Ray Emery reportedly close to signing with Flyers

by Travis Hughes on Jun 3, 2009 4:11 PM EDT in News

Numerous reports this afternoon are saying that the Flyers are close to an agreement with goaltender Ray Emery that would make the free agent the Flyers number one guy heading into next season. Tim Panaccio of CSNPhilly.com and Ed Moran of the Daily News both reported the news this afternoon. Here's an excerpt from Moran's article.

The Flyers won't confirm it, but league sources said today that former Ottawa goalie Ray Emery is coming to Philadelphia and most likely will sign a contract as soon as the free-agent period opens on July 1.

According to one source, the Flyers have done extensive "due diligence," and have determined that Emery, who had a reputation as a troubled and troublesome player with the Senators, is not a risk and is the goalie the Flyers want. The Senators bought out the final year of Emery's contract after the 2008 season.

Talks with current starter Marty Biron continue, but it is believed he is asking for too much money and a long-term deal that the Flyers are not willing to extend to him.

Emery played 36 games with Atlant Moscow of the KHL in Russia last season, notching a 2.12 GAA and a .926 save percentage. He hasn't played in the NHL since 2007/08 when he was released by the Ottawa Senators after playing 31 games and compiling a 3.13 GAA and a .890 save percentage.

The Flyers and Emery would have to wait until midnight on July 1 to put ink on paper and make a deal official. There's no word on how much Emery would make, but it would apparently be a one year deal. While news reports are making it seem like a done deal, Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren qualified the news with a statement today.

“We have internal discussions about many players and their potential availability, including Ray Emery," Holmgren said. "I have spoken to his agent a few times about Ray as well. Any further speculation about this would be very premature.”

The skill is certainly there for Emery, who was believed to be one of the league's rising stars in goal just a few seasons ago. He carried the Senators to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2007, the best of his two full seasons in the NHL. But he is well known for his temperament, which was reportedly the chief reason for his departure from Ottawa the following year. Ottawa general manager Bryan Murray, however, says that Emery "deserves a second chance" and that he has "cleaned up his act in Russia."

He has drawn favorable comparisons to Ron Hextall, although that's more so for his temper than his goaltending ability. Still though, Emery could be a gamble that pays off if he just gets an opportunity to restart his once promising NHL career. Let's just hope this isn't the Flyers only option, though. If it doesn't work out, we could be in for a long season.

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NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I’ll take him as a back-up or a wing man in a brawl but not as a #1 goalie.

If he’s our starting goalie we will be lucky to make the playoffs and you’ll be pissin away the talents on offense.

Earmuffs!!!!!!

by boknows71 on Jun 3, 2009 4:26 PM EDT reply actions

He’s not a bad goalie, but I wouldn’t want him to be our “#1” going into the season. I think he has some serious rebound potential, but I don’t want to rely on that.

I want Lehtonen!

by BreckBirds20 on Jun 3, 2009 4:31 PM EDT reply actions

Precisely. It could work out really well, but there’s a huge chance it could fail miserably, too. That’s a risk that puts the entire season on the line and that’s not okay.

Broad Street Hockey - SB Nation's Philadelphia Flyers Blog. Makin' it look mean since 1967.

by Travis Hughes on Jun 3, 2009 4:34 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm not opposed

But like everybody said, if he’s our #1 with either Backlund or Munroe as the backup, I’m afraid that’s waaaaaaay too big a gamble given our current roster. If, however, they sign a Craig Anderson or Scott Clemmenson, I’d be a little happier. Mainly, I’m okay with Emery if they resign Nitty. Emery/Nitty is a good choice in my opinion, but anything less means Homer just didn’t try hard enough. (Or has a serious gambling problem)

by Geoff Detweiler on Jun 3, 2009 4:41 PM EDT reply actions

I agree. I don’t think they are going to sign Emery and then stop caring about the Goalie position. I think a resigning of Nitty (maybe still Biron), or getting a Anderson in FA, or even a Carey Price trade will be made in addition to this move.

by FredEx on Jun 3, 2009 4:45 PM EDT up reply actions

NO

This is a huge gamble. He is a headcase. The Flyers are already targets of the league because of past behaviour of certain players and old reputation; this is the last thing they need.

How do we know he even still “has it”?

Marty must really, really want a big contract. Unless they are going to seriously upgrade the defense, this is a bad idea.

by doubleh on Jun 3, 2009 5:06 PM EDT reply actions

2.12 GAA and a .926 S% are quite impressive, even in Russia. It was good for 13th in the league, 8th best among goalies with at least 1,000 minutes on the ice. In the playoffs, he had a 1.86 GAA and a .941 S%

In comparison, Robert Esche played in the same league, amassing similar minutes with a 1.87 GAA but a .912 S%. Esche also had 54 PIMs to Emery’s 2. But in the playoffs, Esche had a 2.59 GAA with a .877 S%. Granted, Esche amassed only half as many minutes as Emery, but that might be due more to his 0-3 record.

I’m not saying he should be handed the #1 job on a platter, but his numbers are solid enough to warrant a contract.

by Geoff Detweiler on Jun 3, 2009 5:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh, I forgot...

To look at all the stats, go here.

Other former NHL goalies in the KHL: Frederik Norrena, Martin Prusek, Jussi Markkanen, Mike Fountain, Mika Noronen, Wade Dubielewicz, John Grahame, etc.

by Geoff Detweiler on Jun 3, 2009 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Thanks

I think they need to load the contract with out clauses should he misbehave. I would also prefer we have Nitty or some other experienced goalie as a backup in case this fails miserably.

DNL made a good point: no way he’s going to be able to drive his Hummer 100MPH down 95. Traffic won’t allow. Ha.

by doubleh on Jun 3, 2009 6:49 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree 100% I really want Nitty back, but think we could get by for a year with Anderson or Clemmensen backing up.

by Geoff Detweiler on Jun 3, 2009 8:05 PM EDT up reply actions

If this is our starter, I hate this signing. But if we still bring in someone else who is a clear starter, and Emery is supposed ot be the backup, that’s fine.

by SJPhillyVT on Jun 3, 2009 6:02 PM EDT reply actions

Homer will either be seen as a genius or an idiot who deserves to be fired.

This would make getting Bouwmeester a given. At least, it better. Adding JBO and Emery would make this a totally different team. Assume Sbisa stays with the club as well… totally different dynamic.

Huge bet… but at first glance I almost like it. We sure as hell aren’t going to win the Stanley Cup with our current attitude and dynamic. But that’s just a first glance.

This’ll be an interesting offseason, that’s for sure.

by Ben Feldman on Jun 3, 2009 6:50 PM EDT reply actions

Panatch just said on DNL that JBO doesn’t look likely. Apparently, the Flyers were close to landing him at the deadline, but that FL wanted Giroux and wouldn’t budge on their demands. Obviously, the Flyers told them that they were high and to hit the pike. Now it looks as if Edmonton has their sights set on JBo and has the cap space to make it happen.

Here’s hoping Homer can pull off steal # 2 of the decade!

by doubleh on Jun 3, 2009 7:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh. Great. Yeah, good luck, Homer. Can I keep my hopes up about possibly Komisarek?

by Ben Feldman on Jun 3, 2009 7:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Well, I think Homer’s going to have to do something about the blue line, regardless of what happens in the net. So, I guess you can keep your hopes up, yeah. Don’t know if we’ll get a stud, though, but you can bet your sweet bippy Snider will want one.

Oh, how I long for the days of no salary cap.

by doubleh on Jun 3, 2009 8:08 PM EDT up reply actions

While I see your point, I’m kind of glad there is a cap. a) It means the Pens will eventually lose their core, or have only 3 good players and the rest filled with Hal Gill and Matt Cooke; b) Bob Clarke isn’t around to go trading away every Phantom who shows some success; and c) We have to look a lot closer when considering signing a Mike Rathje to a 3 year deal or a Danny Briere to an 8 year deal when we have Carter and Richards… oops.

by Geoff Detweiler on Jun 4, 2009 2:29 PM EDT up reply actions

if they sign him to a one year deal for cheap, this could open a door for a defenseman signing this offseason but i still dont think emery is the goalie that will take us to the next level, if it is for one year this whole thing could be a bridge to next offseason(which sucks but with our salary cap issues there isnt much we can do till then) where there will be a better free agent crop and more money for us to spend on a true number one goalie

by flyers17 on Jun 3, 2009 11:20 PM EDT reply actions

Slightly irrelevant – This really doesn’t help our reputation or perception in the league. Now we have Carcillo, Hartnell, Cote, Asham AND Emery! We def. have quite a few goons don’t we?

Idk though, this makes me very worried but I have faith that Homer realizes this is not a legitimate fix to the problem we have in goal. Emery has shown he has the talent (although that was two years ago) and maybe what we need is a change of pace. Hextall was pretty nuts too haha! If Emery frees up cap space and signs for one year I with everyone else; I don’t mind it I guess. What if we signed Anderson or Clemmenson and platooned one of them with Emery?

I feel like this is just a quick fix to a problem that is going to take years to solve. If we are going to draft a good young goalie its gonna be a while. And honestly, there is probably more upside to signing Emery then there is downside. If he signs for short, for cheap and does half decently without pulling a TO it will be a win in the long term. Hopefully we can grab JBO (I know, I know, but I have my hopes set VERY high, probably too high), clear some cap and try something new in goal.

by Mitchell Green on Jun 4, 2009 12:45 AM EDT reply actions

i would take cote out of the list, with Carcillo as a much better hockey player, i dont see a spot on the team he would fit into.

by JpH89 on Jun 4, 2009 2:28 PM EDT up reply actions

On topic:So Who’s the Flyers’ Backup Goalie?

This is Panaccio’s article over at CSNPhilly.com about who will be the Flyers backup next year. Interesting . . .
If Emery is the def. #1 goalie that really changes my perception of this whole thing. Thats a lot to throw on someone who hasn’t played in the NHL for a year or two. I feel like everyone else in the Division is just laughing at us now that we are about to sign Emery. This is the Flyers version of Days Of Our Lives :(

by Mitchell Green on Jun 4, 2009 11:34 PM EDT reply actions

Seriously… Wow. Please, oh please, have Antero’s hip be enough to re-sign him. I would not be worried about Emery if I know we have Antero to step in.

And, while I loved Neil Little as a player and felt the Flyers treated him completely unfairly, I’m skeptical of this quote:

Neil Little told CSNPhilly.com in May he believed that Phantoms starter Scott Munroe was capable of handling the back-up chores on the Flyers right now.

Is that because noone told Clarke that he was capable of being a back-up for the Flyers? Personally, what has Munroe done to prove he’s ready to play 25-30 games, maybe more barring injury or meltdown, for a Stanley Cup Contender? Sorry, I don’t share his trust in Munroe.

by Geoff Detweiler on Jun 4, 2009 11:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Is there still any life to the Montreal trade rumors? They list Komisarek as one of the defense we might spend our saved goaltending money on. We’d get to dump Briere’s contract, and we’d get Price to share the load with Emery. Then hopefully Price will improve as he matures a la Marc Andre Fleury.

by FredEx on Jun 5, 2009 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Flyers 'Likely' to Announce Emery Deal

Tim Panaccio, over at CSNPhilly.com, claims that the Flyers are going to announce their $1.5 million dollar deal with Emery this week despite not being able to actually sign him until the start of the Free Agent period – July 1st.

Hey, on the bright side, they are only giving him $1.5 million, right? That is considerably less then Biron. I really don’t like the talks that Scott Munroe could end up as the Flyers’ backup goalie either. This could end up really bad :( . . .

by Mitchell Green on Jun 7, 2009 1:29 PM EDT reply actions