Emery

It seems fitting that a goaltender so enamored with fighting he once had a caricature of Mike Tyson adorning his mask will now be suiting up for the Philadelphia Flyers.

After weeks of speculation, today former Ottawa netminder Ray Emery inked a one-year deal worth a reported $1.5 million with the Broad Street Bullies. The enigmatic Emery, famous for his late arrivals and his run-ins with authority (both on and off the ice), spent last season in the KHL.

In his NHL career, Emery has compiled a 71-40-14 record with a 2.71 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage. He was the No. 1 netminder for the Sens when they reached the ’07 Stanley Cup final. In eight games against the Boston Bruins, Emery had a 4-3-1 record with 2.72 GAA and .893 save percentage.

Emery has never backed down from a challenge (see Buffalo’s Andrew Peters) and seems like a perfect fit for a franchise that has perfected the art of thuggery almost since its inception. The Bruins-Flyers games, which have already become must-see viewing since the Randy Jones hit on Patrice Bergeron in ’07, are now going to be even more heated.

Whether this signing marks an actual goaltending improvement for the Flyers, who are obviously going to let Martin Biron and Antero Niittymaki walk as unrestricted free agents remains to be seen. One thing we know is that the revolving door in the Philly crease continues to turn. Once Bruins goaltender and UFA-to-be Manny Fernandez seemed like a fit for the Flyers. Would he consider going down there and competing with Emery? I’d pay to see the moody Fernandez and and volatile Emery share a wall of the Flyers’ dressing room. I doubt the Flyers would want to make that mix.