(May 23, 2009 - Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images North America)

This morning the Carolina Hurricanes announced the firing of head coach Paul Maurice for the second time. Through 25 games, the long-time Cane was en route to his third straight season without a playoff berth. Something needed to give and GM Jim Rutherford was not willing to blow up an entire team in order to spare his friend.

On paper, the Canes are an awful team. Their 60 goals forced rank dead-middle at 15th in the League while their 81 goals allowed are worst in the League. The goals allowed can’t even be blamed on luck as their even-strength save percentage is right in the middle as well. Their time of possession ranked a below-average 21st mainly due to a poor, but somehow improved 49.5 faceoff percentage. On paper, this team needed to be fixed.

Nevertheless, Rutherford chose not to make a single personnel move with regards to his players. Instead, he told Maurice to make good with the parts given to him. To employ 5-goal scorer Alexei Ponikarovsky on the top two lines, rely on grinder Chad LaRose to score goals (which he actually did) and to shuffle Anthony Stewart — whose scored all of 22 goals in 206 NHL games — around the lineup.

Last season, LaRose was able to help the shutdown process with Patrick Dwyer and Brandon Sutter. This season he was forced to step up due to the inconsistency of Stewart, Ponikarovsky and prospects Zac Dalpe and Zach Boychuk. When questioned, Rutherford acknowledging that he would need at least another two forwards to slot into the top nine in order to get back into the mix. “We look at it a lot harder when things aren’t going good. In an ideal world we would like to have one top-six forward and one top-nine forward. If we can trade a defenseman for a top-9 forward, we will do that.”

So why was all of the onus put on arguably the best coach in franchise history? Likely because budget constraints simply would not allow Rutherford to make the necessary changes.

Photo Credit: PuckPress.com

One of the bigger problems was letting go Erik Cole this past offseason. As one of the top producers over the last couple of seasons he no longer slotted into their budget. While he may seem like nothing more than a gritty and speedy winger who tops out at 25-30 goals, his chemistry with captain Eric Staal is clearly missed. Playing in the South with a constrained payroll, Rutherford could not offer his unrestricted free agent the money he needed, keeping the Canes at the bottom of the salary cap standings.

When Maurice took the reigns back from Peter Laviolette, he coached a much more skilled team. While current Canes like Ruutu, Staal, LaRose, Joni Pitkanen, Tim Gleason and Cam Ward remain on the roster, skilled players like Rod Brind’Amour, Ray Whitney, Sergei Samsonov, Dennis Seidenberg, Joe Corvo, Anton Babchuk and Matt Cullen have all left or retired. The departure of these players left a gaping wound, one that Maurice or any other coach simply could not put a bandage over.

Rutherford thought he filled a reasonable amount of holes with his offseason moves. “The new guys for the most part have filled the roles that we wanted them to. Adding the backup goalie [Brian Boucher] and fourth line center [Tim Brent] and Ponikarovsky. [Tomas] Kaberle started slow but his game has been better the last three weeks or so.” At this point, he can’t be happy with the veteran players the team has lost. Due to budgetary constraints and inability to get quality players at a discount rate this team would have a problem winning with any coach.

Firing Paul Maurice is the first step for Rutherford to assess exactly what he has. Hiring Kirk Muller is all about a change in culture. The Canes have won in the past and they certainly are a team that wants to win as soon as this season. And nobody wants to win more than Rutherford. “From a team concept point of few even in years where we haven’t made the playoffs and some of those years we’ve been close and we’ve been real very fortunate with real character guys who want to win at all costs.” As currently constructed, they simply don’t have the team they want.

“Can Kirk pull these guys together and get them to step their game up? If he can thats good for this group. if that doesn’t happen, we have a lot more work to do,” Rutherford later explained. That question is apropos: If Muller can instill a winning environment, there will be some changes made. If he can’t there will be some wholesale changes.

Unfortunately, a good hockey guy in Paul Maurice falls victim to a poorly constructed team whose top guns could not step up this season. He will surely catch on with some team very soon as coaches with his track record don’t last too long on free agency.

By David Strehle
NHL Hot Stove Creative Editor

As GM  Paul Holmgren alluded to yesterday at a press conference to introduce new goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov to the local Philly media, it has been an off-season of major changes for his Philadelphia Flyers.

“I know it’s been a bit of a whirlwind of a summer around here,” he said in what could only be described as an understatement.

Gone are 11 players from the roster at the end of the postseason, including:

• Seven forwards (Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, Ville Leino, Nikolay Zherdev, Kris Versteeg, Darroll Powe, Dan Carcillo).
• Three of the Flyers’ top five regular season scorers (Carter, Richards, Leino).
• The team’s captain (Richards), and top regular season goal-scorer (Carter).
• The only goaltender to win a playoff game for the Flyers (Brian Boucher).

As you can see these were not just minor tweeks, by any stretch of the imagination.  But it was clear, especially over the last three months of play, that something was horribly wrong with the very makeup of the team.

Claude Giroux, James van Riemsdyk, Danny Briere, and Scott Hartnell still remain in Philadelphia’s stable of forwards, which has been one of the deepest in the league over the past five seasons. 

So deep, in fact, that Holmgren has sacrificed many over the last four summers in order to address his squad’s needs in other areas.  In addition to the recent departures, others include Simon Gagne, R.J. Umberger, Scottie Upshall, Joffrey Lupul, Mike Knuble, and Steve Downie.

With the additions of Jaromir Jagr, Jakub Voracek, Wayne Simmonds, and highly-touted rookie Brayden Schenn, offense may not end up being a problem at all for the club.

The Real Problem – And For a Long Time

As a matter of fact, one of the most-glaring problems in Philadelphia reared its ugly head in the postseason.  It’s an issue that Holmgren – and Bob Clarke before him, as well as his predecessor, Russ Farwell - had failed to address for the better part of the last two decades.

It’s no secret within hockey circles that over the above-mentioned time frame, the Flyers’ goaltending has been their Achilles heel. 

While Clarke consistently iced an All-Star lineup of forwards throughout his tenure, the backstops he got to man the goal crease were perpetually suspect.

There were no workhorses in place to tend the Philly cage, which led to what amounted to band-aid moves with aging goalies brought in to try and plug the hole in the dam.  Sean Burke, Jeff Hackett, and John Vanbiesbrouck all took their turns as “the answer”, with each experiment failing miserably. 

Although the best of those three trials, Vanbiesbrouck’s acquisition was perhaps the most frustrating.  He was the “more economical option” when it was clear that Curtis Joseph was the supremely better choice at the time. 

Compounding the annoyance level for Flyers’ fans was that this all occurred when money was not nearly as much of a concern as it is now.  Ed Snider made it clear to his GM that no player that could help his team bring the Stanley Cup back to Philadelphia was too pricey.  There also was no salary cap in place at the time to constrain Clarke from making those necessary additions.

Holmgren attempted to get a net minder that he thought could be a bonafide number one guy when he picked up Martin Biron from the Buffalo Sabres at the 2007 trade deadline.  Biron had backed up started Ryan Miller as Buffalo made it to the Eastern Conference Finals in consecutive years.

Biron and backup Antero Niittymaki would provide the Flyers with a stable tandem as they got back on track in making the playoffs, but in the end could not get the club over the hump and to their desired final destination.

After a trip to the Finals with Michael Leighton and Boucher in 2010, and a red-hot start this past regular season with rookie Sergei Bobrovsky added to the mix, the team stumbled badly after the calendar turned to 2011.

Rock Bottom

It’s funny how hockey can often times emulate life.  Sometimes you just have to hit a low point before you can see what is necessary to make the required improvements.

One of the lasting memories of the past postseason for Flyers’ faithful is the three-goalie rotation that head coach Peter Laviolette was forced to employ.  As each goalie took their turn and came up short, Laviolette’s juggling act became a sideshow.

This was an absolute rock bottom moment for the Flyers.

Snider was both infuriated and embarrassed at the Flyers’ ineptitude in net when they finally imploded in a sweep at the hands of the Boston Bruins.  It was then that he promised the issue would be resolved during the summer, as he was perfectly blunt and equally clear regarding his off-season intentions in an interview with the Inquirer:

“So either one of the goalies we have has to step up in training camp, or we have to make improvements to make sure it happens.  But we are never going to go through the goalie issues we’ve gone through in the last couple of years again.”

Though he had said it, there was a zero percent likelihood that the organization would sit on their hands long enough to find out if one of the existing goaltenders would “step up in training camp”.

It was obvious that they would make a big move, and it didn’t take very long for Holmgren to take action. 

Like a Cool Bryz

Photo Credit: Zack Hill / Philadelphia Flyers PR

Just one month after being bounced from the postseason dance, the Flyers acquired the negotiating rights to Bryzgalov.

It was apparent to GM Don Maloney that the pending unrestricted free agent had no intentions of re-signing with the Phoenix Coyotes.

Maloney’s comments in the Coyotes’ press release following the trade gave everyone all that was needed to understand the rationale as to why he dealt his Vezina Trophy candidate:

“After several discussions with Ilya and his agent, it became very clear to us that we were not in a position to sign Ilya to a long-term contract.  We will now focus our efforts on adding another goaltender to our roster for the upcoming season.”

Even though the Flyers only had to give up a minor-league player (Matt Clackson) and two draft choices in exchange for Bryzgalov, it was still somewhat of a risky move for Holmgren.  He knew the money it would take to lock up the all-world netminder to a long-term deal would likely mean the need to subtract salary in other areas.

That happened on June 23rd, on a day that shook Philadelphia almost as much as the earthquake that registered 5.9 on the Richter Scale earlier this week.

Shortly after completing the trades of two of their most-popular players - Carter was sent to the Columbus Blue Jackets, and Richards to the Los Angeles Kings - Holmgren had freed up enough cap space to announce the signing of Bryzgalov to a 9-year, $51 million pact.

Philadelphia finally had its franchise goaltender, and quite possibly the final missing ingredient in their quest in returning to championship glory.  The club did not repeat history in opting for a cheaper alternative (Tomas Vokoun) as they had with Vanbiesbrouck in 1998.  This time they had secured the best goalie available.

Goal is One and the Same

Right off the bat at yesterday’s press conference, Bryzgalov said he was interested in playing in Philadelphia because it seemed like a perfect fit.

“It’s a team with a rich history,” he explained.  “The team always puts in front of them the highest goal…to win the Cup.  That’s what this game is all about.  That’s all that matters.”

Bryzgalov was, however, impressed by the turnout of media contingent at the event, as compared to say, Phoenix.  “There’s much more of you here, and you look better,” he joked. 

He has heard about the tough Philly media and the pressure that comes along with playing the most important position in one of the most hockey-crazed cities in the world.

“Sorry guys, it’s you (the media)”, he said as he laughed.  “You put the pressure on us and create the pressure around the team.  It depends on how you can handle it.  I think I can handle it.  I know what I have to do.  I know when I play bad, and I know what I have to do to fix it.”

But he’s not worried about any outside forces placed upon him by the media.  “I put pressure on myself,” he reasoned.  “I know my job, and I know what I have to do.”

Even with the deluge outside as rain beat on the roof of the Flyers’ practice facility, the 31-year-old says he feels pretty comfortable and is already getting adjusted to the area.

“It reminds me of Russia a little bit,” he said of the City of Brotherly Love.  He spoke of the beautiful sites he’s already seen in the Rittenhouse Square park area (yes, the guys at Puck Daddy probably loved that he made mention of that).

It always struck me as so ironic that the Flyers won back-to-back Stanley Cups on the strength of legendary goaltending perfomances by one Bernard Marcel Parent in 1974 and 1975, yet neglected their crease for decades thereafter. 

And it would seem to be the ultimate irony if a Russian netminder were to lead Philadelphia back to the Promised Land, what with the infamous game the Flyers played in February of 1976 in which the Soviets left the ice because of their rough treatment by the Broad Street Bullies.  The contest fueled a sometimes bitter rivalry that began in 1972 with the Summit Series, and bad blood was felt by many throughout the years of the Cold War.

Bryzgalov after he won the Cup with Pronger and the rest of the 2007 Anaheim Ducks. (Photo Credit: Wikipedia Commons)

Not to mention Rocky Balboa’s tilt with Ivan Drago.

Sometimes the list of ingredients don’t always appear to make the most sense as you read a label.  But as long as the finished product is a success, that’s all that really matters.

The club has tried so many other concoctions and just have not gotten the correct mixture.

That is exactly what Snider, Peter Luukko, Holmgren, Laviolette, and the rest of the Flyers’ heiracrchy is hoping is the case with the 2011-12 version of the Philadelphia Flyers. 

There is much to question and some relative unknowns heading into the upcoming season, and much will depend on the health of defensemen Chris Pronger and Kimmo Timonen.  But the team takes on an increased appearance of a Cup contender with Bryzgalov between the pipes.

If you have any comments or questions, you can email the author at dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com.  You can also follow him on Twitter – @David_Strehle

By David Strehle
NHL Hot Stove Creative Editor

Kris Versteeg’s brief time in Philadelphia came to an expected and abrupt end this afternoon, when he and his $3.083 million contract were sent to the Florida Panthers for two draft picks.  The Flyers acquired a second round pick in the 2012 or 2013 NHL Entry Draft (Florida’s choice), and a third-rounder in 2013.

Bruce Bennett / Getty Images North America

So ends weeks of speculation that Paul Holmgren would deal Versteeg to Florida, since the Panthers’ GM is Dale Tallon, the man who originally drafted Versteeg when he was in the same position with the Chicago Blackhawks.

The 25-year-old right wing was brought to Philadelphia in hopes of finding a productive winger to play alongside recently departed center Mike Richards.  But the two never developed chemistry, and Versteeg finished the 27 games with the Flyers with just seven goals and 11 points.

Since winning the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2010, this will be Versteeg’s third team.  He was dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs last summer when Chicago had to dump a massive amount of salary in order to remain cap-compliant.

The cost to bring Versteeg to Philly were first-and-third round picks in the just completed draft.

As mentioned yesterday in a piece regarding the teams that were well below the cap floor, Florida entered the day as the club with the NHL’s lowest payroll.  With the knowledge that the Cats were approximately $24 million short of the $48 lower limit, it is no surprise that Tallon went on a shopping spree.  He not only added Versteeg, he also added forwards Scottie Upshall and Tomas Fleischmann, defenseman Ed Jovanovski, and goaltender Jose’ Theodore.

Quite a different problem from one summer to the next for Tallon, as it was a heck of a day of free-spending in South Florida.

Leino Signs With Sabres

It was feared by many fans that the Flyers wouldn’t be able to re-sign popular winger Ville Leino because of cap constraints.  Today, that fear was realized, as Leino signed a 6-year, $27 million deal with the Buffalo Sabres.

Nick Laham / Getty Images North America

Watching Leino blossom over the past year and a half since his acquisition from the Detroit Red Wings was something to behold.  Prior to coming to the Flyers, he had scored just nine goals.

He had his breakout moment in the 2010 postseason when placed on a line with Scott Hartnell and Danny Briere.  The three found an immediate symmetry together and propelled the team on an improbable run to the Cup Finals.

Leino follows a long line of other ex-Flyers out of town over the past week:  Richards, Jeff Carter, Sean O’Donnell, Versteeg, Brian Boucher.

If you have any comments or questions, you can email the author at dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com.  You can also follow him on Twitter – @David_Strehle

By David Strehle
NHL Hot Stove Creative Editor

With the NHL Entry Draft in his home town of St. Paul, Minnesota just two days away, Paul Holmgren is indeed a very busy man.

Matt Slocum / The Associated Press

While the Philadelphia Flyers’ GM is still dealing with some of the same issues that have weighed heavily on the organization over the past couple of decades, he has been pro-actively working to rectify his club’s shortcomings thus far.

Bryzgalov and the Flyers’ Goaltending

Already having acquired the negotiating rights to pending unrestricted free agent goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov from the Phoenix Coyotes, Holmgren is said to be close to solidifying his spot between the pipes.

Following years of neglect – mostly prior to the time that he took over the GM position from Bob Clarke - Holmgren has taken positive strides over the past year to upgrade his team’s last line of defense.

His first major venture into improving his net minders was at the end of last May, when he was able to sign a highly sought after UFA named Sergei Bobrovsky.

The Detroit Red Wings, in addition to several others, were seeking to ink the Russian youngster to a deal.  That Holmgren made the 22-year-old Bobrovsky a priority spoke volumes about his commitment to elevate the quality of his goalkeepers.

After a blistering start to the 2010-11 regular season, Bobrovsky cooled off somewhat over the season’s second half.  Although he yielded just one goal in a 1-0 loss to Ryan Miller and the Buffalo Sabres in the first game of the postseason, he was basically banished to the press box by head coach Peter Laviolette after giving up three early goals in Game 2 of the series.

It appeared Laviolette didn’t feel that Bobrovsky possessed the confidence in himself at the present time.

Despite the turmoil surrounding the situation, Bobrovsky came back into the scene when both Brian Boucher and Michael Leighton, who had played just one NHL game all season long after being so instrumental in leading the Flyers to the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals, faltered.

He got the start in Philadelphia’s final playoff game, Game 4 against the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.  He played well, holding his team in the contest until Boston broke open a 1-1 tie in the third period.

The fact that Holmgren would go after the premiere free agent goaltender available in Bryzgalov is a testament to what Ed Snider vowed would happen after the postseason rotating carousel of goalies.

Reports that the two sides have agreed upon terms for a deal is good news for Flyers’ Nation – but that only means that the 55-year-old GM’s job is about to get that much more difficult.

Before any deal can even formally be announced, Holmgren must first clear salary in order for his club to remain cap-compliant due to NHL tagging rules.  That is, no team can have more salary committed to a future season than what the cap limit is set at currently.

The Philly Trade Rumors

This has led to much speculation that a trade, or possibly multiple deals, could be in the cards – even with the realization that the upper cap limit will be raised beyond expectations to $64 million.

There have been many names that have come up in the rumor mill; forward Kris Versteeg ($3.083 million), and defensemen Matt Carle (just under $3.5 million) and Braydon Coburn ($3.2 million) have been the most-mentioned.  Perhaps not so coincidentally, all three will become UFAs next summer.

With the possibility of Bryzgalov being the main man in net for the foreseeable future, there has been talk that Bobrovsky ($1.75 million), the franchise’s acknowledged goalie of the future, may be dealt.  With the prospect of Bobrovsky seeing limited playing time and the probability that it will stunt his development, combined with the fact that he will have to clear waivers before being sent to the AHL’s Adirondack Phantoms, “Bob” may be moved.

Some of the more wild rumors have included Jeff Carter ($5.272 million), who has led the Flyers in goal-scoring in each of the last three seasons (to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Jakub Voracek and the 8th overall draft pick on Friday), and even the name of the club’s captain, Mike Richards ($5.75 million), has come up ( via TSN’s Darren Dreger on Twitter).

While neither is likely to leave town, the depth that Holmgren has built at forward will allow for someone to traded.  Scott Hartnell ($4.2 million) remains the best-case scenario, but possesses one of those pesky no-trade clauses that Holmgren gave out so freely early-on in his time as GM.  While Hartnell does hold the NTC card, just remember that long-time Flyer Simon Gagne also had one last summer – before being convinced by Philly management to waive it prior to being dealt to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

With the benefit of having the excess room with the cap limit being higher than expected, there may be a chance to re-sign another pending free agent.

“There are some players that we have, Ville Leino, that are unrestricted and we want to keep in our mix,” Holmgren said via conference call on Monday.  “So, we are going to have to do some tinkering here.  It’s not like we are in a position where we absolutely have to move cap space or move people to make cap space.”

But Holmgren would love to keep Leino, who blossomed under Laviolette after being acquired from Detroit for Ole-Kristian Tollefsen last February.  With Leino on a line with Hartnell and Danny Briere, the trio formed one of the most-productive units in Philadelphia.

One of the good things about having to deal a higher-salaried player is that it could benefit the club in another area that it has experienced serious deficiencies in recent decades.

The Flyers and the 2011 NHL Entry Draft

Another general area of failure that Holmgren is reportedly attempting to recify is Philadelphia’s propensity for dealing away high draft picks.  The perennial win-it-all-now-at-all-costs philosophy that the organization has employed is always much appreciated in the Flyers’ community, but it often comes with a price tag.  The cost for the immediacy of their acquisitions usually comes in the form of the team’s top drafting positions.

The skeletal remains of this years picks is exhibit one which puts an exclamation point on that fact.  Here are the picks that Holmgren and his scouting staff possess at the present time:

3rd Round – #84
4th Round – #116
4th Round – #118 (From Tampa Bay)
6th Round – #176
7th Round – #206

“Look at where we are at this year, we have five picks right now,” Holmgren pointed out.  ”Next year we are missing a couple already.   Obviously we can’t continue to do that.  We need to, especially the higher picks – we can’t keep giving them up.”

He cannot honestly hope to replenish the pipeline of the system with the availability of players that will be left at the five picks he owns this weekend.

Holmgren says even though this is not the deepest of drafts, there are some interesting players that can play next year.

“There are drafts that have been better, think back to the draft of 2003,” the GM said.  ”It’s not looking like that but there are a lot of good players and I think there are some players that if they are drafted on the right team, they will have the chance to play right away.”

“It’s funny,” Holmgren continued.  ”You go back to last year’s draft and you look at guys that you think are going to go in the first round and you look at what came out of that round and played right away.  I don’t think anyone would have said Jeff Skinner was ready to play in the NHL, and he gets drafted by Carolina, they put him in and he makes their team and has a tremendous year.  You just never know.”

Holmgren was asked if he thought any one player impressed him as being ready to step right into an NHL lineup for the 2011-12 season.

“Gabriel’s (Landeskog) name comes up early because he looks like he is physically ready right now,” he said.  ”I think that is why people say that about him being NHL-ready.”

And there is an obvious incentive to want to move up.

“It’s a fairly good draft, there are some good top-end guys and as I mentioned from 17 down, you might get the same player,” the GM noted.  “They are all good prospects, so it’s a considerable draft.  We’re drafting at 84 (third round) right now and we’d like to move up, absolutely.”

When asked if he could envision the Flyers making a move to get a pick in the first two rounds, Holmgren was optimistic.

“I don’t think it is out of the question, but you never know what’s going to happen,” Holmgren said.  ”It’s something we are certainly trying to stay involved with just to see what people are talking about, more than anything.”

As for what he could be looking for in building at a certain position, Holmgren referenced his blue line.

“I think if you look at our team right now, we are very strong down the middle and I think our NHL team we have a couple older guys on the back end, Kimmo (Timonen) and Chris (Pronger),” said the GM.  ”But we do have some good guys that are fairly young, Braydon (Corburn), Matt Carle and (Andrej) Meszaros, are still all still fairly young if you consider their age, but I don’t know if there is any none, obviously we are going to try to draft the best player available regardless of the position.”

But even if he cannot get a pick in the first two rounds, Holmgren may look to acquire multiple choices.

“We probably need to strengthen all areas, and that’s kind of where the open mind comes in,” Holmgren added.  ”When we get to that point we’re not just going to try for one position. If you look on our reserve list we could probably add something in every category.”

Which makes the Flyers’ allowing the rights to expire for top-ranked goaltending prospect Joacim Eriksson – and to a lesser extent defenseman Simon Bertilsson, goalie Nic Riopel, and forward David Lebrecque – all the more confusing.

There is no doubt that this will be an eventful week in the NHL universe.  The NHL Awards Ceremony.  The NHL Entry Draft.  But it will be even busier if your name is Paul Holmgren.

Taking a Flyer:  The 2011 NHL Awards are tonight in Las Vegas, and the only representative of the Orange-and-Black is forward Ian Laperriere.  ”Lappy” is up for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the player that best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.  Laperriere goes up against two former-Flyers; goaltender Ray Emery of the Anaheim Ducks (returned after a grueling rehabilitation from surgeries to correct a degenerative hip ailment), and forward Daymond Langkow of the Calgary Flames (returned from a serious concussion that threatened his career).  Laperriere suffered two devastating concussions last year after being hit in the face with slap shots; the first by Buffalo’s Jason Pominville where he lost seven teeth and required 100 stitches to close up his face – and yet returned for the third period with a full face shield; and the second in the first round of the 2010 playoffs when then-New Jersey Devils’ defenseman Paul Martin’s slapper broke Lappy’s orbital bone.  Laperriere’s passion and dedication to his team saw him return – albeit, too soon – in the Eastern Conference Finals during Philadelphia’s run to the Stanley Cup Finals.  There is no doubt that both Emery and Langkow are very deserving nominees, but there should only be one possible winner tonight – and that is Lappy.

If you have any comments or questions, you can email the author at dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com.  You can also follow him on Twitter – @David_Strehle

By David Strehle
NHL Hot Stove Creative Editor

With Ilya Bryzgalov and his agent Ritch Winter in town until sometime today,  negotiations with Philadelphia Flyers’ GM Paul Holmgren remain ongoing for the services of the unrestricted free agent netminder.

Following the sweep at the hands of the eventual-Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins, Ed Snider said the uneasy situation in the club’s crease would not continue.  That was as a certain guarantee that the team would finally rectify its goal position after nearly two decades of neglect.

Christian Petersen / Getty Images North America

“Spent the day getting to know Ilya and Jeniya.  There will be no comment on discussions that are ongoing,” Holmgren said yesterday on the Flyers’ official site.

You can’t blame Holmgren for being gun shy about revealing the progression of negotiations after what happened last year.  He had made bold moves in acquiring the rights to two UFAs – defenseman Dan Hamhuis and goalie Evgeni Nabokov.  But when all was said and done, Holmgren was unable to sign either.

After acquiring the negotiating rights to Bryzgalov from the Phoenix Coyotes on June 7th, there has been much speculation as to whether or not the Flyers’ GM will be able to satisfy Winter’s contract demands.

Rumors have Winter looking for somewhere in the 5-7 year range in length, for anywhere from $30-$49 million.

As talks continue, it seems certain there will be changes if the Flyers are indeed able to ink Bryzgalov to a long-term deal.  The very philosophy of the team will likely even be altered.

The general idealogy of head coach Peter Laviolette has been defense-first, forecheck and pressure the puck, and attack in transition.  The fact that his team couldn’t lock down leads over the last half of the season led to a game plan of trying to outgun their opposition.

That, as the history books will show, did not work out well for Philadelphia.

With youngster Sergei Bobrovsky and veterans Brian Boucher and Michael Leighton in the crease, Laviolette was forced to play an embarassing game of musical goaltenders for a good portion of the last month before his team was eliminated.

As much as everyone in the area discounted the importance that Philadelphia failed to register a single shutout in a season for the first time in 30 years, the postseason should suggest otherwise.

Ryan Miller was spectacular in net for the Buffalo Sabres against the Flyers in the first round before finally succumbing in the seventh game.  Miller posted two 1-0 white-washes of the Orange-and-Black, and nearly stole the series for the Sabres.

Boston’s Tim Thomas and Roberto Luongo of the Vancouver Canucks were the goaltenders in the Cup Finals, and both played major roles in their club’s respective postseason success.

Thomas justifiably won the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the playoffs,  posting a miniscule 1.98 GAA and .940 save percentage – and recording four shutouts, including a 4-0 decision in the Cup-clincher.

Although dramatically inconsistent, Luongo almost pulled off a miracle in the Finals.  Even though his team managed to score just eight goals in the seven-game series, Luongo posted two 1-0 blankings of the Bruins in getting his team to a deciding Game 7.

The point being here that there will always be times when your club goes into scoring slumps from time-to-time.  That is a given, and it is just the nature of the sport.

Philadelphia experienced their fair share of offensive slumps down the stretch and in the playoffs, but the team’s netminders were rarely able to steal a game for them.

Bryzgalov will be that type of a clutch goaltender that can win a game – and possibly even a series – when the team isn’t playing at its best.

Norm Hall / NHLI via Getty Images

He showed the inate ability to steal games for an offensively bland Phoenix club.  The Flyers – even with the realization that they will have to part with (an) asset(s), dependent on the size of the pact Bryzgalov will surely get, if signed - will still have much more in the way of offensive firepower at their disposal.

But the reality is that Bryzgalov will allow Philadelphia to gut out those 1-0 victories that have been one-sided wins for the opposition for over a year.  Opponents blanked the Flyers on nine occasions this past season - seven in the regular season – so that was nine contests that Philly had no chance at winning.

With Bryzgalov backstopping the Orange-and-Black, Laviolette should be able to expect a clutch save at the most important point of a game – much the same way he did with Cam Ward in net when he coached the Carolina Hurricanes to the 2006 Stanley Cup.

For much of the latter part of the year, those who followed the Flyers held their breath much of the time when the puck was in the Philadelphia end of the ice late in tight contests.  The nervous anxiety of the back-breaking goal was realized more often than not.

Trust can be a fleeting thing, and Laviolette’s was understandably lost late in the season.  With Bryzgalov in the fold, that trust should be unwavering from the coach.

And with that type of trust, Laviolette’s stifling, air-tight defense and counter-punching style should be able to be employed to the maximum next year.

Of course, much of that will also depend on the health of the club’s top two defensemen, Chris Pronger and Kimmo Timonen.  But that is an issue for another time.

The groundwork is apparently laid for a deal, as both sides have met extensively this week.  As long as both sides are reasonable, a pact could be in place and announced sometime around Bryzgalov’s 31st birthday on June 22nd.

If you have any comments or questions, you can email the author at dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com.  You can also follow him on Twitter – @David_Strehle

By David Strehle
NHL Hot Stove Creative Editor

The Philadelphia Flyers today took the first step in rectifying their revolving door of goaltenders by acquiring the negotiating rights to pending unrestricted free agent Ilya Bryzgalov.

In exchange, Philadelphia sent minor league left-winger Matt Clackson, a 3rd-round pick in the 2012 draft, and an additional conditional pick to the Phoenix Coyotes.

“You can make the argument that he’s among the top 10 goalies in the league, if not higher,” said GM Paul Holmgren via conference call.  ”We’re happy to get this opportunity to talk to him early and we’re going to try our best to get him signed.”

Kevin Coloton / Icon SMI

Bryzgalov is the most sought-after netminder in this summers free agent crop, and Holmgren knew he had to make a move in order to secure the 30-year-old Russian’s services.

“We’re going to give it our best shot,” Holmgren said about his chances of signing Bryzgalov.  ”Obviously we gave up an asset to get a chance to get in early so we have every intention of trying our best to get a deal done.”

“You never know what’s going to happen,” he later added.  ”You gamble and wait till July 1, you don’t know who else is involved.  This gives us negotiating rights, which nobody else has.  Is it an advantage?  At least we get first crack at it, and we’ll see what we can do.”

As is the case each season, the Flyers are up against the upper limits of the NHL salary cap, and chances are they would not be able to compete if Bryzgalov went on the market on July 1st.

“He’s certainly not an old goaltender,” said Holmgren when it was mentioned that agent Rich Winter will likely seek a four or five year pact.  ”He’s 30 or 31 years old.  I feel like he’s got a lot of good years left in him.  We’ll see how it goes.  When you get into a negotiation like this, you’re dealing with a salary cap, you try to get a number you can live with.”

When the subject of re-signing pending free agent winger Ville Leino in addition to Bryzgalov, Holmgren said “Obviously we still have the intention of trying to sign Ville.  With the salary cap, you can only do so much.  We’re trying to get the best team we can get to get ready for the 2011 season.”

Comcast-Spectacor Chairman Ed Snider vowed after the playoffs, in which head coach Peter Laviolette was forced to juggle his goaltending trio of rookie Sergei Bobrovsky, Brian Boucher, and Michael Leighton, that this would be the last time Philadelphia would see such a debacle in net.

If they are able to sign Bryzgalov to a long-term deal, Snider’s words will have come to fruition in the form of one of the best goalies in the entire league – thus solidifying one of the Flyers’ achilles heels for the better part of two decades.

“We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to field a good team,” Holmgren said of his work behind the scenes with Snider.  ”We want to win a Stanley Cup. We’re trying to make ourselves better in all areas.”

Additionally if Bryzgalov is signed, they will likely need to make another deal to dump salary to remain cap compliant.  Forward Jeff Carter’s name has repeatedly come up as a candidate to be moved.

“(We have some) good pieces that you need to win a Stanley Cup,” Holmgren said of his club.  ”In acquiring Ilya, we have an opportunity here to negotiate a contract and get him signed sort of ahead of other teams that might have had those same ideas in mind.  So we’ll see what we can do.  If we can agree to a deal, and then necessary adjustments in order to get him in the salary cap, I think we’ll still have a good team – if not better.”

If you would like to read my post-playoff (from May 11th) assessment of the Flyers goaltending woes and possible remedies, click here.  There is also a poll attached, in which 61% of the 136 voters chose Bryzgalov as the answer to Philly’s maladies between the pipes.

Holmgren has had good luck with making deals for pending free agents – with the Nashville Predators, for Kimmo Timonen and Scott Hartnell – and getting the players signed.  He also had an unsuccessful foray last summer with defenseman Dan Hamhuis, acquiring his rights, but was unable to strike a deal.

There was another player that Holmgren acquired the rights to last June, but he found the Flyers’ best offer unacceptable.  As a matter of fact, Evgeni Nabokov, also a Russian netminder, found Philly’s offer so underwhelming that he chose instead to play in the KHL.

As for a timetable on when he would like to have Bryzgalov signed, Holmgren says he isn’t worried.

“Ideally before you get to the Draft, you’d like to know if you have a deal in place, and then we’ll see what we can do at the draft in order to – if we need to make some adjustments or whatever,” the GM said.  ”As long as we sense over a period of time that we’re making some progress, I don’t feel uncomfortable going late into June.”

Plus Holmgren said that until the official salary cap limit for the 2011-12 season is announced, a deal cannot be signed due to tagging rules.

The prospect of an all-Russian tandem in net of Bryzgalov and Bobrovsky should definitely excite fans of the Orange-and-Black.  Bryzgalov has been one of the most-consistent netminders in the NHL over the past two seasons, and should give the 22-year-old Bobrovsky time to develop while Bryzgalov handles the starting duties.

“Just from talking to some of our guys…when Chris Pronger and Sean O’Donnell played with him, he was a young kid behind (Jean-Sebastien) Giguere,” Holmgren said.  ”He’s a team guy, and he must have gotten along pretty well with the guy who was playing behind him in Phoenix.  I don’t see an issue with that.  I think the fact that they’re both Russians probably would help.”

With regards to how many games he envisions Bryzgalov would play if signed, the GM said the team would play it by ear.

“If we can sign Ilya, he’s a guy that is used to the workload,” Holmgren said.  ”So there’s a little bit of give and take there.  He played 70 in Phoenix… maybe he can play 65 here with I assume easier travel than they have in Phoenix, maybe he can play more than 70.  We’ll just play that as it goes if we can accomplish what we need to accomplish and get him signed.  First things first right now – we’ll deal with that later.”

Here is the Flyers’ official press release:

FLYERS ACQUIRE RIGHTS TO G ILYA BRYZGALOV FROM PHOENIX

The Philadelphia Flyers announced today that they have acquired the rights to goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov (breez-GAH-lahf, IHL-yah) from the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for LW Matt Clackson, the Flyers’ 3rd round draft choice in 2012 and a conditional draft choice, according to general manager Paul Holmgren.

Bryzgalov, 30 (6/22/80), appeared in 68 games for the Coyotes last season, his fourth with the club.  He posted a 36-20-10 record, a 2.48 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage while recording seven shutouts.  He was also a runner-up for the Vezina Trophy following the 2009-10 season.  Bryzgalov was acquired by Phoenix off waivers from the Anaheim Ducks on November 17, 2007.

Bryzgalov was a member of Anaheim’s 2007 Stanley Cup championship squad along with current Flyers defensemen Chris Pronger and Sean O’Donnell. He appeared in 27 games that season, posting a 10-8-6-1 record with a 2.47 GAA and .907 save percentage, and was 3-1 with a 2.24 GAA and .922 save percentage in five Stanley Cup Playoff appearances en route to the championship.

Bryzgalov was selected by Anaheim in the second round (44^th overall) of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft.  Over parts of nine NHL seasons with Anaheim (2001-07) and Phoenix (2007-10), Bryzgalov has posted a record of 156-116-35 in 326 appearances along with a 2.53 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage.  He has appeared in 27 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, posting a record of 12-13 with a 2.55 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage. 

A native of Togliatti, Russia, Bryzgalov has represented his home country in three Olympic Games (2002, 2006, 2010), winning a bronze medal at Salt Lake City in 2002.  He also won a gold medal with Russia at the 2009 World Championships and a silver medal at the 2000 World Junior Championships.

Clackson, 26 (4/26/85), was selected by the Flyers in the seventh round (215^th overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft and joined the club’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Philadelphia/Adirondack Phantoms, at the end of the 2007-08 season.  Over that time and the next three full seasons with the Phantoms, Clackson scored six goals and added 13 assists in 204 games, while accruing 574 penalty minutes.

If you have any comments or questions, you can email the author at dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com.  You can also follow him on Twitter – @David_Strehle

By David Strehle
NHL Hot Stove Creative Editor

After a trip to the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals and falling just two wins shy of winning it all, the Philadelphia Flyers’ 2010-11 season fell well short of high expectations.

Subsequent to getting past the Buffalo Sabres in a tough seven-game first round series, Philadelphia’s season came to an abrupt and disappointing finish in a quick four-game sweep at the hands of the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

The result is likely to bring about a very active off-season for GM Paul Holmgren in retooling his squad in preparation for the 2011-12 campaign.

Without further ado, it’s report card time for the 2010-11 version of the Flyers; complete with comments as to the performance over the course of the season, as well as each player’s role moving ahead to next season.

In this issue, the defensemen and netminders are examined.

DEFENSEMEN

Oskars Bartulis:  INCOMPLETE

2010-11:  After playing in the first two regular season games, Bartulis was the Flyers’ forgotten man.  Over the next two months, the 24-year-old would see action in just one more contest.  Bartulis was pressed into service when Chris Pronger suffered a fractured right foot, playing in nine games from December 18th through January 11th.  The six-foot, two-inch, 184-pounder would sit again upon Pronger’s return, only returning when Sean O’Donnell went down with a knee injury at Madison Square Garden on February 20th.  In his first game back in the lineup on February 22nd, Bartulis suffered a separated shoulder when he took a late hit into the boards from ex-Flyer and current Phoenix Coyote forward Scottie Upshall.  He would miss the remainder of the regular season and playoffs.  Bartulis finished having played in just 13 games, recording no points with a -4 and four penalty minutes.  2011-12: Signed for two more seasons at $600,000 per year, Bartulis is likely to stick around in Philadelphia.  The club is once again at the upper end of the salary cap, with less than $500,000 in space left with just 18 players signed.  Affordable options like Bartulis will be valuable, but he will need meaningful playing time in order to develop his game.  Even before his injury this season, he was not receiving that.

Nick Boynton:  INCOMPLETE

2010-11:  Holmgren plucked Boynton off the waiver wire from the Chicago Blackhawks in late-February as a depth move when O’Donnell suffered a knee injury and Bartulis separated his shoulder.  Like forward Kris Versteeg, Boynton was on the roster of Chicago’s Stanley Cup championship team last June, and it was thought he might be able to step in and provide some stability to the blue line.  And his pro-rated $500,000 salary also didn’t hurt matters for a team that had very little cap space availability.  The 32-year-old rear guard’s time in Philadelphia started off better than expected, as he played well in back-to-back games on March 10th (at Toronto) and 12th (home against the Thrashers).  Boynton kept things very simple, not trying to do too much, and played physical at the right times.  Unfortunately, his third game was not so good, as he finished a -2 in only 5:39 of time on ice in a 3-2 Flyers’ victory over the Panthers in South Florida.  Boynton would end up seeing action in just 10 regular season contests with the Orange-and-Black, and logging double-digit minutes of ice time in only half of those games.  He was not in the Philly lineup after April 1st.  2011-12: An unrestricted free agent, it’s highly doubtful Holmgren makes any attempt to re-sign Boynton this fall.  The organization has a couple of young defenders that appear ready to make the big club’s roster at training camp, and it would seem that Boynton doesn’t fit into the club’s plans.

Matt Carle:  B-

Photo Credit: Bridget Samuels / Flickr

2010-11:  Many experts insinuated that Matt Carle’s excellent play last year was likely because he played alongside of stalwart blue liner Pronger.  But in a season where Pronger missed 32 games due to a myriad of injuries, Carle was forced to play much of the time with various partners.  He responded by leading all Flyers’ defensemen in scoring with 40 points (one goal, 39 assists), and tied with Andrej Meszaros for the team lead with a +30.  The 39 assists and +30 were career-highs for the former member of the San Jose Sharks and Tampa Bay Lightning.  Like most of his Flyers’ teammates, the six-foot, 205 pound native of Anchorage, Alaska struggled defensively in the club’s recently-completed playoffs.  He finished seven of the 11 postseason contests on the minus side of the plus / minus ledger, posting a -8 overall.  2011-12: Carle is entering the last season of a four-year contract that pays him just under $3.5 million before becoming an UFA next summer.  While he is still a valuable member of the team’s defensive corps, Holmgren may attempt to trade the 25-year-old defenseman at some point during the upcoming summer or 2011-12 season.  But his excessive salary, as well as the fact that he is the perhaps the least-physical defenseman on the club’s roster, will almost certainly make him a pretty tough sell.

Photo Credit: Bridget Samuels / Flickr

Braydon Coburn:  C-

2010-11:  Braydon Coburn signed a two-year contract extension last summer that pay him $3.2 million annually, and played on Philadelphia’s second defensive pairing with Kimmo Timonen. The 26-year-old defender picked up two goals and 16 points, while posting a +15 during the regular season, but showed only flashes of what he is capable of when playing at his peak effectiveness.  When using his long stride to skate the puck out of his own end and taking advantage of his large six-foot, five-inch, 220-pound, Coburn can be a force.  But after recording career-highs in goals (9), assists (27), and points (36) during the 2007-08 campaign, Coburn’s offensive numbers have decreased in each of the last three seasons despite increased ice time.  The native of Shaunavon, Saskatchewan recorded a +7 in the seven-game first round triumph over the Buffalo Sabres, and scored his most-important goal of the year against Ryan Miller in the closing minute of the first period in Game 7 to begin the rout.  But Coburn then proceeded to post a minus in each of the four games against the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.  2011-12: Just like Carle, Coburn is heading into the final year of his contract.  The former eighth overall pick of the Atlanta Thrashers in 2003 will become an UFA next summer, and also like Carle could be trade bait.

Andrej Meszaros:  A

Photo Credit: Bridget Samuels / Flickr

2010-11:  Acquired on July 1st from the Tampa Bay Lightning for a draft pick, Meszaros was a revelation for the Flyers.  Many criticized the move because of Meszaros’ $4 million price tag, and the fact that he would likely be on the club’s third pairing because the first two were already set with Pronger-Carle and Timonen-Coburn.  But Mez became an invaluable piece of the Philadelphia roster this year, leading the defensive ranks in goals (8), and tying Carle for the top plus / minus rating (+30).  As the 25-year-old’s confidence grew over the course of the season, so did his effectiveness for the team.  He jumped up into offensive rushes, used his six-foot, two-inch, 223-pound body to hit with a reckless abandon, and even scored two game-winning goals in overtime.  Maybe the most-valuable attribute that Meszaros brought to the club this year was his versatility.  With Pronger’s frequent absences from the Flyers’ lineup, the native of Povazska Bystrica, Slovakia played on several defense pairings where needed.  He started the year playing on the team’s third pairing with O’Donnell, but would also see action with Carle as part of the top duo in Pronger’s spot.  With the high level at which he performed, it made Pronger’s time out of the lineup less debilitating.  Meszaros appropriately won the Barry Ashbee Trophy as the Flyers’ top defenseman as a reward for a fantastic season.  In the postseason Meszaros led all Philly defenders in goals (2), and tied Timonen for the lead among Flyers’ defensemen (6).     2011-12: Meszaros still has three more years remaining on his contract, and figures to be a key member of the Philadelphia blue line.  If he continues to play the way he did this past season, he will be a mainstay for many years to come.

Sean O’Donnell:  C

2010-11:  Signed as an UFA to a one-year, $1.3 million contract on July 1st, O’Donnell was one of the steadier defensemen for the Flyers for the first half of the season.  Paired with Meszaros for much of the early going, both rear guards were near the top of the overall NHL plus / minus leaders.  Following a knee injury in a late-February game against the New York Rangers, the 39-year-old veteran was nowhere near as effective.  O’Donnell was supposed to miss several weeks to recover from the injury but his replacement, Bartulis, was lost for the rest of the season in the next game with a shoulder injury.  O’Donnell returned early, and was noticeably less mobile than he had been prior to suffering the injury.  The six-foot, two-inch, 237-pounder played a physical game for Philadelphia, and was one of the most-knowledgable students of the game on the club.  O’Donnell still ended the regular season at a +8.  2011-12: It’s not known if O’Donnell is in the plans for the team in the fall, especially if he expects a raise as part of a new one-year deal.  There are a couple of young blue liners primed to grab a spot in the coming year, and O’Donnell turns 40 in the second week of October.  There’s no doubt that he could be of great assistance to the younger defenders but with the cap limitations facing Holmgren, it is unlikely O’Donnell’s salary could be squeezed in.

Photo Credit: Bridget Samuels / Flickr

Chris Pronger:  B

2010-11:  After playing in all 82 games during his first campaign in Philadelphia, Pronger suffered through an injury-plagued 2010-11 season – one in which he appropriately referred to as a “year from hell”.  Commencing the year on the shelf following off-season knee surgery, it set the tone for what was to come over the course of the year.  The Flyers’ top defenseman would play in just 50 regular season contests due to various ailments.  The 36-year-old blue liner was just getting back into top form again when he suffered a fracture in his right foot after blocking a slap shot in Montreal in mid-December.  It is no coincidence that Philadelphia was the NHL’s top team at the time of the injury, because as Pronger goes, so go the Flyers.  This was evident again in late-February, when he took a shot off his right hand late in a game against the New York Islanders.  After X-rays proved negative, Pronger played in four more games.  The club had been developing bad habits, and the veteran defender had called players out behind closed doors for their careless play.  After a home win over the Oilers in early March, it was announced that Pronger had sustained a break in his hand that had gone undetected previously.  He again required surgery, and the team struggled without their on-ice leader in the lineup.  It was originally thought that Pronger would return for the final weekend of the regular season, but after suffering a “set back” in early-April, the six-foot, six-inch, 220-pounder wasn’t ready for the beginning of the postseason.  The Flyers’ defensive play was faltering down the stretch without him, and also suffering in Pronger’s absence was the club’s power play unit.  Without his big shot from the point, Philadelphia’s output with the man advantage was paltry.  With the Flyers trailing their first round series with the Sabres, 3-2, Pronger came back for Game 6.  He played just 4:33 - all of the power play - but his mere presence was a lift for his teammates.  The Flyers won in overtime on Easter Sunday to force a Game 7 back in Philadelphia.  Pronger played in that contest and saw 17:27 of ice time, picking up an assist in the 5-2 triumph.  The power play was anything but an advantage for Philly without him, but upon his return the unit improved to 3-9 in Games 6 and 7.  Unfortunately for the Orange-and-Black, Pronger was laboring with back pain that persisted through a loss to the Bruins in Game 1 of the second round.  He would not play the rest of the way and after the team’s elimination from the playoffs, it was announced that the hulking defenseman had a herniated disc in his back.  Surgery was once again required, and a successful discectomy was performed on May 12th.  It will be about six weeks from time of the surgery that Pronger can begin full exercise.  2011-12: The results with and without the dominant defender on the Philly blue line this year spoke volumes about his overall value.  His presence is obviously a key to success, but it isn’t the only issue for Philadelphia regarding Pronger.  There are still six years remaining on his contract, at an annual cap hit of more than $4.9 million.  Since it is an over-35 pact, the club is on the hook for the full amount, regardless if Pronger is able to play or not.  Pronger’s health is a must for Philadelphia to again be among the league’s elite squads.  If the majority of the news surrounding Pronger this year involves injuries and surgeries, the outlook for the Flyers will indeed be bleak.

Photo Credit: clydeorama / Flickr

Kimmo Timonen:  A-

2010-11:  Timonen turned 36 during the regular season and was once again one of the Flyers’ best defensemen.  He finished second in goals (6) and points (37) among Philly blue liners, and was the only defender to score shorthanded (which he did twice).  The native of Kuopio, Finland finished with a +11 rating, and was the unit’s leader with Pronger out for much of the season.  Timonen scored a goal, recorded six points, and was a +3 in the postseason.  When the team didn’t play well down the stretch and when they were bounced out in the second round by the Bruins, Timonen was visibly upset and voiced his displeasure at the disappointing finish.  ”That’s what pisses me off the most,” Timonen told Teemu H. of Broad Street Hockey after their elimination.  ”We weren’t even close.  There was no effort which I find unbelievable.”  There is no doubt that Timonen cares about the team’s performance, and he was to meet with Holmgren last week.  You can bet that the 12-year veteran gave the GM an earful as to what he felt was wrong with the club, and what he believes is necessary for the Flyers to achieve the ultimate success.  2011-12: With two seasons left on a contract that pays him $6.33 million per year, Timonen is the highest-paid Philadelphia defenseman.  At five-feet, 10-inches and 194 pounds, he is one of the team’s smaller defensemen.  But Timonen, who is entering his fifth year in the City of Brotherly Love, is both savvy and smooth.  He should remain as one of the most effective Philly blue liners at least through the end of his deal.

CONCLUSION

OVERALL DEFENSEMEN GRADE:  B-

After going through the first half of the season as one of the best defensive teams in the league, the Flyers struggled to keep the puck out of their net for much of the stretch run.  They ended up yielding 223 goals this season, which was only sixth-best among playoff-qualifying Eastern Conference clubs.

While the club’s blue line and goaltending was partially responsible, Philadelphia’s forwards also didn’t play well in their own end.

The team will need to acquire more depth for the upcoming season, especially with the question marks where Pronger’s health is concerned.  Not having the big defenseman in the lineup for a good portion of the year definitely hurt, but the general state of confusion defensively was mysitfying, given the number of veteran leaders on the team.

Pronger’s rehabilitation from back surgery will be an important development to keep an eye on as the summer progresses, and there are other question marks heading towards training camp.  Will O’Donnell be re-signed?  Will both Carle and Coburn be on the Flyers’ blue line next season, or will they be dealt before becoming UFAs next summer?

Will Holmgren attempt to bring in a legitimate right-handed shooting defender, especially with Vancouver’s Kevin Bieksa and Sami Salo, and Montreal’s James Wisniewski available as UFAs?  The Flyers have not had a decent righty since Eric Desjardins retired during the 2005-06 season, and it has been one of the adverse affects on an impotent power play.  Without a right-hander to man the left point on the man advantage, one-timers from that side of the ice are non-existent.  Holmgren brought Matt Walker to Philly in the Simon Gagne trade, but he was a complete bust.  Due to various injuries, Walker saw action in just four NHL contests this season.  When he was in the lineup, he was ineffective – even in pre-season matches.

If Holmgren is to bring in a big name defenseman, more room will have to be made to fit them into the club’s bloated cap situation.

Meanwhile, Erik Gustafsson, who nearly made the club out of training camp last year, should be ready to claim a spot this fall.  The 22-year-old has two years left on his entry-level contract at $900,000 per season, and had a very good season with the Phantoms.  The five-foot, 10-inch, 180-pound native of Kvissleby, Sweden did not look out of place in three games with the Flyers this year, and possesses slick offensive creativity from the blue line.

Others who may get a long look in camp are Marc-Andre Bourdon (21, 6′, 0 “, 205 pounds, $875,000) and Kevin Marshall (22, 6′, 1″, 191 pounds, $845, 833).

GOALTENDERS

Photo Credit: clydeorama / Flickr

2010-11:  Signed as a free agent last May, Bobrovsky was looking like an early season front-runner for the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s rookie-of-the-year.  The 22-year-old slumped down the stretch, but still finished with a 28-13-8 record, with a 2.59 goals-against average and .915 save percentage.  Head coach Peter Laviolette named Bobrovsky as his starter for the postseason, and the native of Novokuznetsk, Russia did not disappoint in his first game.  Bobrovsky held his team in the game into a scoreless third period, eventually yielding a goal to Patrick Kaleta in a 1-0 loss.  In Game 2, he gave up three early goals, was pulled in favor of Brian Boucher, and disappeared from the lineup as Michael Leighton was brought back into the rotation.  As the Boucher-Leighton tandem eventually faltered, Bobrovsky again played.  He started the fourth and final game of the Boston series, playing well in keeping the Flyers tied into the third period before taking the loss.  2011-12: There is no question that Bobrovsky is the team’s goaltender of the future.  With two years remaining at $1.75 million per season, the only issue regarding Bobrovsky is when he will be ready.  With Pronger and Timonen heading into their late-30′s, the time to win for Philadelphia is now.  Goalie coach Jeff Reese said he believes Bobrovsky is “two-to-three years away from being a workhorse”, so talk around Philly is that Holmgren will attempt to bring in a legitimate number one guy over the summer.  Bobrovsky could be the backup, or maybe even end up being the starter with the AHL’s Adirondack Phantoms.

Photo Credit: Jayne Shives / Wiki

Brian Boucher:  B

2010-11:  Finishing up the last year on his two-year deal ($925.000) this past season, Boucher was the perfect soldier for the Flyers.  He did everything asked of him, and without complaint.  When he thought he would be the starter when Leighton had off-season surgery but the job was instead given to Bobrovsky to open the campaign, Boucher filled the backup role to perfection.  He finished the regular season with a respectable 18-10-4 mark, and led the team in GAA (2.42) and save percentage (.916).  Boucher got the win in the final regular season contest in relief of Bobrovsky, when the Flyers absolutely had to get a victory to win the Atlantic Division crown.  In the playoffs, Boucher recorded all four Philadelphia wins in the Buffalo series.  But as each netminder took a turn falling flat when given the reigns to take control of the net, the 34-year-old native of Rhode Island may have fallen the hardest.   2011-12: Again an UFA, it remains to be seen if the team will attempt to re-sign Boucher.  It would seem unlikely, given Ed Snider’s comments about the carousel of goalies the club experienced during the postseason never happening again.

Photo Credit: Resolute / Wiki

Michael Leighton:  INCOMPLETE

2010-11:  Leighton’s year has been one full spectrum of contradictions.  After coming onto the scene off the waiver wire and taking Philadelphia to within two wins of capturing the Stanley Cup, Leighton was re-signed (two years, $1.55 million annually) as an UFA last summer.  Expecting to be the team’s number one, he instead began the year on injured reserve after undergoing back surgery during the pre-season.  The 30-year-old came back to find Bobrovsky had wrestled the starting job away from him, and Leighton was sent to Adirondack.  He played in just one NHL regular season game with the Flyers this year, and made a return during the playoffs.  That didn’t end up so well, as he lost Game 5 of the Sabres series in overtime, then was yanked for good after giving up three soft Buffalo goals in Game 6.  2011-12: With one year left on the contract he signed last year, it is unclear where Leighton fits into the Flyers’ plans.  If it is deemed necessary for Bobrovsky to get the bulk of the workload in Adirondack, it is conceivable that Leighton could back up whichever goaltender Holmgren brings in to lead Philly.

CONCLUSION

OVERALL GOALTENDER GRADE:  B-

While Bobrovsky played better than anyone could have foreseen and Boucher was the consummate backup, the Flyers lack of a clear cut number one created a circus-type atmosphere around the team in the postseason.

Even though the organization has historically ignored the crease area, the signing of Bobrovsky last year as a free agent was a huge step in the right direction for Philadelphia’s future.  With the recent signing of Finnish netminder Niko Hovinen to a free agent pact and Joacim Eriksson and Jakob Kovar looking ready to make the trip to North America very soon, the Flyers’ net situation appears bright for upcoming years.

With Snider’s proclamation that the team’s goaltending situation will indeed be rectified this summer, the speculation as to which goalie Holmgren will attempt to secure has commenced.  Ilya Bryzgalov is the biggest free agent fish, and Holmgren inquired about his availability when the Russian played for the Anaheim Ducks back in the 2006-07 season.  Bryzgalov won the Cup in Anaheim that season, and has established himself as one of the best netminders in the world in Phoenix the past two years.  In order to afford the kind of contract it will take to sign Bryzgalov, salary will have to be moved off the current payroll.

Other names of interest include Tomas Vokoun (UFA, played with Florida Panthers in 2010 for $5.7 million), Miikka Kiprusoff (Calgary Flames; three more years remaining at $5.833 million annually), and Niklas Backstrom (Minnesota Wild; two years remaining at $6 million per season).  Holmgren could choose to trade for either Kipper or Backstrom, and both the Flames and Wild are looking for more scoring up front.  It just so happens that if the Flyers try to deal for a netminder, forward is the spot where they would have to move salary.

While it’s bound to start the Jeff Carter ($5.272 million) rumors, there are other forwards that would be more desirable to deal.  Much-maligned winger Scott Hartnell ($4.2 million) tops the list, but he would have to waive his NTC in order for anything to happen.

Holmgren could also go a cheaper route if he finds it impossible to land an expensive backstop.  Pitches could be made for Jonathan Bernier (L.A. Kings, $1.25 million), Anders Lindback (Nashville Predators, $875,000), or Cory Schneider (Vancouver Canucks, $900,000), but the question of experience and how far these guys could take the Flyers would be genuinely pertinent.

*All salary numbers were obtained from www.CapGeek.com.

If you have any comments or questions, you can email the author at dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com.  You can also follow him on Twitter – @David_Strehle

By David Strehle
NHL Hot Stove NHL / Philadelphia Flyers Correspondent

Following the Philadelphia Flyers’ quick four-game exit in the Eastern Conference Semifinals courtesy of the Boston Bruins, the big news in South Philly these days deals with players and surgeon’s knives instead of preparing for the team’s next opponent.

All that is left for the players to do is pack up their gear, and to get their respective injuries repaired with various assorted surgeries.

Mike Stobe / Getty Images

As reported by CSNPhilly.com’s Tim Panaccio via Twitter, defenseman Chris Pronger underwent successful back surgery this morning, and a full recovery is expected.

The 36-year-old blue liner required a discectomy for a herniated disc, and will begin rehabilitation in approximately six weeks.

The club has to hope that he will be more durable come the 2011-12 campaign.  Pronger saw action in just 50 regular season games and three postseason contests, as four major surgeries during the year kept him out of the lineup.

It is said that absence can make the heart grow fonder, but in Pronger’s case it also made his true value to the team crystal clear in the Boston series.  He tried to play in the first game, but it was pretty evident he was not healthy.  Pronger did not play after game one.

The Bruins had no deterent to going to the front of the Philadelphia net the entire series.  The result was no vision on long-distance shots for the Flyers’ goaltending, too many deflections in front, and numerous rebound goals yielded.

Paul Holmgren was optimistic about Pronger and how much he will be able to help the team next season.  When asked how many more shots Pronger has at playing at such a high level, the GM didn’t hesitate.

“How many does Mark Recchi have?  He is 42,” Holmgren said yesterday.  ”You are talking about an elite player that takes care of himself.  This is the first year in quite a long time that Chris has dealt with some injuries.  I don’t know how you protect yourself from a broken hand or a broken foot (two injuries Pronger suffered during the regular season).”

Panaccio also tweeted on Kris Versteeg’s surgery to mend two tears he had in his abdominal wall, as well as goalie Michael Leighton’s procedure to repair a torn labrum.

Versteeg, acquired by Philadelphia on Valentine’s Day from the Toronto Maple Leafs for draft picks, can be a valuable cog in grinding out playoff victories.  His contributions to the Chicago Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup triumph last June can attest to that.

But the jury is still out on Versteeg in Philly.  His time here has seen inconsistent, and sometimes even disinterested play, as he recorded just seven goals and 11  points in 27 regular season contests.

Even though his playoff effort was much better, he managed just one goal and six points in 11 postseason games.  Perhaps it was the abdominal issues that limited Versteeg’s effectiveness, but Holmgren doesn’t think the injury had any effect on his winger’s play.

“We felt all along, from about mid-March, that he would need to have something done at some point, but it wasn’t a situation that inhibited his play at all,” Holmgren said.

It stands to reason that Holmgren may attempt to move him and his $3.08 million annual salary.  The question is if any other team will take on Versteeg’s contract after a inconsistent performances in Philadelphia and undergoing a major surgical procedure.

The issue of if Versteeg is moved could also affect Leighton’s standing with the Flyers.

Yesterday, Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote a piece regarding Ed Snider’s comments about the Flyers acquiring a goaltender in the off-season.

One of Snider’s quotes was directly directed towards the present trio of Philly goalies, Sergei Bobrovsky, Brian Boucher (who is an unrestricted free agent as of July 1st), and Leighton – as well as his feelings on the Peter Laviolette’s netminding carousel.

“Either one of the goalies we have has to step up in training camp, or we have to make improvements to make sure it happens,” Snider said.  ”But we are NEVER going to go through the goalie issues we’ve gone through in the last couple of years again.”

Having seen interviews with Snider talking about when his team was manhandled by the Plager brothers and their St. Louis Blues in the early 1970′s and how a Flyers’ team would NEVER be bullied that way again, his words should be taken to heart.  His resultant creation, the Broad Street Bullies teams, were never out-toughed again, as they skated and brawled their way to two Stanley Cup championships shortly thereafter.

And having already written something similar about my feelings on the subject earlier in the day, that was some much-welcomed reading.

If it means what I read into his comments, Leighton’s time with the club may be a thing of the past.

Panaccio also reported that three Flyers had successful surgeries yesterday:  Mike Richards and Andrej Meszaros on their respective wrists; and Blair Betts on a finger.

It was obvious that Richards was trying to play through some sort of malady, as his play was nowhere near the expected level – especially down the stretch in the season and in the playoffs.

“I think Mike’s dealt with this little wrist injury really since training camp,” Holmgren revealed on Tuesday.  “It hasn’t kept him out of the lineup, but it has inhibited his play, certain aspects of his play.  I think it’s affected his performance in the faceoff circle.  I think it’s affected his shot to some degree.”

The questions raised as to his leadership abilities and wearing of the “C” by many fans in the area were both surprising and misguided.

Meszaros was a god-send for Philadelphia from the first game of the season.  Acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning for a draft pick last summer, many criticized Holmgren’s move at the time, citing his $4 million salary and the fact that he was on the Flyers’ third defensive pairing with newly-signed free agent Sean O’Donnell.

The 25-year-old native of Slovakia went on to have maybe his best season since his rookie year of 2005-06 with the Ottawa Senators.  Meszaros scored eight goals and 32 points, and was a +30, which tied him for the team lead with defenseman Matt Carle.

One of the key elements to his year, though, was his versatility.  With Pronger’s absences from the lineup, Meszaros was moved to play on different pairings for much of the year.  And he excelled in every setting.

He was also one of Philadelphia’s best players in the postseason, as Meszaros scored twice and recorded six points.

Betts had a disappointing season after a very solid 2009-10 campaign.  As this year progressed, Betts’ effectiveness in the faceoff circle waned, as did any type of offensive contribution from him and the entire fourth line (primarily with Darroll Powe and Jody Shelley).

As the Flyers’ players begin the healing process, the organization’s movers and shakers will assess what their course of action will be for the coming off-season.  Chances are, they will make a move between the end of the Stanley Cup Finals and the July 1st beginning of free agency.

If you have any comments or questions, you can email the author at dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com.  You can also follow him on Twitter – @David_Strehle

By David Strehle
NHL Hot Stove NHL / Philadelphia Flyers Correspondent

The Philadelphia Flyers’ history of failure in obtaining an elite netminder to patrol their crease for more than two decades has been well-documented here, as well as in many other articles by other authors.  I will not delve back into the organization’s sordid past regarding this issue.

My purpose is to explore the situation moving forward.

I would also like to make one thing perfectly clear, as I offer this DISCLAIMER:  I am NOT, in any way, shape, or form, placing the loss to the Boston Bruins in the 2011 Eastern Conference Semifinals strictly on the goaltending. For anyone to do so would be both foolish and erroneous.

Make sure to take the time to vote in the poll at the end of the article as to what your feelings are on the subject!

They were referred to as “Moe, Larry, and Curly” by the Buffalo media in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Sabres.

Who were the scribes referring to with that description?

Paul Bereswill / Getty Images North America

None other than the Flyers’ netminding triumvirate of Sergei Bobrovsky, Brian Boucher, and Michael Leighton.  The trio were the players on head coach Peter Laviolette’s “carousel of goalies” sideshow in the club’s recently-completed postseason.

There were seven goaltending changes made by Laviolette in the 11 playoff contests.  When going up against elite netminders of the caliber of the Sabres’ Ryan Miller and Boston’s Tim Thomas, that cannot bode well for your team’s chances.

As Philly’s goalies struggled with inconsistencies and Miller posted two 1-0 shutouts, a series that should have been in over in five or six contests was dragged into a deciding seventh game.

Thomas was almost inpenetrable in the second round, yielding just seven goals on 149 shots in the four-game sweep (.953 save percentage).

Moving forward it would be nice to see a Flyer goaltender steal a series like that, or even a couple of games in a seven-game set.

But who will be the one to man the Philadelphia crease when the 2011-12 season commences?

Bobrovsky

When asked to assess Bobrovsky’s chances at claiming the number one goaltending job next season, GM Paul Holmgren gave this comment in a press conference yesterday.

“I like Sergei a lot,” said Holmgren.  “I think he is a good kid, and a tremendously young goaltender in our league.  Could it be next year?  There was a time this year (when Bobrovsky was number one), so I think we just have to see how things play out over the summer.  But I am very excited about Sergei as a goaltender, and being a part of our organization.”

There is no doubt that Bobrovsky is the goaltender of the future in for the Flyers.  At times this season, as Holmgren pointed out, he was the number one guy.

At times, he looked to have some issues with his mechanics, dropping to the ice early too early and leaving much of the upper half of the net exposed for the shooters to take aim.

Bobrovsky’s regular season numbers were fantastic.  His 28-13-8 record, 2.59 goals-against average and .915 save percentage were all among the best season statistics by a Philadelphia rookie goaltender.

He seemed a bit overmatched in the postseason.  After a tremendous performance in his initial game, losing a 1-0 decision to Miller and the Sabres on a third period goal, Bobrovsky gave up three early tallies in game two and was pulled.

He was banished to the press box, while Leighton, who had played all of one NHL contest all season, made a return to the lineup as the team shuffled off to Buffalo for game three.

After Leighton faltered and was also given the yank by Laviolette, Bobrovsky came back into the fold.

The 22-year-old Russian finished the playoffs with an 0-2 record, with a 3.23 GAA and an .877 save percentage.

Bobrovsky did struggle down the stretch in the regular season and most of the postseason.  He did get the start in game four against the Bruins, and performed very well.  He kept the Flyers in the game well into the third period when his team was being soundly outplayed before finally faltering.

Bobrovsky’s early career pattern is somewhat following that of Pelle Lindbergh’s.  The Flyers’ Swedish legend made the all-rookie team in 1982-83 with a 23-13-3 record, but faltered badly in 1983-84.  He ended up splitting the year between the NHL and AHL.  Lindbergh then exploded with a 40-17-7 mark in 1984-85, winning the Vezina Trophy as the league’s best goalie and led Philadelphia to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Also, Lindbergh was actually a couple of years older than Bobrovsky is now when he began his NHL journey.  As goaltending coach Jeff Reese said on Monday, the young netminder is coming along nicely, but is realistically “probably 2-3 years away from being a workhorse.”  Bobrovsky will also need to work out and put some bulk onto his six-foot, two-inch, 190 pound frame.

But there is no doubt that the future is bright when it comes to the native of Novokuznetsk, Russia.

Leighton

Leighton has one year remaining on the two-year deal he signed as an unrestricted free agent last summer.  When it appeared he was the starter to open the season, Leighton had to undergo surgery to repair a bulging disc in his back.

This put him behind the other two netminders in every conceivable way, and in the two months Leighton missed, Bobrovsky had taken over the number one job.

Leighton saw action in only one NHL game all year – in a 7-4 victory over the Los Angeles Kings during the club’s late-December road trip.  He cleared re-entry waivers late in the regular season when the team was wavering down the stretch, a kind of insurance policy just in case.

Leighton played well in game five of the series against the Sabres in relief of Boucher, who had been pulled after yielding three soft goals.  Leighton stopped the final 18 shots of regulation and the first two he faced in overtime, before yielding the game-winner to Tyler Ennis on a juicy rebound of a Mike Weber point shot.

The irony is  that it was Leighton’s first NHL loss since game six of the Stanley Cup Finals to the Chicago Blackhawks in the deciding tilt in the – and it also came in a playoff overtime, on the exact same net as Patrick Kane’s Cup-winning sharp angle goal – 317 days after watching the ‘Hawks skate around the Wells Fargo Center ice with Lord Stanley.

He would get the game six start with Philadelphia trailing the series, 3-2.  In a contest that the Flyers had to win to avoid elimination, Leighton gave up three bad goals on Buffalo’s first eight shots and was pulled in favor of Boucher.

It may have been the last game that Leighton will play for the Flyers, depending on the course of action the club takes this off-season.

“I think Michael’s got to, with the hip surgery he needs, he’s got to be around here all summer, working with our medical staff and our training staff to get that strength and to get ready for training camp,” Holmgren said of Leighton, who will turn 30 years old late next week.

Backlund

As for Johan Backlund, another goalie who will be 30 over the summer and is also on a one-way contract for next season, Holmgren was quite clear about what he has to do.

“I think it’s a big summer for Johan to see where he fits in,” said Holmgren.  “He needs to come to training camp and basically try to win a job.”

Chances are that the Swede will not fit into the team’s plans and will be moved in some capacity.

Boucher

Boucher was the good soldier all year during the 2010-11 campaign, as he expected to be the opening night starter this season.  He instead sat and watched while Bobrovsky took the early-season reigns.  Boucher was solid when he played, managing an 18-10-4 record, with a 2.42 GAA and .916 save percentage.

Boucher was the lone Philly backstop to post a win in the playoffs.  After a series against Buffalo in which “Boosh” went 4-1 with a 2.10 GAA and .934 save percentage, he ended the postseason with a 4-4 record, with a 3.13 GAA and .904 save percentage.

When Boucher was told between the Buffalo and Boston series that “he was like the Rodney Dangerfield of hockey because he gets no respect”, the 34-year-old unrestricted free agent was a good sport.

“Yeah I guess if you want to say that, you can say that,” Boucher said.

Holmgren appreciated Boucher’s attitude and willingness to do whatever was asked of him during his entire two-year stay in his second tour of duty with the club.

“I think Brian had a tremendous year for us,” Holmgren said.  “I thought Brian, like a lot of guys in the playoffs, struggled with things.  We will see how that plays out.  I have not had my meeting with Brian.  I know he wants to continue playing, I know he likes it here, his family likes it here.  But, we’ll see.”

See how things play out over the summer?  Does that include attempting to acquire a top-flight goalie?

“I spent yesterday meeting with the players, and a little on the weekend meeting with the coaches about certain things,” the general-manager said.  “We will continue to process this over the next couple of weeks here.  There’s nothing we can do right now, but reflect and look at things, and come up with a game plan.”

Part of the group who will be in on the decision-making process will be Ed Snider.

“You know, the season’s not over and we’ll evaluate everything when the season is over,” said the Chairman of Comcast-Spectacor after game three against the Bruins.

The season is now a thing of the past for the Orange-and-Black, and an pro-active plan for the summer should help return the Flyers to where they need to be.

The Best of the Free Agent Crop – Vokoun and Bryzgalov

There is no doubt that picking up an elite-level netminder this off-season could be weighing heavily on how the team proceeds this summer – especially with two upper echelon being available via UFA in Tomas Vokoun and Ilya Bryzgalov.

Both goaltenders will be considered hot commodities when the open season for free agency hits on July 1st, and both are likely command a hefty asking price.

Vokoun will more probably be hard-pressed to find anyone who will offer the $5.7 million he made each year with the Florida Panthers on his previous deal.

Joel Auerbach/Getty Images North America

The six-foot, 195 pound native of the Czech Republic would be an upgrade to the number one spot.  Vokoun has played in 632 regular season games and is just below .500 for his career (262-267-41) with 44 shutouts, playing for the Nashville Predators and Panthers.

He recorded a career-high 36 wins in 2005-06, then signed the huge pact with Florida in 2007-08.  He has hit the 30-win mark just once (in his first year) while calling the Sunshine State home, but has picked up 23 shutouts in his four seasons with the Panthers.

The downsides to Voukoun are that he turns 35 in July, and has seen his numbers drop over the past few years.  As a matter of fact, his win totals have decreased in each of the past three years since the 30 posted in 2007-08 (30, 26, 23, 22).

Vokoun was just 45-56-16 with 13 shutouts over the past two campaigns.

Additionally, Vokoun has played in only 11 playoff games in his 11-year NHL career - all with Nashville - and gone 3-8 in the three first round exits.

It is noted that the teams that he has played for were not exactly powerhouses (by any stretch of the imagination), but he has only gotten his team to the postseason three times in 11 years, and none in the last four with Florida.

Kevin Coloton / Icon SMI

But by the same token, a rather average Phoenix team has had the best years since moving to the desert with Bryzgalov backstopping their efforts.  I cannot imagine anyone believing that the Coyotes would have enjoyed anywhere near the same amount of success with anyone other than Bryzgalov between the pipes.

Bryzgalov earned $4.25 million last year for the Phoenix Coyotes, and could be in line for a major windfall.  It remains to be seen how much stability - something the Russian-born netminder has not had with a franchise rumored to be leaving Phoenix for much of his tenure with the ‘Yotes – and a chance to play in a hockey-entrenched environment will play into Bryzgalov’s decision as to where he will choose to set up residence for the next several seasons.

The six-foot, three-inch, 210 pounder began his career as the backup to Jean-Sebastien Giguere with the Anaheim Ducks.  Bryzgalov always played well when called upon, and even posted a 3-1 mark along the way during Anaheim’s Stanley Cup-winning playoff run in 2007.

Just as Vokoun moved to South Florida in 2007, Bryzgalov also moved to another city that same year.  After being claimed off of waivers by Phoenix, he became the number one goalie with the Coyotes.

His 130-93-27 record and 21 shutouts in his four campaigns in Phoenix include an incredible 78-40-16 mark with 15 shutouts over the past two seasons.

Bryzgalov’s career record in the postseason is 12-13, and just 3-8 in the last two with the Coyotes.  But the two first round exits have some at the hands of the Detroit Red Wings – last season in a hard-fought seven game series, and this year a four-game sweep.  Bryzgalov did not play well this year, but was the sole factor in stretching the perennial playoff warriors from Hockeytown to seven games last season.

Add in the fact that Bryzgalov is Russian, and it would seem that he would be the perfect tutor to also bring Bobrovsky along in his development.  Many times it has been noted in the locker room that “Bob” doesn’t really bother with too many others since he doesn’t speak English.  He often looks very alienated, except for the company of his translator.  Having an all-Russian tandem may just pay further dividends than just what Bryzgalov would return during the tenure of his term, if signed by Philadelphia.

The Salary Cap

In order to make cap space for either of these goalies to be inked, Holmgren will likely have to move one of his mid-to-higher range paid forwards.

One option could be winger Scott Hartnell.

With two years left on a contract pays an annual salary of $4.2 million, Hartnell may find himself in the same situation as Simon Gagne did last summer.

Hartnell, like Gagne before him, has a no-trade clause in his contract.  But as Gagne’s state of affairs played out, Hartnell could also find the organization “asking” him to waive his clause and accept a trade to another club.

The 29-year-old rebounded from a horrendous 14-goal campaign in 2009-10 to score 24 this season.  His game actually started to come around during last year’s playoffs when made part of a line with Danny Briere and Ville Leino, as they formed the club’s most-productive line.

But Hartnell’s offensive production has been very inconsistent, and his knack for taking bad penalties at the worst-possible time crept back into his game.

Moving Hartnell’s salary for picks would be welcomed, as Holmgren does not have a first or second round selection in the 2011 draft.

Conclusion

While goaltending was not the only reason the Flyers were bounced out of the 2011 postseason, it also did not help to have the juggling act of who played and who sat.

Laviolette may have had a quick trigger finger, but he did the best that he could with what he had at his disposal.

With three good goalies that would most likely have been backups in more than 20 of the other NHL cities this year, the coach really didn’t have many options.

A true number one goaltender is a hallmark of the majority of teams that get to party with Lord Stanley during the summer.  For Philadelphia, they really have not had anyone fit that description since Ron Hextall’s rookie season of 1987, as he took the Flyers to within one victory of their first Cup since 1975.

With defensemen Chris Pronger and Kimmo Timonen heading into their late-30′s, the time is now for the franchise to make that commitment to winning the Stanley Cup now.

The best way to do that is to build from the net out, and Bryzgalov would look very good in Orange-and-Black.

Make sure to vote in the poll as to what your feelings are on the subject. If you would like to make your reasoning known, feel free to leave a comment with your explanation as to your choice.

If you have any comments or questions, you can email the author at dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com.  You can also follow him on Twitter – @David_Strehle

By David Strehle
NHL Hot Stove NHL / Philadelphia Flyers Correspondent

There were many contributing factors to the Philadelphia Flyers’ early exit from the 2011 postseason.  The stark contrast between the club’s 2010 playoff run and this year’s brief stay was that of night and day.

Copyright David Strehle 2010

Other than the team’s continued poor defensive zone coverage and much-publicized carousel of goalies situation, perhaps the biggest factor in Philadelphia’s premature departure was the absence of Chris Pronger from the Flyers’ lineup.

A dominating force in Philadelphia’s push to last year’s Stanley Cup Finals, Pronger endured an injury-ravaged 2010-11 campaign.

After seeing action in just 50 of the 82 regular season games due to three injuries that required surgeries at different points of the year, the team’s anchor defenseman saw limited playing time in just three of the Flyers’ 11 postseason tilts.

With Pronger’s vital physicality missing from the front of the Philadelphia net, opponents were able to expose the just-adequate Flyer goaltending.

Without the six-foot, six-inch, 220 pounder blocking shots and clearing the porch, there was not only an increase in shots that made it through to the Philadelphia net, but also a higher quality of scoring chances yielded.

Buffalo Sabres’ forward Tomas Vanek ran amok in the first round, scoring five goals in the seven-game series.  One of the big reasons was his ability to impose himself in front of the Flyers’ crease.  Vanek was an imovable object, and was able to deflect shots and get to numerous rebounds without a player of Pronger’s physical ability to clear him from the Philly netminders’ obstructed view.

The Boston Bruins experienced similar success, scoring on several deflections and rebounds as the mass of humanity in front of the Flyers’ goal left little visibility for Brian Boucher or Sergei Bobrovsky to get a clear view of the puck.

Pronger began the 2010-11 season on the shelf.  After spending much of the summer attempting to heal battle wounds from the team’s deep playoff run just months earlier, Pronger’s right knee required arthroscopic surgery just prior to the beginning of training camp.  He would miss the entire pre-season and the first two regular season games.

In December, Pronger went down with a broken bone in his right foot after blocking a shot in a contest against the Montreal Canadiens.  The resultant surgery would cost the hulking rear guard the next 13 games.

In a February 24th game against the New York Islanders, Pronger would again fall victim to injury after blocking a shot.  This time, he took a shot to the right hand / wrist area.  He would ice the affected area and continue to play, until succumbing and leaving the lineup after a March 8th victory over the Edmonton Oilers.  The break, undetected initially, would require surgical procedures to repair.

The intial hope was that he would be able to return on the last weekend of the season, but Pronger suffered a “setback” during rehab.  He would play a limited amount of time in the last two games of the Buffalo series and the first against the Boston Bruins.

“You just notice the impact that a guy like (Zdeno) Chara has on the other side, and when you don’t have your big guy in there,” said Philadelphia head coach Peter Laviolette.  “He (Pronger) plays the same style and the same way, you certainly miss him.”

Pronger returned with his club’s collective backs up against the wall.  Down 3-2 in the series and in Buffalo for game six, Pronger played 4:33 – all on the power play, which had been struggling mightily without him.  Philadelphia went 3-9 in the final two games on the power play, as the team won both contests to take the series.

“Just his presence back there and his shot opens up other things,” Laviolette pointed out.  ”He looked really strong in all situations.”

“Just to have him in the dressing room is something to benefit from,” said captain Mike Richards.  “The sense that he has been there before helps.  Whenever you have that type of presence that he has to have been through it all is nice to have.”

“Pronger on the power play definitely adds a calming effect out there,” said winger Scott Hartnell after the series.  “Even in game six where he only played four and a half minutes on the power play, you could really tell that we were getting things set up.  We were getting the shots that we wanted to from the one timers on either side of him.  The other team has to respect him; has to respect his shot, respect his play making ability and we are excited to have him play for a full series.”

But playing the entire series was not to be in the cards for Pronger.

As he was seeing increased ice time, Pronger was tripped awkwardly into the boards by Bruins’ forward Daniel Paille midway through the first period of  game one of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.  Pronger reportedly has either a bulging or herniated disc in his back, and a pulled hamstring.

There is no word yet if he will need off-season surgery to repair his disc problem.

“The year from hell is over,” Pronger said today via conference call.  “I started the season with a surgery and I’m going to end it probably, who knows, whether I get another one or not.  From an injury standpoint, it’s been the toughest year.  You start to get back and start feeling good, and another one crops up.”

“I don’t know if it’s (back) to that point or not (surgery),” Pronger added.  “I’ve got to see what the doctors see, what their recommendations are, and then weigh the pros and cons to whatever it is that we decide to do, and go from there.”

With another staple on the Philadelphia blue line, Kimmo Timonen, also at 36 years of age, the Flyers’ window of opportunity could be closing on making a drive for another Cup championship - a drought that is now at 36 years and counting.

GM Paul Holmgren, who brought in Andrej Meszaros and Sean O’Donnell last summer to make the club’s defense more viable, may have his work cut out for him again at the position during this off-season.

“Our guys as a group, I don’t think, raised their game enough to be able to beat Boston in this series,” Holmgren said after the four game sweep.  ”Would we have liked to have Chris (Pronger)?  Yeah, but the other guys, I know four of those guys have a lot of playoff experience and I don’t think as a group they played the way we needed them to play.”

O’Donnell, who will turn 40 as the new season begins, is an unrestricted free agent and it is doubtful that he will return.  After a strong start as Meszaros’ partner, O’Donnell struggled for the last two months.

Some insurance will also be necessary in case Pronger isn’t ready to be the assertive leader of the team’s defensive corps when the new campaign is set to start.

Pronger’s hand is still bothering him.

“My hand is still at a stage where I need to continue to work on it and get it stronger,” the blue liner said.  “It was to the point where I could play, but I still don’t have a lot of grip strength, still don’t have a full range of motion, and all the rest of that.”

“Hopefully a good summer of training and rehab on the various issues that I’ve had this year will rectify all those, and I can come into camp next year in a lot better shape, a lot healthier, and able to hopefully play 82 games next year,” Pronger said today.

But is that a realistic hope, especially after a lost year such as this?

One has to wonder about the cumulative toll that the absorption of the wear and tear of 1,154 regular season and 173 playoff contests has had on Pronger’s 36-year-old body.

Not only with the sheer volume of games, but also the consideration of how many minutes Pronger has logged – the majority of his postseason contests have been in excess of 30 minutes of ice time, and upwards of 40 minutes in his days with the St. Louis Blues – and the physical nature in which he has competed in those battles.

With six seasons left on a 35+ contract worth in excess of $4.9 million annually, will Pronger’s body hold up to play the remainder?

For the time being, the Flyers have to hope that Pronger can rebound with a healthy 2011-12 season.  It seems that his well-being and ability to play at the level expected are directly proportional to the success that Philadelphia will eventually acheive.

If you have any comments or questions, you can email the author at dstrehle@nhlhotstove.com.  You can also follow him on Twitter – @David_Strehle