. TWO GAMES!!!!

[FancyMike]

Buying out Bryz and putting Mason in as your starter without upgrading majorly on defense would be a horrifyingly bad decision. And it's not like there are going to be any better goalies on the market this summer. Maybe they can buy out Bryz, Van buys out Lu, and Philly can try for Luongo? That sounds like a trainwreck. Ryan Miller's supposed to be available too so you could pick up somebody that's no better than Bryzgalov, but instead of being funny he likes to whine a lot.

The B's have had decent luck with veteran wingers lately, Recchi was cool and the most likeable guy on the cup winning team for non-Bruins fans ever since Thomas fucked off to crazy town. Jagr coming back and playing for both the Flyers and Bruins and not the Pens is the best thing ever.

[Haki]

People were sold on the Pens last year before the Flyers got a little physical and Fleury opened the floodgates. If Rask holds up in the play-offs then the Bruins definitely have a shot at beating Pitt. Then Jagr can score the game winner that ends the series.

[warwick.hoy]

Gotta love Mark Recchi.

I guess one of the other problems I have with the off season moves last summer is; the letting go of Sergei Bobrovsky. Someone whom they could groom to be a stud goalie,...but they lost patience. Now we have a guy with a huge contract who is painfully inconsistent and hella flaky. That in a nutshell is really where I want to see the Flyers move forward on Goaltending. Groom someone within the organization who will be a Flyer breed goalie,...as opposed to just throwing money between the pipes. Part of me hopes that Bryz get's his act together,...but it's been a work in progress for two seasons now,...and with Bryz's contract,....upgrading the blueline is going to be piecemeal.

It would be cool to see Mason reinvigorate his career. Seems like he has the talent and potential,...perhaps a change of scenery. Ditto on upgrading the D is Mason is the #1 moving forward.

Don't know if anyone caught last nights Flyers @ Laughs game,...Flyers caught a break on a blown goalie interference call that lead to the GWG. I don't know what Flyers commentary had to say about, but Laughs commentary was pretty indignant about it. Newcomer Adam Hall skated off the back boards and grabbed a hold of the butt end of Riemer's stick and spun him around as the puck found twine. Not sure what the refs saw. Perhaps they were calling it incidental contact,...who knows,...but I gotta side with TOR on this one. Shouldn't have counted.

Also Hall and Rosehill sandwich Joffrey Lupul,....Hall made shoulder to shoulder contact,...but the force of the impact threw Lupul's head into Rosehill's shoulder pad. Lupul was out on his feet. I hope he is alright,...I enjoyed Lupul's tenure as a Flyer.

The Flyers have put together a nice little run to put themselves in the mix for that last playoff spot,....I think they'll eek in,...but I don't see a cup. It sure is better than languishing at the bottom for the last few weeks of the regular season.

[Haki]

Lupul's a pretty good player, he just manages to get injured a lot. And as much as I love Beauchemin having to trade Lupul and Gardiner for him 2 seasons ago still hurts, moreso because our GM never bothered to call Beauchemin and let him walk as a UFA when he was willing to take a hometown discount to stay with the Ducks. I don't know how happy I'd be with Holmgren as a GM but Murray drives me nuts.

As for possibly eeking into a play-off spot. Maybe you should just tank the rest of the way so you can draft Seth Jones.

[magiclawnchair]

i really dont know what to think about the blackhawks. they can be bullied. all but two of their losses they have blown 3rd period leads and that mess vs the oilers they had a chance but continued to be sloppy on the back end.
handzus was a nice pick up because toews is the only center that can consistently win draws but it would have been nice to see them get a defense-man that isnt afraid to knock a guy on his ass. hjalmersson needs to stop with this poke check bullshit and oduya is sorta flaky at times. kaner has actually been playing up to his potential so thats good. crawford scares the shit outta me. its to the point now that i sorta want to see him pulled for emery if he starts and they go to a shoot out.
all in all, i cannot complain much but as the games get more physical they start to wilt.

[Haki]

The Hawks looked pretty damn good against the Ducks this season even though the Hawks lost all 3 games. The first game was a shoot out, the second game (4-2 at Anaheim) looked like a Hawks win until the Ducks just caught a few bounces and turned 1-2 into 3-2 in the final 10 minutes. The last game was pretty tight again. You also didn't have Sharp and Hossa in those last two games. Emery did look better than Crawford, he just seems calmer and more collected. I don't think even Crawford can believe the numbers he's putting up.

[Haki]

Pacific Division motherfuckers.

Did not like the way the Ducks have played the past few weeks. Too much line juggling by Gabby, the black hole that has been the 2nd line, waste of a 6th round pick of Lombardi, horrid power play. The last two games against Edmonton have looked better. All because of Nick Bonino. The Koivu-Winnik-Cogliano line is finally back together, Bobby Ryan looked decent enough with the Twins and Palmieri-Bonino-Selanne actually had a few decent shifts. It's not a great second line, but it'll have to do. It's a bit sad that all of that puts Emerson Etem on the 4th line, but him with Steckel and Belesky at least makes it a legitimate line rather than a dump.

[magiclawnchair]

working 2-10pm doesnt allow for me to watch full games as i am a dumbass with out dvr...

the blackhawks were hit mercilessly on sunday and still went to ot. they will beat the wild but im not sure they are tough enough to make it. if nhl were international rules nobody would beat them but im still not sure they could take blues or kings or ducks in 7...

crawford is decent but he gives rebounds and the d isnt so tight. i can say no other team can roll 4 lines that can score like the hawks but when teams get physical....

[Haki]

Just get dvr already.

Agreed on Crawford, he's not very likely to steal a game for you. Good news for you now that the Sharks have swept Vancouver you will not play any of those 3 teams in the next round. It'll be San Jose when the Ducks win, if they don't then you'll play Detroit. This series is fucking maddening. First the 4-1 comeback in game 2 only to get a bullshit call in the final 30 seconds and they score on it in OT. Then game 4 they just stopped moving and hitting and let Detroit take it. Perry needs to get it going, as does Ryan and hopefully Lydman comes back so Sbisa can sit.

[bigchiefbc]

The B's just did not come to play tonight. It really fucking pissed me off, and now it's back to Toronto for game 6. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuckity fuck.