Couturier is 20 years old. Why anyone doesn't expect there to be some growing pains is beyond me. Couturier has the chance to be a 2 way Center with Selke potential. The problem is that some think that Yandle is more then he is. Couturier for Yandle is an awful deal in my opinion. And throw in a draft pick and a prospect? Even worse. You don't make a bad deal because you don't have any defensive prospects. Makes zero sense.
- MJL

I wouldn't do Couturier for Yandle either, even if Coyotes would do it straight up. I WOULD do Brayden Schenn plus something else.

Yandle is a two-time All-Star, is in his prime and is signed for several years to come. But he's an offensive D who is a bit suspect at times in his own end of the ice -- and that's even within Tippett's system of very strong team D.

It would be great to be able to land Yandle. He'd help the puck moving side of things. He'd help the power play. But to lose Couturier would move the team backward defensively, and even in the long-term, Laughton's upside (even defensively, and certainly offensively) is a notch below Couturier's.

Schenn is the more replaceable of the two young players. He's shown at times that he can be effective in the NHL if he keeps his game simple, doles out some hits and crashes the net. But he's not fast, not particularly creative, and his hockey sense (which cannot be taught) is strictly average from what I've seen. Couturier has been pressing this season to handle increased offensive chores and has been making mistakes he didn't make last yr, but his hockey sense is a cut above Schenn's, IMO.

Couturier is 20 years old. Why anyone doesn't expect there to be some growing pains is beyond me. Couturier has the chance to be a 2 way Center with Selke potential. The problem is that some think that Yandle is more then he is. Couturier for Yandle is an awful deal in my opinion. And throw in a draft pick and a prospect? Even worse. You don't make a bad deal because you don't have any defensive prospects. Makes zero sense.
- MJL

My point is you have to give to receive, Coots has a good enough trade value for a good return and what else would you like us to do trade for prospects and develop them? Never going to happen. Ya everyone wants a steal of a trade, but whats Phoenix going to take Read? I love couturier too, but certain holes and future holes have to be filled, Timonen already is inches away from being gone at the end of the season or retiring.

Hearing for Erskine.. Go get em shanaban!


http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=415077
- Hextall271

That was a real cheap shot. Can't see how he would get anything less than 3.

Edit: Is Simmons concust?

My point is you have to give to receive, Coots has a good enough trade value for a good return and what else would you like us to do trade for prospects and develop them? Never going to happen. Ya everyone wants a steal of a trade, but whats Phoenix going to take Read? I love couturier too, but certain holes and future holes have to be filled, Timonen already is inches away from being gone at the end of the season or retiring.
- fivedollarsheep

I'll yell at myself first, maybe its it is just missing Mezaros that makes me believe our D is in a giant hole and can be even worse next year.

Not sure I want to trade the only young defenseman in the system that we think can play as a regular in NHL, that can be called up for a Forward.
- MJL

Same here. We need to just ride this out. If Lindy Ruff can maintain his job in Buffalo despite missing the playoffs in 6 of the last 10 years, Laviolette should get a chance to grow with this team. The captain himself is still young and may need some hard lessons this year to make him a better player and captain in the future.

That was a real cheap shot. Can't see how he would get anything less than 3.

Edit: Is Simmons concust?
- SameOld

Agree.. suspendable.. especially because the 4 blind mice missed it.. Not sure, but I would be surprised if Night train isn't out a couple weeks with a concussion.

My point is you have to give to receive, Coots has a good enough trade value for a good return and what else would you like us to do trade for prospects and develop them? Never going to happen. Ya everyone wants a steal of a trade, but whats Phoenix going to take Read? I love couturier too, but certain holes and future holes have to be filled, Timonen already is inches away from being gone at the end of the season or retiring.
- fivedollarsheep

None of what you're saying here makes a Couturier for Yandle deal make sense. You make a bad trade because you don't think you have anything else to offer. Or because you have to give to receive? Yandle doesn't come close to filling the hole left by Timonen's decline.

I don't get why everyone is so protective over Couturier.... I see someone in this blog alone called him our "best all around player".... really? Ya he is decent in all aspects but if you actually truly watching him he actually has been sub-par and at times lousy. Especially his decisions making of passes in the offensive zone lately have been out right terrible, almost as if he is always blindly passing. Anyway MJL I see you are very protective over him but if Phoenix would do a straight up Coots for Yandle I would do it in a heart beat, even if it required a draft pick or minor league player. Yandle is still relatively young and pretty well proven to be a solid higher caliber player, you guys dwell on Coots "potential", and you never truly know what kind of plateau he will hit and be stuck at. Plus what defensive prospects we have compared to offensive? Have to bite the bullet sometime. Do it when his Trade Value is still high.
- fivedollarsheep

Couturier's play in 7 games this season is more telling then the Couturier of last season and playoffs? He's a kid, he had no training camp and he's only played 1 season in the league. I think you'll really regret giving up on him down the road if you deal him. As a Pen fan and Malkin fan I truly hope you ship him out.

Agree.. suspendable.. especially because the 4 blind mice missed it.. Not sure, but I would be surprised if Night train isn't out a couple weeks with a concussion.
- Hextall271

There was a linesman right there at the blueline on the same side of the ice.

Same here. We need to just ride this out. If Lindy Ruff can maintain his job in Buffalo despite missing the playoffs in 6 of the last 10 years, Laviolette should get a chance to grow with this team. The captain himself is still young and may need some hard lessons this year to make him a better player and captain in the future.
- Flyskippy

Buffalo also gave Leino a terrible contract... Haha sorry had to say it but I agree with you 100% Laviolette needs to stay and feel this out, for the sake of Giroux too.

Agree.. suspendable.. especially because the 4 blind mice missed it.. Not sure, but I would be surprised if Night train isn't out a couple weeks with a concussion.
- Hextall271

You'd think some of the idiots out there would begin to realize if you miss your check you can't stick out you elbow.

There was a linesman right there at the blueline on the same side of the ice.
- MJL

Don't like to blame the refs, but that was a brutal non call. No idea how they all missed it..

You'd think some of the idiots out there would begin to realize if you miss your check you can't stick out you elbow.
- SameOld

I thought they'd miss the head shot and call 2mins interference because he was going by the dman.. I was set to be mad at it not being a 5... never dreamed it would end up no call at all.. Truth is.. we probably wouldn't have scored anyways.. ahahah

You'd think some of the idiots out there would begin to realize if you miss your check you can't stick out you elbow.
- SameOld

Unfortunately, you're never going to exorcise these hits completely. I just hope Simmonds is ok. A suspension is appropriate, but it really doesn't do much for me.

None of what you're saying here makes a Couturier for Yandle deal make sense. You make a bad trade because you don't think you have anything else to offer. Or because you have to give to receive? Yandle doesn't come close to filling the hole left by Timonen's decline.
- MJL

Agreed. Yandle is basically a better (i.e. All-Star level) version of Matt Carle. He doesn't bring what Timonen -- who looks his age and a shell of his previous mobility -- did/does as a two-way player.

Yandle won't kill you defensively if he has the right partner and the team as a whole is committed to D. But he's basically a bigger latter-day Steve Duchesne, and that's a defensive matchup that can be exploited by other teams if you put him in the Flyers' system. Not saying he wouldn't bring plenty of good things to offset some of the drawbacks, but he has some limitations and you don't break the bank to trade for that. That's why the Flyers quickly looked elsewhere last summer when they heard what Maloney had in mind for a trade return.

No need to panic, even if this is how we'll be this shortened season. We can't look at these 8 games as a look into our team's future. There is too much talent on our roster, when healthy, to be 2-6 regularly. We may need some tweaks to break into a Cup contender again, but we're not far off. If it's just about getting healthy and on a roll, then fine. If it's a "systems" issue or coach-related, then make a change. No way should we come close to blowing anything up.

Other teams know Philly is struggling, is decimated by injuries, and has a very unhappy owner and fanbase. We would be dealing from a huge position of weakness, and would never get fair value in any trades at this point. We need to push through this, at least until the trade deadline, before thinking of a deal that involves any of Schenn, Voracek, Read, etc. Notice that I withheld Coots from that list. He isn't going anywhere. Giroux-Coots are our top 2 centres for the next decade.

That was a real cheap shot. Can't see how he would get anything less than 3.

Edit: Is Simmons concust?
- SameOld

Probably, but they aren't calling it that yet. They are calling it a "head injury and whip-lash like neck symptoms" that will be re-evaluated today. I'd be surprised if he misses less than two weeks.

Agreed. Yandle is basically a better (i.e. All-Star level) version of Matt Carle. He doesn't bring what Timonen -- who looks his age and a shell of his previous mobility -- did/does as a two-way player.

Yandle won't kill you defensively if he has the right partner and the team as a whole is committed to D. But he's basically a latter-day Steve Duchesne, and that's a defensive matchup that can be exploited by other teams if you put him in the Flyers' system. Not saying he wouldn't bring plenty of good things to offset some of the drawbacks, but he has some limitations and you don't break the bank to trade for that. That's why the Flyers quickly looked elsewhere last summer when they heard what Maloney had in mind for a trade return.
- bmeltzer

I think Yandle is a better goal scorer, and a more dynamic offensive player, and better PP point man then Carle. But Carle is better in every other area. And is probably a better all around defenseman.
Yandle is not going to play on the PK. Is not going to be matched up to other teams top lines. And is going to see a lot of offensive situation starts versus defensive starts. So he is in no way a replacement for Timonen. And for those that didn't like Carle due to giveaways or his lack of physical play. They really won't like Yandle. He is less physical then Carle is.

No need to panic, even if this is how we'll be this shortened season. We can't look at these 8 games as a look into our team's future. There is too much talent on our roster, when healthy, to be 2-6 regularly. We may need some tweaks to break into a Cup contender again, but we're not far off. If it's just about getting healthy and on a roll, then fine. If it's a "systems" issue or coach-related, then make a change. No way should we come close to blowing anything up.

Other teams know Philly is struggling, is decimated by injuries, and has a very unhappy owner and fanbase. We would be dealing from a huge position of weakness, and would never get fair value in any trades at this point. We need to push through this, at least until the trade deadline, before thinking of a deal that involves any of Schenn, Voracek, Read, etc. Notice that I withheld Coots from that list. He isn't going anywhere. Giroux-Coots are our top 2 centres for the next decade.
- Rocktane

This season is eerily similar to 06/07. Young players who had a very good first season are now struggling as more reseponsibility is given. The spare parts brought in to supplement a lineup are ok but not enough to offset injuries. I could seriously see a Timonen trade to a contender at the TDL. The cooters schenns and Rouxs are like Richie and Carts.. Takes a few years to learn at this level.. I just hope Giroux can handle the heat wearing the C cause this is getting ugly.

Don't like to blame the refs, but that was a brutal non call. No idea how they all missed it..
- Hextall271

I think they accidentally directed the call to Backes over in the Blues/RedWings game.

5.6M for a very good Goalie is peanuts. The longer it goes, the cheaper that figure is. Buyout Bryzgalov then what?
- MJL

" Making a decision on what to do with Ilya Bryzgalov: buy him out to shed his $5.66 million cap hit or retain him for up to seven additional seasons. By the end of the 2013 season, the choice the Flyers will make will become fairly obvious.

In order to remain a Flyer beyond this season, Bryzgalov is going to have to play at a very high sustained level and have a strong playoff on top of it. That may be tough to accomplish with the defensive question marks surrounding the club but we'll see what happens. Bryzgalov did set a new franchise shutout record in March of last season with essentially the same defensive cast -- minus the now-departed Matt Carle -- in front of him.

If the Flyers buy out Bryzgalov, I think they will target Minnesota Wild impending unrestricted free agent goaltender Niklas Bäckström as his replacement. The Finnish goaltender could be available at a significantly lower cap cost -- and on no more than a two-year contract -- than Bryzgalov. Detroit Red Wings starter Jimmy Howard will also be an unrestricted free agent this summer. "

it's certainly a consideration...

Agreed. Yandle is basically a better (i.e. All-Star level) version of Matt Carle. He doesn't bring what Timonen -- who looks his age and a shell of his previous mobility -- did/does as a two-way player.

Yandle won't kill you defensively if he has the right partner and the team as a whole is committed to D. But he's basically a bigger latter-day Steve Duchesne, and that's a defensive matchup that can be exploited by other teams if you put him in the Flyers' system. Not saying he wouldn't bring plenty of good things to offset some of the drawbacks, but he has some limitations and you don't break the bank to trade for that. That's why the Flyers quickly looked elsewhere last summer when they heard what Maloney had in mind for a trade return.
- bmeltzer

agreed

I think they accidentally directed the call to Backes over in the Blues/RedWings game.
- BulliesPhan87

It is comical to me that in one breath Flyers fans are lamenting that the organization never drafts and develops defensemen and than in the other are ready to trade 2nd year forwards for pennies on the dollar because they are struggling when forwards typically have a much faster learning curve than defensemen. If the Flyers drafted Jones, he would be labeled a bust by his 2nd year and fans will cry they didn't draft Druon.

I wouldn't do Couturier for Yandle either, even if Coyotes would do it straight up. I WOULD do Brayden Schenn plus something else.

Yandle is a two-time All-Star, is in his prime and is signed for several years to come. But he's an offensive D who is a bit suspect at times in his own end of the ice -- and that's even within Tippett's system of very strong team D.

It would be great to be able to land Yandle. He'd help the puck moving side of things. He'd help the power play. But to lose Couturier would move the team backward defensively, and even in the long-term, Laughton's upside (even defensively, and certainly offensively) is a notch below Couturier's.

Schenn is the more replaceable of the two young players. He's shown at times that he can be effective in the NHL if he keeps his game simple, doles out some hits and crashes the net. But he's not fast, not particularly creative, and his hockey sense (which cannot be taught) is strictly average from what I've seen. Couturier has been pressing this season to handle increased offensive chores and has been making mistakes he didn't make last yr, but his hockey sense is a cut above Schenn's, IMO.
- bmeltzer

Oh hell.. if schenn was an option i'd be more then willing to use him instead of coots...