I'm not even dreading the impending beating at this point. Whatever, bring it on.

Boston is just a Flyer Killer now...ever since that series we came back from 0-3 to win. They have shredded us since.
- Pyzik

did you know that tim thomas won every single game he played in philadelphia? every. single. one.

i would trade the black mark of being only the 3rd team in nhl history to lose a 7 game series when up 3-0, only to win the cup the following season. i think most would as well.

Did anyone else see the Darren Dreger comments on TSN about a possible Coots for Bobby Ryan deal....I understand we would have to give up more, but what is everybody opinion if something like were to happen this off season. Just wondering
- nonpoint22

There would have to be more pieces involved or another trade made to secure a defenseman for me to be OK with it. They can't just trade Couturier+ for Ryan and be done with it. They need to flip another winger for a defenseman for it to make sense.

Not sure if I am for it or against it. It's an interesting debate for sure.

Not completely....the biggest surprise is 5 years. He's making $7mm this year alone.
- Jsaquella

Carolina is a unique hockey market. Players really love Raleigh, it is great for their families and the bond within the player community is very strong. My guess is Semin has fit in really well. He is getting rave reviews for his on ice play from all sides.

Nobody has ever doubted his skill. Maybe he has found his niche and the Carolina marriage might work for everyone.

If Briere is healthy, trade him at the deadline -- preferably, i'd like to trade him and Read for Ryan, rather than Coots, but I'd deal with Coots for Ryan. In off season, I buy out Mesz and sign Ian White, and try to get Myers from Buffalo for cheap. If you don't trade Briere for Ryan, then trade him for a top D prospect if possible.

Hartnell - Giroux - Ryan
Voracek - Schenn - Simmonds
Gagne - Laughton - Read
Fedotenko - Talbot - Rinaldo

Timonen - Schenn
White - Coburn
Myers - Grossman

I think Defense is a position that need at least 5 good ones -- I'd take less scoring for better Defense. I am probably crazy suggesting the above, but who cares.
- flyersfan51

I wouldn't package Couturier for Ryan unless it was in a bigger deal. Maybe get Read and Couturier involved on the Flyers side and Ryan and Fowler/Sbisa on the Ducks. Construct a deal around that.

Preferably I'd try to package Couts for Shattenkirk, Yandle or Byfuglien if I was going to trade him.

If Briere is healthy, trade him at the deadline -- preferably, i'd like to trade him and Read for Ryan, rather than Coots, but I'd deal with Coots for Ryan. In off season, I buy out Mesz and sign Ian White, and try to get Myers from Buffalo for cheap. If you don't trade Briere for Ryan, then trade him for a top D prospect if possible.

Hartnell - Giroux - Ryan
Voracek - Schenn - Simmonds
Gagne - Laughton - Read
Fedotenko - Talbot - Rinaldo

Timonen - Schenn
White - Coburn
Myers - Grossman

I think Defense is a position that need at least 5 good ones -- I'd take less scoring for better Defense. I am probably crazy suggesting the above, but who cares.
- flyersfan51

I doubt there's any way on Earth you get Ryan for Briere and Read, even if Briere is fully healthy.

Not sure how you're getting Myers cheap, either. He's going to require a significant asset to acquire.

There would have to be more pieces involved or another trade made to secure a defenseman for me to be OK with it. They can't just trade Couturier+ for Ryan and be done with it. They need to flip another winger for a defenseman for it to make sense.

Not sure if I am for it or against it. It's an interesting debate for sure.
- Jsaquella

i dont understand why it would have to be Couts + ..... I think it would have to be Ryan + for couts....Or im walking.... i mean come on their second line center is peter holland....

ClubStats indicates a better than 80% probability that 52 points will get you into the playoffs (down from 53 last week).

Flyers need to go 12-5-0 to hit the magic number.
- spatso

If the Flyers don't win Thursday against the Islanders, they might not win again until after the deadline. Rangers, Islanders, Boston, Washington(playing a lot better) and Montreal on deadline night.

If Briere is healthy, trade him at the deadline -- preferably, i'd like to trade him and Read for Ryan, rather than Coots, but I'd deal with Coots for Ryan. In off season, I buy out Mesz and sign Ian White, and try to get Myers from Buffalo for cheap. If you don't trade Briere for Ryan, then trade him for a top D prospect if possible.

Hartnell - Giroux - Ryan
Voracek - Schenn - Simmonds
Gagne - Laughton - Read
Fedotenko - Talbot - Rinaldo

Timonen - Schenn
White - Coburn
Myers - Grossman

I think Defense is a position that need at least 5 good ones -- I'd take less scoring for better Defense. I am probably crazy suggesting the above, but who cares.
- flyersfan51

If you're going to just buy out Mez, why not try to trade him with Read for Ryan (if it would work) and keep Coots? But you're right that, one way or another, Briere is gone, sadly.

There would have to be more pieces involved or another trade made to secure a defenseman for me to be OK with it. They can't just trade Couturier+ for Ryan and be done with it. They need to flip another winger for a defenseman for it to make sense.

Not sure if I am for it or against it. It's an interesting debate for sure.
- Jsaquella

It would depend on the bigger deal as a whole. I would rather hang on to Couturier or get involved for a better defenseman and a lesser winger.

i dont understand why it would have to be Couts + ..... I think it would have to be Ryan + for couts....Or im walking.... i mean come on their second line center is peter holland....
- Philly1980

Ryan is proven and Couts isn't. Plus Couts has been struggling. Besides, someone would probably offer more for Ryan.

Carolina is a unique hockey market. Players really love Raleigh, it is great for their families and the bond within the player community is very strong. My guess is Semin has fit in really well. He is getting rave reviews for his on ice play from all sides.

Nobody has ever doubted his skill. Maybe he has found his niche and the Carolina marriage might work for everyone.
- spatso

Raleigh is a great area. And Semin has played great. I'd still have some concerns, because now he's not playing for a deal.

I think Semin gets a bad rap anyhow. He doesn't score as much in the playoffs as he does in the regular season, but it's not like he's completely ineffective in the playoffs.

I don't think I'd do that. I think SC has a lot of upside and will do well here.
- Scoob

I just wonder if were trading coots last off season was out of the question the flyers look at what they have and realize that Laughton will probably make the team next year and in all likelihood they are getting a top ten pick in a draft that is deep with forward talent that maybe they would decide that they could part with coots....that being said, and I like Ryan and would love to see him in a flyers shirt asap, defense needs to be this teams primary focus

True, they have Staal who is out so the top four are better than what the flyers have.

Teams aren't usually going to have 6 solid dmen. The 5 and 6 guys tend to get exposed by the better teams and coaches.

My main point is that our pipeline for Dman callups is non existent. I am willing to have patience for the guys we do have but nothing to get excited about.
- bird_dog

I'm personally not ready to write off Gustafsson yet. Give him some time to get his game back together.

I'm not even dreading the impending beating at this point. Whatever, bring it on.
- BulliesPhan87

The pressure is really on the Rangers. I am actually expecting that the Flyers are going to rip them pretty good tonight. The Rangers are a very fragile team. If I am right you should be able to enjoy the full throated panic in Ranger nation tomorrow morning.

i dont understand why it would have to be Couts + ..... I think it would have to be Ryan + for couts....Or im walking.... i mean come on their second line center is peter holland....
- Philly1980

Because Couturier is an unproven player and Bobby Ryan is a proven 30+ goal scorer, with 4 such season at age 25.

Not completely....the biggest surprise is 5 years. He's making $7mm this year alone.
- Jsaquella

No the biggest surprise is thinking that a notorious dog like Semin, now that he is no longer playing for a contract, will continue to play hard or well!

I'm personally not ready to write off Gustafsson yet. Give him some time to get his game back together.
- MJL

Gustaffson looks to have the tools to be an everyday NHL defenseman. Just needs more experience I think.

If Briere is healthy, trade him at the deadline -- preferably, i'd like to trade him and Read for Ryan, rather than Coots, but I'd deal with Coots for Ryan. In off season, I buy out Mesz and sign Ian White, and try to get Myers from Buffalo for cheap. If you don't trade Briere for Ryan, then trade him for a top D prospect if possible.

Hartnell - Giroux - Ryan
Voracek - Schenn - Simmonds
Gagne - Laughton - Read
Fedotenko - Talbot - Rinaldo

Timonen - Schenn
White - Coburn
Myers - Grossman

I think Defense is a position that need at least 5 good ones -- I'd take less scoring for better Defense. I am probably crazy suggesting the above, but who cares.
- flyersfan51

did you know that tim thomas won every single game he played in philadelphia? every. single. one.

i would trade the black mark of being only the 3rd team in nhl history to lose a 7 game series when up 3-0, only to win the cup the following season. i think most would as well.
- hammarby31

So would I.

I have a friend who is a Bruins fan, and he told me no matter how many times the Bruins beat the Flyers or how many cups they win, they always think about that series and losing after being up 3-0. It is almost like a would that will never go away.

Did anyone else see the Darren Dreger comments on TSN about a possible Coots for Bobby Ryan deal....I understand we would have to give up more, but what is everybody opinion if something like were to happen this off season. Just wondering
- nonpoint22

I would do this without a second's hesitation. Bobby Ryan would be an excellent winger for Giroux/Voracek's line. With Laughton most likely to make the team next year, Coots has become a little more expendable. Not sure what else the Ducks would want in the deal, but maybe Gustaffson thrown in and a 3rd/4th round pick. I would not part with this year's first round pick, as they need that for hopefully a dman.

No the biggest surprise is thinking that a notorious dog like Semin, now that he is no longer playing for a contract, will continue to play hard or well!
- BiggE

I believe the accusations of laziness were unfounded. Didn't players and coaches come out and say that? If I remember correctly that is.

The pressure is really on the Rangers. I am actually expecting that the Flyers are going to rip them pretty good tonight. The Rangers are a very fragile team. If I am right you should be able to enjoy the full throated panic in Ranger nation tomorrow morning.
- spatso

Well I'd enjoy that, but I still feel an encore presentation of almost every Flyers v Rangers tangle from the past season and a half coming.

If Briere is healthy, trade him at the deadline -- preferably, i'd like to trade him and Read for Ryan, rather than Coots, but I'd deal with Coots for Ryan. In off season, I buy out Mesz and sign Ian White, and try to get Myers from Buffalo for cheap. If you don't trade Briere for Ryan, then trade him for a top D prospect if possible.

Hartnell - Giroux - Ryan
Voracek - Schenn - Simmonds
Gagne - Laughton - Read
Fedotenko - Talbot - Rinaldo

Timonen - Schenn
White - Coburn
Myers - Grossman

I think Defense is a position that need at least 5 good ones -- I'd take less scoring for better Defense. I am probably crazy suggesting the above, but who cares.
- flyersfan51

It would depend on the bigger deal as a whole. I would rather hang on to Couturier or get involved for a better defenseman and a lesser winger.
- NickTheKid87

I think I could live with it if they made the move and managed to trade Simmonds, Read or Hartnell for a Bouwmeester type guy.

Then you've made upgrades at two key spots, while downgrading at a lesser spot. Of course, if you get MacKinnon or Drouin at the draft, you have landed a guy who could be as good as Ryan in a short window.