As tweeted by Tim Panacchio, The Flyers have had 27 different goalies since Ron Hextall hung up the skates. This in addition to the current Flyers goal tending struggles leads me to think about what could have been if Ray Emery could have stayed healthy.
If I may, Ray Emery started his campaign with the Philadelphia Flyers with a lot of weight on his shoulders. The Flyers had recently cut ties with Marty Biron, who had led them into the playoffs and was the rock the Flyers turned to in their outstanding turn around during the 2007-2008 season. The nay-sayers got louder after finding out more on Emery's history. Emery had a few disputes with his old coach in Ottawa and was so iffy that he wasn't signed by any team during the summer of 2008. Not to mention he had stood on his head to carry Ottawa to the Stanley Cup Finals two year prior.
With no takers Emery took his show to Moscow of the KHL. The KHL All-Star posted a jaw-dropping 22-8 record with a goals against average of 1.86. However, more drama followed the goal tender. After being pulled from a game the team's trainer got on Emery to wear a sponsor's hat, Emery didn't take this well and a 'physical altercation' brewed. Emery did come back to finish the season but left after his first year of the two year contract he had in place.
Returning to the NHL came soon for the Ontario native, as the Flyers signed Emery that next summer. Now with critics and history against him Ray Emery had to show why he belonged, again. Emery answered those critics by going 11-4-1 and forced his name into the conversation for the Eastern Conference All Star team. Emery was on top of the game, the only one close to him was Ryan Miller. During a VS broadcast one night, one special guest analyst and recently fired Canes coach, Peter Laviolette, argued that Emery should be on Team Canada's roster.
All those talks came crashing to a halt as Emery dropped six straight games and 8 in 11 in November to December. Not one person thought twice, this wasn't a result of Emery playing badly, he had to be hurt. After shutting out the Flames on February 2nd the Flyers goaltender was put on the IR for what was thought to be only 6 weeks with a torn ab muscle. Later it came out that Emery was suffering from Avascular Necrosis, a disease that takes place in the hips.
Emery was put on season ending IR, but this was a more series issue. Avascular Necrosis was considered to be a career ending injury and Emery was no exception. The 28 year old was lucky as the disease was caught early and there was a hope that his career as an NHLer could live to see another day.
With Emery down, the Flyers were struggling and in need of a number one. Enter Michael Leighton. The Flyers rode their waiver wire pick up down the stretch and had fans forgetting who Emery was. Leights was hurt headed into the playoffs, but when he returned so did the Flyers we know and love. The Flyers rallied back from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Boston Bruins in 7 and then beat the Montreal Canadiens in 5 carried by Leightons 3 shutouts.
But the Flyers met a different type of team in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Chicago Blackhawks were a team that had no exceeded expectation but were meeting them. They were a highly touted team playing up to their level, nothing like the Flyers had seen that year.
With two quick losses in Chicago, Flyers fans were wondering where the goalie that robbed the Habs had gone. Returning home the Flyers squeezed two out versus the offensive powerhouse that resided on Madison Ave. And to Chicago we went and again Leighton was scorched by a powerful Chicago attack, Flyers goal tending giving up 7 goals in total. Finally a game who's ending still burns and is not to be talked about by Flyers fans, and thus i shall not. The series was over, the Flyers had fallen flat against a team who tallied 25 goal in six games.
Now to the question that almost brings me to tears as a die hard Flyers fan, Would Ray Emery have led the Flyers to a cup?
Experience is a deadly weapon and that is something that Leighton lacked but Emery had. In a series featuring two goalies with zero playoff experience previous to their respective runs, what could have the experience of Ray Emery led to? Extra confidence and composure? A pit in Niemi stomach which he would not be able to shake?
Talent wise, Emery was among the best in the league before succumbing to injury. The Hawks used a fast fast passing and skating system, very similar to the Sabres system that Emery shutdown just three years prior. A deadly mixture of a realization that Emery had beaten this team before and the talent to propel him to do it again.
I could go on all day without a certain thought that i would eventually give in and admit to myself that there is no way I will ever know.
Third Chance
Emery recently signed an one year contract with the Anaheim Ducks. Since he has started two games and has a record of 2-0-0 with a GAA of .87 giving up a goal in each of his starts added to a shutout in relief on March 13th. Emery got the start for Anaheim tonight, it is 0-0 after one period of play.
Best of luck to one of the most talent and resilient players in the league as he attempts silence to critics, once again.
Thanks for Reading!
No comments:
Post a Comment