The Philadelphia Flyers announced Tuesday afternoon that the remaining seven years on goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov’s contract will be bought out.
The official statement from general manager Paul Holmgren:
I met with Ilya this morning and informed him that we are going to exercise a compliance buyout of his contract. This was a very difficult business decision to make for us and we want to thank Ilya for his time here and wish him all the best moving forward.”
It was inevitable that the Flyers would buy out Bryz’s contract at some point, though no one knew if they would wait a year to make a final decision. One aspect of the buyout that may have prompted the organization to exercise the clause now is that teams are not allowed to buy out injured players, as the San Jose Sharks and Minnesota Wild have learned with Martin Havlat and Dany Heatley.
Reporters close with some of his teammates have also suggested that his personality quirks and sarcastic attitude towards his future in the organization was burning whatever good will he had earned.
With this buyout, the Flyers will actually have salary cap space heading into free agency as well.
Byrzgalov finished this past season with a 19-17-3 record and a 0.900 save percentage. As many have pointed out during the course of the season, Bryzgalov was overworked to the point of exhaustion because of a failure of the organization to either sign an adequate back-up or have any faith that Brian Boucher or Michael Leighton could win another game at the NHL level.
Bryz didn’t appear to be part of the problem for why the Flyers didn’t make the post-season, but he wasn’t really performing much better than an average goaltender either.
With Jonathan Bernier traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs and Niklas Backstrom re-signing with the Wild on a three year deal, the options available to replace Bryz are limited at best. Ray Emery, fresh off a Stanley Cup victory as the back-up goaltender for the Chicago Blackhawks, is the clear frontrunner to split duties with Steve Mason.
Hopefully the Flyers can convince Emery to sign a moderately inexpensive one-year with the caveat that he can fight for the starting position.
Then again, who knows what else the Flyers are planning at this point?
Just play a kid. Trade for a young prospect if you have too. Is broduere’s kid in the league yet?
He’s draft eligible this year, I believe.
Yup, not likely to be drafted. Just signed in qmjhl with gatenau. He is average at best, good numbers as an 17 year old in shatek st marys where the stars are 15, like Crosby and mackinnon. Might be worth a 6 or 7 round pick because of his name and possible late bloomer. Zac fucale is the goalie to go after.
You don’t waste the #11 pick on a goalie, when you’re devoid of defense-men & scoring wingers. He won’t be there in the 2nd, so he’s irrelevant.
Time will tell but I really feel he is a cant miss, jersey will likely grab him at 9 anyway
I was thinking the same thing. Broduer ain’t getting any younger.
Hopefully the lesson learned here is that you stay away from Long-Term Deals
with Eastern European Players and especially a very “fickle” Position like the Goaltender is.. Dumb asses for signing him in the first place..
Keep the Hatchet cutting and blow this Team up.. Trade Hartnell, Simmonds,
Timomen, Metzaros, Gagne and get younger, more athletic and players who can gel and learn & grow together.. Time to rebuild is right now..
Ahhhhh good day, One major thorn in my Arse is gone…Now I have one Major Eagles thorn to go, and several medium sized Phillies thorns lol. Sign Razor let Mason play 2/3’s of the games see if he’s as good as he looked. Like I said good day for the Orange and Black…and my backside 😀
Eagles — Announce that QB M Vick is Released along with Danny Watkins,Kurt COleman, Jamar Cheney, Casey Matthews and Kurt Coleman
76ers — Announce the C Bynum will be released as will Guard Evan Turner, Kwami Brown, and 1/2 ther Roster
Phils — Announce Trade 2B Utley, CLoser J Paplepon are Traded to Anaheim Angels for Josh Hamilton
Phils also Anounce that 3B Michael Young is Traded to the Oakland A’s for 2 Minor Leaguers and that RF Delmon Young is Traded to the AL
Phils also That 1B Ryan Howard will retire after this Season and work for the “SubwaySandwhich Franchises” Full Time and Focus his Energy
on
Good Times finally coming back to Philly Sports ..
Kurt Coleman is so bad he’s released twice?
TT, LMFBO!!!!!
Just play Mason and back him up with whoever and try to develop one of their kids. Why waste more money on this position when you know what the outcome will be. Emery is not that much better than Mason if he is at all and it won’t matter as the defense currently stands anyways.
How far are we away from Stolarz?
Stolarz is 19 with 1/2 a season of junior play under his belt. Unless the Flyers go the Bobrovsky route and rush him, watch him struggle and trade him, he will realistically need another year in juniors and two years in AHL at a minimum. So 4 years at the earliest for NHL playing time.
I watched him in memorial cup and he was shaken. Not sold on him yet but like you say he is minimum 4 years away.
Well, at least by that point, Steit, will maybe be gone.
Silver linings!
JJ, more charcoal grey linings. LOL!
Not sure what homer has up his sleeve but the guy can do no wrong in eyes of ownership. Imagine having a job where you can sign over 24 million to cover up mistake. I think there could be a deal with Anaheim. Hiller and Ryan for coburn, read, and a pick. This would give the flyers a year to look at mason and see where to go with him. Don’t think emery is the answer plus he is likely looking for a 3 year deal to get some security.
Lewdog, I have a feeling, it’s going to b a fun draft weekend. Rumor out there, that Homer & Poile are back on good terms, & when the year is up, & they are allowed to trade Weber, he’s on his way to the O & B! We’ll see?!? I can see us getting 2, or 3 of Weber, Yandle, Phaneuf, Shattenkirk, Ryan, Hiller, Sbisa, Luongo, Lacavalier, Roy, Horton, Clowe.
Cannot imagine weber to Philly happening…stranger things have happened
Dude, if they can get Hiller and Ryan for that then that is a steal. Homer should wear a ski mask to work.
Paulman, still don’t get how you can racially, ethnically profile people , yet no one calls you out, but the big jake dog, how about stay away from Italians, they are hot tempered, stupid, arrogant, criminally minded
I stay awy from Eastern European Players.. many don’t adjust ver well to America and to the NHL Style of Play, which is probably a difficult to do for many of them.. There are some Talented Players, but I don’t want them on my Team and surely not for a Long-Term Deal where many of them get home-sick, don’t adjust well, have problems communicating, etc,etc.. There are enough Players from Canada and America to be able to field a Good Team, don’t you think…
As far as Italians playing Hockey, stay away from them too… They are too small,greasy and busy arguing and talking too loud to each other and too attached to their Mothers and wear heavy Gold Crosses which slows them down…
Classic paulman, good stuff right there
Good riddance!!!! That’s why you don’t sign commies! Other than Malkin, what other Russian player doesn’t have the Dog gene & the “Ahhh f^#@ its” in them?!?
Tadaaaaa It’s a bright day…Draft is coming, trades are a brewing….A better Flyers team will be taking the Ice in September. White Russians will no longer be served in the Wells Fargo Center. Somewhere Clarke just told Holmgren Told ya so…break his ankle with your stick before he goes!!!