Flyers Are Going To Sign Ray Emery; Continue Endless Search For Franchise Goalie

This day has been filled with depressing and angering news for me. Although I'm pretty sure this bit of information takes the cake. Westbrook should be back for the regular season so that may not be major, I'll have a piece on the changes to FNIA in a bit (I'll give you a hint: I ain't happy), but the idiocy of the Flyers is just unbelieveable. It is clear that they no longer want to make the playoffs. What makes me say that? Well, the fact that the deal with Ray Emery is all but done. Via CSN Philly.

Barring a collapse in negotiations, the Flyers are expected to sign Ray Emery as their starting goalie for next season.

Several general managers at the Stanley Cup Final consider the matter a “done deal.” Emery was Ottawa’s property until released by the Senators last June.

Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren declined to confirm what others are saying at the Cup Final.

“We’ve had conversations with his agent [J.P. Barry] about a lot of things,” Holmgren said. “But I’m not going to comment on our internal discussions of players.”

This is about the stupidest thing that the Flyers could do. I know Biron and Nittymaki are inconsistent at best, but at least they are team players. If you don't like the goalie carousel, fine, I understand the problem with them, but instead of backtracking by getting someone like Ray Emery whose skill level is about that of Biron's but he is a known trouble-maker, try and wheel-and-deal your way into either through free agency or a trade to get a big-name, goalie that can finally become a franchise staple between the pipes, something they have not had since Ron Hextall. Ray Emery is nothing but a trouble maker and now that it seems likely that both Marty and Nitty will be leaving the Flyers, that leaves their only back-up as someone without NHL experience. So if Emery fails, and I'd be shocked if he doesn't, they have nothing but inexperience to back him up when he fails.

Hopefully I am wrong and if they do get Emery (which seems all but certain at this point), he will not be a trouble maker and will perform better than Biron and Nittymaki did. Somehow though, I think the chances of that are slim and none and slim has left the building.