Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Couturier's Development and Future Potential

I would love to see Couturier, Read and Gagne as the 3rd line next year. Good speed, all good defensive players and all three can add scoring. Read is probably a top 6 forward but may be a victim of numbers depending upon off season moves. Of course they would also have to resign Gagne to make this scenario plausible.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Couturier's Development and Future Potential
- bmeltzer

He is soooo young with such a huge upside. It drives me nuts to see his name bandied about in trade discussions...even for a Yandle or Edler. Although I would have included him for Weber. I guess the long and short of it is that if we are unwilling to touch the young core of this team then we will have to make due with band aids or what we have. Dorsnt help our impatient win now fan base and owner. We have dissected trades, UFA's, draft picks from every angle because of Homer's propensity to swing for the fences. We are spoiled by it. That is what makes having patience almost impossible. Amnesty Briere and Bryz. I say go after an Emery type goal tender. Stand pat with our draft pick. Pick up a short term deal on a veteran solid D man- Gonchar or Streit. And give the young guys more time to develop and contribute - Gus, Manning, and/or MAB. We may not be a cup team this year. But we are headed in the right direction.

its interesting Bill states that he would only move one of B Schenn or Couturier in a deal that brings back a Norris caliber D man. I must ask how many of those D men are even on he block and what player you are ok moving when the best guys available are likely Edler or Yandle?

Pretty solid perspective on what faced a sophomore playing an intense shortened season. I think there is another factor at play. Centers are really in need of solid Dmen to back them up in their defensive zone assignments and vice versa. They also need a Dman to move the puck up ice in their break out patterns. At times, all the Flyer centers appeared to struggle in what appeared to be times where they were stifled on the attack or bottled up in their own end.

I have argued before the a large part of the fall off in Giroux' game was the inability of the D to provide effective two way support most of the season. Good reason to believe that the problem for Couturier would have the same root.

its interesting Bill states that he would only move one of B Schenn or Couturier in a deal that brings back a Norris caliber D man. I must ask how many of those D men are even on he block and what player you are ok moving when the best guys available are likely Edler or Yandle?
- hereticpride

Read, picks, and a prospect or another roster player in decline.

its interesting Bill states that he would only move one of B Schenn or Couturier in a deal that brings back a Norris caliber D man. I must ask how many of those D men are even on he block and what player you are ok moving when the best guys available are likely Edler or Yandle?
- hereticpride

I think the best player that might be available will be J.bo. Probably cost first round pick (#11) and a mid range prospect.

I think the best player that might be available will be J.bo. Probably cost first round pick (#11) and a mid range prospect.
- spatso

It would be more likely that St. Louis picked him up for a cup run at the deadline and with that enormous price tag would be happy to move him vs. their other d men they need to sign. My problem with J. Bo is theat he had never lived up to his huge payday.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Couturier's Development and Future Potential
- bmeltzer

I'm open to the idea of trading Couturier, but I don't necessarily advocate it.

My oft-stated personal preference is to buy out Briere and Bryzgalov, bring in a replacement vet goalie to split time with Mason, and look at cheaper options to augment the defense.

I do feel they can be a playoff team next season with minor tweaks, so long as they play a system more suited to their abilities as a team.

I'm open to the idea of trading Couturier, but I don't necessarily advocate it.

My oft-stated personal preference is to buy out Briere and Bryzgalov, bring in a replacement vet goalie to split time with Mason, and look at cheaper options to augment the defense.

I do feel they can be a playoff team next season with minor tweaks, so long as they play a system more suited to their abilities as a team.
- Jsaquella

Exactly. I would prefer to go the UFA route to pick up that stop gap defender, but if I HAVE to go the trade route, I'm only looking at Read as the asset I would want to give up off of the roster. Depends on who obviously, but that is the sort is deal I would be looking for.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Couturier's Development and Future Potential
- bmeltzer

Great Article Bill. Gives a lot of people an inside look at ways to view the game. Coots seems like such a great kid with an amazing work ethic.

He is soooo young with such a huge upside. It drives me nuts to see his name bandied about in trade discussions...even for a Yandle or Edler. Although I would have included him for Weber. I guess the long and short of it is that if we are unwilling to touch the young core of this team then we will have to make due with band aids or what we have. Dorsnt help our impatient win now fan base and owner. We have dissected trades, UFA's, draft picks from every angle because of Homer's propensity to swing for the fences. We are spoiled by it. That is what makes having patience almost impossible. Amnesty Briere and Bryz. I say go after an Emery type goal tender. Stand pat with our draft pick. Pick up a short term deal on a veteran solid D man- Gonchar or Streit. And give the young guys more time to develop and contribute - Gus, Manning, and/or MAB. We may not be a cup team this year. But we are headed in the right direction.
- section32

LOL. If either is on the table, Couturier should be gone. Good luck getting that caliber of a defenseman any other way.

Exactly. I would prefer to go the UFA route to pick up that stop gap defender, but if I HAVE to go the trade route, I'm only looking at Read as the asset I would want to give up off of the roster. Depends on who obviously, but that is the sort is deal I would be looking for.
- section32

I'd prefer moving Hartnell if possible. I don't get why people are so eager to trade Read.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Couturier's Development and Future Potential
- bmeltzer

Great blog!
FYI for the poster above, Gonchar is off the market.

Here is where I am at with our roster for next year:

FORWARDS
Scott Hartnell ($4.750m) / Claude Giroux ($3.750m) / Jakub Voracek ($4.250m)
Wayne Simmonds ($3.975m) / Brayden Schenn ($3.110m) / Jarome Iginla ($5.000m) OR other UFA
Simon Gagne ($1.500m) / Sean Couturier ($1.375m) / Matt Read ($0.900m)
Maxime Talbot ($1.750m)/ Scott Laughton ($1.107m)/ Zac Rinaldo ($0.750m)
Jay Rosehill ($0.675m)

DEFENSEMEN
Kimmo Timonen ($6.000m) / Luke Schenn ($3.600m)
Braydon Coburn ($4.500m) / Alexander Edler ($5.000m) for our 1st or even better Striet at the same price tag
Erik Gustafsson ($1.000m) / Nicklas Grossmann ($3.500m)
Andrej Meszaros ($4.000m) / Chris Pronger ($4.941m)
GOALTENDERS
Steve Mason ($1.500m)
Niklas Backstrom ($4.000m)
OTHER
Buyout: Oskars Bartulis ($0.100m)
Buyout: Danny Briere ($0.000m)
Buyout: Ilya Bryzgalov ($0.000m)
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled with the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $71,033,095; BONUSES: $2,800,000
CAP SPACE (23-man roster):- $3,933,095

Pronger to LTIR

What I am getting at is not too much.

I'd prefer moving Hartnell if possible. I don't get why people are so eager to trade Read.
- Jsaquella

Agreed, if the value coming back is good.

Pretty solid perspective on what faced a sophomore playing an intense shortened season. I think there is another factor at play. Centers are really in need of solid Dmen to back them up in their defensive zone assignments and vice versa. They also need a Dman to move the puck up ice in their break out patterns. At times, all the Flyer centers appeared to struggle in what appeared to be times where they were stifled on the attack or bottled up in their own end.

I have argued before the a large part of the fall off in Giroux' game was the inability of the D to provide effective two way support most of the season. Good reason to believe that the problem for Couturier would have the same root.
- spatso

Agreed Spatso, biggest issue with the Flyers. Need to add more puck moving skill to the defense. As well as adjust the breakout.

I would make it:

Matt Read / Sean Couturier/ Jarome Iginla ($3.000m) OR other UFA

- coffee junkie

Jarome Iginla may not realize it, but Philadelphia is actually one of the few teams in the league where he would slide right onto a scoring line...yet not be counted on to be something that he isn't anymore.

I've read more than a few reports that Iginla...well, he likes to score goals. He will backcheck, but his preference is that the center and the defenseman handle that heavy lifting soooooo...he can use his energy to score goals.

Now granted, in the playoffs, everybody needs to raise the intensity of their defensive play. But if Iginla were to come to Philadelphia, there is a spot on a good team where the one thing he likely can still do well is the one thing they need, in the spot that he is most-suited to play at this stage in his career: Second-line RW with a defensively responsible center.

If they want more size, they could go after Byfuglien

all three hundred and two pounds of him

http://www.winnipegfreepr...or-a-trade-210963161.html

Great blog!
FYI for the poster above, Gonchar is off the market.

Here is where I am at with our roster for next year:

FORWARDS
Scott Hartnell ($4.750m) / Claude Giroux ($3.750m) / Jakub Voracek ($4.250m)
Wayne Simmonds ($3.975m) / Brayden Schenn ($3.110m) / Jarome Iginla ($5.000m) OR other UFA
Simon Gagne ($1.500m) / Sean Couturier ($1.375m) / Matt Read ($0.900m)
Maxime Talbot ($1.750m)/ Scott Laughton ($1.107m)/ Zac Rinaldo ($0.750m)
Jay Rosehill ($0.675m)

DEFENSEMEN
Kimmo Timonen ($6.000m) / Luke Schenn ($3.600m)
Braydon Coburn ($4.500m) / Alexander Edler ($5.000m) for our 1st or even better Striet at the same price tag
Erik Gustafsson ($1.000m) / Nicklas Grossmann ($3.500m)
Andrej Meszaros ($4.000m) / Chris Pronger ($4.941m)
GOALTENDERS
Steve Mason ($1.500m)
Niklas Backstrom ($4.000m)
OTHER
Buyout: Oskars Bartulis ($0.100m)
Buyout: Danny Briere ($0.000m)
Buyout: Ilya Bryzgalov ($0.000m)
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled with the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $71,033,095; BONUSES: $2,800,000
CAP SPACE (23-man roster):- $3,933,095

Pronger to LTIR

What I am getting at is not too much.
- coffee junkie

Just a few things. Not likely to get Edler without giving up a roster player. And how many years are you willing to give for Iginla and Backstrom? Both would be 35+ deals if signed to multi year deals.

As for Bill's tremendous blog on Sean Couturier and because I like to beat dead horses:

Unless you get Shea Weber, Alex Pietrangelo or Drew Doughty back, I just cannot fathom how you trade 20-year-old Sean Couturier.

I won't say more, because Bill explained it very well. But I just cannot fathom how anyone would trade this kid NOW. That doesn't mean "never." But not now.

Band aid with Streit or Hainsey. If the Flyers are going to trade B. Schenn or Couturier, at least wait until next offseason to better judge what they are. Why trade them with their value is the lowest. There is no player available anyway that would make the Flyers a cup contender next year, especially having to trade the amount of pieces to acquire the player/players necessary to win it all.

If they want more size, they could go after Byfuglien

all three hundred and two pounds of him

http://www.winnipegfreepr...or-a-trade-210963161.html
- Jsaquella

Yea, I want no parts of Byfuglien in a Flyers uniform. Last thing they need is an undisciplined player on and off the ice.

As for Bill's tremendous blog on Sean Couturier and because I like to beat dead horses:

Unless you get Shea Weber, Alex Pietrangelo or Drew Doughty back, I just cannot fathom how you trade 20-year-old Sean Couturier.

I won't say more, because Bill explained it very well. But I just cannot fathom how anyone would trade this kid NOW. That doesn't mean "never." But not now.
- AllInForFlyers

Agreed. I would not be in favor of trading Couturier for any of the defenseman rumored to be available. Including Edler and Yandle.

In 2006-2007 Patrice Bergeron was a -28.....

If they want more size, they could go after Byfuglien

all three hundred and two pounds of him

http://www.winnipegfreepr...or-a-trade-210963161.html
- Jsaquella

Good Lord. He's going to eat his way out of the league. I can't remember who was the subject of this Bob Clarke quote, but there was someone on the Flyers who had a weight/conditioning problem when he was the GM and what Clarke was quoted as saying has stuck with me to this day:

"Push yourself away from the table, man."