Bryzgalov adjusting, Bobrovsky needs time according to Reese

by Teemu H on Oct 28, 2011 5:11 AM EDT in Philadelphia Flyers News From Europe

Flyers goalie coach Jeff Reese says Ilya Bryzgalov is going through an adjustment period and the same goes for the whole team while Sergei Bobrovsky isn’t quite ready to be a starting goalie yet. In the big picture, Reese calls the Flyers’ goaltending one of the best in the league.

Having two Russian goalies on the team is a rarity in the league, but Reese doesn’t really see anything special about it.

"I don’t think them both being Russian really means anything. Though it’s great when I can’t explain something to Bobrovsky, Bryz can translate for me."

"They have a healthy competition and that’s never harmed anyone. I know that Bryzgalov won’t refuse to help Bob and Bob won’t be just a humble servant."

"I also have a lot to learn as a coach as well, there are always some new methods and techniques out there."

Reese has a lot of faith in Bobrovsky and says the 23 year old will offer serious competition for Bryzgalov, but when will he be ready to be the starter?

"I don’t know. Maybe it will never happen. But I believe in him and consider him a very talented and confident goaltender who has a strong personality and the right kind of attitude. With Bryzgalov, he offers depth and reliability for the Flyers."

"Look at Cory Schneider in Vancouver for example. He’s an excellent goalie behind Luongo. The same way Bryzgalov was in Anaheim behind Giguere. So Bob has time on his side. He has an NHL veteran in front of him and he can learn a lot from him. He learns to understand what it’s like to be the starting goalie and play through the pain of each game while maintaining your consistency."

"I asked Bob to add some strength during the summer and he did it. I can already see visible progress in his stick work as a result of our work at practices. Bob is eager to develop and will offer serious competition for Bryzgalov."

"There would be something wrong with Bob if he didn’t think he was as good as Bryzgalov."

Reese is also quick to remind how happy he is with the goalies in the Flyers system.

"We also don’t have just a good tandem in the NHL, but our whole system is full of impressive goalies with Mike Leighton, Jason Bacashihua and Johan Backlund on the Phantoms and we also signed Niko Hovinen who plays on the Pelicans in Finland."

"Goalies used to be the weakness of the Flyers, but now our goaltending is one of the best in the league."

Best or not, whenever a new goalie comes in, there’s usually an adjustment period to be handled. There’s been talk about simplifying the communication on the ice between the defenders and the goalie, but Reese also reminds that better communication alone doesn’t fix the problems.

"We really need to simplify the communication between the players, but you can’t be sure that it will solve everything. The game is played at a tremendous speed. The goalie must assess the situation himself. Sometimes you just have to play it safe along the boards and not take any risks."

"Adjusting is also not just the goalies’ problem. The whole team has changed a lot for this season so even the veterans have some adjusting to do."

"But I don’t think this adjusting will take a long time. Soon Bryzgalov will show his true quality."

This report was based off of a Russian-language story in the publication Sovetsky Sport.

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Comments

I hope this is just an adjustment period for Bryz, only time will tell. I’m big on Bob like most are around here and would love to see him develop into our future goaltender, again its a time thing.

Goaltending was poor last night no doubt about that, but the D is where my real concern rests. Defensively we seem completely lost and have struggled since the Washington game.
I’m sure a better man than me will break the Defensive woes down at some point but for now we can be thankful that we don’t play tonight :)

#2 Flyers fan in England behind Orange and Black Forever (Damn him and his Americanness)

I am ONE of a kind!

by UKFlyer on Oct 28, 2011 5:51 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Agreed.

#1 Flyers fan in England (originally from Southeastern PA)

by Orange and Black Forever on Oct 28, 2011 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Who knows maybe Bryz will retire after a season or two because he’s lost his passion for hockey and free up all that cap space for us..

by KornontheKobb on Oct 28, 2011 7:28 AM EDT reply actions

Please let it be. Of course by then Bob will be somewhere.

Ed Snider is a crotchety old fuck.

That is all.

by EREX21 on Oct 28, 2011 9:01 AM EDT up reply actions

I love this post.

It's in his wheelhouse!!
Carlos Ruiz, My Nickname is Chooch.

by Dr. Steve on Oct 28, 2011 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions

No matter who is in net tomorrow night, it’s up to the rest of the team to show up defensively. Last night was very much like last February-May where the defensive play disappeared in front of the goalies.

I’m beginning to sound like a broken record but they need to do the following: everyone playing a full 60 minutes, avoiding stupid penalties and scoring goals. Last night they scored ‘em, the previous game they kept the penalties down. Now let’s do all three tomorrow night against Carolina.

If Brzy doesn't do right by Bob I'll kick his $51 million ass across the WFC.
And yes, I'm a female redhead.

by BHMB on Oct 28, 2011 9:09 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Also agreed.

#1 Flyers fan in England (originally from Southeastern PA)

by Orange and Black Forever on Oct 28, 2011 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions

A lot of these pucks that are finding the net are a result of redirections and our own defensemen screening our goaltenders. There is a lot of blame to go around for the way they’re playing right now but I think it’s certainly fixable. Our defensive zone coverage has got to get better. Don’t get me wrong the goaltending gets its fair share of the blame but they really aren’t getting any help out there.

Thanks a lot Select-A-Seat! Now I'm in 122!

"Some might give head coach Dave Tippett and general manager Don Maloney plenty of credit for guiding the Coyotes to two straight playoff berths amid franchise foibles – and they deserve much of it – but Bryzgalov was far and away the team’s most valuable player." - NBC Sports

by Flyers_Section_121 on Oct 28, 2011 9:35 AM EDT reply actions

I was enjoying the article and then I read this and decided to disregard everything Reese said.

our whole system is full of impressive goalies with Mike Leighton…

Follow @iJewJitsu

Ecstatic to be joing the Florida Panthers Organization!! Awesome day... Truly a dream come true.

- @ScottieUpshall (July 1, 2011 2:15pm EST)

by iJewJitsu on Oct 28, 2011 12:44 PM EDT reply actions

I was thinking the same thing.

Lightning strikes once, Hextall strikes twice!
"I think there is virtue in pissing off idiots." - Fehr and Balanced

by hintzy64 on Oct 28, 2011 1:12 PM EDT up reply actions

and then follows it up with

but now our goaltending is one of the best in the league.

I mean, its not like they gave up nine in one game or anything.

by philiafan14364 on Oct 28, 2011 1:50 PM EDT up reply actions

Patrick Roy gave up 9 all by himself in a single game. Hasek gave up 8 on 28 shots to San Jose.

Bob.

by The Dark on Oct 28, 2011 10:35 PM EDT up reply actions

LIke pitchers. On occasion, even the best throw a doozy.

by j reed on Oct 29, 2011 10:12 AM EDT up reply actions

I am really really hoping that was said because “he had to” if you know what I mean. I just love the fact that he still says Bob isn’t a starter, like after last season when he clearly was.

G, the second coming of Foppa.
Embrace the Jagr.*

by JerseyDriver on Oct 28, 2011 5:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Pretty sure it's a classic "he had to"

99% of all the stuff that comes out of players and coaches mouths is of the “he had to” variety which is how I like it – scripted and predictable so I don’t have to listen. And when they go off script it’s usually bad. I really don’t give a rat ass about players owning up to shit and blaming themselves for a team’s misfortunes. It’s the same fallacy of complex cause that the sports media committ when they pin a team’s loss on a player despite the fact an fuckton of alternate possiblities could have occured that lead up to the supposed defining moment. Which isn’t to say a player isn’t responible for their performance but it’s rarely the lone reason for the team winning or losing.

by j reed on Oct 29, 2011 4:54 PM EDT up reply actions

…when we he be ready? I don’t know, maybe it will never happen…

Does this answer strike anyone as odd? Bob might never be a starter. O.o

by lava96 on Oct 28, 2011 4:03 PM EDT reply actions

At first, but then I realized that this was an English to Russian back to English interview that may have gotten something lost in translation. At lease I’d like to think so.

If Brzy doesn't do right by Bob I'll kick his $51 million ass across the WFC.
And yes, I'm a female redhead.

by BHMB on Oct 28, 2011 4:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Bob was only the “starter” last year because the other options were Brian Boucher and Michael Leighton. He wasn’t a starter because he proved himself capable of handling the workload of a starting goalie in the NHL. He was a “starter” because he was the best available option.

That said, I think the best course of action for THIS season would have been for the Flyers to get a decent backup (like Josh Harding) and have Bob start 50 games while Harding got 33. Then we could have at least somewhat of a better idea if Bob were “Starter” material.

I’m only saying this because the argument of “Bob was the starter last year” irks me. he was the starter last year because he HAD to be, not because he was READY for it. To me, a starter is someone who has proven he is able to handle a heavy work load and can perform as consistently as possible. That wasn’t Bob last year, and it probably wouldn’t have been Bob this year – though he definitely should have been allowed to develop more in that direction.

Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?

by mikefive on Oct 28, 2011 5:58 PM EDT reply actions

I’m only saying this because the argument of "Bob was the starter last year" irks me. he was the starter last year because he HAD to be, not because he was READY for it. To me, a starter is someone who has proven he is able to handle a heavy work load and can perform as consistently as possible.

Then I think the problem is in the definition of “starter”. It’s also worth nothing that last year, Sergei Bobrovsky had a higher percentage of “quality starts” than all but three NHL goalies. He had 65.4% quality starts compared to 62.3% for Fleury and 61.2% for Bryzgalov.

But in either event, Bob did not have to be the starter last year. The Flyers made him one. They could have used their Proven NHL Backup © or used the guy they signed to be their starter as early as December. They chose not to. Whether he was ready for it or not, the Flyers decided he was. Even when it became clear to most that he wasn’t ready for it, the Flyers continued to play him – even when Brian Boucher was out playing him.

Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999 and Matt Calvert since May 2010
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
SB Nation Philly - Associate Editor

by Geoff Detweiler on Oct 28, 2011 6:17 PM EDT up reply actions

My only issue with quality starts is that you can stop less than 90% of shots faced and still have a “quality start,” depending on how many goals you give up. But I do find it useful, excepting small sample sizes of course. (I think Yann Denis led the league in quality starts a few years ago.)

Whatevs. I’m tired and I wanna go to bed. It’s nice to be back arguing with you again. I missed it.

Next game, by the way, we need to do a better JOB of… (HHHHHHHHMMMMM) puttin’ ourselves in a better position to meet UP (HHHHHHHMMMMM) during intermission. #andyreid

Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?

by mikefive on Oct 29, 2011 12:29 AM EDT up reply actions

My only issue with quality starts is that you can stop less than 90% of shots faced and still have a "quality start," depending on how many goals you give up.

When allowing 2 or fewer, which means you have to stop 16 of 18. Otherwise, you must stop league-average percentage. And yes, only include those with 30 starts.

You don’t have to like it, but… at least one metric shows Bob was consistently above-average.

Indeed, we have to get better at finding time during intermission.

Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999 and Matt Calvert since May 2010
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
SB Nation Philly - Associate Editor

by Geoff Detweiler on Oct 29, 2011 1:15 AM EDT up reply actions

I see quality starts as a good rough sketch stat. Useful when looking over an entire year or alot of historical data.

by j reed on Oct 29, 2011 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, It’s hardly perfect. Just like quality starts in baseball are hardly perfect. But it’s better than QS in baseball (requires league average, not just >=6 IP <= 3 ER) at least.

Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999 and Matt Calvert since May 2010
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
SB Nation Philly - Associate Editor

by Geoff Detweiler on Oct 29, 2011 11:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Ah, good point. The league average thing makes sense since there aren’t as many well defined game states that occur at structured intervals like innings.

by j reed on Oct 30, 2011 3:18 AM EDT up reply actions