Halak to flyers?

[radoran]

I see no point in taking the chance but blunting the potential for a positive outcome over an axiom of "if you can't stand the heat...." if that is the approach, may as well head for the goalie aisle now.

Well, Homer was in the goalie aisle. From where I sat, there was virtually no chance whatsoever that Steve Mason was going to be the undisputed #1 going into the season.

Flyers have the best situation now, IMO - two goalies on one year deals that have motivation to be "the guy."

Let the games begin.

(I am aware of the potential pitfalls, but still feel this is better than the alternatives available)

[aziz]

@radoran

safer, definitely. less possible upside, but definitely safer. and, emery is more than a decent goalie. i'd call him a win all by himself.

i'm torn. I think mason is going to struggle in a tandem situation. he has the potential to be significantly better than emery, but I don't think he gets there going into each game thinking a bad goal has him sitting for a week. on the flip, I really like emery as a goalie, and i'd be perfectly fine with the flyers tapping him as the man and running with that.

mason has the potential to be a world beater, but its a risky thing. emery is very solid right now, and is only 31. he could be the guy for the next 8 years. I dunno what to root for.

[LegionOfDoom]

Let's rewind back to last season, more specifically towards the end of the season, when Mason was brought in.

When Philly media asked directly how did he feel about his game after he played, Mason with a clear head stated, he felt good, he knew he played a solid game, and he felt he still needs to improve on some parts of his game and HE IS GOING to work on that part with the goalie coach. The next time they asked him the same questions he basically said the same thing, also adding in Columbus he felt like he was in a darkened grey cloud, but see's and feels sunny in Philadelphia.

Fast forward a few more games into it, and he told the media he wants to be a number one goalie and he has to work on becoming one and he feels he has to show it and he HAS to EARN IT. (to me this sounds like a clear head for a goalie and is aware that Bryz is the number 1 starter and Steve has to win that position working on his game and FOCUSING on HIS GAME).

Now he knows he's in a different situation with Bryz bought out, he see's a brighter road ahead. He see's he has a better opportunity now with the clear cut #1 out of the way.

Now him seeing Emery is in the picture and aware he played here before and was given also a chance to prove the ney sayers, he feels he is in a "healthy family relationship" in a way and he also is happy he was here last season and met the guys and is familar with the organization and felt the "WORLD CLASS" environment of our Flyers organizational experience.

He is comfortable with knowing this is a business and he was given the tools to succeed and it is up to him to work at becoming the number 1 goalie and change his game around.

Emery would be more in an unknown situation, but is also aware that he too can become the number 1 goalie and that Holmy said there is no number one established yet and he hopes the best for them both.

I believe these to netminders are mature enough and have a good enough personality to get along and will pat each other after each game they complete.

I know to some it feels questionable what will turn out at the middle/end of the season, but one thing for sure will happen, we will go into this season not knowing what the hell is gonna happen this year.

The way it's been going about in these past few posts it feels like this relationship is going to go to:

Purple rain, purple rain

Purple rain, purple rain

Purple rain, purple rain

I only wanted to see you

Bathing in the purple rain.....

[aziz]

[radoran]

I dunno what to root for.

I'm gonna toss out a quick idea:

the crest on the front, not the name on the back

[aziz]

@radoran

sure. but the fact we are sitting here talking about this stuff in absurd detail means we are all going to spend a lot of time thinking about the names on the back, and which ones will best help the crest on the front, and how they are going to do that.

either way, i'm enjoying this offseason way way more than the last several. actually optimistic about next fall.

[radoran]

@radoran

sure. but the fact we are sitting here talking about this stuff in absurd detail means we are all going to spend a lot of time thinking about the names on the back, and which ones will best help the crest on the front, and how they are going to do that.

either way, i'm enjoying this offseason way way more than the last several. actually optimistic about next fall.

Understood. The flyers are never boring.

For me, making moves or not making them based on the perceived potential mindset of a guy is edging too far onto the name over the crest.

Steve Mason has the potential to be a great NHL goalie. So did Andrew Raycroft. So do dozens of guys who just need the chance in the right situation yadda yadda yadda

I just don't put ALL my eggs into that particular basket.

[aziz]

<br />I just don't put ALL my eggs into that particular basket. <br />

and I get that. agree with it, if there is an equal opportunity elsewhere. sometimes, though, you just have to double down on 12.

[radoran]

and I get that. agree with it, if there is an equal opportunity elsewhere. sometimes, though, you just have to double down on 12.

Sure, but Emery was still on the board, obviously. Halak/Elliott could have been an option.

If Mason's all that's there in September, that's one thing. But that's not the situation we were in. And the argument being made, as I read it, was that since they had Mason, just run with that. Nothing else needed be done.

Simply wasn't - and isn't - the case. There was never a chance that Homer was going into next season with Steve Mason as the sole option for a number one goalie.

[canoli]

yeah I don't think anyone was suggesting "we got Mason we're done" it was about how to handle him - with whoever Homer got. Now that's it Emery most of you will breathe a sigh of relief. I do too, somewhat. I just don't think we'll get a fair look at Mason that's all. Similar to how we never got a "real" or "fair" look at Bob. We misused him, and I have a bad feeling we're about to do the same with Mason.

[edit: and as you reminded us we don't exactly have the world's best HC when it comes to managing goaltenders]

Edited July 5, 2013 by canoli

[radoran]

yeah I don't think anyone was suggesting "we got Mason we're done" it was about how to handle him - with whoever Homer got. Now that's it Emery most of you will breathe a sigh of relief. I do too, somewhat. I just don't think we'll get a fair look at Mason that's all. Similar to how we never got a "real" or "fair" look at Bob. We misused him, and I have a bad feeling we're about to do the same with Mason.

[edit: and as you reminded us we don't exactly have the world's best HC when it comes to managing goaltenders]

At the very least we can agree that we have two potential good goalies on the roster, which is an upgrade of two over last season.

[canoli]

yeah, although I'd tweak that to read "we have one real good goalie and one potentially great goalie." I see Emery as pretty much on top of his game these days. His disease is completely behind him and he's coming off a fabulous year. We're getting the best Ray Emery the league has ever seen. And I bet he won't ever crash and burn again to the point where he's out of rotation - but he probably won't ever become one of the greats.

With Mason I think the sky's the limit.

[aziz]

@radoran

that's the thing, I guess. I was thinking it was going to be a Theodore/Elliot/Thomas situation where if the attitude was "win the job" you'd end up with a hot mess of mason, and a piece of doo-doo as the starter.

+emery, and i'm good. do as you will. worst case, emery is the guy and i'm ok with that.

[OccamsRazor]

We misused him, and I have a bad feeling we're about to do the same with Mason.

I hope not seems no matter what you want to lean to the youth...should be the case here.

Emery is more or less the insurance if he falters...Philly is a tough place to play and the Flyers are known for slow starts...

i'm hoping this bunch has matured a lot.

Stability in net will i think calm down the blueline.

And ease pressure on the back checking forwards.

Quick precise breakouts...and a little luck health wise would be welcome!

[radoran]

I do think a Thomas or Theodore would be different than a Halak/Elliott.

I'm happy with the direction they went, but Thomas/Theodore would be a true "veteran stopgap" that I think Mason has a real chance to supplant. Clearly neither would be a long term solution.

In Halak/Elliott - two guys who have playoff resumes already - I think (especially Lavvy) leans towards the "experienced" guy. That can be a worry (Gerber over Ward, for example). Lavvy is coaching for his job at this point.

Emery/Mason I think is a solid tandem for both guys and allows for an open competition among practical equals (considering Emery's "comeback" status invalidates pre-injury resume to a large extent). Neither of them has a solid history with Laviolette or one that I think Laviolette would lean to.