Philadelphia Signs Bryzgalov, Guts Team To Do It

Flyers no more

 As an update to our early post regarding the trade of Jeff Carter to Columbus, the Philadelphia Flyers also traded team captain, Mike Richards to Los Angeles for forward prospect Brayden Schenn, veteran forward, Wayne Simmonds and a second-round pick.

Um... wow!

The trades clearly were for cap clearing purposes to make the Ilya Bryzgalov signing possible.

Bryzgalov signed a reported $51-million, nine-year deal.

So let's look at what the total day meant to the Flyers.

Out: Mike Richards (LA), Jeff Carter (Columbus), Matt Clackson, 3rd round choice in the 2012 Draft, and future considerations (Phoenix).

In: Ilya Bryzgalov, Jakub Voracek, First- and Third-round picks from the Blue Jackets, Brayden Schenn, Wayne Simmonds and a second-round pick from the Kings.

Maybe we are missing something, but we don't like these moves for the Flyers.


As the AP put it:

This would be like the Phillies trading Ryan Howard and Chase Utley ... on the same day.

Teammates in Philly

Bryzgalov has proven himself as a top backstop. Brayden Schenn is a very nice prospect.  Wayne Simmonds has shown promise as a power forward, Voracek has shown flashes of his skill, and the Flyers will add top end talent with the #8 Overall selection this season. 

Yet Bryzgalov had a disastrous playoff against Detroit.  By the final game of the series, honestly he looked a bit disinterested.  It was that bad.

Simmonds and Voracek both have tantalized with their abilities, but both showed regression in their production last season.

In addition, look what they gave up. 

Carter was the team's best natural goal scorer.  Richards, the team's leader, is one of the games' premier two-way centers.

Comparing the last three seasons, the Flyers are subtracting 199 goals scored, while adding 78 back.  Are Schenn, the draft picks and Bryzgalov going to make up for that kind of production difference?

Unlikely.

Time will tell if Ed Snider's mission to add a veteran goalie will get the Flyers over the hump, or whether he will resemble another Snyder, Daniel in the mold of meddling ownership wrecking their team's chances of success.