Ray Emery Is Out For Season; Do The Philadelphia Flyers Make A Move Now?

The Philadelphia Flyers have officially announced today that starting goaltender Ray Emery will be out for the rest of the season as he will have surgery done on his right hip:

“He is suffering from avascular necrosis and will have a bone graft done to alleviate his hip issues,” general manager Paul Holmgren said in a statement.

This opens up all sorts of speculation on whether the Flyers are going to make a move for a goaltender. Currently, they have Michael Leighton, who has a 13-7-1 record this season, and Brian Boucher on their roster and are currently sitting sixth in the Eastern Conference, four points ahead of ninth.

The Philadelphia Daily News is speculating that the Flyers are interested in New York Islanders goaltender Dwayne Roloson. They had this to say on the situation:

At this point, the interest is preliminary. Roloson will be in net tonight for the Islanders, meaning a trade before the game would be unlikely. It may be something to keep in mind if the Flyers’ other lines in the water hit snags.

Here’s why that move may make sense: Roloson carried the Edmonton Oilers to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2006 and he is well-liked in the locker room.

The Islanders are currently without Rick DiPietro who is experiencing issues with his surgically repaired knee and Martin Biron who has struggled mightly this season. The Islanders are six points out of the playoffs and need some help sitting in 13th in the Eastern Conference, but trading Roloson at this point gives the effect of throwing in the towel. Whether they do this is yet to be seen.