Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov found out the hard way just how cruel and unforgiving the Philly sports media can be.
He knew prior to signing his huge nine-year, $51 million deal this past offseason that the expectations for him were going to be huge, but when you’ve been playing for a franchise like the Phoenix Coyotes, no one can really prepare you for the enormous—or “huumungus beeg”—change in the amount of scrutiny that comes with playing for the Flyers, especially if you are the guy between the pipes.
With the NHL trade deadline just about a month away, more and more rumors are beginning to surface regarding some key players. However, due to the fact that the standings are so tight right now in both conferences, we may not see much activity until the final weeks leading up to the Feb. 27 deadline. Nevertheless, here are some of the names that are currently linked to various rumors—some of which may actually be true.
James van Riemsdyk and Luke Schenn
This rumor started running wild last week when a report came out of Philadelphia claiming Flyers director of player personnel Don Luce scouted the Leafs in recent games.
Despite the NHL’s best efforts to avoid a ratings war with rival programming, the event managed to pull just a 2.4 overnight rating, down from 2.8 last season, which was in prime time.
In what has quickly turned into one of the best ideas commissioner Gary Bettman and the NHL have come up with in quite some time, the fifth annual Winter Classic between the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers continued the streak of presenting another compelling outdoor hockey game between two great teams.
Thursday night marked the much-anticipated return of Jaromir Jagr to the city of Pittsburgh.
As expected, the Penguin faithful at the CONSOL Engery Center did not welcome back their former superstar with open arms, repeatedly booing No. 68 every time he touched the puck.
However, it was Jagr who got the last laugh, netting a goal in the second period to help the Philadelphia Flyers earn a 4-2 victory over the Pens. The game also marked the return to Pittsburgh for former Penguin Max Talbot, who signed with the Flyers over the offseason. Surprisingly, Talbot received a standing ovation, but perhaps Pens fans now regret the gesture of kindness after Talbot hit the empty-net goal to seal the Flyers’ triumph.
After another shaky performance in Tuesday’s 5-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers netminder Ilya Bryzgalov once again came under intense media scrutiny have surrendering five goals on just 16 shots.
Following the game, a usually always-cheerful Bryzgalov was clearly irritated when a reporter asked him how he felt with his performance in goal.
“Outstanding,” he replied sarcastically. “How I can describe it? What do you think? Lose 1-5. After f—— 2-4. After 0-6. How do you think I think about my game? What do you think?”
The Philadelphia Flyers and their fanbase received some devastating news Thursday when it was announced that captain Chris Pronger would miss the rest of the the regular season and playoffs due to post-concussion syndrome.
After consulting two concussion specialists, both concluded that it was in the best interest of Pronger’s long-term health that he sit out the remainder of the 2011-12 season.
While the genesis of Pronger’s mystery concussion is still being debated, many still believe it may have stemmed from an eye injury that he suffered on Oct. 24. after getting hit in the face with a puck against Toronto.
The Philadelphia Flyers may be interstate rivals with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but now they have more in common than just their on-ice hatred for each other.
Just a day after it was announced that Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was out indefinitely with concussion-like symptoms, it is being reported today that Flyers top-line center Claude Giroux is also out indefinitely after suffering a concussion.
Giroux was injured on a seemingly innocuous play with teammate Wayne Simmonds during Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Giroux dropped to his knees to make a defensive play in the neutral zone. Simmonds was trailing the play and tried to jump over Giroux, but didn’t get high enough, and his knee collided with the right side of Giroux’s head.
Philadelphia Flyers captain Chris Pronger has been a bit injury prone over the last several years, but the 2011-12 season has been unfathomably cruel to him.
Pronger missed time at the start of the season with an eye injury after being hit in the face with a puck Oct. 24 against Toronto. He then had minor surgery on his left knee on Dec. 2, his fifth operation in 16 months. After it was it then said that he had some sort of “mystery virus,” now it is being reported that he is out indefinitely with “concussion-like symptoms.”
