Speculation: Philadelphia's next top goalie

[The Madrigal]

I honestly think the Flames trading for Mike Smith today puts the Flyers in the driver's seat from here with the goalie market. It doesn't mean Hextall won't screw it up but he is certainly in a great position to succeed. Philadelphia, Vancouver, and Arizona, those are pretty much the only teams in need of a starting goalie at this point assuming MAF to Vegas happens as expected.

 

[Tripod]

I honestly think the Flames trading for Mike Smith today puts the Flyers in the driver's seat from here with the goalie market. It doesn't mean Hextall won't screw it up but he is certainly in a great position to succeed. Philadelphia, Vancouver, and Arizona, those are pretty much the only teams in need of a starting goalie at this point assuming MAF to Vegas happens as expected.

The only problem is that what do you win? It's not like we have the pick of 5 different top 10 goalies.

Miller, Mason and Budaj only guys to play 50 games or more last year.
Elliott and Condon over 40.

So we are either adding an unproven goalie thru trade, or Mason/Elliot are the top options thru FAA....Miller will stay out West.

 

[SuchySays]

Best case scenario, Neuvirth is selected and Mason can't find anywhere to sign so he comes "home" for cheap.

 

[Tripod]

Best case scenario, Neuvirth is selected and Mason can't find anywhere to sign so he comes "home" for cheap.

Then add an NHL tweener for LV and let Stolie be the NHL backup.

 

[The Madrigal]

The only problem is that what do you win? It's not like we have the pick of 5 different top 10 goalies.

Well for one thing, Mason coming back seems more likely than it did before.

Second, Varlamov, Pickard, Grubauer, Raanta, and any of the free agent goalies. With the Flames out of the mix their only really competition in the goalie market is Arizona and Vancouver. If Hextall plays his hand correctly he could out of this situation looking really good.

 

[eramosat]

The goalie Flyers sign will simply have to take what is on offer...short-ish term, and no more than ~4mil/per. Mason is a leading candidate to take near-the-maximum of what the Flyers have to offer.

Also, if/when Mase is re-signed, I am 100% on board to support the signing against the inevitable s***storm. I think he has been, given the history of Flyers goalies, a fantastic player, and can be the guy who helps push them deep into the playoffs when the team is ready to do so in the remainder of his tenure here.

 

[The Madrigal]

Steve Mason is a decent starting goalie in the NHL coming off of a bad season and bad playoff the year before. He is the best option out there for the Flyers however as the devil you know is better than the devil you don't know. I think if Mason keeps a level head about things he will realize that the Flyers are the best option for him as well. I really thought he was headed for Calgary and Smith was going to end up here. At this point I could see Mason back on a two year for around 4.5 million per. If it doesn't work out though I am not going to lose sleep over it.

 

[eramosat]

Steve Mason is a decent starting goalie in the NHL coming off of a bad season and bad playoff the year before. He is the best option out there for the Flyers however as the devil you know is better than the devil you don't know. I think if Mason keeps a level head about things he will realize that the Flyers are the best option for him as well. I really thought he was headed for Calgary and Smith was going to end up here. At this point I could see Mason back on a two year for around 4.5 million per. If it doesn't work out though I am not going to lose sleep over it.

I completely agree.

I also would like to see him stay and help end the fruitless cycle of dumping good keepers at the first crossroads.

 

[BobbyClarkeFan16]

I really don't think Mason is coming back. He's going to want to be in a place where he's the undisputed number one and he doesn't want to have to look over his shoulder if another goaltender gets hot and starts taking playing time from him. I could see him going to Vancouver, especially if Miller goes to Phoenix.

Gut feeling is that Hextall will probably arrange a deal with McPhee in Vegas and part with a prospect like Leier and get Calvin Pickard. I know Raanta and Grubauer are popular, but neither goalie has appeared in more than 49 games in a year. Pickard appeared in 50 games in his pro career and in his junior career, he's appeared in 62, 68 and 64 games. He has shown he can handle a heavy workload.

 

[Sawdalite]

Steve Mason is a decent starting goalie in the NHL coming off of a bad season and bad playoff the year before. He is the best option out there for the Flyers however as the devil you know is better than the devil you don't know. I think if Mason keeps a level head about things he will realize that the Flyers are the best option for him as well. I really thought he was headed for Calgary and Smith was going to end up here. At this point I could see Mason back on a two year for around 4.5 million per. If it doesn't work out though I am not going to lose sleep over it.

I honestly believe that Mason likes the Flyers Organization and still feels gratitude for their earlier faith in him and giving him a chance and then a nice followup Contract... I just believe that the handling/use of him by Hak ruffled his feathers and hurt his feelings... I also believe that he wanted a bone thrown to him with lip service hinting to his being the Number One and will be treated as such.

I think that Hextall was honest when he said that he would not discuss Contracts with either during the Season... but with the need of a Contracted Goalie for the Expansion Draft, he went for the cheaper of the two and was pushed for a two-year or nothing by Neuvy's Agent... with the assumption that once the ED was completed and the dust settled, he'd sign a Number One as a Bridge to his awaiting young-uns... I'm not convinced that Mason and Hexy do not already have a gentleman's agreement about after the ED... and Hexy and Mase have made nice-nice to smooth over the ruffled feathers and assure Mason the Number One position.

Well... that's my theory and I'm sticking to it... That or they obtain MAF from Las Vegas and go with him and Neuvy... either theory will do for me, anyway. haha

 

[Lindberg]

Meh.. Mason is a headcase and goes on about not being the #1 while playing like crap. If he played better he would be the de facto #1.

 

[eramosat]

I honestly believe that Mason likes the Flyers Organization and still feels gratitude for their earlier faith in him and giving him a chance and then a nice followup Contract... I just believe that the handling/use of him by Hak ruffled his feathers and hurt his feelings... I also believe that he wanted a bone thrown to him with lip service hinting to his being the Number One and will be treated as such.

I think that Hextall was honest when he said that he would not discuss Contracts with either during the Season... but with the need of a Contracted Goalie for the Expansion Draft, he went for the cheaper of the two and was pushed for a two-year or nothing by Neuvy's Agent... with the assumption that once the ED was completed and the dust settled, he'd sign a Number One as a Bridge to his awaiting young-uns... I'm not convinced that Mason and Hexy do not already have a gentleman's agreement about after the ED... and Hexy and Mase have made nice-nice to smooth over the ruffled feathers and assure Mason the Number One position.

Well... that's my theory and I'm sticking to it... That or they obtain MAF from Las Vegas and go with him and Neuvy... either theory will do for me, anyway. haha

Makes sense to me.

Meh.. Mason is a headcase and goes on about not being the #1 while playing like crap. If he played better he would be the de facto #1.

 

[Lindberg]

If you're going to be a headcase, you need to play better than he has. He's had issues with Berube and Hakstol now. He's let in soft goals too many times in important games. Not that I expect his performance to be anywhere as close to Patrick Roy but he was a nut sometimes but made up for it with his incredible play.

He's not a Vezina caliber goaltender so I'm ok with him coming back or going. The goalie prospects are coming and I'd like to see what they can do and I'm sure Mason will not be happy if a prospect comes in and tears it up. You look at a guy like Fluery who is ok with handing the reigns off to Murray and not whine and cry over it.

 

[eramosat]

If you're going to be a headcase, you need to play better than he has. He's had issues with Berube and Hakstol now. He's let in soft goals too many times in important games. Not that I expect his performance to be anywhere as close to Patrick Roy but he was a nut sometimes but made up for it with his incredible play.

He's not a Vezina caliber goaltender so I'm ok with him coming back or going. The goalie prospects are coming and I'd like to see what they can do and I'm sure Mason will not be happy if a prospect comes in and tears it up. You look at a guy like Fluery who is ok with handing the reigns off to Murray and not whine and cry over it.

For me, this is acceptable.

Not sure "headcase" is warranted but to each his own.

 

[Tripod]

Mason was approx the 25 the highest paid goalie thru the 4 years here.

And during those 4 years, he is tied for 12th in Sv% and that INCLUDES this bad year.

Honestly, what more do you expect from a low paid starter? He outplayed his contract 3 out of 4 years here. Can't ask for much more.

And maybe he is a headcase because he was thrown into an NHL game while he had a concussion and was told by his coach that he would not play. But let's ignore that. Also let's ignore that our goalie coach was willing to lose his job due to the coach mis-handling Mason. It's all Mason's fault.

 

[Sawdalite]

If you're going to be a headcase, you need to play better than he has. He's had issues with Berube and Hakstol now. He's let in soft goals too many times in important games. Not that I expect his performance to be anywhere as close to Patrick Roy but he was a nut sometimes but made up for it with his incredible play.

He's not a Vezina caliber goaltender so I'm ok with him coming back or going. The goalie prospects are coming and I'd like to see what they can do and I'm sure Mason will not be happy if a prospect comes in and tears it up. You look at a guy like Fluery who is ok with handing the reigns off to Murray and not whine and cry over it.

So Mason's play down the stretch the last couple of Season and poor play of the Team in front of him should be completely ignored then?

There are bad Goals scored on EVERY Goalie at times... and they are the ones we all remember, as we forget the good and great saves believing that they were save they should save... Hextall had his share even in his best Seasons; he was blamed for allowing bad Goals from just inside the BlueLine... Bernie tells the story of watching the clock as the time clicked off at the end of the First Cup Clincher, and had the long dump been on net it probabaly would have gone in as he was... Wasn't it Nitty who was watching brawling down in the far right corner when a long shot went in on him... so Mason's slip up on that long dump in against the Caps that went under his glove is really not all that uncommon... Mason has not really had many real bad Goals but did have his good and bad Games as ALL NHL Goalies have now and then... Overall Mase has been pretty solid with a down Season last Season... And we should want him to be a Number One and upset when he feels that he isn't given a fair chance. Goalies are all headcases and we have see much worse in O&B than Mason over the 50 years.

There has been back and forth debate on Mason this OffSeason... I understand... but IMO, he is a talented Goalie and we could do worse... He may be the best fit for the next couple/few Seasons, given what is currently available to us.

JMO

 

[Damaged Goods]

flyersNducks, Habsfann, Oranges and Philadelphia Ducks nailed it.