Flyers

Report: The Flyers are Frontrunners for Jonathan Bernier

By Kyle Scott

Published: Jun 18th, 2013 · 2:12 PM EDT

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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.