Goaltenders:
Ray Emery
Brian Boucher
Key Departures: Martin Biron, Antero Niittymaki
Key Acquisitions: Ray Emery, Brian Boucher
Up and coming: Johan Backlund
Everybody get on the bandwagon!
In 2006-07, Ray Emery was 33-16-6 with a 2.47 GAA and a .918 save percentage. Last year, in the Kontinental League, he posted a 22-8 record with a .926 save percentage and a 2.12 GAA. Those numbers alone make you want to jump for joy and start planning a Stanley Cup parade. In the 2007 Stanley Cup Final, when the rest of the Senators did not feel like showing up, Emery kept his team in the series and almost won a Stanley Cup on his own. But, as anyone knows, no team wins a Cup with one player.
Brian Boucher has put up impressive stats for a backup goalie the past few years, numbers that include a .932 save percentage in 2007-08 with San Jose and 23 wins the same year with the Philadelphia Phantoms in the American League. Boucher is a reliable backup, as any Flyers fan remembers from his stint at the turn of the century. He is going to be counted on for at least 25-30 games this season, possibly more if Emery doesn’t work out. Therefore, he needs to stay on top of his game.
No thanks, I’m staying back:
There are numerous questions regarding Ray Emery and his behavior; and his play, too, for that matter. Flyers GM Paul Holmgren insists that Emery has indeed reformed, but Philadelphia is far too remembering if Allen Iverson, Terrell Owens, Eric Lindros and Scott Rolen to take a GM at his word. Fans will need to see him play his aggressive style while being able to keep it all on the ice and not let it slide into the locker room.
As for his play, he hasn’t had a full season in the NHL since 2007 and may have lost a bit of his game. True, he played incredibly well in Russia last season, but that was last season in a league far less competitive than the NHL. Emery will need to play his absolute best if he doesn’t want to get run out of town.
Keys to success:
-Staying aggressive on the ice, but calm off of it
-Giving Boucher a fair number of games to play
-Making sure Backlund develops perfectly in the American League
Grade: A-
I am going to jump on the bandwagon for this section. Emery has shown that when it matters the most, he can play hockey. Boucher has also shown he is a capable backup. Together, the two of them won’t be Jennings-winning goaltenders, but they will indeed lead Philadelphia to a deep playoff run, perhaps the only chance they have in the next few years.
Alan Bass is a Senior Writer for Bleacher Report, the Community Leader for the NHL and Philadelphia Flyers’ section, and a writer for TheHockeyNews.com, Prohockeynews.com, Insidehockey.com and Hockey54.com. You can contact him at BergHockey24@gmail.com.
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