Happy New Year to everyone! Here’s hoping you are getting a chance to watch the World Junior Championships, which has been a great tournament so far.
Many future NHL stars are on the ice at the worlds, so take it all in. Now, a look at the NHL itself.
The Good [.continue.]

Barry Melrose discusses teams battling thru adversity, who is doing well and who isn’t.

The Good starts with the Flyers. Given the amount of injuries the Flyers have sustained this year they have held their own pretty well in the standings. Melrose gives credit to the younger guys for stepping up and providing offense at a time the trainer’s room for the Flyers looked like the MASH 4077.
For the playoff run though Melrose says…

I still think the Flyers need another goaltender — they don’t want to go into the playoffs with a rookie netminder, no matter how well Niittymaki is playing.

What is with Niittymaki getting no respect? His nickname might be Frank, but I think I might start calling him Rodney. First his own country and now Melrose.

Who are the Flyers going to get that is better than Niittymaki and is not a rookie? Ottawa going to trade away Hasek? Or is Roberto Luongo who you are thinking of Barry? Hasek is not leaving Ottawa. Luongo was rumored for a good wile to be leaving Florida, but how much would the Flyers have to give up to get him? Too much to for a partial season with his contract being up at the end of it. Add in that Luongo has zero playoff experience and it is not going to happen. Well it shouldn’t happen.

Or should Robert Esche be put back in because he has more ‘experience’? Before the last playoff run Esche played in 1 NHL playoff game and 4 AHL playoff games.
Frank has 33 games in the AHL under his belt in the playoffs winning the Calder Cup along with the MVP for the playoffs.
Sorry Barry, unless Niittymaki starts blowing games he is the guy to go with in goal.