News Article: Can Flyers' Mason overcome humiliating goal?

[Rebels57]

Mason was great down the stretch and got us into the playoffs. He was overworked and it showed in the first 3 games. The team also played far too undisciplined and then far too passive on the PK. Pretty much that simple. No need to **** on Mason.

 

[renberg]

Actually he went 6-4-3, and more importantly, had a .926 SV% to get them into the playoffs after Neuvirth managed to get hurt during warmups for the 3/19 Pens game, including playing two back to backs. Something Neuvirth couldn't manage all season due to his various ailments. And in the four regulation losses the Flyers scored a total of four goals.

He absolutely lead the team into the playoffs.

Neuverth went down on March 16. There were eleven games between that time and when Neuverth was able to play again where Mason was in goal:
3/19 Pitt- L
3/21 @Isles-W
3/22 @CBJ-OTL
3/24 @Colo-W
3/26 @AZ-L
3/30 Winn-W
4/2 Ott-W
4/3 @Pitt-L
4/6 @ Det-L
4/7 Tor-OTL
4/9 Pitt-W
The W against Pittsburg on the 9th was a gimme. Pens played their scrubs. This is hardly leading a team into the POs.
The in the PO, three losses. In two of them he had bad games.
Tired ? Perhaps but he had five days between the Pens game and the start of the POs to get rested. Personally, I think that he's hurt, not tired. The Flyers caught a bad break in that both of their goaltenders were injured down the stretch. Stolarz was not ready to fill in.
What intrigued me the most about Neuverth's game last night was the way that the team laid out and played in front of him. I didn't see that happening as much in front of Mason. Perhaps they believe more in Neuvy? IDK. Nervy is an unorthodox goalie at times. His handling of the puck is scary at times. Then there are times when he looks great.
As I said before, probably one of these two will be traded over the summer. Contract negotiations are going to affect the decision. I can't see the GM letting it become a situation where one of them walks away a UFA with no return to the organization. Its going to be a tough call for Hextall to make.

 

[Larry44]

As I said before, probably one of these two will be traded over the summer. Contract negotiations are going to affect the decision. I can't see the GM letting it become a situation where one of them walks away a UFA with no return to the organization. Its going to be a tough call for Hextall to make.

It's not going to be a tough call at all. Neuvirth is signed through next year as backup. Mason will be extended after July 1st when RJ is bought out. Mason will get 4-5 years at $5-6 million per. They will decide on extending Neuvy or trading him at deadline next year depending on how he's playing, how the team is doing and how Stolarz/Lyon are progressing,

 

[Curufinwe]

Neuverth went down on March 16. There were eleven games between that time and when Neuverth was able to play again where Mason was in goal:
3/19 Pitt- L
3/21 @Isles-W
3/22 @CBJ-OTL
3/24 @Colo-W
3/26 @AZ-L
3/30 Winn-W
4/2 Ott-W
4/3 @Pitt-L
4/6 @ Det-L
4/7 Tor-OTL
4/9 Pitt-W

You conveniently left out the win over Washington on 3/30 where he stopped 29/30 regulation shots and both shootout attempts. The win over the Jets was actually on 3/28. His record was even better than I thought at 6-4-2.

http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/m/masonst01/gamelog/2016/

And you haven't addressed the fact that in the four regulation losses you're trying to blame on Mason, the team averaged one goal per game. If the team was backing into the playoffs, it wasn't because of their starter who was putting up a great SV% of .926%. It was because of their offense, particularly the PP.

 

[Embiid]

it is clear...the Flyers score more when Neuvy is in net

Mason was burned out...agree. I did feel Neuvy should have started game 3 though

 

[Sombastate]

Thanks, Hexastate, for an excellent post. I never played pro but I played net most of my life and switched to forward after my MCL stopped letting me butterfly.

Playing goal is a LOT more physically demanding than playing F or D. Concentrate the whole game. No rests. Up and downs that would kill mere mortals...

Yeah, its not an easy position.

I play similar to Rinne stylistically, but i also play deeper in my net. I'm 6'3" and around 170 pounds. I wake up feeling terrible after every game. So the idea that a giant stretch of games is somehow not a big deal is insanely stupid..

 

[deadhead]

Mason was hurt a few minutes before the shot, and I think he was subconsciously favoring whatever he pulled.

He's a good goalie, when healthy, a top ten goalie, but he's not a great goalie and never will be.

I doubt they sign him long-term, 2-3 years max but Hextall has been collecting young goalies with high upsides, Stolarz gets one more AHL season then he takes one spot on the team. They have three other top prospects with the signing of the Yale goalie, and Madsen isn't looking too bad either.

 

[Striiker]

Whether he was hurt or not has nothing to do with missing that goal...

He wasn't sliding side to side, he was sitting still and just missed with the stick, no excuse.

But oh well, it's over and in the past, move on.

 

[Yukon Cornelius*]

For those lobbying for Mason to be re-signed at a long term, reasonable contract, have you considered, common sense notwithstanding, the fact that of Sports agency, MFIVE's clients, Vinnie Lecavalier and Steve Mason are two of their most prominent.

Good luck with that negotiation...

 

[Sawdalite]

For those lobbying for Mason to be re-signed at a long term, reasonable contract, have you considered, common sense notwithstanding, the fact that of Sports agency, MFIVE's clients, Vinnie Lecavalier and Steve Mason are two of their most prominent.

Good luck with that negotiation...

What is your point... Lecavalier took less money to sign with the Flyers... and Mason was fair in his last contract... If you're inferring that MFIVE's involvement would preclude a reasonable contract, I'm not seeing that going by your statement.

I believe the price of Mason's next contract will be dictated by the Open Market Value... and Mason's desire to stay a Flyer, along with any security on the table... If Mason is not desired by other Teams of means, the Flyers can pretty much call the shots... if he is sought after, Mason can dictate his future... The Flyers and Mason can fairly circumvent this process by coming to a reasonable agreement. TBH, I'd personally expect Mason to be reasonable and not expect to take the Flyers over.

 

[Tripod]

Mason knows that we have 2 good goalies now...and kids on the way. If Hextall approaches his agent about re-signing, then he also knows that Hextall wants him as the #1. At that point, I think a deal is done quite easily. And these bumps in the road will keep his $ down too. He knows it. Hextall knows it.

Mason also knows that there are only so many #1 jobs out there. And if you risk being a UFA and are left without one, your salary takes a big drop from 4-6 million....down to 2 million.

I also think he is also thankful for Philly giving him the chance to rebuild his career. He knows that not every team will be the same situation. He knows it can be much, much worse.

And, he also knows that if he demands too much or too long, Philly has the option of turning toward Neuvirth instead at a much cheaper rate.

 

[renberg]

Mason knows that we have 2 good goalies now...and kids on the way. If Hextall approaches his agent about re-signing, then he also knows that Hextall wants him as the #1. At that point, I think a deal is done quite easily. And these bumps in the road will keep his $ down too. He knows it. Hextall knows it.

Mason also knows that there are only so many #1 jobs out there. And if you risk being a UFA and are left without one, your salary takes a big drop from 4-6 million....down to 2 million.

I also think he is also thankful for Philly giving him the chance to rebuild his career. He knows that not every team will be the same situation. He knows it can be much, much worse.

And, he also knows that if he demands too much or too long, Philly has the option of turning toward Neuvirth instead at a much cheaper rate.

There also is the Reese factor. He was the goaltending coach behind Mason's rejuvenation. So to whom does Mason owe what? Reese walked the plank here a year ago and now is the goaltending coach in Dallas who could use a steadier presence in the net. Mason might want to rejoin Reese and there could be an opportunity for that happening.

 

[Curufinwe]

I don't see the fit in Dallas. They have two big money goalies signed for two more seasons, and I certainly wouldn't trade Mason for either one.

Niemi played 48 games with a .905 SV%.

Lehtonen played 43 at .906.

 

[renberg]

I don't see the fit in Dallas. They have two big money goalies signed for two more seasons, and I certainly wouldn't trade Mason for either one.

Niemi played 48 games with a .905 SV%.

Lehtonen played 43 at .906.

Ruff is going back and forth with these two. He doesn't seem to like either of them. If Mason were out there after 16-17, Dallas might jump on the opportunity to grab Mason as a FA. Keep either Niemi or Lehtonen and trade out the other, expose them in the expansion draft or buy out the last year of the deal. If Reese tells Ruff that Mason is the guy to plug the hole in goal for Dallas, you never know what could happen here.
I'm not going to take it for granted that Mason would see that he owes the Flyers anything or would give them a hometown discount.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

Dallas is stuck with Lehtonen & Niemi for a while. They're both signed until the summer of 2018 at $5.9M & $4.5M respectively. Nobody is willingly lining up to take overpriced below average goaltenders off their hands.