You Would Think: Ray Emery and His Impact on the Philadelphia Flyers

Chicago Blackhawks fans will remember him as the backup goalie during the run to the 2013 Stanley Cup, a season in which he played 21 games, posting a 17-1 record and a 1.94 GAA.

Philadelphia Flyers fans will remember him for the incident early in the 2013 season. Emery came into the game in relief of Steve Mason. Late in the 7-0 blowout, an incident started between players on the ice. Emery, sensing the conflict, raced the length of the ice and pummeled Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby. Holtby appeared reticent to join the altercation, leading to Emery’s infamous statement after the game: “[Holtby] didn’t want to fight, but I said basically protect yourself. He didn’t really have much of a choice.”

The Ottawa Senators, the team that drafted him, will probably remember him for his 2006-07 season, where Emery had 33 wins and a .918 save percentage. A portion of Senators fans, however, will probably also remember the goaltender for his fisticuffs. During a late-season game in that 2006-07 season, the Senators faced off with the Buffalo Sabres in a physical affair. The Sabres, having last change at home, sent out their enforcer Andrew Peters out against the Heatley-Spezza-Comrie line. When all hell broke loose, Emery raced out of the crease. After dismantling Sabres goalie Martin Biron, Emery and Peters squared off in a rare goalie vs. player scrap. Emery might not have gotten the best of the massive Peters, but he took his lumps, and was clearly having the most fun of anyone on the ice.

The hockey world will miss him, and this week’s You Would Think features a short memorial for the longtime NHL goaltender. The episode also features a lot of Phillies news, ahead of the MLB trade deadline.