I Don't Understand.

Why? Why is my question to Paul Holmgren. Why he refuses to consider trades for Jeff Carter. Why he traded our best and longest tenured Flyer Simon Gagne. Why he overpayed Jody Shelley, a guy who can only fight and give you max five minutes per game. Why we have invested $1.7 million over the next three years in Matt Walker, a defensman we don't need. But most of all, why he year after year refuses to make a big push to aquire a true starting goalie, and stop going with unproven back-ups.

As a Flyers' fan living in Montreal, I'm often targeted as the guy to critisize for obvious reasons. For not having won a Stanley Cup in 35 years and often having long losing streaks at one point or another in a season. But most of all, I was almost made fun of for the goaltending. From having Robert Esche leading us in 2004, to Martin Biron backstopping us in rescent years. But one day last season I was asked by a good friend "why don't they get a goalie?". I said that the Flyers like to invest money one big name forwards and defenseman (Briere, Gagne, Richards, Carter, Pronger, etc), and that by the end there was never enough money for a true number one goalie. He understood and agreed that the Flyers had amazing forwards and a stacked defense, but also told me something very true. He said "If the Flyers would give up one of their big name guys, they would've have the money to go get a true number one goalie".

At the time I said that they could carry which ever goalie they had with the beast team they possesed, but realized that was not the case come playoff time. I realized (like most of us) that we need to aquire a starting goalie, a true one, the first one since Ron Hextall from the 1980's. So right after the off-season began, i knew one of Carter or Gagne would be the one to go, and it ultimately ended up being Gagne. I was sad once Gagne was traded, but somewhat relieved at the same time. Now thinking that the Flyers would go out and get a number one goalie, maybe Marty Turco.

But once again, I was left asking questions why Holmgren refuses to get a true starter. He rather invest tons of money in places that are fine. Like 1.1 million on a fighter, 4 million on a 5th defenseman, 1.55 million on a 2nd back-up and a combined 2.7 million on 6th and 7th defensemen. Why couldn't he have aquired two defenseman for normal prices. Let's say Kurtis Foster for 1.7 million and Matt Walker in the Gagne deal. No, instead have 8 defensemen, all capable at filling roster spots. Or if u want Meszaros, let Coburn walk. No need to be paying a 5th defenseman 4 million. Even lets saying doing all the move did, except re-signing Leighton and signing O'Donnell (because he will now be our seventh d-man more than likely when Bartulis can take that job). Right there that's 2.55 million in cap space back, as the 300k, and you've got 2.85 to sign Turco. This is just one hypathetical scenario.

So this is what I'm saying. Holmgren could've have easily avoided this cap situation. He put himself in it. It's amzing how fast he started signing people when Turco didn't take the contact initially offered to him. Now the GM does have cap problems, but he can still work around it. Why doesn't he just do what he has to do and get a goalie. Sacrifice in other positions. You can't have it all. Yes, he did give Gagne up, but what does he go do, aquire Walker, Zherdev and Shelley, combined making what Gagne make. Why didn't he just not sign Zherdev and Shelley, and no Walker. Then not sign Leighton back in June, and wait on Turco, because it's obvious he has no options now.

So I come back to my regular question: WHY WILL HOLMGREN NOT GET A GOALIE?