I agree. We need to stalk up on D though.
- dingo8urbaby

I just hope they keep their first round pick, it will be really interesting to see what direction they go because someone is going to drop out of the top ten. I'm not as concerned about drafting a d-man in the first round, but my concern certainly is the organizational evaluation process on how they go about drafting defensive prospects. The Flyers do draft defensemen every year, but they just don't develop. Hopefully there is some light at the end of the tunnel with Gus and Lauridson at least showing they don't look out of place in the NHL.

Anyone think Kovalchuk will be bought out next offseason. If he retires at 40, that contracts will be a disaster for Jersey.
- PhillySportsGuy

By the time retirement becomes a real possibility, they'll already be negotiating another CBA...

Hopefully not too big. Claude Giroux, Jake Voracek, Wayne Simmonds, Luke Schenn, Steve Mason, Brayden Schenn, Sean Couturier and whoever picked at 11th is my core.
- dingo8urbaby

don't think they consider Mason in the core

I agree. We need to stalk up on D though.
- dingo8urbaby

I'm with you.

I just hope they keep their first round pick, it will be really interesting to see what direction they go because someone is going to drop out of the top ten. I'm not as concerned about drafting a d-man in the first round, but my concern certainly is the organizational evaluation process on how they go about drafting defensive prospects. The Flyers do draft defensemen every year, but they just don't develop. Hopefully there is some light at the end of the tunnel with Gus and Lauridson at least showing they don't look out of place in the NHL.
- ravishingone

If you get a Pulock or Risto at 11, then you can focus on that big punishing guy at 41 (Morin?). Whatever they don't address they can look at 30 picks later. Should be a fun draft.

If you get a Pulock or Risto at 11, then you can focus on that big punishing guy at 41 (Morin?). Whatever they don't address they can look at 30 picks later. Should be a fun draft.
- cmr.266

I would like to see them draft pks little brother in the 2nd rd

I'm not as concerned about drafting a d-man in the first round, but my concern certainly is the organizational evaluation process on how they go about drafting defensive prospects. The Flyers do draft defensemen every year, but they just don't develop.
- ravishingone

Nashville has spent about 30% of their total picks since they came into the league on d prospects... while they have done better than the Flyers, and have used more 1st-rounders on dmen, they've still only managed to scrounge up six dmen that have played over 200 career NHL games: Skrastins, Hamhuis, Weber, Suter and Franson. Maybe we can go ahead and add Josi in there, but we'll see about that.

And out of those, only 2 of those were 1st-rounders, only 2 are what you would consider All-Star caliber, and only 1 is still with the team.

Drafting and developing dmen is a tough slog, even for teams that are both willing to regularly roll the dice on dmen high in the draft, and have the patience to keep those prospects in the system for years and years.

Nashville has spent about 30% of their total picks since they came into the league on d prospects... while they have done better than the Flyers, and have used more 1st-rounders on dmen, they've still only managed to scrounge up six dmen that have played over 200 career NHL games: Skrastins, Hamhuis, Weber, Suter and Franson. Maybe we can go ahead and add Josi in there, but we'll see about that.

And out of those, only 3 of those were 1st-rounders, only 2 are what you would consider All-Star caliber, and only 1 is still with the team.

Drafting and developing dmen is a tough slog, even for teams that are willing to regularly roll the dice on dmen high in the draft, and have the patience to keep those prospects in the system for years and years.
- Tomahawk

And they got completely lucky with Weber.

Nashville has spent about 30% of their total picks since they came into the league on d prospects... while they have done better than the Flyers, and have used more 1st-rounders on dmen, they've still only managed to scrounge up six dmen that have played over 200 career NHL games: Skrastins, Hamhuis, Weber, Suter and Franson. Maybe we can go ahead and add Josi in there, but we'll see about that.

And out of those, only 2 of those were 1st-rounders, only 2 are what you would consider All-Star caliber, and only 1 is still with the team.

Drafting and developing dmen is a tough slog, even for teams that are both willing to regularly roll the dice on dmen high in the draft, and have the patience to keep those prospects in the system for years and years.
- Tomahawk

thats something to think about

can bryz be waived?

can bryz be waived?
- mydoglicks

Nope.

can bryz be waived?
- mydoglicks

Yeah.

Waived goodbye when we buy him out.

Buh dum chhhh. I'm here all summer, ladies and gents.

can bryz be waived?
- mydoglicks

That joke was so funny it posted twice.

thats something to think about
- puckhead17

Defensemen are generally a much bigger gamble than forwards.

thats something to think about
- puckhead17

That's kind of like faulting somebody for not being able to win the lottery just because somebody else managed to hit the jackpot more than once.

The odds of finding a franchise dman are impossibly small... even if they committed to taking only dmen in the 1st-round for the next decade straight, they'd still might come out empty handed.

can bryz be waived?
- mydoglicks

For a CBO he can.

Everything in this article is a reason why the Flyers should keep Mez and trade Coburn. Mez excels in the third pairing role. When you're looking at the 5th defenseman you do not want that guy locked up long term with a cap hit of 4.5M, especially on a team that is up against the cap and a full roster. Keep Mez and hope he stays healthy and trade Coburn. Get more cap relief this year and it also gives more flexibility next offseason to extend players and bring in that top pairing defenseman the Flyers have been searching for since Pronger went down. The worst case scenario is Mez gets hurt and the Flyers are forced to look at one of the many defensemen prospects they have in the system that are projected to be third pairing guys. Best case scenario is Mez stays healthy, plays like 2010-11 Mez, eliminate the countless giveaways by Coburn, and the Flyers make a move for top pairing defenseman.

That's kind of like faulting somebody for not being able to win the lottery just because somebody else managed to hit the jackpot more than once.

The odds of finding a franchise dman are impossibly small... even if they committed to taking only dmen in the 1st-round for the next decade straight, they'd still might come out empty handed.
- Tomahawk

Aki Berg. John Slaney. Ryan Parent. David Fischer. Sasha Pokulok. AJ Thelen. All first rounders. All picked in the top 20 in their draft years. Two in the top ten, and one in the top 3

don't think they consider Mason in the core
- puckhead17

I consider him to be in my core.

Everything in this article is a reason why the Flyers should keep Mez and trade Coburn. Mez excels in the third pairing role. When you're looking at the 5th defenseman you do not want that guy locked up long term with a cap hit of 4.5M, especially on a team that is up against the cap and a full roster. Keep Mez and hope he stays healthy and trade Coburn. Get more cap relief this year and it also gives more flexibility next offseason to extend players and bring in that top pairing defenseman the Flyers have been searching for since Pronger went down. The worst case scenario is Mez gets hurt and the Flyers are forced to look at one of the many defensemen prospects they have in the system that are projected to be third pairing guys. Best case scenario is Mez stays healthy, plays like 2010-11 Mez, eliminate the countless giveaways by Coburn, and the Flyers make a move for top pairing defenseman.
- dcoy88

Soooooo....what happens when the inevitable strikes?

What happens when- in your scenario- 2 months into the season, the Coburnless Flyers see Meszaros get hurt?

EDIT: Whoops. Glazed over that part.

I still don't like the prospect of replacing a hurt Meszaros with yet another projected journeyman in the system. Can this team really afford something like:

Timonen-Schenn
Streit-Grossman (if healthy, that is)
Gus-Meszaros/____ (when he gets hurt?

Yeeesh I'd like Cobrn to stick around. It's not like the freed up money is going to go anywhere this year, FA wise....

Everything in this article is a reason why the Flyers should keep Mez and trade Coburn. Mez excels in the third pairing role. When you're looking at the 5th defenseman you do not want that guy locked up long term with a cap hit of 4.5M, especially on a team that is up against the cap and a full roster. Keep Mez and hope he stays healthy and trade Coburn. Get more cap relief this year and it also gives more flexibility next offseason to extend players and bring in that top pairing defenseman the Flyers have been searching for since Pronger went down. The worst case scenario is Mez gets hurt and the Flyers are forced to look at one of the many defensemen prospects they have in the system that are projected to be third pairing guys. Best case scenario is Mez stays healthy, plays like 2010-11 Mez, eliminate the countless giveaways by Coburn, and the Flyers make a move for top pairing defenseman.
- dcoy88

The cap relief difference is $500K.

That's not going to be make or break when trying to find a top pairing defenseman. Most of the "many" defense prospects are not ready for a NHL job yet, in fact most aren't even ready for the AHL.

I'm not counting Gustafsson as a prospect any longer, as I expect he's a lock for the top 6. The only one NHL ready seems to be Lauridsen.

And when, not if, Meszaros gets hurt, they panic and overpay for a defenseman during the season.

Everything in this article is a reason why the Flyers should keep Mez and trade Coburn. Mez excels in the third pairing role. When you're looking at the 5th defenseman you do not want that guy locked up long term with a cap hit of 4.5M, especially on a team that is up against the cap and a full roster. Keep Mez and hope he stays healthy and trade Coburn. Get more cap relief this year and it also gives more flexibility next offseason to extend players and bring in that top pairing defenseman the Flyers have been searching for since Pronger went down. The worst case scenario is Mez gets hurt and the Flyers are forced to look at one of the many defensemen prospects they have in the system that are projected to be third pairing guys. Best case scenario is Mez stays healthy, plays like 2010-11 Mez, eliminate the countless giveaways by Coburn, and the Flyers make a move for top pairing defenseman.
- dcoy88

So we trade Coburn and keep Meszaros. Mez gets hurt long term again. Then what? I wouldn't get too excited over Mez being a good 4 million dollar 3rd pair, broken player.

Everything in this article is a reason why the Flyers should keep Mez and trade Coburn. Mez excels in the third pairing role. When you're looking at the 5th defenseman you do not want that guy locked up long term with a cap hit of 4.5M, especially on a team that is up against the cap and a full roster. Keep Mez and hope he stays healthy and trade Coburn. Get more cap relief this year and it also gives more flexibility next offseason to extend players and bring in that top pairing defenseman the Flyers have been searching for since Pronger went down. The worst case scenario is Mez gets hurt and the Flyers are forced to look at one of the many defensemen prospects they have in the system that are projected to be third pairing guys. Best case scenario is Mez stays healthy, plays like 2010-11 Mez, eliminate the countless giveaways by Coburn, and the Flyers make a move for top pairing defenseman.
- dcoy88

They would still have the ability to trade Coburn in the future. Just because they keep him for next Season, doesn't mean they are locked in. None of the defenseman prospects are really ready for a full time NHL role. And if Meszaros and Grossmann continue to have health issues. We're looking at another Corey Foster situation.

Aki Berg. John Slaney. Ryan Parent. David Fischer. Sasha Pokulok. AJ Thelen. All first rounders. All picked in the top 20 in their draft years. Two in the top ten, and one in the top 3
- Jsaquella

Erik Johnson, Thomas Hickey, Jack Johnson, Ryan Whitney, Cam Barker, Rosti Klesla... the number of franchise dman flops near the top of the draft is alarming to say the least.

Colorado has every right to be concerned about putting its eggs in the Jones basket.

The cap relief difference is $500K.

That's not going to be make or break when trying to find a top pairing defenseman. Most of the "many" defense prospects are not ready for a NHL job yet, in fact most aren't even ready for the AHL.

I'm not counting Gustafsson as a prospect any longer, as I expect he's a lock for the top 6. The only one NHL ready seems to be Lauridsen.

And when, not if, Meszaros gets hurt, they panic and overpay for a defenseman during the season.
- Jsaquella

I have doubts that Lauridsen is ready for a full time NHL role.