Ed Snider: Bryzgalov ‘a damn good goalie'

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VOORHEES, N.J. -- Flyers chairman Ed Snider is hoping the lockout-shortened season will mimic 1994-95 when the Flyers returned to finish first in the Atlantic Division.

I remember that it was a short season, Snider said. We did well and I remember Eric Lindros winning the Hart Trophy and overall, it was a pretty good year.

Im thrilled to be back. Its exciting. Im looking forward to the next 48 games. Hopefully, the playoffs.

Nineteen players in the Flyers' training camp were playing either in Europe or the AHL during the lockout.

Perhaps an advantage over other NHL clubs?

I havent taken a count of the rest of the league, Snider said. I dont know that more of ours played than others. We had more? I dont know if it really matters, quite frankly. It depends on who played and didnt play and the quality of those players.

I am not counting numbers. I just know probably -- hopefully -- we have a little bit of an advantage. Our organization is intact. Its basically the same team. All the same coaches.

So there is a familiarity there that will help us get out of the gate. Teams that have new coaches or whatever might have more of a problem. You never know.

Snider said he goes into every season thinking his team can win the Stanley Cup. This is no different, he said. He also said he has every confidence that goalie Ilya Bryzgalov will rebound positively from his uneven first season as a Flyer.

Were in good shape in goal, Snider said. I have a lot of faith in Bryzgalov. I think hell do a real good job for us.

A lot of his problems had to do with the different style we played as opposed to Phoenix. I really believe we will tighten up a bit and help him out. I think he is a damn good goalie.

Interestingly, when CSNs Lisa Hillary asked Snider to elaborate on tighten up, his response seemed to directly point to what John Paddock will now be doing for the Flyers as their new assistant coachwatching the oppositions defensive schemes from above.

With respect to the way teams are playing now, if you watched the playoffs and saw how teams played we couldnt adjust to New Jersey when they were bringing all their men back," Snider explained.

We had three forwards on five players. Its hard to score. We have to adjust accordingly. And make sure were up to date with whats going on around the league.

E-mail Tim Panaccio at tpanotch@comcast.net

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