Swedish goalie Jonas Gustavsson is halfway through what is expected to be a tour of four NHL cities as he decides to make the jump to North America.
Gustavsson, 24, has played with Farjestad in the Swedish Elite League the past two season. The team won the league championship in April, and he went on to play for his country at the world championships the following month.
The netminder has visited Colorado and San Jose and is scheduled to be in Dallas on Wednesday. It is believed he will be visiting Toronto later in the week.
Colorado utilized former star and fellow Swede Peter Forsbeg in their pitch, according to the Denver Post.
Gustavsson has some sort of connection with each club. He is represented by Joe Resnick, who shares an agency with John Thornton, brother of San Jose star Joe Thornton.
The Dallas roster includes Fabian Brunnstrom, a former Farjestad teammate, while the Maple Leafs last week hired goaltending guru François Allaire, who has previously worked with Gustavsson.
Gustavsson went undrafted by the NHL and can be signed to a maximum salary of $875,000 US, not including bonuses.
Resnick has previously said that Gustavsson will take a few days to mull things over after his visit, with a decision possible before the June 26 draft.
i just keep thinking of billy shoes comment that pryor was clueless when he asked him at the town hall meeting about him
That's the kids short list, it has nothing to do with the Flyers not being interested. This guy is no secret where he could simply just fly under the radar. I know Forsberg was really selling Colorado to him.
I think people are jumping on the Gustavsson bandwagon way too quickly. I think the hype that's surrounding the guy is just completely off the chart right now and that when he does play, he might not be everything that he's being made out to be. I think this is one of those cases where it's best to stand back and let others make the mistake of believing the hype. This reminds me so much of the Fabian Brunnstrom hype last year. And you can bet that next season, there'll be another hotshot from the Swedish Elite League that everyone will clamour about and will create all kinds of hype for......
Apparently the organization thought higher of Backlund than Gustavsson. I'm more and more thinking that Pryor was just playing dumb when I asked him that question, that he just wasn't allowed to say anything about him.
Apparently the organization thought higher of Backlund than Gustavsson. I'm more and more thinking that Pryor was just playing dumb when I asked him that question, that he just wasn't allowed to say anything about him.
Given the fact that they had a goalie scout specifically watching that league...they knew about him.
I think the hype that's surrounding the guy is just completely off the chart right now and that when he does play, he might not be everything that he's being made out to be. I think this is one of those cases where it's best to stand back and let others make the mistake of believing the hype.
At $875K (I believe his max deal), it will be tough for any team to make a mistake taking a chance on him, as long as they have another legit goalie in the fold.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BiLLY_ShOE1721
I'm more and more thinking that Pryor was just playing dumb when I asked him that question, that he just wasn't allowed to say anything about him.
I thought all the Flyers folks at Town Hall were pretty frank about stuff. Billy, I might have been in the same session as you, as Pryor responded to the question with a "Who?" Considering all of the other questions getting real answers, I'm not sure why this kid gets a cover-up. At the same time, if Pryor really didn't have knowledge of him in late March, well ... Starbucks is hiring.
As for signing Gustavsson, the Flyers made their risk/reward move with Emery.
At $875K (I believe his max deal), it will be tough for any team to make a mistake taking a chance on him, as long as they have another legit goalie in the fold.
He's a UFA, so it won't be 875K. Brunnstrom signed for 2.225M last year, and Blake Wheeler signed for 2.825M.
He is required to take a 1 year ELC. Which that 875K would be around his base salary. Then the possible bonuses add to the cap hit.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hovercraft
its 875k salary, not including bonuses.
Could still be upwards of 2 mil like Brunnstrom, and any other hyped rookie
This is true, but it's important to not present this as him signing for 875K...that's not necessarily what you're signing him up for, and therefore not the risk that you are taking...nor is it reflective of the salary cap implications.
This is true, but it's important to not present this as him signing for 875K...that's not necessarily what you're signing him up for, and therefore not the risk that you are taking...nor is it reflective of the salary cap implications.
Yeah well the bonuses are what makes us not a good fit
to be honest i dont have time to get into the prospects aspect like alot of people do. god knows i wish i could. i do tend to follow our system tho. putting my ignorance aside, i, like murphy7, wonder about the frankness of the town hall meeting only to wonder if 1) they truly didnt know about him and if tehy did know about him 2) why would they deny it as if some sort of coverup would benefit the flyers into signing him.
to be honest i dont have time to get into the prospects aspect like alot of people do. god knows i wish i could. i do tend to follow our system tho. putting my ignorance aside, i, like murphy7, wonder about the frankness of the town hall meeting only to wonder if 1) they truly didnt know about him and if tehy did know about him 2) why would they deny it as if some sort of coverup would benefit the flyers into signing him.
1) this organization has a long history of being full of **** in their public statements.
2) what possible benefit comes from disclosing your assessment of an unsigned player?
while transparency would be nice as a fan, it can only cause problems for the team competing with other teams.
As long as this camp isn't on "Brokeback mountain," I'm in too. When I watch the kid's highlight packages two things jump out at me.
1. He never gives up on a play and seems extremely athletic( That's positive and I'll count it as one.)
2. When he moves laterally he spreads his legs like Madonna on a date with Dennis Rodman. I think NHL shooters will expose this but that's just based on opinion at the moment.
Once again...for anyone that thinks the Flyers didn't know who this guy was....fail.
His major weakness is that he punches the rebounds right back out, and lots of them. He's not very good at smothering pucks, and his rebound control is not good.
He's reading the game good, has good size, good movement and agility, he's not quitting.
I do believe he's a bit hyped, but there's a good reason he is. I'd much rather have him than Backlund, I'll tell you that much.
I think NHL shooters will expose this but that's just based on opinion at the moment. 
