Walshy's Wrap Around

Welcome to Walshy’s Wrap Around. Yes the the Olympics are here and we have no NHL to talk about but there is a big date that is all hockey fans heads and that’s the Trade Deadline. The Flyers were in heavy talks with Atlanta before Kovalchuk was sent to New Jersey. Now we have another problem, yes theirs always a problem. Emery will be sidelined the entire Olympic break with a hip injury and it could drag on into the 2nd half. If a move is made for a goaltender it will most likely mean that Emery will not be returning next season.

One possible goalie to come to Philly is Marty Turco. Yes it’s a big name but some say hes on the decline. He has started 60 plus games every season since 03 and posted sub 2.00 GAA twice in that span bringing him to a team in the hunt could bring the bang back to Turco. He’s an ok at best playoff goalie with a 21-26 record and a 2.17 GAA. Yes you could say he didn’t get goal support and Id agree with you but in the season where his team had been bounced out of the 1st round he had a plus 3 GAA. That is not good.

Another possibility is Tomas Vokoun, this 33 year old Slovak has played for 3 different teams in his career Habs, Predators, and currently the Panthers. With the Habs he played 1 game lasted 20 mins and gave up 4 goals CMON and really hasn’t done all that well in his career except the 05-06 season where he went 36-18 with a 2.67 GAA not bad on a bad team. Another downfall he has 11 career playoff games with a combined 2-8 record. Just what the Flyers need right.

When it comes down to it I think it will be easier to get Turco now since there are 3 goalies in Dallas then Vokoun but I see Holmgren making a push for this 2-8 playoff goalie. Just seeing how the flyers have traded in recent past I see Vokoun coming to Philly.

Walshy's Wrap Around

Welcome to the 3rd installment of Walshy’s Wrap Around on PhillyPress. This week I will be covering the Philadelphia Flyers over the Last Week and looking at some news around the National Hockey League. The Flyers only had 2 games this last week Thursday vs. Thrashers, Saturday vs. Islanders and Monday vs. Flames. Flyers had wins vs. New York and Calgary and a Tough 4-3 loss vs. Atlanta. The Flyers are up to 6th in the Eastern Conference with 59 points. There is also news that the Flyers are listening to trade offers from Atlanta involving Kovalchuk bringing him to Philadelphia would make the Flyers a legit contender. There is a catch though, the Flyers would have to give up fan favorite Jeff Carter in the deal reports say. Is it worth it I say no since Carter is younger and could possibly be a better player down the road.

Big trades have been made over the last 2 days. The Anaheim Ducks made a move sending backup and former Conn Smythe award goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere to Toronto for LW Jason Blake and G Vesa Toskala. In my view I believe the Ducks made out on this deal just by getting Blake hes a playmaker and a scoring threat that could be great on any line. Also Toskala will thrive as a backup in Anaheim since he will not have the pressure of being the starter for Toronto and having high expectations and failing season after season.

The Leafs made another huge move by trading LW Niklas Hagman, C Matt Stajan, D Ian White, and RW Jamal Mayers to Calgary for hard hitting defensemen Dion Phaneuf, LW Fredrik Sjostrom, and Prospect Keith Aulie. In this deal I feel it was even the Flames got 2 guys that will play on the first line with Iginla, an average Dman that will try to replace Phaneuf’s presence and Jamal Mayers who will be the tough guy presence with Prust going to the Rangers. Phaneuf will be great in Toronto if resigned. Toronto has a lot of injured Defensemen and it seems like all these moves we made a little to late for this season but just in time for next.

Also just in as of 1:11 AM the Rangers traded Chris Higgins and Ales Kotalik to the Flames for Olli Jokinen and Brandon Prust. I love this deal for the Rangers Higgins and Kotalik have been complete busts for the Rangers. Kotalik who has a -18 this season with only 22 points. In his last 4 seasons he has hit the 20 goal mark 3 times. Higgins has 14 points and was a 27 goal scorer in 07-08. Jokinen is a very very under rated player in this league. Hes had 30+ goals 4 times in his career. Prust brings the physical aspect the Rangers have been lacking.

See you next Tuesday on the next installment of Walshy’s Wrap Around.

Walshy's Wrap Around

Welcome to the first installment of Walshy’s Wrap Around. Each Tuesday I will be talking about the ins and outs of the Philadelphia Flyers Organization.

The Flyers come into Tuesday with a 6-3-1 record in their last 10 games but also on a 2 game losing skid. Coming into tonight’s game against the former head coach Ken Hitchcock and the Columbus Blue Jackets there is one big question on fans minds who is the starting goalie. Ray Emery started off hot this season posting a shutout in his first game as a Flyer and posted up 11 wins before he went down with an abdominal injury which landed him on the IR.

In comes Michael Leighton, 28 year old goaltender from Petrolia, Ontario. Who most recently was the backup goalie for the Carolina Hurricanes, was claimed off waivers by the Flyers on December 15th. In his time on the Flyers he has an 8-1-1 record in 11 starts with a 2.39 GAA. Which way to go? Go with the guy who was 8-1-1 in his last 10 starts or go with the goaltender who you took the risk on and signed in the off-season. Only time will tell who the go with.
My Vote: Ray Emery

On to the offensive side of the team. Captain Mike Richards currently leads the team with 19 goals and 40 points on the season. The one guy on the offensive side of the ice I have my concerns about is Scott Hartnell. Last Season he was one of the top point producers on the team with 60 points this season he is at 27 points through 46 games which puts him as 7th best on the team. Trade rumors have been circulating about him but it’s a slump he could break and I hope he can break out of it.

On the Slate this week Tuesday the 19th vs. Columbus 7:00 pm EST, Thursday the 21st vs. NYR at 7pm EST, Saturday the 22nd vs. Carolina 1:00 pm EST, and finally Sunday the 24th on NBC against Pittsburgh at 12:30 pm EST. See you next Tuesday in the next installment of Walshy’s Wrap Around

Written by Pat Walsh