As soon as the Bruins knocked the Flyers out in Game Four of the semi-finals this Spring, Flyers’ management fired the blamethrower at the team’s three goalies. Never mind the piss-poor efforts with the forwards. Never mind Chris Pronger being injured (he’s key to powerplays). Never mind the Flyers still suffering from tardiness: the game starts at 7:30 PM, they tend to ‘show up’ at 8 PM.
There were rumors about GM Holmgren rebuilding the offensive core around Van Riemsdyk and someone else (can’t remember the article). So Carter and Richards wouldn’t be the focus anymore, thus one would be traded to free up the cap space to waste on a goalie. Never mind that last year’s Cup proved how big-name goalies didn’t matter. Never mind the outcome this year too.
But I’m rather surprised Holmgren ditched both to rather mediocre teams. Carter won’t save the Blue Jackets from the financial woes, Columbus, OH is part of Northern Virginia-Kentucky in numerous ways. Richards will have a great time in LA for everything outside of hockey.
I am not shocked about how much the Flyers have overpaid to get this Bryzgalov joker. Being saddled with him for nine years is going to hurt should he morph into Cechmanek, another Eastern European who proved to be a waste of money. It seems Holmgren may be caught up in his own Filter Bubble since he must be ignorant about Luongo’s meltdown when the Canucks needed him most.
It’s too early to tell how far this squad will go. I’m waiting until camp around September.