Hockey Fans: Blockbuster

[RoyTheHammer]

Flyers just traded away BOTH Jeff Carter and Mike Richards in seperate deals earlier today. Received the 8th pick in this years draft and 3 young guys back, two of which were former top 10 draft picks.

Crazy..

Also signed the goalie Bryzgalov to a 9 year friggin deal.. 51 million.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Very interesting move by the Flyers.

I know the late season swoon they had really looked ugly. This team seemed disinterested. They've been running coaches out of there on a rail for several years now. I guess it's about time the stars of the team took a beating for this squad underachieving.

They gave up some offensive firepower for sure.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Given the Flyers inability in the past to get good goaltending, Leighton in 2010playoffs notwithstanding, I can understand the move.

Not sure Bryzgalov will be the saviour but stranger things have been known to happen.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Given the Flyers inability in the past to get good goaltending, Leighton in 2010playoffs notwithstanding, I can understand the move.

Not sure Bryzgalov will be the saviour but stranger things have been known to happen.

I'm not sure either, but the Flyer defense is solid. I'm not sure Philly could have found a better quality goalie under the present circumstances.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

I'm not sure either, but the Flyer defense is solid. I'm not sure Philly could have found a better quality goalie under the present circumstances.

He's a great goalie.. glad we signed him. The only things im questioning are moving a 26 year old guy like Richards, who we had locked up for the rest of his career at only about 5 million a year, who's one of the best young leaders and 2 way players in the game. You don't just replace guys like that. Also, signing Bryzgalov for 9 friggin years is a bit much.

Carter i was fine with getting rid of. He's lazy as hell. I wish we'd gotten rid of Hartnell and Versteeg too. I just hope now we sign Leino and Zherdev back and make a move for a proven scorer in FA.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

He's a great goalie.. glad we signed him. The only things im questioning are moving a 26 year old guy like Richards, who we had locked up for the rest of his career at only about 5 million a year, who's one of the best young leaders and 2 way players in the game. You don't just replace guys like that. Also, signing Bryzgalov for 9 friggin years is a bit much.

Carter i was fine with getting rid of. He's lazy as hell. I wish we'd gotten rid of Hartnell and Versteeg too. I just hope now we sign Leino and Zherdev back and make a move for a proven scorer in FA.

I think they got a heck of player at pick #8.

The other thing that bothers me about Richards is the horrible way this team played over the last month of the season. That was simply stunning. One loss after another. And god-forbid they win a SO.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

I think they got a heck of player at pick #8.

The other thing that bothers me about Richards is the horrible way this team played over the last month of the season. That was simply stunning. One loss after another. And god-forbid they win a SO.

I don't know. Hard to put that on one man. The horrible goaltending also had alot to do with it i believe, and being without Pronger in the lineup. Richie can't go out and play for these guys though.

Courtier (i think that's how you spell it) seems like a great pick at number 8 though, i agree. He was said to be ranked as the top prospect overall at one point, and was number 5 overall supposedly. Don't know why he fell, but its lucky for us. He seems like a Richards clone a little, great 2 way player who can put points on the board and win faceoffs.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

I swear every interview i've seen Homer do since the deal, he's damn near in tears the entire time he talks about having to trade Richards. I wonder if this was a mandate from Snider? Would definitely piss me off if it was.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I swear every interview i've seen Homer do since the deal, he's damn near in tears the entire time he talks about having to trade Richards. I wonder if this was a mandate from Snider? Would definitely piss me off if it was.

Is it possible that Snider pushed for that trade? Certainly could of.

I'm sure he's still pizzed about how this team performed at the end of the year.

And yeah, the goalie situation in the playoffs was dreadful, but for the last month of the season this team was simply horrible. Losing Pronger hurt, but heck every team loses players to injuries. Take a look at what the Sabers did over the last month of the season and they had injury problems too.

At some point you just can't keep rotating coaches. Churning some of the talent was a needed thing.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

Is it possible that Snider pushed for that trade? Certainly could of.

I'm sure he's still pizzed about how this team performed at the end of the year.

And yeah, the goalie situation in the playoffs was dreadful, but for the last month of the season this team was simply horrible. Losing Pronger hurt, but heck every team loses players to injuries. Take a look at what the Sabers did over the last month of the season and they had injury problems too.

At some point you just can't keep rotating coaches. Churning some of the talent was a needed thing.

I agree unquestionably. However, i'd have been much more comfortable just trading Carter and possibly Hartnell and/or Versteeg and keeping Richards. Seems Homer would have been as well.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I agree unquestionably. However, i'd have been much more comfortable just trading Carter and possibly Hartnell and/or Versteeg and keeping Richards. Seems Homer would have been as well.

Probably had something to do with the atmosphere in the locker-room.

 

[Vtwin]

Probably had something to do with the atmosphere in the locker-room.

That is exactly it. Richards lost the room and the tough choice had to be made.

They're putting a lot of eggs in the Bryz basket but goal tending has been this team's Achilles heal for years and years.

They are still pretty strong up front and as the Bruins showed this year sometimes it's less about pedigree and more about heart and teamwork.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

That is exactly it. Richards lost the room and the tough choice had to be made.

They're putting a lot of eggs in the Bryz basket but goal tending has been this team's Achilles heal for years and years.

They are still pretty strong up front and as the Bruins showed this year sometimes it's less about pedigree and more about heart and teamwork.

That's baloney. Richards was injured almost the entire year and still came to play and put up the same numbers and great two way play that he always does. Carter plays lazy, Hartnell barely plays at all, but Richards is a good guy and a good player. None of his teammates had anything bad to say about him, and the media are the ones driving that bs that he's not a great leader because they didn't like the fact that he wouldn't answer their stupid questions or repeat questions. Homer was breaking down emotionally everytime he talked about the kid, and even a couple interviews from media members in the Philly area said they talked to team members who said that whole bs about the locker room was completely overblown. Lavy and Homer said the same.

As for Bryz.. he's a very good goalie. Anxious to see what he can do behind a good defense.

 

[Vtwin]

That's baloney. Richards was injured almost the entire year and still came to play and put up the same numbers and great two way play that he always does. Carter plays lazy, Hartnell barely plays at all, but Richards is a good guy and a good player. None of his teammates had anything bad to say about him, and the media are the ones driving that bs that he's not a great leader because they didn't like the fact that he wouldn't answer their stupid questions or repeat questions. Homer was breaking down emotionally everytime he talked about the kid, and even a couple interviews from media members in the Philly area said they talked to team members who said that whole bs about the locker room was completely overblown. Lavy and Homer said the same.

As for Bryz.. he's a very good goalie. Anxious to see what he can do behind a good defense.

Everything I've read and heard says Pronger was the defacto leader of that team. There was a ton of tension in the room around Richards and some off the ice stuff.

You don't get rid of your captain and very good two way player (big part of that "good" defense) for no good reason. Bryz better be good because he is going to see a LOT of pucks next season.

This deal could pay off in a couple years. It might not hurt them horribly in the short term but their championship chances took a bit of a hit for this year. I still expect them to compete.

You don't fall apart like the Flyers did for no reason.

Plenty of players said the TO crap in the Cowboy's room was overblown.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

Everything I've read and heard says Pronger was the defacto leader of that team. There was a ton of tension in the room around Richards and some off the ice stuff.

You don't get rid of your captain and very good two way player (big part of that "good" defense) for no good reason. Bryz better be good because he is going to see a LOT of pucks next season.

This deal could pay off in a couple years. It might not hurt them horribly in the short term but their championship chances took a bit of a hit for this year. I still expect them to compete.

You don't fall apart like the Flyers did for no reason.

Plenty of players said the TO crap in the Cowboy's room was overblown.

Of course you heard it and read it.. like i said the media blew that thing completely out of proportion. Even went as far as to say that he and the coach weren't even talking, which everyone came out and said was ridiculously inaccurate. The media had it out for Richie because as i said he wouldn't answer all of their stupid questions, was short with them, and refused to answer repeat questions all the time. The media displayed a bias towards the guy that made me not even care to read certain reporters articles anymore.

As for Bryz seeing alot of pucks next year, i highly doubt it. One player is not a big part of having a very solid D. Our 3 defensive units were arguably right up there with the best in the league. We have a very good corps of defensemen. I hope we sign O'Donnell for one more year. He and Mezaros were our third pairing for most of the year and those two were up among the league leaders in plus/minus. That's how good our D was.

..and you're absolutely right in saying we shouldn't have fallen apart like we did, but blaming it all on Richie would be like blaming Romo solely for our failures in the postseason. Its just silly.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Certainly the media could have overplayed the whole "Philly's lockerroom is a mess" thing... And they could have put more blame on Richards than what was deserved. But when you have a team that underachieves, you gotta shake up the roster now and again. I think they got acceptable value for the guy and they cleared out a bunch of cap space.

 

[Vtwin]

Of course you heard it and read it.. like i said the media blew that thing completely out of proportion. Even went as far as to say that he and the coach weren't even talking, which everyone came out and said was ridiculously inaccurate. The media had it out for Richie because as i said he wouldn't answer all of their stupid questions, was short with them, and refused to answer repeat questions all the time. The media displayed a bias towards the guy that made me not even care to read certain reporters articles anymore.

As for Bryz seeing alot of pucks next year, i highly doubt it. One player is not a big part of having a very solid D. Our 3 defensive units were arguably right up there with the best in the league. We have a very good corps of defensemen. I hope we sign O'Donnell for one more year. He and Mezaros were our third pairing for most of the year and those two were up among the league leaders in plus/minus. That's how good our D was.

..and you're absolutely right in saying we shouldn't have fallen apart like we did, but blaming it all on Richie would be like blaming Romo solely for our failures in the postseason. Its just silly.

I'm sure the media did do what they do best and blow the thing out of proportion. However, where there is smoke there is fire. The fact thatl Holmgren was emotional about the deal sorta implies that he really didn't want to pull the trigger but had no choice.

Would you trade your captain who is an excellent two way player, with the team coming off a very good season only to get hit with injuries at the wrong time, losing to the eventual champions who were carrying a HUGE grudge after be embarrassed by your team the year before?

Doesn't make any sense.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

I swear every interview i've seen Homer do since the deal, he's damn near in tears the entire time he talks about having to trade Richards. I wonder if this was a mandate from Snider? Would definitely piss me off if it was.

He and Pronger don't get along. He also *****ed about his cable bill.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

I'm sure the media did do what they do best and blow the thing out of proportion. However, where there is smoke there is fire. The fact thatl Holmgren was emotional about the deal sorta implies that he really didn't want to pull the trigger but had no choice.

Would you trade your captain who is an excellent two way player, with the team coming off a very good season only to get hit with injuries at the wrong time, losing to the eventual champions who were carrying a HUGE grudge after be embarrassed by your team the year before?

Doesn't make any sense.

Bingo. Which is why i think Snider decided to get involved and force Homer's hand. Its going to end up backfiring bigtime.

As for getting acceptable value back, they didn't get anything close to Richards' level of talent and leadership. Schenn may turn out to be a good player, or a bust.. either way, wasn't worth the risk.

Also, people keep talking about a need to shake up the roster, and i agree. Trade Carter, trade the waste of space Hartnell, or the selfish Versteeg. You don't trade your 26 year old captain who is a leader and one of the best 2 way players in the league and who is signed for 10 years at a very low contract for his talent level.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Bingo. Which is why i think Snider decided to get involved and force Homer's hand. Its going to end up backfiring bigtime.

As for getting acceptable value back, they didn't get anything close to Richards' level of talent and leadership. Schenn may turn out to be a good player, or a bust.. either way, wasn't worth the risk.

Also, people keep talking about a need to shake up the roster, and i agree. Trade Carter, trade the waste of space Hartnell, or the selfish Versteeg. You don't trade your 26 year old captain who is a leader and one of the best 2 way players in the league and who is signed for 10 years at a very low contract for his talent level.

But Roy when it comes to leadership you're giving the issues that we've all heard no credence what-so-ever.

And yeah, while the media does blow things out of proportion, the adage, "Where's there's smoke there's fire" is usually true.

The fact is at some level of the Flyer's hierarchy there was a strong opinion to move Richards. And if he was as good a leader as you are inferring, and as good a two-way player as you are inferring then something doesn't gel somewhere.