The fire alarm went off at the Flyers’ practice facility yesterday whilst Paul Holmgren was being interviewed by Michael Barkann about the team’s goaltending problems. Barkann attempted to take advantage of the moment of levity: “Another goal scored!”
Holmgren was unamused.
Barkann better be careful– there is a zero tolerance policy in Comcast Country for comments that speak ill of the organization.
You can see the video after the jump. Continue Reading
God bless Paul Holmgren’s lunary. Not an hour after Bryz’s agent, Rich Winter, told just about anyone who would listen that the Flyers assured him that Bryz would not be bought out, Holmgren is emphatically denying that ever happened, telling Tim Panaccio:
“I didn’t assure Rich Winter of anything. When the time comes to do our business (!!!!!!), we will do whatever is best for our hockey team.”
Fucking amazing. I could make a spin-off blog just on the Flyers’ offseason.
One day, I, young Russian, win MVP
I’m not trolling you, but these things happened: Paul Holmgren traded his captain and leading goal scorer and then they went on to win the Stanley Cup the next season… and now Jeff Carter is the fourth leading goal scorer in the league. James van Riemsdyk was traded after being signed to a six-year extension and he’s 14th in the league in goal scoring (call that trade a push, because Luke Schenn projects for a similar career arc to JVR). Sergei Bobrovsky was traded to Columbus and then the Flyers went out and got his backup, and now Bobrovsky might be the best player in the league.
ESPN insider Craig Custance on the Hart Trophy race— that goes to the league’s MVP:
It wasn’t one of those games where goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky strapped the Columbus Blue Jackets to his back and carried them to two points, but last night’s 4-3 win in San Jose was his 19th of the season. And it was another tight game.
In their stunning playoff run, Columbus may have one of the toughest season-ending schedules, with a West Coast trip at the worst time. Six of the Blue Jackets’ final seven games were on the road but so far, it hasn’t mattered. The Blue Jackets are 4-1 on the trip heading into an absolutely huge game Thursday against the Stars. Every single one of those games have been decided by one goal, which is just another reason why Bobrovsky has been so valuable. He’s keeping Columbus in games, and he’s winning the close ones. Like last night in San Jose.
“You could feel the pressure,” coach Todd Richards said in his postgame media session. “You could feel it out on the ice.”
Bobrovsky has responded to that pressure. And if he carries Columbus into the postseason, that changes the dynamic of the Hart Trophy race considerably. Members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association received their awards ballots during the weekend, and an MVP race that was all but done a month ago will come down to the final week.
Yeah no really. The Flyers may have traded away the league MVP GOALIE last summer to make way for the $51 million nutbag who might get amnestied this summer.
So, to recap: Traded captain and leading goal scoring– won Stanley Cup.
Traded long-term signed forward– among league’s leading scorers.
Traded young goalie– MIGHT WIN LEAGUE MVP.
Admitted young players gotten in return weren’t quite ready– missed playoffs.
These are fireable offenses.
Yo, are our jobs in danger? (pic from last year)
Paul Holmgren spoke with ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun today about the Flyers, the local hockey team that missed the playoffs with a mismatched group of young forwards, a win-now goaltender, and no defense:
“We rely a lot on Brayden Schenn and Sean Couturier, they both played significant minutes this year,” Holmgren said. “They probably had similar years than they had last year in terms of numbers if you prorate it, but obviously when you’re playing those minutes maybe you expect a little more. Maybe our expectations were a little bit too high for those young guys. I think they’re both good young players; they’re going to continue to grow and get better. Sometimes you can’t speed up that process no matter what you do. You just have to let time take care of it.”
That’s been my problem all along: Who didn’t see this coming? Schenn, Simmonds, Couturier and, to an extent, Voracek, were all win-later players. But at the same time the Flyers acquired those guys, they signed Ilyz Bryzgalov, a win-now player, at the time a 31-year-old goaltender, to a ridiculous contract. Setting aside the fact that Bryz isn’t that good, you knew it would take a year or two for the young players to develop. So, going in, they were going to be squandering a goalie’s prime. Now it’s two years later, the youngsters still aren’t at a point where they can be the core of a good team, and the goalie might be gone anyway. That’s the GM’s fault.
Homer answered that question about Bryz, too:
To be clear, I asked Holmgren if there was any basis at all to the speculation of a Bryzgalov buyout.
“No,” he said.
He lies.
I think Paul Holmgren should be fired.
Last night, on Twitter, I asked if you thought the same thing.
I’d say the results were about 3-to-1 in the affirmative. Some of the responsiveness from folks who thought Homer should stay were reasonable. Most weren’t. And while I agree that there are some legitimate counter arguments to firing Holmgren – namely, that the Flyers were decimated by injuries this year and that Ed Snider is a goofy Wizard pulling all the strings – many Type OBs spilled Kool-Aid all over my timeline with total brainwashed nonsense.
Let’s explore. All Tweets are, in one way or another, a response to one of my three Tweets.
He’s done everything he can and they try? Who is he, Macy Gray? What GM doesn’t try? Having limitless funds to throw at every big-name free agent that comes along (unrestricted and restricted) doesn’t mean someone is a good GM, or trying. It’s entertaining, sure. But it doesn’t mean he did his job. A lot of teams tried to get Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. [Of course, only Holmgren was enough of an ass to ignore unwritten rules and try for Shea Weber by offering him the type of contract that nearly ruined hockey.] But most teams had backup plans for their misses. Not the Flyers, though. Not Paul Holmgren. His swinging dick didn’t need one. He ignored Matt Carle and Jaromir Jagr (two players that would have very much helped the Flyers this season) and instead signed Ruslan Fedotenko and Bruno Gervais, and re-signed Marc-Andre Bourdon to a multi-year deal. That really happened! So Holmgren’s trying was akin to a kid dropping out of college to pursue a career as a musician. I don’t need an edumatication, I’m going to steel Shea Weber like a dick head.
Except he didn’t. And he’s soon to be out of a job.
I usually like reader Chris, so I’ll go easy: LUKE SCHENN IS THE TALLEST MIDGET IN A CIRCUS OF FUCKING DUMB MIDGETS. AND A GREAT HAUL? THESE NEW GUYS ARE AMONG THE CORE OF AN AWFUL TEAM. Simmonds, a bright spot? What is so bright about this: Continue Reading
Well, man, this is going to come full circle
The Flyers are the least goddamned forward thinking organization in professional sports. I – literally – show more restraint in video game franchises. Hey, we have no shot at winning anything this year, so let’s grab old men Mike Knuble and Simon Gagne to round out the roster because we like them and the Type OBs will eat that shit right up and buy their jerseys, again. Jaromir still available? He was well-liked here. Let’s kick his worn tire– maybe he will be the final piece to secure a first-round exit.
A league source confirmed that the Flyers are having exploratory trade talks for Dallas winger Jaromir Jagr, Calgary defenseman Jay Bouwmeester and San Jose winger Ryan Clowe.
Look, I’m not trying to hate (really), but you’re crazy if you think the Flyers have anything other than an outside chance of squeaking into the playoffs and winning exactly no rounds. They’re not very good. And an already bad defense is even worse thanks to injuries (and I’m including two-way forward Talbot here, too). And maybe someone like Jagr or Bouwmeester, whom I was told over the summer that the Flyers were interested in, would help. But with what, exactly? Heightened expectations and disappointment? It’s over. But it’s never over for the Flyers. You need to look no further than this line from Carchidi:
GM Paul Holmgren said Saturday the Flyers would not pursue a “rental” player for the stretch run, but after wins over Boston and Washington over the weekend moved the Flyers to within two points of eighth place in the East, he apparently has had a change of heart.
Stop it, Paul. Max Talbot is done for the year. I don’t even know who plays defense. And the rest of the team is kind of a clusterfuck. Give up. Go for next year. 40 years of this nonsense. It’s like a dog chasing its tail– you may get a nip once in a while, but you’re never going to seize control of it. Play the long game, man. Hunt squirrels and dander– you’ll eventually catch something.
I mean, look at this: [CSN Philly]
The price for 30-year-old Clowe, who has no goals in 28 games, is expected to be high despite his off year. He is due to become an unrestricted free agent in July.
If Sean Couturier is involved in the deal, as has been suggested, the move makes little sense. The Flyers’ biggest need is a puck-moving defenseman, and Couturier would be a big chip in such a trade.
I swear to fucking Christ (poundies to him for rising yesterday– respect that) if the Flyers trade Sean Couturier before he’s had time to fully grow (and presumably shave) the hair on his balls, I’m going to go ballistic. He’s the guy Type OBs point to as an example for why the Mike Richards and Jeff Carter trades were good ones. Sure, he’s had a rough season, but give it time, man. Please. Holy shit. Can we for once not trade a young talent because he’s had some growing pains? Just once show some prudence? Just once not bet the house on (Orange and) Black? WHY DOES NO ONE QUESTION THESE THINGS?
I know these are all rumors, but there’s undoubtedly some sharts (yes, sharts, because they’re shitty ideas) of truth to them. The Flyers have a track record – of almost half a century – of being foolish like this. You can’t go chasing pavements every season– it leads nowhere. Just hang tight. Mr. Snider and Comcast Spectacor will survive without a round of playoff games.
This one should test the capabilities of the new comment section…
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