Craig Anderson...in Orange and Black?

While watching the Philadelphia Flyers lose Game 1, 7-3, on home ice...one factor of the ineptitude stood high above the rest.  It wasn't Philly's inadequate PP (no goal during a 5 on 3) or their concerning team defense.  It wasn't their lack of fire or questionable coaching decisions (4th line against the 1st after a TV timeout...).  It was their goaltending (shocker, I know...I'm probably the only one...).

Man is Philly's goaltending shaky.

Scary shaky.

Potentially series-ending shaky.

Philly's goaltending barely got them out of the first round and I'm not totally sure it can even compete in the second (though the series is young).  Boucher seems strong at times, but inadequate at others.  Bobrovsky can hang in there, but he's not scary.  Leighton?  Well, I dunno...

If I'm a Flyer, I'm concerned. If I'm a Flyers' coach, I have nightmares and wake up in a cold sweat. 

If I'm a Flyers fan, I wonder why the hell the Flyers didn't pick up (ready for it?) Craig Anderson at trade deadline.

Hear me out (if you're still reading this).  In Colorado, Craig Anderson had a 3.28 GAA and a .897 SV% in 33 games.  Not good.  However, after the Senators managed to dupe the Avs into taking Brian Elliot for him straight up, Anderson's numbers improved to a 2.05 GAA and a .939 SV% in 18 games, kicking off game one as a Sen with a 47-save shut-out.  (Trust me, that one hurt...)

And last season, despite playing behind a rather abysmal Avs defense, Anderson's numbers were incredible.  A 2.63 GAA and .917 SV% in 71 games.  And who could forget the 51-save shut out against the Sharks in Game 3 of the playoffs?  It was absolutely remarkable. 

Anderson's final numbers this season?  Not terrible.

At all.

Behind the Flyers' defense, I'd argue Anderson could have easily returned to form (hell, he looked good behind Ottawa's awful defense...).  It's a gamble, because there's no promise Anderson would have rebounded, but could he really be any worse than Boucher, Bobrovsky, or Leighton?  And since the Avs apparently have no interest in making smart trades (sigh), they might have taken someone like Leighton in return (despite Leighton having been on waivers.  Who knows?  Maybe it would have cost the Flyers Bobrovsky in which case, the trade isn't worth it).

And what about salary?  The Flyers are basically at the ceiling with $1.4 million to spare.  Craig Anderson's cap hit?  $1.3 million.  Surely the Flyers could have shed just a little bit for that.

Maybe it was never on their radar.  Maybe they thought they'd be fine.  Maybe they still think their D-corps will be enough.  Maybe they aren't worried.

But if I'm a Flyers fan, I'm worried...

...and I might just be right.

-Shaela

 (Game 4 vs. the Sharks in 2010.  OTL...)