Have to hope the talent hits its potential.

Right now they have holes to fill and need an identity.
- stveshdy

Yes, yes, and yes.

They only have a few players to sell off. Not expecting much.
- MJL

Well that depends. The Flyers have pieces to sell off its just a matter if they would do it in the right deal.

I wouldn't hesitate to move anyone at this point. Teams are willing to overpay its worth the risk.

The more I think about this, the more I see how it could be workable, especially if they can add a guy like Bouwmeester.
- Jsaquella

the whole D is wretched except for schenn and nic. I'm in favor of anything that adds at least one plyr who can step in and add mobility immediately and take hard mins away from kimmo. we must gain 3-4 dmen with top 4 potential over the nxt 2 off seasons and 1 of them to ready nxt yr even if he starts out 3rd pairing. no excuses. murray got it done in OTT and he looked like a loser for a while there.

Well that depends. The Flyers have pieces to sell off its just a matter if they would do it in the right deal.

I wouldn't hesitate to move anyone at this point. Teams are willing to overpay its worth the risk.
- stveshdy

In my opinion, you don't trade players just because other teams will overpay. Really the only player that could possibly garner a good return, that makes sense to trade, is Briere. If you can trade him. And I don't know if you can, even if he was healthy.

the whole D is wretched except for schenn and nic. I'm in favor of anything that adds at least one plyr who can step in and add mobility immediately and take hard mins away from kimmo. we must gain 3-4 dmen with top 4 potential over the nxt 2 off seasons and 1 of them to ready nxt yr even if he starts out 3rd pairing. no excuses. murray got it done in OTT and he looked like a loser for a while there.
- isaiah520

Schenn, Grossmann, Timonen, Coburn or Mez.

The rest need to go and one of Coburn or Mez should be dealt over the summer.

In my opinion, you don't trade players just because other teams will overpay. Really the only player that could possibly garner a good return, that makes sense to trade, is Briere. If you can trade him. And I don't know if you can, even if he was healthy.
- MJL

I trade players for value. If its going to improve my club in the future I would make the move. I don't see this team contending anytime soon (atleast three years imo). I would load up the farm system and see what happens. The game has changed and this team needs to get more speed and playmakers.

Don't know much about the kids. Iginla is a great pickup for Boston. Better make it count.
- MJL

If Hockey's Future is right, they're a mixed bag

Bartkowski seems like a depth guy/3rd pair defenseman at the NHL level, despite having a good camp last year while Khokhlachev is an enigmatic strictly one way forward.

From the analysis section, they say that Khokhlachev has good instincts, doesn't shy away from the dirty areas of the ice and is a dangerous finisher. His skating is a mixed bag, too. Good acceleration and top end speed, and can mimic Jeff Skinner's 3 & 9 o'clock move, but has difficulty skating backwards, has trouble changing directions and lacks elite speed. Not a big dude, listed at 5'10" 188

If Hockey's Future is right, they're a mixed bag

Bartkowski seems like a depth guy/3rd pair defenseman at the NHL level, despite having a good camp last year while Khokhlachev is an enigmatic strictly one way forward.

From the analysis section, they say that Khokhlachev has good instincts, doesn't shy away from the dirty areas of the ice and is a dangerous finisher. His skating is a mixed bag, too. Good acceleration and top end speed, and can mimic Jeff Skinner's 3 & 9 o'clock move, but has difficulty skating backwards, has trouble changing directions and lacks elite speed. Not a big dude, listed at 5'10" 188
- Jsaquella

No matter the outcome I think the Flames are making the right decision by moving Iginla (whos an UFA anyways).

I trade players for value. If its going to improve my club in the future I would make the move. I don't see this team contending anytime soon (atleast three years imo). I would load up the farm system and see what happens. The game has changed and this team needs to get more speed and playmakers.
- stveshdy

Load up the farm system to the detriment of the big Club. A lot of times prospects never leave the farm. Prospects aren't guaranteed to improve the club for the future. The main objective is to make the Flyers better. Trading defenseman like Coburn for draft picks, doesn't necessarily do that.

Load up the farm system to the detriment of the big Club. A lot of times prospects never leave the farm. Prospects aren't guaranteed to improve the club for the future. The main objective is to make the Flyers better. Trading defenseman like Coburn for draft picks, doesn't necessarily do that.
- MJL

The Flyers haven't won anything with him either. They still can get back a pick and an NHL ready defenseman in a year or two. They have the option to go out and sign a cheaper option. They could also turn around and trade one forward for a puck moving defenseman.

I'm not sure this team is going to be that much better with or without Coburn next season as well. However, I'm not just trading him to trade him. The deal has to be good enough to make you pull the trigger. Also, I'm not just talking about Coburn it could be anyone.

the whole D is wretched except for schenn and nic. I'm in favor of anything that adds at least one plyr who can step in and add mobility immediately and take hard mins away from kimmo. we must gain 3-4 dmen with top 4 potential over the nxt 2 off seasons and 1 of them to ready nxt yr even if he starts out 3rd pairing. no excuses. murray got it done in OTT and he looked like a loser for a while there.
- isaiah520

I don't think the defense is wretched. They have played wretchedly this short season, but I also think that Coburn can rebound to what he was last year in the right situation.

That said I do think changes are needed. They need to add a "top" defenseman for sure. I have much more faith in Coburn returning to form than Meszaros being able to stay healthy.

So, trading Coburn, to me, means landing at least one other defenseman besides that number one guy. Maybe that means a one year stop gap. Maybe it means rolling the dice on a guy like Myers.

No matter the outcome I think the Flames are making the right decision by moving Iginla (whos an UFA anyways).
- stveshdy

They have no other choice. They should be open to trading pretty much everyone but Baertschi & Gaudreau

We need a 1 and 2 dman..
I dont see how trading Coburn doesn't then leave us with a need for a 3/4.
Where the Flyers have some room to move is forwards.
That is what they need to be looking at to get them in a position to draft Jones/Nurse or trade for established players.

The Flyers haven't won anything with him either. They still can get back a pick and an NHL ready defenseman in a year or two. They have the option to go out and sign a cheaper option. They could also turn around and trade one forward for a puck moving defenseman.

I'm not sure this team is going to be that much better with or without Coburn next season as well. However, I'm not just trading him to trade him. The deal has to be good enough to make you pull the trigger. Also, I'm not just talking about Coburn it could be anyone.
- stveshdy

And that pick could be a player who doesn't pan out. And that prospect could not pan out. And then a team that is already short on defenseman, is even shorter. How do you think that cheaper option would make out on this team currently? I could use the ,they didn't win anything with a lot of players on this team. Not a legitimate reason to trade them. In my opinion, trading Coburn for a draft pick is a big mistake. He's just this Season's whipping boy. Which I understand. But the Flyers can't afford to make a mistake there. It's not like he's 34 and on the downside. He's 27 with a lot of good years left.

They have no other choice. They should be open to trading pretty much everyone but Baertschi & Gaudreau
- Jsaquella

I just want the Flyers to be open minded at the deadline. I know its hard to replace certain players but if they can get back picks and prospects that are close to being NHL ready I think they should make the move if the deal is going to help them.

I wouldnt just make a trade for the hell of it but this team needs some change on the blueline. This mix just isn't working imo.

And that pick could be a player who doesn't pan out. And that prospect could not pan out. And then a team that is already short on defenseman, is even shorter. How do you think that cheaper option would make out on this team currently? I could use the ,they didn't win anything with a lot of players on this team. Not a legitimate reason to trade them. In my opinion, trading Coburn for a draft pick is a big mistake. He's just this Season's whipping boy. Which I understand. But the Flyers can't afford to make a mistake there. It's not like he's 34 and on the downside. He's 27 with a lot of good years left.
- MJL

I totally understand your side and it makes sense. However, you can't assume that its going to fail either. Thats the risk of any trade you make. If you believe that Schenn/Timonen and Grossmann/Mez is a good four than I think you can still get a cheaper player for your third pairing to help. The Flyers could then turn around and move a forward for a puck moving defenseman like Yandle and still have more picks and possible an NHL ready defenseman in the deal for Coburn. There are options and they have to be open to everything.

Snider is the boss. He issues fiats to Holmgren, which tie his hands.
- Jsaquella

Need to update...Lavy instead of Stevens

After reading the last 10 or pages about who we should trade, or who we should hang onto, I'm surprised that Simmonds isn't getting more love.

To me he's exactly the type of player we need more of: hard working, physical, and with more heart than most players on this team. The intangibles just ooze out of this guy.

I put Simmer in the same group as G, Jake, the Schenns and Coots as far as which guys we should hold onto. In fact, I'd rate him as more untouchable than anyone except Giroux.

I totally understand your side and it makes sense. However, you can't assume that its going to fail either. Thats the risk of any trade you make. If you believe that Schenn/Timonen and Grossmann/Mez is a good four than I think you can still get a cheaper player for your third pairing to help. The Flyers could then turn around and move a forward for a puck moving defenseman like Yandle and still have more picks and possible an NHL ready defenseman in the deal for Coburn. There are options and they have to be open to everything.
- stveshdy

All ifs, and big ifs. Any different then the ifs of signing Suter. Or getting Weber with an OS. Meszaros apparently has a chronic shoulder injury. You want to count on him? Timonen is 38. When you're dealing Coburn, your not talking about a 3rd pair defenseman. He logs a lot of minutes, and tough minutes for this team. Now Meszaros shoulder breaks down again next Season, or Timonen breaks down physically. Now you've got that cheaper player playing a lot of minutes.

What the Flyers need to be open to, is being smart. And trading Coburn for draft picks at the deadline, is not smart. I'd be fine with trading Coburn for another comparable NHL defenseman. Or a younger NHL ready defenseman.

The Flyers haven't won anything with him either. They still can get back a pick and an NHL ready defenseman in a year or two. They have the option to go out and sign a cheaper option. They could also turn around and trade one forward for a puck moving defenseman.

I'm not sure this team is going to be that much better with or without Coburn next season as well. However, I'm not just trading him to trade him. The deal has to be good enough to make you pull the trigger. Also, I'm not just talking about Coburn it could be anyone.
- stveshdy

I'm open to trading anyone. But it has to make sense for now and in the future. I'm not real eager to just piss away two years of the primes of Giroux, Voracek and others just because we want more draft choices.

I'm not saying that Coburn or anyone else is irreplaceable. But at the same time, there's not a ton of options that are out there that wouldn't either cost more or make the team worse.

All ifs, and big ifs. Any different then the ifs of signing Suter. Or getting Weber with an OS. Meszaros apparently has a chronic shoulder injury. You want to count on him? Timonen is 38. When you're dealing Coburn, your not talking about a 3rd pair defenseman. He logs a lot of minutes, and tough minutes for this team. Now Meszaros shoulder breaks down again next Season, or Timonen breaks down physically. Now you've got that cheaper player playing a lot of minutes.

What the Flyers need to be open to, is being smart. And trading Coburn for draft picks at the deadline, is not smart. I'd be fine with trading Coburn for another comparable NHL defenseman. Or a younger NHL ready defenseman.
- MJL

I stated that the Flyers could get a pick and an NHL ready defenseman in previous posts. I would explore the option but the Flyers dont have to move him if the deal isnt good enough.

I stated that the Flyers could get a pick and an NHL ready defenseman in previous posts. I would explore the option but the Flyers dont have to move him if the deal isnt good enough.
- stveshdy

Not a first round pick and an NHL ready defenseman. One or the other most likely. And I don't see a team trading a young defenseman that is good enough to make it worth trading Coburn.

I'm open to trading anyone. But it has to make sense for now and in the future. I'm not real eager to just piss away two years of the primes of Giroux, Voracek and others just because we want more draft choices.

I'm not saying that Coburn or anyone else is irreplaceable. But at the same time, there's not a ton of options that are out there that wouldn't either cost more or make the team worse.
- Jsaquella

I don't think Coburn is bad. In fact I think he has the best value when it comes to trading any of the defenseman on this team. Do I think hes a star? Absolutely not. Trading him could bring back a pick and an NHL ready defenseman. That is something I would have to consider.

Once again i'm not moving him to move him but i'm not ruling it out either. I would prefer to move Mez but hes injured again.

Not a first round pick and an NHL ready defenseman. One or the other most likely. And I don't see a team trading a young defenseman that is good enough to make it worth trading Coburn.
- MJL

If may be a ready NHL defenseman and a 3rd rounder. The trade deadline is the best opportunity for a team to overpay for him. I'll say this again the Flyers dont have to move him if they feel its not worth it.

See here's the thing, according to Ren Lavoie of RDS, they're basically saying that Max Talbot isn't available.

That tells me, the Flyers expect to be in the running next season. That means Coburn isn't getting dealt, either, in all likelihood.