BECAUSE OF COURSE THEY ARE! They are frontrunners for everyone, always. Until they’re not.
Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos is reporting that restricted free agent Jonathan Bernier, Jonathan Quick’s backup with the Kings, will be traded soon and that the Flyers are the frontrunners:
This has been rumored for a while now, and it would make sense, especially since Bernier recently fired his agent and hired Pat Brisson, the same guy who represents Claude Giroux (working on new deal with Flyers) and Mark Streit (just got a silly deal with Flyers). Brisson, obviously, knows that you don’t even need an ID to withdraw cash from Flyers Savings and Humongous Loan, the Comcast-Spectacor-backed bank where you just show that you once owned a wallet and get your money, no questions asked!
Tim Panaccio, too, is reporting that the Flyers West and Flyers have had talks about Bernier:
The Flyers are one of what has grown to an even dozen clubs contacted by Los Angeles general manager Dean Lombardi about interest in goalie Jonathan Bernier, according to a Kings’ source.
That said, the Kings have not been given the impression the Flyers are fully committed yet to making a switch in goal with Ilya Bryzgalov.
The source said Lombardi is doing his due diligence in trying to move the 24-year-old Bernier, who will be a restricted free agent this summer.
“Basically, we’re running an auction,” the source said.
Matt Read’s name has been thrown around by Panaccio and others as a possible chip that the Flyers could send to their better half on the West Coast so that they can get first crack at negotiating rights with Bernier.
Bernier is only 24 and has been Quick’s backup in LA. In 14 games this season, Bernier posted a 1.88 GAA and a .922 save percentage. That’s very good. Landing Benier would be the best-case scenario for the Flyers’ goaltending needs, but it would also make this unfortunate series of words true: The Flyers traded their captain and leading scorer, who went on to win a Cup in LA with Simon Gagne, all to make room for an overpaid goaltender. They then traded their homegrown Vezina winner, so he wouldn’t be stuck behind said goalie, and then re-aquired Gagne and his ring from the Kings, traded for the to-be Vezina winner’s backup, and then traded for (and signed to a ridiculous contract) the backup goalie on Flyers West, who won the Cup with the Flyers’ former captain and leading scorer, all while spending about $39 million for two years of lousy service from their overpaid goalie. Paul, ah, he… he doesn’t know how to haggle.
25 Responses
Yummy!
I have a question Kyle, what move, in your eyes, would be a good situation and or move for the Flyers? You finally have something that says “this would be good for the Flyers”, bu almost all of your articles regarding this team somehow relate back to the moves made two years ago with Richards and Carter or some quip about how shitty the Flyers management is. While I don’t necessary disagree with you, it would be nice to read an article where you offer what you think would be a solid solution, rather than constantly complaining about something that is past.
Carter’s dick in his mouth precludes this. Penis.
I said it would be a good move. He’s a good goalie. But basically everything the Flyers are doing now relates back to the either the Richards and Carter trades, signing Bryz or trading Bob. I mention it so much because it was such a big deal– those trades landed a big chunk of their core, so it’s continually worth discussing. It freed up money for Bryz, which led to Bobrovsky getting traded, etc. All of these moves are connected, especially if, say, Schenn or Couturier gets traded. I’m harping on it, yeah, but it is what it is– the Flyers got nuts, overspent on a goalie and traded the better one, and now they’re basically undoing all that stuff. And it’s more than a little ironic (and pathetic) that they are trading for the Blue Jackets and Kings backups. There can still be a solid solution, even if it is just to undo what was done.
But Kyle, you still miss the point as to why your butt buddies are gone after 2 years now. The homegrown Vezina* winner should be blamed more on the coach who benched him after a 1-0 loss to Buffalo in Game 1 of the 2011 playoffs, Richards and Carter’s final playoff together here in which they helped lead the Flyers to an 0-4 shellacking by the Bruins. A series which can certainly be blamed on the goaltending, but one in which the only Flyer who showed up was JVR(like he does every month or so of every season) as they were outscored 20-7 in four games.
So, everyone knew they needed a goalie, but they also appeared to go as far as they could have gone with their captain and his drinking/sex pal – especially since it was Peter Laviolette/Pronger on one side and the other duo on the other side. Why do you always forget Carter could have won Game 6 in 2010 for us if he didn’t miss a net that you or I could have hit?
Do you know why the Kings won the Cup last year? Jon Quick. Plain and simple. The goaltender. Something the Flyers needed. Maybe Bob could have been the guy here, maybe not. Ed Snider wanted the best goalie available and unfortunately, at the time, Bryz was the best one available. They got out of albatross contracts with Richie and Carter and decided to rebuild toward winning a Cup with a different nucleus.
LA was fortunate to trade for Carter too, but you always act like the Flyers gave all 4 guys to the Kings for nothing and it’s just not true. Richards was the only one we traded to the Kings and we got some damn good talent in return. Same with Carter to Columbus. It may take a little bit, but I bet they win more Cups before Richie/Carter retire than your duo does.
Focusing on richards and carter in this deal is like focusing on the hood ornament of a busted car…Yes it was a shock to see them go, but their replacements, and the offense in general has been producing at around the same rate they were when richie and carts were here. The offense sputtered at the beginning of this season, but heated up after and probably wouldve produced similar numbers to any richie/carts season if it wasnt a reduced season (especially when you consider the fact that the flyers under riches leadership had the same consistency problems its had without him.) Wed have been in the same situation or worse right now if we hadnt traded richie and carts. Whatever they did in LA (which you always seem to imply was more valuable than what quick or anyone else did) is irrelevant to our teams actual play without them, and doesnt mean that wed have a cup if we never traded them.
Yes everything goes back to that deal, but not back to richards and carter themselves. And it doesnt matter how many hyperbole ridden run on sentences peppered with ex flyers names you write (seriously..what in the holy fuck does gagne have to do with this?), it wont change the fact that youre focus is completely off in this whole thing.
I agree with most of what you said, its a pretty sticky mess and the Flyers clearly aren’t getting out of Bryz what they hoped or expected. But again, rather than continuing to complain about it why not write about what you think is a solution to the Flyers troubles? It looks like they will be amnestying Bryz, so what do you do with the extra cap space? Get stronger defenders? Do you clean house and build from the ground up? I know you’re not Paul Holmgren, but as a writer don’t you think you change it up and write about their needs and what they can do to progress? Otherwise, you’ll just continue to complain about trade that happened 2 years ago and write the same thing over and over again.
You need to get the fuck over this Carter and Richards deal. Shits annoying
I would’ve been all for this move BEFORE they traded for Mason. Seemed like they were trying to cash in by giving a guy a chance and a change of scenery, but here they’re just making another move for an unproven goaltender. Don’t get me wrong, I’d rather have Bernier over Mason, but it just feels like Homer is throwing a dart at the wall and going after whatever player’s picture he hits.
By the way Pinaccio says the Kings want Jakub as part of the deal….
If it’s Read and a pick for Bernier it would be beneficial to make a move for another unproven goaltender. At that point, you let Bernier and Mason battle it out for number. You have high hopes for both and Mason’s contract is reasonable, so it makes sense. Flyers know better than to trade Voracek
I know they won’t be trading Jake, just wanted to point out how big of a tool Pinaccio is.
Anyway, I want Bernier in black and orange, I’d rather see Homer use Read to get a piece to sure up the blue line rather than adding another unproven guy to compete for a spot in net.
I would like to see Bernier in Philly. BUT homer will give up way too much and go on the sign him for 8 years $45+ mill or something ridiculous like that
DO. NOT. TRADE. READ. HOMER. YOU. FUCK!
FACE
Wow your website sucks now. I know Philly sports are in a slump; why does your content have to be in one too?
Bernier would be a perfect fit for the Flyers. We’d finally have a real franchise goalie who could bring some stability in net for a decade. (What has it been – 25 years since we had that with the Flyers???)
If Homer doesn’t get this done & Bernier ends up with the Devils or Penguins, we will regret that day for years to come. Get this deal done and the Flyers are a playoff lock for the foreseen future.
There are not alot of teams out there that need to upgrade at goaltender. The islanders appear to be in on the luongo sweepstakes for his salary. The devils will be looking to grab Miller. The flames need a goalie but they are looking from within. There are some above average vets available to these teams as well. Anything more than Read is too much for a guy thats played 67 NHL games.
Pfft! The Flyers could trade for Jonathan Quick or Henrik Lundqvist and we’d STILL have trouble in net as long as Jeff Reese remains the goalie coach. Get rid of him, then I’ll be intrigued about this potential deal.
Lets Recap:
2010: Stanley Cup Final, things looking up with a good core of Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, with a blossoming JVR and Claude Giroux.
2011: Sergei Bobrovsky comes up an shows promise, a very quick goaltender.
Summer 2011: Richards and Carter both traded just a year after their 1st cup final and 2nd conference final in 4 seasons. Ilya Bryzgalov who went 0-4 with a .879 S% and 4.36 GAA in the 2011 playoffs is signed at $5.6 AAV.
Summer 2012 – James Van Riemsdyk and Sergei Bobrovsky are traded.
June 17th, 2013:
Mike Richards resume includes and Olympic Gold, A Stanley Cup, 2 Cup finals, and 4 Conference Finals in 6 seasons.
Jeff Carter – Stanley Cup Winner, 4th in the NHL in goals in 2013.
James Van Riemsdyk – Led the Leafs in playoff scoring in 2013, 3rd on the team in points during the regular season.
Sergei Bobrovsky: 2013 Vezina Winner at $1.75M AAV (2.00GAA, .932 S%) compared to Ilya Bryzgalov who had $5.6M AAV (2.79 with a .900 S%). Bryzgalov in his 2 seasons here has never posted better numbers than Bobrovsky did as a starter in Philadelphia in 2011 (2.59 GAA, .915 S% as A ROOKIE)
Now Ilya Bryzgalov is being bought out for Steve Mason, who was Bobrovsky’s old backup in Columbus. Danny Briere is being bought out for a 35 year old defensemen who is significantly overpaid, and who’s cap hit the flyers are stuck with for 4 years, regardless (and who Matt Carle who have been a better fit for the around same price and with less risk). Schenn and Couturier (who are largely unproven players compared to Richards and Carter), Giroux, Read, Mcginn, Meszaros, and Timonen will all be free agents next summer and the Flyers will only have around $20million (assuming Briere and Bryz buyouts) to fill their void. I’m sick of Flyers management to be honest.
A player like Richards doesn’t come around very often. Memorial Cup, Calder Cup, Olympic Gold, Stanley Cup, the guy wins at every level he’s ever played at and we traded him away for, as they stand right now, average players. Carter and Vorecak look to be on similar levels so that deal was a push. Hockey is the ultimate team sport and by all accounts nobody ever head a problem with Richards till Pronger and Lavi came to town.
Should be Voracek, don’t rip me apart for spelling that goofy last name.
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