Maybe they just need to set their sights a little lower. Instead of obsessing over a replacement for Pronger, which we know is near impossible to pull off... maybe just be happy this summer if they can get a replacement for Matt Carle's minutes. John-Michael Liles, Jamie McBain, Alec Martinez, Tom Gilbert, Kris Russell... not the sexiest names, I know, but they wouldn't cost you Simmonds (or even Read).

Hell, I'd even look at Tomas Kaberle and Tallinder if they were COB'd.
- Tomahawk

I agree.

Pronger is gone and you can't easily and readily replace a player like that. Hopefully, from an organizational mindset perspective, they've moved on.

Setting your sights lower, also gives lesser results. None of those players can give the Flyers what they really need. And are stopgaps. You have to look long term. They need a legitimate top pairing puck mover. Especially with the way Laviolette plays. If your looking to replace one of the stay at home types already on the roster, maybe some of those players would be adequate. To increase mobility and puck movement. But I'd rather see what Gustafsson has then to add one of those players. I have no interest in shopping in the bargain bin. They need a high minute, quality 2 way defenseman.
- MJL

wonder if gusty could grow into our #1 pairing mover? the guy has taken great strides and growth this year, seems to have gotten smarter with the puck and has vision

Setting your sights lower, also gives lesser results. None of those players can give the Flyers what they really need. And are stopgaps. You have to look long term. They need a legitimate top pairing puck mover. Especially with the way Laviolette plays. If your looking to replace one of the stay at home types already on the roster, maybe some of those players would be adequate. To increase mobility and puck movement. But I'd rather see what Gustafsson has then to add one of those players. I have no interest in shopping in the bargain bin. They need a high minute, quality 2 way defenseman.
- MJL

They got through to the 2nd-round in 2011-12 w/o Pronger for almost the balance of the season... they need puck-movers to support Kimmo, which Carle, Coburn and Mez were able to do in 2011-12 with a lot of success. A healthy Gus and a Coburn resurgence should already bring marked improvement. Ditto if Mez can get anywhere close to his prior level of play.

Another seismic move will just rip holes into the rest of the lineup... just another lateral step. If they can add w/o taking away, that might actually present a step forward.

wonder if gusty could grow into our #1 pairing mover? the guy has taken great strides and growth this year, seems to have gotten smarter with the puck and has vision
- mydoglicks

Very doubtful. But you never know.

They got through to the 2nd-round in 2011-12 w/o Pronger for almost the balance of the season... they need puck-movers to support Kimmo, which Carle, Coburn and Mez were able to do in 2011-12 with a lot of success. A healthy Gus and a Coburn resurgence should already bring marked improvement. Ditto if Mez can get anywhere close to his prior level of play.

Another seismic move will just rip holes into the rest of the lineup... just another lateral step. If they can add w/o taking away, that might actually present a step forward.
- Tomahawk

They had Timonen in 11/12. You're thinking short term. Think long term. Timonen has one year left. And he is going to continue to break down physically. Gustafsson will add more mobility to the lineup. But it does not solve the biggest issue with the Flyers defense. Coburn is not a puck mover. Asking more from him in that area did not work out well this past Season. Need to learn from that. I'm in favor of adding without taking away. But the players you offered don't get it done. I see not improving the defense as something that will be seismic to the team. It's a mistake to bargain basement shop. The holes that might be made in trading a young forward to add a quality 2 way defenseman, is a lot easier to fill then a hole of lacking a top defenseman.
I'm not thinking 2nd round. I'm thinking big picture, and winning a Cup.

The flip side of that 300 percent gain is that 41 points for an OHL defenseman still typically translates to being strictly a defensive defenseman at the pro level. He'd have to get considerably better from where he is NOW to get on track to be a significant point contributing D at the NHL level. His shot is not very accurate and his release is not particularly fast.

A more realistic NHL hope for Nurse is that he becomes a shutdown D with good mobility. Any offense beyond 15-20 points would be a bonus.
- bmeltzer

Well, 41 pts in his second year OHL is on par (more or less) with the second yr Jr. production of several of the top say, 25 point producing D men this season...guys like Suter, Franson, Weber, Phaneuf, Byfuglien, Campbell, Green, Bouwmeester, Beauchemin...they all had similar numbers to Nurse in their second year in Jr. While that doesn't guarantee anything, I think it contradicts your idea that his numbers translate into a strictly defensive defenseman at the pro level. Furthermore, Nurse scored 12 goals in a secondary offensive role, so his shot can't be all that bad...observer Ben Kerr notes: "Nurse’s offensive game has really blossomed this season. He showed off his big time point shot and one timer, scoring 12 goals in 69 games. Nurse became really effective at keeping his shot low, getting it through and on net, and generating opportunities for rebounds and tip-ins in front of the net. He also effectively utilizes a good wrist shot and release when he doesn’t have time to load up the slapshot. In my own viewing of his highlight reel, he seemed to get off some good, low, accurate shots (but then again, they don't show the misses in a highlight reel, lol).

Personally, I think next year he takes on more responsibility, pushes his offensive game further and breaks the 50+ point mark.

It's all moot for the Flyers anyway, as this kid will most likely go top 10.