The Flyers bought out Ilya Bryzgalov's humungous big contract today, after two years of a rocky relationship with Philadelphia fans and media. It took about 20 minutes for Randy Miller, of the South Jersey Courier-Post, to start the smear campaign.

i just called Bryz. He answered phone and said, "Congratulations to you guys," then hung up on me — Randy Miller (@RandyJMiller) June 25, 2013

I phoned Bryz a second time to ask about #flyers buying him out. He said he doesn't want to talk and hung up on me again. — Randy Miller (@RandyJMiller) June 25, 2013

By the way ... I heard Bryz had 4 blowouts last season with Lavy. And I heard players couldn't stand him. — Randy Miller (@RandyJMiller) June 25, 2013

Bryz personally asked me several times if and when I thought the Flyers would fire Lavy — Randy Miller (@RandyJMiller) June 25, 2013

And #Flyers fans, you might as well know this: Bryz ripped fans to me, ripped his coach and ripped other members of media — Randy Miller (@RandyJMiller) June 25, 2013

And ... I personally witnessed two Flyers people arguing about Bryz in a bar this year. One was destroying him, calling him a cancer — Randy Miller (@RandyJMiller) June 25, 2013

For the record, Bryz LOVES his old Phoenix coach DaveTippett. Part of reason he had issues with us is he wanted us to rip Lavy — Randy Miller (@RandyJMiller) June 25, 2013

I can add that I had several long talks with Bryz when he was mad at one media person and upset about being booed. — Randy Miller (@RandyJMiller) June 25, 2013

Hey, here's a bunch of stuff I know, and I'll share it now because Bryzgalov hung up on me and I'm mad!


It's all surely true, just as surely as this petty tantrum ought to be a warning sign to every NHL player out there: talk to Randy Miller off the record, and he'll trash you on your way out of town.

The Flyers and the Philadelphia media deserve each other.