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.”
Barry told CSNPhilly.com he is confident a contract will get done.
“We have been talking several weeks now,” Barry said from Calgary, Alberta. “Paul has done due diligence on Ray. I’m hopeful it will lead to a contract.”
Sun Media in Canada is reporting that it’s a one-year deal.
As for last season’s starter, it is believed Marty Biron still wants a long-term deal. The Flyers want to pursue defenseman Jay Bouwmeester either via a trade at the draft or through free agency, and that will require significant cap dollars. Obviously, the Flyers are thinking they’ll put the money into a defenseman and not a goalie, especially if Emery is on a one-year contract.
Ottawa GM Bryan Murray told CSNPhilly.com that Emery, who has a complicated off-ice history, deserves a second chance.
“Philadelphia has always had great teams, it’s a very good organization, and they certainly treat their players first class,” Murray said. “I think Ray, or whoever went there, falls into the groove a little bit. Ottawa was the same.
“He went to Russia, and from what I understand, he had a very good year. He’s young. He certainly has ability.”
A martial arts expert who set a junior club record for fighting – a rarity for a goalie – the 26-year-old Emery spent five seasons with the Senators before going to Russia. He was drafted 99th overall by Ottawa in 2001 under then GM John Muckler.
Playing for Atlant Mytischi of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) last season, Emery posted a 2.12 goals against average and .920 save percentage with a record of 22-8.
Emery can’t sign until July 1 even though he is coming from Russia and not another NHL team.
“Ray’s status as a veteran UFA in the NHL doesn’t allow him to sign a contract for a future year until July 1,” NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly wrote in an e-mail to CSNPhilly.com.
Upon his return from Russia in late March, Emery had his driver’s license suspended for a week and was charged with “stunt driving” on Hwy. 416 in Ontario. Grenville County Ontario Provincial Police impounded his Hummer.
“He drove too fast,” Murray said. “Sometimes he was out later than he should have been. He missed a plane. Once or twice only.”
In June 2007, Emery was involved in an alleged road-rage incident with a 65-year-old Kanata resident. In February 2008, Ottawa police stopped Emery after he allegedly cut off one of their police cars. Emery later admitted on television he had been stopped by police about 30 times over a two-year period.
It was reported in Russia that Emery has cleaned up his act. The Flyers, others say, have done thorough research on Emery while he was in Russia and believe the worst is behind him. Murray said Emery’s problems in Ottawa tended to be magnified.
“He didn’t have many problems on the ice other than there was a little stretch when he didn’t play as well as he had been playing for us,” Murray said. “He’s a good goaltender. He’s a good athlete. He had issues where he tried to do more off the ice than he should have done.”
Would Emery be a sound investment for the Flyers? Murray was very direct on the matter.
“Well, he wasn’t in Ottawa because he was scrutinized so much,” Murray replied. “He missed a plane in Ottawa and every media person knew about it and wrote about it. When you are late for practice, we have 30 press guys in the stands with TV cameras going. They see that happen.
“You’d like to think and I believe this to be true. With every young man you’ve dealt with, that as they get older, a little more maturity about them, a little more experience and commitment, I think you learn to follow the rules better. Maybe we make them almost too automated. In some respects.”
Murray, like other GMs here, believe the Russian experience may have made Emery appreciate what he had here in the NHL.
“Maybe Ray going to Russia was a good experience for him and maybe now he wants to come back and be a real solid pro,” Murray said.
Emery carried the Senators into the Cup Final in 2007 against Anaheim. So what happened the season after?
“I don’t know why Ray got out of whack the way he did,” Murray said. “The year before (2007), he certainly was a young man on the rise and looked like a solid goaltender for a lot of years in the National Hockey League.”
There were various rumors about Emery’s off-ice behavior during the 2007 Cup Final.
“I didn’t hear that and being the coach at the time, I didn’t see that and maybe my eyes were closed,” Murray admitted. “I don’t know if it was true or not. But some months later, I heard a couple stories. We hear stories all the time about our athletes. Some are exaggerated a great deal, some are proven true.
“The only game he didn’t play good in [during the Final] was the final game. We took a couple penalties early, got behind and we got blown out. Every playoff game, with the except of a few goals, he was as good as you would expect from a young goaltender.”
One Western Conference GM said Emery deserves some Brotherly Love from Philadelphia if he signs.
“Every person deserves a second chance and this guy has cleaned up his act,” the GM said. “Tell me you haven’t done something bad when you were younger and got a second chance? Why should Emery be any different?”
–CSN
So, thoughts on the new guy for the Flyers in 2009-2010? His biggest knock on him his whole career has been his temper, but on the flip side he did lead the Senators to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2007. He’s got the talent, it all depends on how he behaves in my opinion, let’s hear yours…
Also, feel free to enjoy some of these sample clips of Emery…
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