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Flyers GM still thinks Steve Mason has ‘tremendous upside’

Steve Mason

Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Steve Mason stops a shot on-goal during the third period of an NHL preseason hockey game against the Minnesota Wild, Thursday, Sept 29, 2011, in Columbus, Ohio. The Blue Jackets won 4-2. (AP Photo/Terry Gilliam)

AP

The Philadelphia Flyers didn’t do a ton on the trade deadline, but they at least filled their quota of making trades with the Columbus Blue Jackets. This time it was for failed franchise goalie Steve Mason.

If you’re an extreme optimist, you might wedge “former Calder Trophy winner” in that description instead. Flyers GM Paul Holmgren’s comments to NHL.com indicate that he ranks among the glass half-full types.

“We like Steve as a young goalie,” Holmgren said. “We still think there’s tremendous upside there. We’ll bring him in and work with him and try to help him achieve his goals of becoming a better goalie as well.”

At 24, he does at least make some sense as a reclamation project. Some thinks he can be more than that, too; during the first intermission of Wednesday’s Night Game, Mike Milbury floated the idea that Mason could be getting an audition to take Ilya Bryzgalov’s job.

Before anything that drastic happens, Mason needs to show that he was more than a flash in the pan. If what Holmgren told CSNPhilly.com is true, proving himself might just get Mason a job beyond this season.