I have to say the biggest surprise this disappointing season has to be Mason. Two months ago I fought tooth and nail against buying out bryzgalov. No offense to bryzgalov and yes mason's sampling has been very small but mason has given me reason to believe he can give us just as good goaltending if not better. Only problem is; what does he want in terms of an extension? I think you hold onto bryzgalov until an agreement on an extension with mason can be reached. Despite all the criticism bryzgalov is a solid goaltender, overpaid by about a mill and a half a season but its not so cataclysmic and the idea of him retiring before that deal is up is totally fictitious.
- JoeRussomanno

Can't agree with the last statement. He is only owed 1 million per season in each of the last 2 years and I could easily see him retiring at that point. He will have already made 49 million and the Flyers would be stuck with 2 more years at a 5.7 million cap hit for nothing.

I'm of the frame of mind that you buy him out, sign a veteran to backup/share time with Mason, and use the Briere/Bryz money to shore up other areas.
- MBFlyerfan

Is he pretty bad? I never hear sh!t about him.
- Jeropotato

Coburn can be a beast. I don't want to trade him. This season was a down one for him. Injuries, changing partners, he looked streaky, tired and unmotivated. But he's a damn fine player.

Don't know what you've got until it's gone!
- MJL

tell Homer that

Mez situation really blows. What a pretzel

Coburn can be a beast. I don't want to trade him. This season was a down one for him. Injuries, changing partners, he looked streaky, tired and unmotivated. But he's a damn fine player.
- FlyersGrace

As long as you aren't counting on him to be a top pair guy I agree. I have no problem with Coburn on the 2nd pair, he is a solid top 4 guy and his 4.5 mil cap hit is reasonable for a top 4 Dman.

Asking him to be the #1 guy which is pretty much what they did at the start of the season is just too much. Find a guy to pair with Schenn on the top pair and leave Coburn with Timonen on the 2nd and the D all of sudden starts looking pretty good.

As long as you aren't counting on him to be a top pair guy I agree. I have no problem with Coburn on the 2nd pair, he is a solid top 4 guy and his 4.5 mil cap hit is reasonable for a top 4 Dman.

Asking him to be the #1 guy which is pretty much what they did at the start of the season is just too much. Find a guy to pair with Schenn on the top pair and leave Coburn with Timonen on the 2nd and the D all of sudden starts looking pretty good.
- BiggE

I agree.

As long as you aren't counting on him to be a top pair guy I agree. I have no problem with Coburn on the 2nd pair, he is a solid top 4 guy and his 4.5 mil cap hit is reasonable for a top 4 Dman.

Asking him to be the #1 guy which is pretty much what they did at the start of the season is just too much. Find a guy to pair with Schenn on the top pair and leave Coburn with Timonen on the 2nd and the D all of sudden starts looking pretty good.
- BiggE

My guess is yandle would be the most attainable this summer. I've watched pieces of totes games recently and wow his play in his own zone really sucks. Like worse than Gus suck. Seems like he just shadows the guy all the time until a forward comes in to do the dirty work

Mez situation really blows. What a pretzel
- Just5

Flyers have blown alot of money on Mez, Pronger and Bryz

Their record is better because they embraced better team D (novel concept, eh?).

The Flyers absolutely missed the Coburn of the second half of last year b/c he had a bad year this season when asked to become more of a puck-mover and lead all the D-men in TOI. I will add, though, it was only the equivalent of a half-season of time to adjust his game. While there's no way in hell I'd want to see the Flyers give him those same tasks again next year (assuming he returns), players can't just snap their fingers and remake their games.

In Meszaros' case, he's had back surgery, achilles tendon surgery, a separated shoulder (treated non-surgically but which has been operated on in the past) and then a torn rotator cuff in an 11-month period. That makes it mighty tough to fairly assess anything he did this season. It also makes it tough for the Flyers to figure they can count on him going into next season, because those are all pretty serious injuries and the shoulder in particular is a concern.
- bmeltzer

Bill one thing I always admire about you is your willingness to engage us in times of stupidity. Not saying that post you just replied to was either, just sometimes we all can be, maybe not tangent man , ob (the ref), fly skip and some others, but yes even I can briere, *cough I mean be sometimes.
it really is a treat tho how you get into the conversation, being a professional writer of your stature.

Can't agree with the last statement. He is only owed 1 million per season in each of the last 2 years and I could easily see him retiring at that point. He will have already made 49 million and the Flyers would be stuck with 2 more years at a 5.7 million cap hit for nothing.
- BiggE

And two million dollars isn't a lot of money? Remember he may have made that but didn't actually receive 49 million. Furthermore show me how there is any precedent set for a player retiring recently under these conditions leaving his team cash strapped?

Signing Mason to a 1-year audition that perfectly coincides with the closing of the amnesty window on Bryz is one of the most prudent contractual moves that Homer has made since re-upping Giroux to a reasonable 2nd-contract.
- Tomahawk

+1

Not really a contractual move, but the L Schenn trade looks darn good too.

My guess is yandle would be the most attainable this summer. I've watched pieces of totes games recently and wow his play in his own zone really sucks. Like worse than Gus suck. Seems like he just shadows the guy all the time until a forward comes in to do the dirty work
- Just5

Yandle is usually adequate defensively, just not physical at all. Unless Phoenix comes down significantly in the alleged trade returns they've demanded from other teams that have asked about Yandle -- not just the Flyers -- he's not going anywhere.

There's a possibility that Byfuglien will be available this summer, once Bogosian is re-signed. With Enstrom's extension kicking in next year, the Jets would have three big-ticket contracts on D but still glaring needs for more talent up front.

Ek thinks the Flyers will explore the Byfuglien possibility. I personally am NOT at all in favor of the Flyers even thinking down that avenue. If I am giving up valuable assets and paying a premium for a Dman to place in my top pairing, I want someone who can be counted on to produce consistent effort (not just talking desirable results -- I mean compete level) and be in reasonably good physical condition.

Signing Mason to a 1-year audition that perfectly coincides with the closing of the amnesty window on Bryz is one of the most prudent contractual moves that Homer has made since re-upping Giroux to a reasonable 2nd-contract.
- Tomahawk

Oh no doubt.

Also can players be bought out /amnestied, during the season?

Bill one thing I always admire about you is your willingness to engage us in times of stupidity. Not saying that post you just replied to was either, just sometimes we all can be, maybe not tangent man , ob (the ref), fly skip and some others, but yes even I can briere, *cough I mean be sometimes.
it really is a treat tho how you get into the conversation, being a professional writer of your stature.
- JoeRussomanno

Okay, you're giving me way too much credit here.

I have to say the biggest surprise this disappointing season has to be Mason. Two months ago I fought tooth and nail against buying out bryzgalov. No offense to bryzgalov and yes mason's sampling has been very small but mason has given me reason to believe he can give us just as good goaltending if not better. Only problem is; what does he want in terms of an extension? I think you hold onto bryzgalov until an agreement on an extension with mason can be reached. Despite all the criticism bryzgalov is a solid goaltender, overpaid by about a mill and a half a season but its not so cataclysmic and the idea of him retiring before that deal is up is totally fictitious.
- JoeRussomanno

After hearing and reading about how bad Luke Schenn was in Toronto... too slow, goes for the hit which leaves him exposed and gives up odd man rushes, couldn't crack the Leafs top 6, etc...

I'd say his emergence has been the biggest surprise for me.

Mason has been great, but to me I want to take the wait and see attitude on him.
I love that he has shown flashes of excellence, can he do it consistently?

I think if they can continue to play good team D, both goalies will hugely benefit.

Im sure it's already been discussed in the last blog, but the Flyers will have the 11th overall pick in the draft barring them, or anyone behind them winning the lottery

Here is what i have for a mock draft:
1. Florida: D Seth Jones
2. Colorado: C Nate MacKinnon
3. Tampa: W Jonathan Drouin
4. Nashville: W Aleksander Barkov
5. Carolina: C Sean Monahan
6. Calgary: C Elias Lindholm
7. Edmonton: D Darnell Nurse
8. Buffalo: W Hunter Shinkaruk
9. NJD: W Anthony Mantha
10. Dallas: C Max Domi
11. Philly: D Ryan Pulock
12. Phoenix: D Rasmus Ristolainen
13. Winnipeg: C Frederick Gauthier
14. CBJ: D Nikita Zadorov

For people worrying about getting a worse pick... i wouldnt worry about it. And when the #8 seed doesnt win the draft you'll realize theres no difference in talent
There really is no threat for someone taking Pulock AND Ristolainen ahead of us... The top 8 picks are all oretty self explanitory. NJ wont choose a dman because they have an abundance of them. Only team that might choose a dman is Dallas, and if they do, we get either Pulock or Ristolainen. Nurse will be the first dman drafted.
And when Nurse gets taken by Edm at #7 none of you will be complaining about we couldve been #8

all is well Flyer fans We are getting a very good player this draft.
If Homer does end up trading the pick, we'd be getting a top player in return, so i wouldnt worry about it.
- FLYERSROCK!

Already doing a mock

Also can players be bought out /amnestied, during the season?
- JoeRussomanno

Only during the June buyout window, if I'm not mistaken.

Already doing a mock
- ob18

Its too bad a player like Seth Jones could be buried in a hockey hotbed like Florida.

After hearing and reading about how bad Luke Schenn was in Toronto... too slow, goes for the hit which leaves him exposed and gives up odd man rushes, couldn't crack the Leafs top 6, etc...
- Marc D

Fan evaluations of their own struggling players are always rife with hyperbole.

Oh, hello there Carle, Coburn, Mezsaros.

Yandle is usually adequate defensively, just not physical at all. Unless Phoenix comes down significantly in the alleged trade returns they've demanded from other teams that have asked about Yandle -- not just the Flyers -- he's not going anywhere.

There's a possibility that Byfuglien will be available this summer, once Bogosian is re-signed. With Enstrom's extension kicking in next year, the Jets would have three big-ticket contracts on D but still glaring needs for more talent up front.

Ek thinks the Flyers will explore the Byfuglien possibility. I personally am NOT at all in favor of the Flyers even thinking down that avenue. If I am giving up valuable assets and paying a premium for a Dman to place in my top pairing, I want someone who can be counted on to produce consistent effort (not just talking desirable results -- I mean compete level) and be in reasonably good physical condition.
- bmeltzer

Tim P made the excellent point about St Louis defenseman being possible trades.
They recently paid Jackman and Polak, have Bouwmeester on the books for another year at 6.6, and have Pietrangelo, Ian Cole, and Shattenkirk all RFA this year.
Leopold's deal is up and they aren't in cap trouble, but that is a lot of work to do to keep all those guys.

Its too bad a player like Seth Jones could be buried in a hockey hotbed like Florida.
- MBFlyerfan

That makes me wonder because should they take MacKinnon as another good forward to go with Jonathan Huberdeau on another line it could be awesome for them but then you'd say how can you pass on Seth Jones.

Already doing a mock
- ob18

And where is Nishushkin? No way he makes it out of the top 8.

And where is Nishushkin? No way he makes it out of the top 8.
- hereticpride

Rock has an issue with him, I don't see him getting past 6

Fan evaluations of their own struggling players are always rife with hyperbole.

Oh, hello there Carle, Coburn, Mezsaros.
- Tomahawk

The hyperbole goes both directions.
Two years ago L Schenn was 'untouchable' and never would be traded.


Let me put on my orange glasses a minute...

Ollie is going to replace Pronger, Akeson is the next Martin St Louis, Mason will be better then Cary Price, and the Flyers will win the lottery and get Seth Jones.

It's awesome baby