Razor

I was as surprised as anyone to see that the Flyers signed Ray Emery to a tryout contract yesterday.  I guess it makes sense to have a third goalie as insurance as the team heads down the stretch to the playoffs.

However, Emery was often criticized for his limited lateral movement, a residual effect of hip surgery to stave off avascular necrosis.  His return to hockey was pretty amazing given his bleak prognosis; however, opposing teams capitalized on his known weakness in order to score.  

In true Philadelphia fashion, he was once at the center of a goalie controversy with Steve Mason in 2014, when Emery went undefeated in regulation - including a win against the hated Penguins - while Mase went winless.  The Flyers missed the playoffs, though, and Michal Neuvirth replaced Emery as Mase's backup in 2015.

Emery, nickname "Razor," is known for his aggressive play, commitment to hockey, and mentoring younger players.  Yet he is also infamous for mugging the Caps' goalie Braden Holtby back in 2013 when the Caps were killing the Flyers 7-0 on home ice, following a Joel Ward hat trick.  

I was at that game.  Honestly, I love a good hockey fight as much as anyone, but that was not a good hockey fight.  As Emery charged down the ice, Holtby signaled that he did not want to fight and Razor jumped him anyway.  I truly felt as though I was witnessing assault and battery.  If that fight had taken place anywhere but a professional hockey rink Razor would have been brought up on criminal charges.  Emery didn't receive any supplemental discipline following the fight, which seems unfathomable today, given the punishment meted out by NHL Player Discipline on a regular basis.  

No matter, that game is ancient history now, but I couldn't help but reflect on it with the Caps back in town and Emery embarking on his third run with the Flyers.  

Whether or not we see Razor between the pipes is anyone's guess, but I doubt we'll see him in another goalie fight anytime soon.