Because Emery played in Russia last season, the team that signs him can announce they have an...

Because Emery played in Russia last season, the team that signs him can announce they have an agreement before July 1, when the free-agent signing period starts.

Holmgren isn't prepared to make that announcement.

"We're still talking," he said. "I can't say we've decided 100 percent yet."

Holmgren said he has talked with potential free agent Marty Biron and his agent "at length," and he was not ready to close the door on signing him.

But the door seems to be almost shut, and if you read between the lines, Emery looks to be the Flyers' guy.

- Sam Carchidi, Philadelphia Inquirer

over 2 years ago Travis Hughes 14 comments 0 recs |

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I know in in the the minority here, but i like Emery and think he can lead us to places better then Marty could. now what we should do is trade our first and lupul for the rights for jbo and sign him and we got a cup team.

by JpH89 on Jun 9, 2009 1:31 PM EDT reply actions

Actually JpH, I don’t think you are in the minority much anymore. I feel like my perceptions of signing Emery have gone from staunchly opposed to skeptical but interested to in favor but continuing to be skeptical. I think that many Flyers fans have followed a similar progression.
I think that Biron’s time is up. I liked him. He is a good guy and a class act but just doesn’t have what it takes to back the Flyers to a Stanley Cup. It also wasn’t all his fault and I think he take more blame then he probably deserves but it is time for a change or in Emery’s case a serious risk haha. When I looked at the Flyers signing Emery I was scared but once things fleshed out and it was clear the Flyers were doing this to a.) free cap space and b.) bring in a big name defensemen (…please let it be JBO, please let it be JBO, PLEASE LET IT BE JBO) it is hard to be opposed. Yes, there are still a lot of unknowns and this could end up being a bad decision but as I calculate it, there is more possible reward in signing Emery then penalty. If worst comes to worst, they can ship him to Glen Falls which wouldn’t be a big deal considering he is only making $1.5 mil.
The only way that signing Emery continues to have my support is if the Flyers signs that big name, shut down defensemen that will take this team to the next level defensively. Oh. and get a resonable backup for if Emery does blow a gasket haha. Heres to hoping Nitty’s hip is healed . . .

by Mitchell Green on Jun 9, 2009 4:53 PM EDT reply actions

Press Conference

Homer tomorrow at 11am. Just got an email alert from the Flyers.

by doubleh on Jun 9, 2009 5:57 PM EDT reply actions

Yea, I saw that as I was writing my above post.

Do you think that is the Emery announcement? It must be. What else could constitute a “major announcement” at this point in the off season?

I am mad though. I will be in class at 1am taking a test . . . nowhere near a TV or computer! Just my luck.

by Mitchell Green on Jun 9, 2009 6:08 PM EDT reply actions

CSN says it’s the Emery announcement. I also read somewhere that they may introduce him to the media, but I can’t reproduce the link and it may have been a tweet from some small Canadian news organization, so take that for what it’s worth. Can’t honestly believe it’s anything else — any announcement of an NHL-to-NHL agreement would wait until after the Final. http://csnphilly.com/pages/landing_09?Flyers-to-Announce-Emery-Deal-Wednesday=1&blockID=58044&feedID=717

by Ben Feldman on Jun 9, 2009 6:39 PM EDT up reply actions

I don’t think it can be “offical” until after July 1, so I don’t know if he can be introduced to the media or not.

by doubleh on Jun 9, 2009 6:58 PM EDT up reply actions

No, I think they can.

As Sam Carchidi said in the Inquirer:

Because Emery played in Russia last season, the team that signs him can announce they have an agreement before July 1, when the free-agent signing period starts.

You might be right in that its not “official” though.

by Mitchell Green on Jun 9, 2009 7:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Looks like he may be there after all

PHL 17 caught Homer picking Emery up at the airport. Via the 700 Level.

by doubleh on Jun 10, 2009 12:02 AM EDT reply actions

At least Emery looks happy.

On a side note, does Homer’s face have more than one expression? Do a Google Image search of him. Aside from the official Flyers profile photo where he’s smirking, he always looks exactly the same.

by Ben Feldman on Jun 10, 2009 12:14 AM EDT up reply actions

Nope, he always looks like he’s about to scold someone. I would not want to run into him in a dark alley. Can you imagine wanting to renegotiate a deal with Homer? Yikes.

by doubleh on Jun 10, 2009 12:18 AM EDT up reply actions

And ESPN says Emery also met with Ed Snider ( http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=4246667 ). Just the idea of sitting in a closed-off room alone with Snider and Homer for a couple of hours ought to be motivation enough for him.

by Ben Feldman on Jun 10, 2009 12:32 AM EDT up reply actions

Did you read the comments in that article? I really hope the counseling helped Emery, because he sounds like quite the lockerroom cancer.

by doubleh on Jun 10, 2009 12:48 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah. It’s troubling, and he certainly appears to be an instigator, but for some sort of division to occur amongst the Flyers, there would need to be some actual egos that would fight back. Seriously, which Flyer has an ego? Richards? If anything, it would be Emery vs. the rest, and at that point I’m sure he knows that he’s done here, at which point his NHL career is done.

by Ben Feldman on Jun 10, 2009 12:54 AM EDT up reply actions