Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports
Just as they have in the past couple of summers, the Philadelphia Flyers are going to be a team to watch in the offseason. A club in the market in which they play was met with massive disappointment, which could mean quite a shakeup as far as their roster is concerned this summer.
If there is a shakeup due to take place, you can expect that Ilya Bryzgalov will likely be the first casualty. The buyout rumors have swirled around him since the league made that available following the lockout, and the Flyers could be ready to pull the trigger on it and cut him loose.
Bryzgalov had a much better season, at least early on, for the Flyers than he did in his first year. He started strong, but was unable to manage that pace in starting 40 games, slowing down as the season wore on, and giving way to Steve Mason towards the end of the year.
His performance, as well as the term on his contract, in conjunction with his constant battle with the Philadelphia sports media, will likely lead to his end in the City of Brotherly Love. But who will be the favorite to replace him when he is gone?
At one point, there was a rumor that Paul Holmgren had looked into the availability of Roberto Luongo. The embattled goaltender, whose relationship with his city is not unlike that of Bryzgalov, has been available on the trade market for quite some time. Mike Gillis has been unable to find a taker that will meet his asking price, though.
One has to wonder if those talks, if they even took place, would be rekindled this summer, as Luongo is sure to be traded over the course of the offseason. While it doesn’t make much sense to replace a goaltender with an obscenely long term with one that has a contract that runs even longer, this is Paul Holmgren that we’re talking about.
If Holmgren hadn’t expressed interest in Luongo previously, this isn’t something that gets mentioned at all. But the fact that he checked in on him makes this extremely intriguing. Luongo still has plenty of game left, though his struggles in the playoffs are well-documented.
It’s unlikely that anything serious will come of those previous talks. Luongo could very well end up back in Florida, or perhaps even Toronto if they’re still looking for a goaltender. He’s believed to be looking for a smaller market to call home, though he denies that.
In the end, it will likely be Steve Mason between the pipes with the starting gig for the Flyers next season. Which could be even worse news than either of Bryzgalov or Luongo. But do keep an eye on this situation. Holmgren is known for these sorts of shenanigans.
