Jonathan Bernier would be a good fit in Edmonton (Ric Tapia/Icon SMI)

With the Philadelphia Flyers seemingly waiting for the Stanley Cup Finals to conclude to amnesty Ilya Bryzgalov and his out-of-this-world contract, a question that has been asked far too often since Ron Hextall retired in 1999 is surfacing yet again: who will start in goal next season?

As always is the case, there are a few options the Flyers have in replacing Ilya Bryzgalov. Assuming the Russian will be packing his bags in the coming weeks, Philadelphia could either stay in-house or look to the open market to solve their goaltending woes.

So which goaltenders are options to start in net for the Flyers in the 2013-14 season?

Steve Mason

The most likely option in net currently resides in Philadelphia. In the final weeks of the season, Mason had some brilliant performances after being shipped to Philly from Columbus at the trade deadline. At 25 years of age, Mason, arguably, has his best years ahead of him. A former Rookie of the Year in Columbus, Mason compiled a 2.59 goals against average with a .916 save percentage in 20 games last season.

Strengthening his case to be the starter is the fact that he seems very comfortable in Philadelphia. There were numerous times towards the end of the season when Mason expressed his appreciation for the Flyers’ goalie coach and how Jeff Reese helped him make some key adjustments that he lost sight of in Columbus. With a full offseason of those two working together, it will be very interesting to see how well Mason develops.

The Flyers gave up on a young Sergei Bobrovsky because they were tied down with Bryzgalov – and we all know how that’s turned out so far. Now they have another opportunity to hand the reigns over to a goalie on the rise.

Jonathan Bernier

The hottest name around the rumor mill, Bernier has unfortunately hit a roadblock otherwise known as Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Jonathan Quick. In order to land Bernier, though, the Flyers will need to ship away one of their top young forwards in Matt Read, Brayden Schenn or Sean Couturier.

But trading one of them for Bernier may be the answer to an otherwise never-ending problem.

This season, the 24-year old went 9-3-1 with a 1.87 goals against average mark and a .922 save percentage. The only problem with trading for Bernier is that there’s still a lot to be learned about him. It’s always a risk trading a proven player for someone who has that big “P” word attached to his name: potential.

Yet, that might be what the Flyers need to do at this point. Two offseasons ago, Philadelphia went with what they thought was a sure-bet in Bryzgalov. That turned out disastrous. Perhaps it’s time to go young and take a high-risk, high-reward approach with Bernier. Additionally, if they did acquire Bernier, Mason would revert to being the backup. Having a former Rookie of the Year as your insurance option is definitely reassuring.

Roberto Luongo

Bringing Luongo to Philadelphia would definitely cause some groans from Flyers fans. Despite being the best goalie in the league when he was at the top of his game, acquiring Luongo would be a huge risk. First, there’s the problem with his age. At 34-years old, the former first-round pick in 1997 probably doesn’t have many great seasons left in the tank.

Then there’s his playoff struggles. And for anyone who knows anything about sports, there may not be any city that is hungrier for a Stanley Cup than Philadelphia. Having someone in net who has choked away playoff games in the past would not be welcomed by the fans.

If the Flyers were to trade for Luongo, they would be banking on him being a stud in the regular season, as he has been for the most part of his career. It’s the playoff concerns that make Luongo a shaky option, especially when there are younger goaltenders available with a higher ceiling. Like with Bernier, the Flyers would need to trade someone like Brayden Schenn to acquire Luongo and his high price tag.

Would that be worth it when that same trade could land Bernier?

Tim Thomas

I can’t believe I’m speculating Thomas as a legitimate option for the Flyers next season, but Randy Miller of The Courier Post tweeted a few months ago that Thomas is rumored to want to play for Philadelphia next season.

Do Philadelphia fans really want a 39-year old goalie who took a year off to be their starter?

No thanks. I’d rather have a 48-year old Dominik Hasek join the team.

Halak was injured last season, which allowed Elliott to take over in net (Icon SMI)

Jaroslav Halak

Buffalo seems content with moving on from Ryan Miller. St. Louis, surprisingly, could be a team interested in the services of Miller. Despite having two quality goaltenders, the Blues might be moving on from Halak.

After reported altercations with head coach Ken Hitchcock, Halak could soon be on his way out. At 28-years old, Halak has been a reliable goalie with the Blues, which included a fantastic 2011-12 season in which he posted a 26-12 record with a 1.97 goals against average and .926 save percentage.

He won’t draw the biggest headline as someone like Roberto Luongo or the excitement that adding Jonathan Bernier would bring, but he may be the safest bet out of everyone mentioned in this article.

He still has a bright future in this league and he’s proven to be a bonafide starter in net.

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Kyle Phillippi

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

All thoughts and opinions regarding Bryzgalov’s “charisma” aside, the Flyers are faced with a difficult decision between hanging onto the soon-to-be 33-year old goaltender or buying him out.

It sounds tacky and clichéd, but there are pros and cons to either of these decisions.

Ilya Bryzgalov’s “colorful” personality could push him out the door in Philadelphia. (Tom Turk/THW)

The Pros

 1.   Buying Out Bryzgalov will Save the Flyers Cap Space 

Bryzgalov signed his now far too familiar nine-year, $51 million deal with the Flyers in the summer of 2011. Presumably, the investment was worth the steep price. The Boston Bruins had just swept the Flyers after a carousel of goaltenders (Brian Boucher, Sergei Bobrovsky, & Michael Leighton) each sprouted swiss-cheese holes in the playoffs.

Bryzgalov’s track record of phenomenal numbers on a team that lacked “mainstream” talent seemed to indicate the more offensively potent Flyers could be an aid to the Russian goaltender.

Two seasons gone in the deal, Bryzgalov has stooped to levels of mediocrity and, at times, below. An abysmal first season aided only by one of the most potent offenses in the East was just marginally worse than Bryzgalov’s 2013 season that ended short of the playoffs.

However, while his play on the ice improved, his relationship with the media did not. It might be what ends up driving him out the door.

Bryzgalov is slated to be an $5.66 million cap hit to the Flyers in 2013-2014. Under buyout rules in the new CBA, Bryzgalov would receive two-thirds of his remaining salary (he’s due to make $8 million in salary in 2013-2014), but none of that would count against the Flyers’ cap should they amnesty the goalie.

With that cap hit off the books, it would give the Flyers some flexibility to get creative via trades, free agency, the draft, or some combination of the three that general manager Paul Holmgren has kept under wraps.

 2.   The Media Can Stop the Bryzgalov Bash

As previously stated, it may stun you to know that Bryzgalov made himself a proverbial bulls-eye to the already feasting Philadelphia sportswriters.

There are many plausible arguments on both sides of this “war.” It is undeniable that the media roasted Bryzgalov for his eclectic ways of answering questions, ranging from astronomy to being scared of bears, etc.

By the same token, Bryzgalov did not do himself any favors throughout his time to date in Philadelphia. Look no further than pre-emptively stating his own benching for the 2012 Winter Classic, a game the Flyers lost after blowing a 2-0 second period lead.

One way or the other, getting rid of the source for this war of words would allow head coach Peter Laviolette and the Flyers’ team as a whole to be able to answer other negatively worded questions (I.E. where on Earth are you going to find suitable NHL defensemen?).

3.   Buying Out Bryzgalov Shows the Fans they Understand Change is Needed

There’s no denying that it will take far more moves than the supposed inevitable buyout of Danny Briere and the potential Bryzgalov buyout to turn the Flyers back into perennial Cup contenders.

The team is littered with forward talent. Claude Giroux has entered his prime, and Jake Voracek is hard on his heels in that regard. Wayne Simmonds and Scott Hartnell are locked up long-term as net-front presences.

However, youngsters Brayden Schenn, Sean Couturier, and Matt Read continue to be subject of rumors, and their erratic levels of play make them hard to judge on the market.

Defensively, the blue line is battered, old, inexperienced, or some combination of those.  Names like Oliver Lauridsen, Brandon Manning, and Matt Konan were seeing extended minutes by season’s end.

What does this all of this have to do with Bryzgalov? The Flyers clearly need to re-invigorate the franchise, and it’s going to take multiple players and a style change to accommodate it. With Bryz off the books, the money and the lower stress levels available to them will make addressing these other areas the top priority.

The Cons

 1.   It Shows the Fanbase Bryzgalov Sent the Franchise in Reverse

But didn’t you just say the Flyers would be giving the fanbase positive vibes by ridding themselves of Bryzgalov?

Yes. However, let’s not forget the city and the market we are dealing with here. Philadelphia is a top-five sports market in the country. The Flyers have missed the playoffs only twice since 1994.

The term “rebuilding” is mutinous in Philadelphia vocabulary. The fans’ overriding passion, while a great asset when the team is riding high (see 2010), is perhaps the franchise’s worst enemy in times like this.

The buyout of Bryzgalov, should it occur, would tell the fans, in no uncertain terms, that the Bryzgalov experiment was a huge mistake and now everyone might have to pay for it. In a city where unruly fans clash with the ironic title of “City of Brotherly Love,” two buyouts may be seen as signs of weakness.

 2.   The Flyers will Probably have an Inexperienced Starting Goalie in October

Buying out Bryzgalov certainly is a tougher decision given the uncertainty behind the veteran in the nets for Philadelphia. Steve Mason, while very good in his short stint with the Flyers since being acquired at the trade deadline, remains a Jekyll & Hyde player in his development.

The 25-year-old Mason, once upon a time, won a Calder Trophy for his 33-win rookie season of 2008-2009 with Columbus. Among those 33 wins were an NHL-best 10 shutouts His performance propelled the Jackets to their first playoff berth.

Since that special season, though, not much has gone well. The parallels between Mason and Andrew Raycroft have been noted. Both goalies stormed into the league with Calder seasons (while wearing the same jersey number #1, for those who like those coincidences) before sudden downfalls ate at their effectiveness.

Mason’s 1.90 goals-against average and .944 save percentage in seven appearances with the orange and black do present an interesting, albeit small sample size. Optimists will tell you the change of scenery is just what the right-gloved goalie needed.

However, his combined 60 wins in three full seasons since his stellar rookie year show that his career has trended downward. Whether his month-long stint in Philadelphia is a career turning point remains to be seen.

Jonathan Bernier will draw plenty of interest league wide in the offseason. (Ric Tapia/Icon SMI)

Goalies will also be hard to come by via trade and the free agent market. Murmurs indicate the Flyers might have interest in Kings’ backup Jonathan Bernier. However, as Tampa Bay learned with Anders Lindback, touted young goaltenders do not always pan out when handed a starting job.

3.   If the Flyers Amnesty Bryzgalov & Presumably Danny Briere, They’d Have No Buyouts Available in 2014

This last negative is contingent upon the now common knowledge that the Flyers are strongly considering buying out Danny Briere.

Briere is slated to have a cap hit of $6.5 million in the final two seasons of his eight-year contract. While his salary is just $5 million combined over the next two years, the cap hit makes Briere expendable.

Should the Flyers amnesty Briere as well as Bryzgalov, this presents a peculiar situation.

If the Flyers were to have another subpar season in 2013-2014 with underperforming players, they would be stuck with every player under contract in 2014-2015 unless they dealt players via trade.

It’s a high-risk, potentially high-reward maneuver to use both available amnesties, but given the woeful contracts of Briere and Bryzgalov, it might be the Flyers’ only option.

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Ryan Smith

Ryan Smith is a senior at Penn State University majoring in broadcast journalism. His experience in hockey is extensive, having covered PSU Men's ice hockey for USCHO.com as an Arena Reporter this past season while also serving as Penn State Athletics' voice of women's ice hockey home games. He is also the sports director for Penn State's ComRadio, a student based radio station endorsed by the College of Communications. In that position, he has broadcasted Penn State hockey since his sophomore year. He can be followed on Twitter @RyanSmithHockey.

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This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

In 2011, the Winnipeg Jets returned to the NHL after relocating from Atlanta.  The buzz surrounding the team was almost palpable.  Having struggled through many years of piss-poor management, lackluster attendance, and atrocious team results, Atlanta surrendered the reigns to True North Sports and Entertainment to bring the team back to Canada.

At the draft, general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff selected Mark Scheifele as their honorary 1st pick since 1996.  Another player they were pining for was defenseman, Zachary Yuen.  The Jets decided to move up in the draft by trading a 5th and a 7th round pick for a 4th round pick (119th overall) to select Yuen.  After coming off an impressive season with the WHL’s Tri-City Americans, it looked like Winnipeg wouldn’t rush him, let him develop in juniors, and sign him when he was willing to make the next step to the professional level.

Zach Yuen (Shoot the Breeze Photography)

Two years later, the Winnipeg Jets don’t have their 4th, 5th, or 7th round picks from 2011.  Zach Yuen was released by the team and was never able to come to a contract agreement.  He no longer has a team and finds himself in the same position he was in two years ago.  But there is hope.

Since he was not signed by Winnipeg to an entry-level contract with him by 4:00pm on July 1st, Yuen will be re-entered into the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.  The Philadelphia Flyers should take notice.

Zach Yuen Overview

Yuen’s inclusion in this year’s NHL draft has just upgraded the quality of defensemen able to be selected.  He’s a prolific two-way defenseman with some of the most fluid skating you’ve ever seen.  Growing up, he was a figure skater, so his edge-work, agility, and explosiveness are nearly flawless.

A distinguished player in his own end, you likely won’t notice him much in the defensive zone, which tends to be a good thing.  He plays a simple style of hockey and with very little mistakes.  Yuen doesn’t rush the puck up ice, but his transition game is very apparent. He makes smart plays, not flashy ones.

Physicality is an aspect every defenseman should have in their repertoire.  Yuen’s game boasts it.  With his positional play, separating a player from the puck doesn’t take much.  His board play stands out and will entertain throwing some fisticuffs (seen below):

His defensive positioning and awareness has been his backbone.  Leading up to the 2011 draft, the term “shutdown defenseman” was being thrown around in regards to his style.  But it seems his offensive game has rounded out just as well.

In an interview conducted by Neate Sager of Buzzing the Net, Yuen mentioned his biggest asset was his “two-way game. I think I’m an all-around defenceman who can do a bit of shutting down other teams’ top lines. I can rush the puck well and move the puck well.”

Zach has a heavy shot from the point (and more importantly, accurate).  He can run a powerplay, if need be.  His passing is crisp and his hockey IQ is through the roof.  The Winnipeg Jets could have made a very bad decision by letting him go.

A 6’0″, 205 lbs defenseman is not prototypical in today’s NHL.  However, Zach shows all the signs that he will be a capable defenseman at the next level.  This is a pretty bad scenario for the Jets, but a potentially key acquisition for general managers in desperate need of a matured, technically sound, efficient blueliner.  Which should get a general manager like Paul Holmgren very intrigued…

***

Why are the Philadelphia Flyers a good fit?

If you followed the Philadelphia Flyers this past season, you’d know that the media and Bryzgalov are best of friends.  (Hint: sarcasm)

Zachary Yuen (Shoot the Breeze Photography)

The team missed out on the playoffs for the first time since the 2006-07 season, and – for once – it wasn’t the goalies’ fault.  The defense was the utter downfall of the team this go around.  There was no cohesiveness, countless turnovers, lack of identity, no communication……the list goes on and on.

It isn’t often that the Flyers find themselves with all of their draft picks in the first three rounds.  Paul Holmgren trades more top picks than Raffi Torres receives Shanabans.  And with this being a solid draft for defensemen, it would behoove Holmgren to maybe take a stab at a potential steal.

Yuen, who was originally drafted in the 4th round, has shown great strides in his time with the Tri-City Americans and is on the cusp of playing between the AHL and the NHL.

“My goal is to make the jump to the professional level next season.  I will strive to continually improve in order to ensure that I have given myself every opportunity to do so.  My impression of the AHL is that it is one of the best developmental leagues.  Many of the best players today have gone through this league,” Yuen said to me in an interview I did with him early in the 2012-13 WHL season.

There may be a learning curve, but his game is such that it won’t take long to adjust.  With the experience of four seasons in the WHL and the skills that he brings, Zach can easily be a 3rd round pick.  I’d even venture to say he might be selected in the 2nd round.

***

For Zachary Yuen, he’s getting a second chance to get picked by a team who wants him and needs his services.  For the Philadelphia Flyers, they are getting a second chance at a defensive prospect who can immediately impact their team.

With the words of Eminem in mind, this opportunity comes once in a lifetime.  Unless you’re the Philadelphia Flyers or Zachary Yuen.

Follow Shawn Reznik on Twitter: @ShawnTHW

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Shawn Reznik

Shawn started at The Hockey Writers in 2011 covering junior hockey/NCAA/European leagues for the site. In 2013, he became the Lead Writer for the Philadelphia Flyers. For any questions or comments, feel free to contact Shawn by email: shawn.a.reznik@gmail.com.

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This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

This week marked the 26^th anniversary of one of the biggest goals in Philadelphia Flyers history; a moment so incredible that the locals still believe the streets of Broad and Pattison have never been louder for an indoor sporting event.  That goal – which is No. 3 on the list – left me pondering what other playoff finishes are synonymous with Flyers hockey.  After careful consideration, I made a list of what I believe are the 10 greatest goals the franchise has seen since its inception in 1967 – whether it’s because of their significance, their heroics, or their wow-factor.

10 – Ron Hextall Does It Again

During his third season, goaltender Ron Hextall became the first at his position to ever score what he called a “true goal”, when he sent a well positioned puck down the length of the ice and into an empty net to seal a 5-2 win over the Boston Bruins.  The following year he did it again, the same way, but this time in the postseason during Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Washington Capitals.  Hextall once again put his name in the record books, becoming the first goaltender to achieve the feat in the playoffs and although it wasn’t quite as memorable as the first, it’s certainly one of the more fun postseason goals in franchise history.

9 – Joffrey Lupul’s Overtime Game Seven Winner

Philadelphia really wasn’t sure what to expect from its beloved Flyers during the 2007-08 campaign.  After failing to qualify for the playoffs the year before – one of the worst seasons in franchise history – it was anyone’s guess just how the retooled team would finish the year.  All the new faces helped lead the Flyers to a first round matchup with the Capitals and after six hard fought games, the series shifted back to our nation’s capital for Game 7.  But it would take more than regulation time to decide this one. Just over six minutes into the extra stanza, Joffrey Lupul grabbed the rebound from a Kimmo Timonen shot and put it past Washington goaltender Cristobal Huet to help the Flyers advance to the second round.

8 – Simon Gagne Completes the Comeback

It might not have been the most flashy postseason goal in franchise history, but Simon Gagne’s goal midway through the third period not only erased a 0-3 first period deficit, it also erased a 0-3 series deficit and helped the Flyers become one of the only teams to win the last four games when facing elimination.   It was a simple wrist shot thanks to a juicy Tuukka Rask rebound but the celebration it caused was unprecedented – giving the city hope for a third Stanley Cup.  That never happened but this series was a nice consolation prize and this game in particular was the greatest I’ve seen in my lifetime.

7 – Eric Lindros’ Last Minute Heroics

The 1997 Eastern Conference Finals between the Flyers and New York Rangers had it all – superstars, quality goaltending and a heated rivalry.  Game 4 was big for the Rangers, trailing 2-1 in the series and with the game tied at 2-2, it appeared to be heading to overtime.  Nobody told that to Eric Lindros, however.  “Big E” received a dish with just seven seconds left in regulation and beat Rangers goaltender Mike Richter with a backhanded shot to stun the Rangers.  Anytime it’s against a division rival, it’s all the more sweet, though that feeling didn’t last too long once the Flyers advanced to the finals.

6 – Gary Dornhoefer’s Overtime Game-Winner Against Minnesota

It’s difficult to see a Flyers highlight reel, whether it be on television or on the jumbotron, and not see Gary Dornhoefer’s classic 1973 goal in the first round of the playoffs against the Minnesota North Stars.  The franchise had never won a series up to that point but that was all about to change – and Dornhoefer’s overtime-winner was a big reason why.  The unlikely hero skated down the ice alone, avoided the goaltender and scored right before falling to give Philadelphia a 3-1 series lead.  It was an image that stood out so much in the hearts and minds of the city that a statue was erected outside of the Spectrum to pay homage to one of the team’s more important goals.  Though the Flyers would fail to win the Stanley Cup, that goal was the one that kick started their winning ways in the 1970s.

5 – Simon Gagne’s Overtime Winner Forces Eastern Conference Finals Game 7

It was Game 6 of the 2004 Eastern Conference Finals and with the Flyers trailing the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3 late in regulation, it appeared as though Philadelphia was headed for the golf course instead of the Stanley Cup Finals.  But then Keith Primeau tied it up with less than two minutes left to play and suddenly the team, the building, the city, had juice.  The overtime period was back-and-forth until yet again, with less than two minutes left in the first overtime, Flyers left winger Simon Gagne buried a pass from Primeau to send 20,000 orange-wearing fanatics into a frenzy.  I won’t mention Game 7 and how that turned out.

4 – Keith Primeau’s Game-Winning Goal in Five-Overtime Thriller

While most of Pennsylvania was asleep, the Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins played late into the morning, five overtime periods to be exact, in the hopes of finding a winner for Game 3 of their 2000 Eastern Conference Semifinal series.  It has become lore that the team not only finished off their post game pizzas during the intermission, but also ran out of Gatorade due to dehydration.  In the end though it was Primeau who pulled of a beautiful dangle before shooting a laser of a wrist shot past Penguins goaltender Ron Tugnutt to put the game to bed.  It was a turning point for the Flyers who eventually came back to win the series after being down two games to none.

Only two games in 1933 and 1936 can boast being longer but not too many have a more exciting finish.

3 – J.J. Daigneault Pushes a Dynasty to the Brink

The year was 1987.  The Flyers were battling a dynasty in the Edmonton Oilers and were a huge underdog, but the scrappy team wasn’t about to go down – at least not without a fight.  And that’s exactly what happened.  Trailing late in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals, the Flyers tied it up late in regulation thanks to a goal from Brian Propp.  Just 84 seconds later, defenseman J.J. Daigneault stepped up to a puck at the blueline and boomed it past Oiler’s goaltender Grant Fuhr.  The building was loud, maybe even deafening as it celebrated the team’s most memorable play of the 1980s.

2 – “Bobby Clarke Scores!”

The “Big, Bad” Boston Bruins were favored to win yet another Stanley Cup in 1974 and with Philadelphia trailing 1-0 in the series, Game 2 was as close to must-win as it gets without facing elimination.  Tied 2-2 in overtime, it was time for Flyers captain Bobby Clarke to take matters in his own hands.  Clarke received a pass in front of the net and quickly fired a shot – but was denied.  The rebound popped right back to No. 16 and he forced it home, jumping up and down immediately after doing so.  The goal was the turning point in the series, as the Flyers rattled off two more wins in a row and eventually hoisted the franchise’s first Stanley Cup.  The call Flyers announcer Gene Hart made was legendary and still gives me goosebumps.

1 – Jeremy Roenick Takes Out the Maple Leafs

With the attention on injured Flyers winger-turned-defenseman Sami Kapanen, Jeremy Roenick hopped onto the ice and what happened next was simply amazing.  Philadelphia led the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 and was on the road in a series that had become vicious.  The score was knotted at two with 13 minutes left in overtime at which point Kapanen was decked and left shaken and injured.  As he slowly hobbled back to the bench, with television cameras focused on him, Roenick stepped onto the ice.  Toronto had the puck in the Flyers zone but a quick outlet pass started Roenick up the ice at which point he fired a wrist shot that blew past goaltender Ed Belfour.  Immediately he celebrated by running along the ice.  The ending was epic, the celebration was epic and Jim Jackson’s call was epic.  Any die hard Flyers fan can tell you just where he or she was when that goal reached the back of the net.

.

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Ed Miller

Ed is a die hard sports fan from Philadelphia who follows all of the city's local teams. He has written for a number of print and internet media sources and is a hockey junky. When he is not watching a game, he is spitting out useless trivia knowledge, or upholding his title as movie quote extraordinaire. You can follow Ed on Twitter @PhillyEdMiller.

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

With the Flyers leading the Montreal Canadians 3-1 in the series and trailing 1-0 early in the opening period, then-Philadelphia captain Mike Richards epitomized everything a hockey player stands for: toughness, skill and determination.

All of this occurred in less than 30 seconds:

On the penalty kill, the Flyers couldn’t afford to go down 2-0 with a golden opportunity to end the series on home ice. With around 1:15 on the powerplay, Marc Andre-Bergeron received the puck at the top of the point.  By the time he lifted his head up to send it back down, he was met with Richards’ left forearm before being lifted off the ice and toppling onto his back.

Richards’ crushing blow on Bergeron allowed Claude Giroux to advance the puck on a 3-on-1 fastbreak. The future captain passed it to Richards who proceeded to hit the trailing defenseman, Braydon Coburn. His shot was deflected after a big save by Jaroslav Halak that deflected right back out to give Montreal a rush of their own.

Seconds after delivering a beautiful pass, Richards began hunting down Bergeron, who was looking to make a play after being barreled over by the Flyers captain. Right before he was about to cross the Flyers’ blue line, Richards’ stick lift and then chop slowed the puck carrier down just enough for Coburn to deliver yet another massive hit on Bergeron.

With the puck in the corner of the Flyers’ zone, Giroux was able to dig the puck out and then flip it out to center ice where a streaking Richards entered a foot race with Roman Hamrlik for the loose puck.

The two were neck-and-neck as the puck crossed into Montreal’s zone. With the two even, Halak felt it necessary to take matters into his own hands. The goaltender bolted out of his net in anticipation of winning the race to the puck.

The only way Halak would lose that race is if Richards somehow dove headfirst…

And that’s exactly what No. 18 did.

Evenly positioned with Hamrlik and knowing Halak had a beat on him, Richards did his best Pete Rose impersonation and dove head-on as he swung at the puck with his outstretched stick. In the process, Richards upended Hamrlik, taking his feet out from under him, while Halak decided to get in on the action and dive straight into the pile for the puck.

It was a three-car crash that saw Richards come out unscathed.

Appearing as if he just got himself together, Richards hopped back up to his feet as Hamrlik and Halak lay helplessly on the ice staring back at a gaping empty net behind them.

Richards gained possession of the puck just outside of the goalie-less crease with nothing in his way. With his back turned to the red line and the fans banging on the glass, the forward used his backhand to slide the puck into the empty net, tying the game at 1 and sending the arena into elation.

From that point on, Philadelphia would go on score two more unanswered goals before winning the game, 4-2, and advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Richards’ goal was hardly the highlight. It was simply icing on the cake. His toughness is what started the play, his skill was spotlighted on the backcheck, and his determination was put front-and-center as he went belly-first into two opposing players simply to reach the puck.

“The Shift” will forever live on in Flyers’ lore.

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Kyle Phillippi

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.

The Ilya Bryzgalov saga, unlike that of Star Wars, has been drawn out way too long. At this point, despite being just two years removed from signing with the Philadelphia Flyers, Bryzgalov has overstayed his welcome.

It’s been a rough go in Philadelphia for Bryz (Charles LeClaire-US PRESSWIRE)

The majority of fans feel this way. Even some experts are in agreement. Heck, it even appears Bryzgalov wants out.

What does ownership think, though?

The answer to that question has been answered rather vaguely. Actually, ownership has been nothing but a contradiction when discussing Bryzgalov. Why is that?

Well, unfortunately, no one in the front office wants to take blame for the Bryz-aster because the repercussions could be costly. Who knows what the backlash could be from frustrated Flyers fans.

Looking back on the signing, it’s a really cloudy situation as to who played the biggest part in bringing in the former Phoenix Coyote. Originally, Ed Snider appeared to be the ring leader behind the move. In a story published by Frank Seravelli in The Daily News, Snider goes on the record as to saying, “I was part of making it happen.” The article also notes that Snider personally sent his private jet to pick up Bryzgalov before meeting with the free agent. In that meeting, Snider apparently felt the Russian “was intelligent, fun to be around.”

Yet, recently Snider has backtracked and is apparently trying to cover his tracks. In an interview published in The Courier Post, Snider made a very interesting remark as he seeks to keep his spotless image intact.

“First of all, I didn’t pick Bryz. That’s not my job,” he told Randy Miller.

Hmm.

So he either was the catalyst in bringing Brzygalov to Philly. Or he wasn’t. That seems like a, for lack of a better term, “humongous big” lie.

(Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports)

Read it however you want, but it seems what happened is that Snider was, indeed, the driver behind the wheel in the negotiations two years ago. He was so jubilated in finally bringing a prized goaltender to Philadelphia so he wanted everyone to know it was him, not Paul Holmgren, who made the call on Bryzgalov. When you bring in one of the best goalies in the West and the biggest free agent that offseason, nothing can go wrong (or so they thought). So why wouldn’t Snider want to put himself out there as the engineer behind it all?

Things went downhill in a flash. From his 24/7 comedic relief to his underachieving play all the way to his postgame comments, Bryzgalov became the scapegoat for their struggles.

Flyers chairman Ed Snider (cr: Comcast-Spectacor PR)

When all of that came to fruition, Snider had no choice but to play it cool and tell the reporters he had nothing to do with bringing in Bryz. He chose to redirect the fire back at everyone else, thinking fans would have forgotten his remarks from two years ago.

Yet, his words have come back to bite him.

At the time, not many fans questioned Snider for reeling in Bryzgalov. He was the best option and the Flyers went out and threw the biggest dollar figure his way. In hindsight, it wasn’t a smart signing.

But that’s not the problem with this situation. It’s how management, specifically Snider, doesn’t own up to his miscue.

Snider has skated through his tenure in Philadelphia fairly unscathed, becoming a hero to many Flyers fans in the process. That shouldn’t hide the fact that he – and his staff – botched their scouting of the Russian netminder and didn’t do their homework on the free agent.

The least he could do is take responsibility for his actions.

Author information

Kyle Phillippi

This article was originally published at: The Hockey Writers.