During the last 2 games of the series, those woes reared their ugly head. From a certain vantage point..it seemed like Chicago was shooting against this:
Ok, so maybe that's a little harsh...but actually it's the truth. Right now the Flyers don't have a starting goalie.
However, over the next 3 periods, I will be covering the options the Flyers have to solve the goaltending situation.
-1st Period: Free Agency Options
-2nd Period: Trading Options
-3rd Period: Other options
Right after the season ended, Flyers GM Paul Holmgren seemed committed to get these issues addressed.
They've struck while the iron is hot...
Philadelphia acquired defenseman Dan Hamhuis' rights and a conditional draft pick from Nashville in exchange for Ryan Parent.
The Flyers have until July 1st to get him signed or he will become an unrestricted free agent.
The first major move in the NHL was the trade of Jaroslav Halak's rights to the St. Louis Blues. The Flyers were rumored to have interest, but if they did, could not pull the trigger.
In baseball terms...the Flyers got a walk for that one. It was highly unlikely that Montreal would trade Halak inside the conference, and unless it was a deal too good to pass up, not worth it.
Jaroslav Halak is a very good goaltender, but the Flyers need better. They need a franchise netminder, something they haven't had since Ron Hextall's first stint in Philadelphia.
Passing up on Halak or not showing interest actually benefits the Flyers. Why?
The Flyers really only have one asset that they can trade...
Jeff Carter.
And the last thing the Flyers want to do is trade him within the conference.
With the Flyers having 4 quality centers in Mike Richards, Danny Briere, Claude Giroux, and Jeff Carter, there is simply too much talent up the middle. All have experimented playing the wing, and each have not played well in that position.
While Paul Holmgren calls it "A good problem to have." It really isn't a good thing at all.
The Flyers will have approximately $9 Million to resign Braydon Coburn, Dan Carcillo, Dan Hamhuis, a goalie, and a depth winger. There is simply not enough room financially and on the roster to keep Carter around.
I can say it's almost 100% certain he will not be wearing Orange and Black in the fall. Rumors are circulating about Simon Gagne possibly being put in a deal, but at age 30 and with his injury history, he will not gather much in return.
However, the Flyers still need to fill the gaping 4x6 hole at their end of the ice. While signing a goalie out of free agency is a possibility, it's doubtful due to the overpricing that the market will command.
Marty Turco, 35
There's a lot of chatter out there that seems like Marty Turco could end up in a Flyers uniform. If the Flyers did sign him, it would be equivalent to the signing of Jeff Hackett back in 2003. At age 35, Turco's best years are behind him. He lost the starting job in Dallas to Kari Lehtonen, who was acquired by the Stars in a deadline deal. Although Turco is a workhorse and can play about 55 games a year, his game has gone downhill each year since the lockout. When he first broke into the league, Turco was one of the hardest goaltenders to beat. His hybrid style in combination with his speed, reflexes, and puck handling ability gave Dallas the chance to win every night.
However his inconsistencies, especially in the playoffs, have given him the tag of a "streaky" goalie in years past. Basically at this point in his career, Turco is basically a Brian Boucher, but with more talent. That's not a knock on Boosh either. Turco is able to put good games together, followed by a few bad ones. Frankly, it seems to be a trend these days in the NHL with goalies 33 or over. He no longer has the ability to steal games, and has never carried a team past the 2nd round of the playoffs.
Despite being 35, Turco's regular-season stats are very respectable and he will command a long-term deal with decent money as this may be his final contract in the NHL. I don't believe he will be highly pursued on July 1st. He may have to take a shorter deal with less money and work his way into a starting spot. No team will take a risk on a guy who is 35 and has a knack for falling apart in the playoffs.
What the Flyers will do: Pass. I think that Turco playing for the Orange and Black is a last resort.
Evgeni Nabokov, 35
Nabby has posted over 40 wins for the 3rd consecutive season this past year, but like Turco, has a knack for falling apart in the playoffs. Nabakov has never been able to ramp up his game enough to lead the Sharks to the Stanley Cup final. His stats have also gone down in the past few years. His save percentage has not been over .920 since the 2003-2004 season. He is a consistent goalie, but is very prone to soft and questionable goals. Nabakov dominates during the regular season, and still has the ability to steal games, but his best years are behind him. At this point in his career, he is still a starter, but could be exposed behind a weaker defense if San Jose chooses not to re-sign him.
Nabakov probably won't be looked at by the Flyers. Despite his age, like Turco, he will command a long-term contract and a decent price. He may have to settle for less and a shorter contract to just get a starting job.
What the Flyers will do: Pass. Nabakov will have signed elsewhere before the Flyers look at him as an option. I think he ends up back in San Jose for another season or two.
Josh Harding, 26
A restricted free agent, Harding has not had the best stats for a backup goaltender in Minnesota. Yet again, he has never been given the chance to be the starter. When Niklas Backstrom went down with an injury last season, Harding took the reigns and played well. His record does not reflect it because Minnesota has a hard time scoring goals, but if given the chance, Harding can become a legit #1 goaltender. The best part is, he is only 26 and can still be developed somewhat. He has good lateral movements and decent reflexes and can shut the door when needed. Harding won't command a lot of money because he needs to prove that he can be a starter first.
However, with the upside, there are drawbacks. Harding is very injury-prone and has issues with his focus. If the Flyers choose to make him an offer sheet, they will have to compensate Minnesota as well. Trading a player like Jeff Carter for Josh Harding is not a beneficial deal for the Flyers.
What the Flyers will do: Show interest. It's a possibility that Harding could end up in Philadelphia, but it's likely that the Flyers will explore other options first. He won't be a last resort, but it's going to come down to how much Minnesota is asking for him.
Dan Ellis, 30
A rather unknown, Ellis shared duties with Pekka Rinne in Nashville. A highly regarded prospect when younger, Ellis has been nothing more than mediocre in his 3 seasons in the NHL. He posted great numbers in 07-08, but lost his starting job to Rinne midway through the 08-09 season. He'll end up as a backup that could work into a starter somewhere, but will be considered a second-tier free agent, and won't be highly pursued on July 1st.
What the Flyers will do: Pass, Ellis will not be looked at as a long-term solution and will be considered a lateral move to Mike Leighton.
Jose Theodore, 34
The former Hart Trophy had a pretty good season stats-wise. Theodore went 30-7-7 but showed his true colors during the playoffs, falling apart yet again against his former team, the Montreal Canadiens. An inconsistent goaltender, Theo has likely played his last game as a Capital. The Caps have seemed to commit to Seymeon Varlamov for the long term. While it's likely he will be a starter somewhere else, his age at this point is going to be a concern. At 34, how much does he have left?
What the Flyers will do: Pass. Theodore won't even be looked at by Philadelphia.
Other than those options, there's nobody else really worth taking a look at:
-Marty Biron, 33 - We've been through that story before. Although Marty had a decent year for the Islanders, he is going to be looked at as a backup.
-Chris Mason, 34 - Old and too streaky, no thank you. When you lose your starting job to Ty Conkin, it's not the guy you want to look at to lead you to the Stanley Cup
-Vesa Toskala, 33 - I will turn in my Flyers jerseys if they sign him. Probably one of the most over-hyped goalies in recent history.
Given the options available, the Flyers will have to acquire a goalie through trade. Some speculative rumors have been circulating, but it seems most of it is coming from Los Angeles.
The Kings have a logjam between Jonathan Quick, 24 and Jonathan Bernier, 22. Two Jonathan's doesn't make it a right decision for the Kings. With GM Dean Lombardi being a part of the Flyers organization when Jeff Carter was drafted, there will be a serious interest. The price will be high for the Kings though.
The Flyers know the Kings will have to commit to Jonathan 1 or 2 at some point. The question is, who will it be? Will it be Quick, who represented Team USA in the playoffs last year? Or will it be Bernier? The highly-touted prospect who allowed just 4 goals his first 3 NHL starts?
I'd put money on the Flyers landing Jonathan Bernier in a package deal for Jeff Carter.
There are some other options out there as well...such as Cory Schneider, Michael Neuvirth, and Cedric Desjardins.
...but we'll save those possibilities for the 2nd period.
Until next time...keep your stick on the ice.
Photos courtesy of Yahoo! Sports
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