Report: Philadelphia Flyers May Buyout Ilya Bryzgalov

There is a very interesting situation brewing in Philadelphia at the moment and it surrounds the Philadelphia Flyers and their problems with salary cap space. After trading the New York Islanders for the rights to Mark Streit, the Flyers need to find wiggle room under the cap to sign him to the deal both sides have agreed on, but when it comes to letting guys go there are two very different story’s being told.

According to CSN Philly reporter Tim Panaccio, the Flyers will be buying out the contract of forward Daniel Briere but they may not be stopping there. Briere’s contract will not count against them as he’ll be cut using the NHL’s compliance buyout clause, but things get very hazy when it comes to net minder Ilya Bryzgalov.

Two Philadelphia publications are reporting two different things as the situation unfolds which has cast must uncertainty over Bryzgalov’s future with the Flyers. Frank Seravalli from the Philadelphia Inquierer and Daily News is reporting that Bryzgalov’s agent Rich Winter has informed him that the Flyers assured Winter his client was not going to be bought out.

So to follow up, CSN’s Tim Panaccio asked Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren if this was true, to which Holmgren replied with a big fat no.

Panaccio isn’t the only one reporting via sources that Bryzgalov’s time with the Flyers is very limited. Plus, Holmgren is not a guy you want making promises to you about your client’s job security as Winter needs to talk to Jeff Carter’s agent and ask the now Los Angeles Kings center how well Holmgren’s promise went for him.

The Flyers need money and they need to find it now, especially if they want to sign Streit. Bryzgalov is a name that was floated for some time when it came to players with questionable futures with the Flyers so it should come as no surprise that given the opportunity, the Flyers may drop the axe and ship Bryzgalov out of town.