I was off by one game on my team being eliminated by the Penguins. Losing in game six is only bad when it happens in Philadelphia. The forums will filled with the usual invective: trade Briere, ditch Knuble, don’t sign Biron. I may not have watched them much this season but I defer to the current Philly reporter watching them. This team has a decent core. It needs some adjustment yet nothing radical such as firing the coach (not for another season), trading away the stronger vets or burning (owner) Ed Snider’s house to the ground. They ran out of gas in the last few weeks and they never really got going in the playoffs. They were outplayed by the Penguins and I stand by what I politely posted on the forum; the Flyers are their own worst enemy. Well…I did throw a smack at a Pens fans replying that Crosby didn’t own the Flyers, more like Gary Bettman, the lousy commissioner who will do whatever it takes to engineer a Pittsburgh or Washington victory.
The real objective this off season is getting a couple decent defensemen. How? I’m not the general manager and I’m glad, the Flyers are up against the salary cap, again. My only suggestion is to deal Niitymaki to assure Biron he’s the number on goalie this season. Then get those defensemen in exchange for Niitymaki, a couple forwards we can spare (Gagne, Briere, Knuble, Carter and Richards are off limits) and tell Biron he has the help but if he can’t be consistent, count on a mid-season trade. I’m confident Boucher is looking for a number one spot.
Now will the Sharks let me down while they battle from behind against the Ducks? I hope not. That reminds me, my friend the Red Wings fan needs to be reminded about his team taking in Bertuzzi while he talks smack about the Sharks having (Claude) Lemieux. Lemieux may have done the dirty hit everyone remembers in the Red Wings-Avalanche game but no one’s neck was broken.
Even if my number two team loses. I have 157 days to go before my city’s AHL team gets started in its first season.