Flyers Agree to Deal with Ray Emery
Former Senators Goalie Spent a Year Toiling in the KHL
Jun 10, 2009
One year ago, Ottawa Senators General Manager Bryan Murray decided that even though Ray Emery was the better goalie on his roster, he wasn’t worth the off-ice hassles and bought him out. This year, Philadelphia counterpart Paul Holmgren is hoping a year in Russia has calmed the fiery backstop, agreeing in principle to a deal that will see Emery make his NHL return in 2009-10.
While the Flyers made the announcement Wednesday, the pact cannot be signed until free agency begins on July 1.
“We’ve spent a lot of time watching him, from his time in Binghamton playing against the Phantoms to his rise to the NHL as a goaltender in Ottawa, to playing in the Stanley Cup Final in 2007,” said Holmgren at the press conference held at the Flyers’ practice facility.
“We liked Ray’s competitiveness as a goaltender, his athleticism as a goaltender, his size and technique,” he added. “We think at this time he’s an ideal fit on our team and we look forward to many years of a real good relationship with Ray.”
Emery a Changed Man
Emery arrives in Philadelphia with a boatload of questions surrounding his mental make-up. First, his tardiness and traffic accidents, among other things, grabbed the brunt of the media’s attention in Ottawa. Then, when it seemed he had toned down while playing for Atlant Mytischi of the KHL, video of him going after a team trainer who insisted he wear a sponsor’s cap after being pulled made headlines on this side of the pond.
Now, the 26-year-old is hoping to make more positive headlines in the City of Brotherly Love.
“First off, I want to say that I’m just happy to be here. It’s an exciting day for me,” he began.
Judging by the smile on his face as he spoke, his words seemed genuine.
“I went through a lot the last year or two and I realize that I had a great thing going [in Ottawa]. I lost a lot of people that I enjoyed hanging out with,” admitted Emery. “I want to get back to having those good relationships, enjoying my workplace and sport, because it’s a great position to have, it’s a great job to be in.”
And it’s not something he’s about to forget.
“I really appreciate the opportunity I’ve been given here. I lost it once before so I’ll always have that in the back of my head, before I do anything,” he said. “When I wake up in the morning, that’s what I’m thinking, that I have this opportunity and I’m not going to let anything get in the way.”
Despite his off-ice issues, the Hamilton, Ontario native was solid between the pipes for his KHL club, going 22-8 while recording a 2.12 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage in the regular season. He was even more efficient in the postseason, with a 1.86 GAA and .941 save percentage in seven appearances. Those numbers, plus the reported affordable $1.5 million cap hit, made the deal a no-brainer for the Flyers.
“I talked to a lot of different people about Ray, obviously John Paddock who’s working in our organization now [as AHL head coach] has firsthand knowledge of Ray and what he went through. But the thing that kept coming back was that he’s recognized an area of his life where he’s maybe made some mistakes, and we kept coming back to his talent as a goaltender in the league,” explained Holmgren.
Flyers Backup Goaltender – Biron or Niittymaki?
With the addition of Emery to the Philly fold, it’s all but certain that one of Martin Biron or Antero Niittymaki will be moving on. While logic would suggest it would be Biron finding a new home, Holmgren wouldn’t completely eliminate the 31-year-old from the equation.
“I’ve had a number of conversations with Marty and we will continue to talk to him. We still need another goalie for the NHL, so we’ll see what happens.”
Though an Emery-Biron tandem seems highly unlikely, it certainly would make for an interesting storyline. On February 22, 2007, the duo traded punches in a fight-filled contest between the Senators and Sabres at HSBC Arena.
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