Should The Flyers Amnesty Ilya Bryzgalov?
By Andrew Porter
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – With 3:11 in the 2nd period last night, Canadiens center, David Desharnais shot a puck that was awkwardly deflected by Flyers forward, Brayden Schenn.
The reaction of Flyers goaltender, Ilya Bryzgalov, was rather odd. Bryzgalov, who was taken aback by the deflection of the puck, reacted by ducking and allowing the puck to soar right over his head and sneak into the net, giving the Habs a 3-2 lead.
During the second intermission, NBC Sports Network analyst Mike Milbury, ripped the Flyers goal-tender for ducking from the puck.
"My first thought here, after this last goal that I saw, is do svidaniya (Russian for goodbye) Philadelphia, hello KHL! This is unforgettable for me. Watch this", Milbury said. "You're supposed to try to get in the way Ilya! You're a goaltender! Get your head in the way. Have your ever seen [Henrik] Lundqvist do that? This thing gets deflected, it's a knuckle ball, but he can't wait to get out of the way. You got to be kidding me! Get him out of here. Hasta la vista (Spanish for goodbye), whatever language you want to call it!"
Yesterday, the Flyers traded Michael Leighton and a 2015 third-round pick to Columbus for Blue Jackets goaltender Steve Mason. Mason, 24, was backing up former Flyers goalie, Sergei Bobrovsky, 24, who is having a stellar season.
As a part of the new CBA, NHL teams are allowed two amnesty buyouts to help them adjust to the salary cap over the next two offseasons (2013, 2014). The players bought out will receive two-thirds of their remaining contract, but the money will no longer count towards the salary cap.
Many are speculating that Bryzgalov, who is in his second year of his recently signed nine-year, $51 million contract and still owed $34.5 million, could be bought out at season's end.
"Jesus! Oh my God. If you're Peter Laviolette what are you thinking there? Oh my God," Milbury said. "How much money do I owe this guy? 35 million for the next seven years, so he can avoid getting hit by a knuckle-ball?"
Should the Flyers use one of their two amnesty buyouts on Bryzgalov?
Andrew Porter is the Audio Roadshow Coordinator for SportsRadio WIP, editor and writer for The School Philly, and a contributing sports blogger for CBS Philly. You can follow him on Twitter @And_Porter.
