Holmy will get the team there. The forwards are very young. Briere's contract is a bit if an anchor, but we all know finding and retaining a top defender or two is the key.
- jstross

The team is also incredibly young. When the bigger, veteran deals are off the cap-which will happen-the younger players should be able to assume their roles. The Flyers can still draft young defensemen.

Also, things can and will change in terms of teams keeping young defensemen. In the summer of 2010, how likely was it that within one year, Mike Richards and Jeff Carter would be traded? Despite the pushes by teams to lock up their good young defensemen, there will be some who don;t sign for whatever reason, or who do sign and fall out of favor with a regime or coaching change.

It happens all the time.

what would you suggest given the dearth of FAs and the amt of time it takes to develop at this position?
- isaiah520

Bouwmeester for Read+

I understand what you're saying, but I want to first point out the fact that President's Trophies mean nothing. As long as you're a contender, it shouldn't matter if you're first in the NHL or not. My next point is a similar one: what "futility"? This team has been a contender for what? In my lifetime, every year but one. And that goes back to 1993, since....well....that's when my lifetime started.

This organization is not even close to futile.
- Giroux_Is_God

I don't know if contender is the right word, but competitive for sure. I think the Flyers have only missed the playoffs 2 times in the last 12-15 years. That's impressive and hardly futile.

The team is also incredibly young. When the bigger, veteran deals are off the cap-which will happen-the younger players should be able to assume their roles. The Flyers can still draft young defensemen.

Also, things can and will change in terms of teams keeping young defensemen. In the summer of 2010, how likely was it that within one year, Mike Richards and Jeff Carter would be traded? Despite the pushes by teams to lock up their good young defensemen, there will be some who don;t sign for whatever reason, or who do sign and fall out of favor with a regime or coaching change.

It happens all the time.
- Jsaquella

Yep. Schenn, Couts, G, Simmons, Voracek.. are all young. The front lines in a few years should be ridiculous. If youcan get a young puck moving DMan you could move Simmons or V in a package, but I wouldn't touch the other 3. Future is really bright as long as Homer doesn't just start throwing away picks in Panic mode.

I don't know if contender is the right word, but competitive for sure. I think the Flyers have only missed the playoffs 2 times in the last 12-15 years. That's impressive and hardly futile.
- flyers20032002

Since 1982, the Flyers have been to the Conference Finals 9 times. In the East, only the Devils come close to them, with 7 appearances. The only team with more appearances? Detroit, with 10. Edmonton has 9 as well.

The Flyers have been a contender for most of their existence

Yep. Schenn, Couts, G, Simmons, Voracek.. are all young. The front lines in a few years should be ridiculous. If youcan get a young puck moving DMan you could move Simmons or V in a package, but I wouldn't touch the other 3. Future is really bright as long as Homer doesn't just start throwing away picks in Panic mode.
- jstross

I don't even mind trading picks if they can land a young, cornerstone defenseman, who can grow with the young forwards. There's more options than simply saying they have to trade Couturier or Schenn to address the defense.

They didn't have to trade Giroux for Pronger, did they? Packages can be built around other players. You identify the cornerstone types, and which pieces are not cornerstones and move them to fill the needs.

Obviously, both Couturier and Schenn are seen as cornerstone pieces right now.
- Jsaquella

i don't see teams giving up a young plyr like a bogosian for a "pckg". it'll take a plyr with 1st line and/or all star potential potential. we'd be in better shape if we had aimed higher than L schenn.

Bouwmeester for Read+
- moylander

The hell out

I don't even mind trading picks if they can land a young, cornerstone defenseman, who can grow with the young forwards. There's more options than simply saying they have to trade Couturier or Schenn to address the defense.
- Jsaquella

what else have we to deal so that a rival GM would let go of a potential or current top3 dman? can't see laughton or jake and a 1st getting it done.

i don't see teams giving up a young plyr like a bogosian for a "pckg". it'll take a plyr with 1st line and/or all star potential potential. we'd be in better shape if we had aimed higher than L schenn.
- isaiah520

They did aim higher than Schenn. They made major offers to Suter and signed Weber to an offer sheet.

Did you think in the summer of 2010 that Jeff Carter would be traded for a 1st rounder and a youngster that had cracked 50 points once? Or that Mike Richards would be traded for a prospect with all of 8 NHL games under his belt and guy who had yet to have a 20 goal season?

Didn't realize it had to be a young player, either.

what else have we to deal so that a rival GM would let go of a potential or current top3 dman? can't see laughton or jake and a 1st getting it done.
- isaiah520

One never knows, do they? There have been plenty of NHL trades that surprised people, and plenty of good players traded for what seemed a pittance at the time.

Also, just because teams are trying hard to lock up their would be free agents doesn't mean they will.

A trade involving Schenn or Couturier is possible, and I'm not necessarily against it...Just not going to assume it's inevitable

I don't even mind trading picks if they can land a young, cornerstone defenseman, who can grow with the young forwards. There's more options than simply saying they have to trade Couturier or Schenn to address the defense.
- Jsaquella

I'd be Ok with that, but I don't want Homer to trade picks for a patch. Poor phrasing on my part in the post.

NHL Entry Draft from 2000 to 2010:

2000 – Flyers select Justin Williams (28)
Niklas Kronwall (29)

2001 – Flyers select Jeff Woywitka (27)
Fedor Tyutin (40)

2002 – Flyers select Joni Pitkanen (04)
Ryan Whitney (05), Duncan Keith (54)

2003 – Flyers select Jeff Carter (11)
Brent Seabrook (14)
2003 – Flyers select Mike Richards (24)
Matt Carle (47), Shea Weber (49)

2004 – Flyers select Rob Bellamy (92), R. J. Anderson (101)
Nothing noteworthy

2005 – Flyers select Steve Downie (29)
Marc-Edouard Vlasic (35), Kristopher Letang (62), Kody Franson (79)
*Penguins got both Crosby+Letang + then Jordan Staal in 2006 (02).

2006 – Flyers select Claude Giroux (22), Andreas Nodl (39) Michael Ratchuk (42), Denis Bodrov (55)
Mike Weber (57), Jamie McBain (63)

2007 – Flyers select James van Riemsdyk (02), Kevin Marshall (41)
Ryan McDonagh (12), Kevin Shattenkirk (14), P.K. Subban (43),

2008 – Flyers select Lucas Sbisa (19), Marc-Andre Bourdon (67)
Michael Del Zotto (20), John Carlson (27), Travis Hamonic (53)

2009 – Flyers select Adam Morrison (81), Simon Bertilsson (87)
Nothing noteworthy

2010 – Flyers select Michael Chaput (89)
Nothing noteworthy

Years with no 1st or 1st, + 2nd round picks handicaps the teams ability to draft and develop.

I'd be Ok with that, but I don't want Homer to trade picks for a patch. Poor phrasing on my part in the post.
- jstross

It depends heavily on the patch and how long the patch would stay. I'd be all for trading a couple of picks for a guy like Dan Boyle, or a second rounder for a Lubomir Vishnovsky.

Say they got Boyle for 2 seconds and a mid-level prospect, the defense would be much improved.

Timonen-Schenn
Coburn-Boyle
Grossmann-Gustafsson/MAB/Gervais

Even if it is short term, guys like that can help immensely.

The hell out
- Giroux_Is_God

He 'might' be the only one available that won't cost an arm and a leg. He's big, can move the puck, and would add a lot to our defense.... 28 years old and if the flyers can get him to revert back to his old form he'd be a steal.

If not.... He's on a two year contract.


Otherwise we can take our chances signing rozsival or colaiacovo.... but don't kid yourself, they are not as good as bouwmeester.


I'd be fine either way.

He 'might' be the only one available that won't cost an arm and a leg. He's big, can move the puck, and would add a lot to our defense.... 28 years old and if the flyers can get him to revert back to his old form he'd be a steal.

If not.... He's on a two year contract.


Otherwise we can take our chances signing rozsival or colaiacovo.... but don't kid yourself, they are not as good as bouwmeester.


I'd be fine either way.
- moylander

That's the problem with Bouwmeester. His cap hit makes trading a lot of assets away difficult. But he's actually a pretty good defenseman, who would immediately step in and be either the second or third best guy in the Flyers defense corps

Hindsight on how they've drafted is a waste of time, many teams missed on some players not just them.

Hindsight on how they've drafted is a waste of time, many teams missed on some players not just them.
- ob18

Absolutely. It's rare that the Flyers have a first round bust, too. Even a guy like Pitkanen is a 20-25 minute a night NHL defenseman.

There's also so many guys that are highly touted that never do jacxkpoop

Absolutely. It's rare that the Flyers have a first round bust, too. Even a guy like Pitkanen is a 20-25 minute a night NHL defenseman.

There's also so many guys that are highly touted that never do jacxkpoop
- Jsaquella

Just like some questioning why they didn't take Määttä, Schmaltz, or Skeja there is no guarantee any will be anything or would help anymore this year or in the future than Laughton might.

Just like some questioning why they didn't take Määttä, Schmaltz, or Skeja there is no guarantee any will be anything or would help anymore this year then Laughton might.
- ob18

Or even in the future.

Look at the 2004 NHL entry draft. Alexander Ovechkin went first. Evgeny Malkin went. Guess what can't possibly miss defensemen went third?

Cam Barker.

Guess who went 91st.

Alexander Edler.

That's the problem with Bouwmeester. His cap hit makes trading a lot of assets away difficult. But he's actually a pretty good defenseman, who would immediately step in and be either the second or third best guy in the Flyers defense corps
- Jsaquella

Agree .... but will add if his cap hit was $5 million we would have to give up much much more to get him. It is in fact his cap hit that may actually allow the flyers to get him without giving up a Voracek, Simmonds, etc. If the flyers can afford it... and I think they can for two seasons.... then I say go for it. He improves the team and maybe he reverts to his old form and we resign him to a more friendly cap hit at some point next season.

Or even in the future.

Look at the 2004 NHL entry draft. Alexander Ovechkin went first. Evgeny Malkin went. Guess what can't possibly miss defensemen went third?

Cam Barker.

Guess who went 91st.

Alexander Edler.
- Jsaquella

I did make an edit to add the "future"

Or even in the future.

Look at the 2004 NHL entry draft. Alexander Ovechkin went first. Evgeny Malkin went. Guess what can't possibly miss defensemen went third?

Cam Barker.

Guess who went 91st.

Alexander Edler.
- Jsaquella

Even look at the 2007

Hickey #4 has never played an NHL game while Subban went #43

JVR #2 Turris #3 haven't have a great impact "yet" while Benn went #129 if you want you can even say Simmonds at #61

It depends heavily on the patch and how long the patch would stay. I'd be all for trading a couple of picks for a guy like Dan Boyle, or a second rounder for a Lubomir Vishnovsky.

Say they got Boyle for 2 seconds and a mid-level prospect, the defense would be much improved.

Timonen-Schenn
Coburn-Boyle
Grossmann-Gustafsson/MAB/Gervais

Even if it is short term, guys like that can help immensely.
- Jsaquella

I do think the Flyers should approach th Islanders about obtaining Viz since Viz doesn't want to play there. A 2 and a 4? It would have to be an improvement on their 2nd rd pick. Maybe a 2,5 and Shelly or Manning, shelly and a 6th. Just throwing stuff out there.

What do you think about Streit?