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

As do I, but I expected his name to be the response...at best he's a 6/7 guy right now

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.
- dcoy88

Mez only seems to be able to shine in a third-pairing role against easy assignments.

Coburn has a history of doing really well against really tough opponents, especially in the PO's.

If I had to choose between them, I'd choose Coburn 8 days a week, even with the years/$ remaining on his extension.

Mez only seems to be able to shine in a third-pairing role against easy assignments.

Coburn has a history of doing really well against really tough opponents, especially in the PO's.

If I had to choose between them, I'd choose Coburn 8 days a week, even with the years/$ remaining on his extension.
- Tomahawk

Great song

Eklund reporting Flyers and Wings competing for Ryan. Im sorry, but I just don't see the logic in using up valuable assets to acquire a winger with a 5.1million cap hit.

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.
- Tomahawk

The Johnson's and klesla fell below expectations, but all 3 are top 4 dmen...and ej was someone you were pimping here a couple of weeks ago.

The Johnson's and klesla fell below expectations, but all 3 are top 4 dmen...and ej was someone you were pimping here a couple of weeks ago.
- isaiah520

True, but all of them were supposed to be franchise defensemen, not solid 4th defensemen, or fringe players, like Barker.

True, but all of them were supposed to be franchise defensemen, not solid 4th defensemen, or fringe players, like Barker.
- Jsaquella

JJ would prob be our 2nd best dman

He doesn't. And with L Schenn and Coburn already on the team we really have no business taking him. If they want another big, physical D man it should wait til the 2nd round or later.

I have a sneaking suspicion he will either end up in EDM or Dallas though.
- hereticpride

Nurse had a 300% increase in points this season (from 10 to 41 pts) and that was in a secondary offensive role (as far as D). His teammate, Red Wings draftee Ryan Sproul is Sault St Marie's top D man, and he's probably going to graduate, leaving Nurse more opportunity. Are you going to discount Nurse's offensive upside when he's putting up 50+ points in Junior next season? I don't think it's accurate to lump Nurse in with Coburn and Schenn (with all due respect to those players).


"Right now, Seth is a lock, but five years down the road, you're going to be talking about Jones and Nurse in the same sentence," said Dan Marr, director of scouting for NHL Central Scouting. "It's very hard to define. There's not going to be a big difference between the players."

Unless there's a trade for a top 4 defenseman, I think they should keep both Mez and Coburn. Imo there's too many question marks right now to be trading either of them at the draft. What if Grossmann isn't ready for the start of the season? What if age finally catches up to kimmo?

Assume we trade Coburn and don't get a defenseman in return, and kimmo, streit, Grossman, and mez go down with injuries. They're left with schenn Gus and lauridsen as their top 3 plus god knows who as the bottom 3. Does that sound promising? I know this is a worst case scenario, but its worth considering.

If they keep mez and he returns healthy and plays well, at the very least he'd increase his trade value.

He wont be unless Ristolainen, Pulock and Zadorov all go ahead of him. And if that is the case it means there is still a really good forward on the board you take over Nurse.
- hereticpride

What is this based on? Most Rankings have Nurse ahead of those you mentioned.

Unless there's a trade for a top 4 defenseman, I think they should keep both Mez and Coburn. Imo there's too many question marks right now to be trading either of them at the draft. What if Grossmann isn't ready for the start of the season? What if age finally catches up to kimmo?

Assume we trade Coburn and don't get a defenseman in return, and kimmo, streit, Grossman, and mez go down with injuries. They're left with schenn Gus and lauridsen as their top 3 plus god knows who as the bottom 3. Does that sound promising? I know this is a worst case scenario, but its worth considering.

If they keep mez and he returns healthy and plays well, at the very least he'd increase his trade value.
- fecondo

Worth considering?

My friend, this is the Philadelphia Flyers.

We MUST consider that, because it will come to fruition sometime in February.

What is this based on? Most Rankings have Nurse ahead of those you mentioned.
- exlund

I think that was his point.

To rephrase- at least, to my understanding:

Nurse probably won't be available at 11, barring his stock falling and the likes of Risto, Pulock, Zadorov, etc get picked before him.

Worth considering?

My friend, this is the Philadelphia Flyers.

We MUST consider that, because it will come to fruition sometime in February.
- Giroux_Is_God

I know

I think that was his point.

To rephrase- at least, to my understanding:

Nurse probably won't be available at 11, barring his stock falling and the likes of Risto, Pulock, Zadorov, etc get picked before him.
- Giroux_Is_God

Well, I interpreted it as him implying that Nurse wouldn't be the best player available unless Risto, Zadorov and Pulock get picked before him (implying that one of those three would be better if they were still there)...and he goes further in saying that even if Nurse was available (because Risto, Zadorov and Pulock are gone), he would still take one of the good forwards likely to be there in that scenario.

Here's the original comment and then hereticpride's reply (so you can see it in context):

"If Nurse is the best defenseman available then they should take him if he isnt they shouldnt that simple"
- nonpoint22

"He wont be unless Ristolainen, Pulock and Zadorov all go ahead of him. And if that is the case it means there is still a really good forward on the board you take over Nurse."
- hereticpride

Nurse had a 300% increase in points this season (from 10 to 41 pts) and that was in a secondary offensive role (as far as D). His teammate, Red Wings draftee Ryan Sproul is Sault St Marie's top D man, and he's probably going to graduate, leaving Nurse more opportunity. Are you going to discount Nurse's offensive upside when he's putting up 50+ points in Junior next season? I don't think it's accurate to lump Nurse in with Coburn and Schenn (with all due respect to those players).


"Right now, Seth is a lock, but five years down the road, you're going to be talking about Jones and Nurse in the same sentence," said Dan Marr, director of scouting for NHL Central Scouting. "It's very hard to define. There's not going to be a big difference between the players."
- exlund

I'm pretty surr Bill addressed this in a past blog. 41 point season highs generally do not translate to point producers in the NHL.

Continue having fun. I'm off to the beach.

I don't make comments about you personally. I discuss the subject. Here's the bottom line. If Bryzgalov had a .925 SV% and a 2.20 GAA, and was in the top 5 in Vezina voting. The Flyers brass wouldn't give a rats ass who on the team doesn't like him. Or what asinine comments he makes to the media. That right there sums it up. It's about the contract, and whether his play warrants moving forward. And that is all it is about. It's like dejavu!

- MJL

Unfortunately, things don't occur in a vacuum that keeps out all "non-hockey" or "non-cap" related factors. The reality is that things like Bryz's mouth and the media that he feeds can have an impact. Bryz has clearly said some things that weren't taken well by players and others...even former teammates attest to this. If the players were all emotionless robots, maybe it wouldn't matter, but they are human, and subject to potential emotional responses and reactions to comments by other players. The Flyers brass are human too and subject to many of the same feelings about these kinds of stories that the players and even fans have...it's all probably turning into a big headache for them...and Winter's thinly veiled indictment of the Flyers isn't something that will be just be ignored either.

The facts are that this type of "drama" created by Bryz and the media can have a real impact on how a team feels about a player and this can, in turn, factor in when it comes to deciding whether or not to cut bait. You are probably correct when you say that if Bryz was putting up top numbers and performing well, that his comments and such would be tolerated...but the reality is, his play has been subpar, and thus the team has a decision to make...I think it's kind of ignorant/naive to think that Bryz's ongoing comments and the ensuing drama and impact that has followed is being entirely left out of the equation when determining the player's fate.

I'm pretty surr Bill addressed this in a past blog. 41 point season highs generally do not translate to point producers in the NHL.

Continue having fun. I'm off to the beach.
- hereticpride

Yes, I remember that blog, and in it I rebutted Bill's contention, citing several players that had similar numbers to Nurse in their second season in Jr. that went on to be significant point producers in the NHL. Players like Weber, Phaneuf, Cambpell, Keith, Mike Green, J-Bo, You can't just point to a few examples of where a certain level of production didn't translate from Jr to the NHL and assume it will likely be the case for another prospect as well.

Seravalli on the radio: "according to sources close to the team, 'buckle your seatbelt, it's going to be a really interesting ride for the flyers this summer, they're planning to do big things.' "
- isaiah520

I take nothing he says too serious.

dave pagnotta from the 4th period on XM...

flyers are offering read for bernier and are willing to move couts or b schenn, but it has to be for a "top tier, high impact plyr" (have to assume that he means a dman)

dave pagnotta from the 4th period on XM...

flyers are offering read for bernier and are willing to move couts or b schenn, but it has to be for a "top tier, high impact plyr" (have to assume that he means a dman)
- isaiah520

- ob18

it IS a rumor site

it IS a rumor site
- isaiah520

I know, it's just the endless cycle of moves that mostly get them no place & give up assets upon assets.

Just draft & develop..........When you have a player who wants to much you move them or let them go and bring up the next guy in line.

Again example look at the Red Wings they sign who they can to a price they can live with & let others go they can't afford or who want too much.

Their AHL team just wont the title their top 7 scores in the playoffs are between 19 & 24........Already good and loaded with more talent to bring non-stop oh and have made the playoffs in 22 straight years (if I am right) and 4 cups in that time and also lost some in the finals.

That's the standard to follow & yet the Flyers continue to ignore the blue print.

I take nothing he says too serious.
- ob18

No real reason to read anything that Seravalli writes. He is the epitome of a drama queen.

I know, it's just the endless cycle of moves that mostly get them no place & give up assets upon assets.

Just draft & develop..........When you have a player who wants to much you move them or let them go and bring up the next guy in line.

Again example look at the Red Wings they sign who they can to a price they can live with & let others go they can't afford or who want too much.

Their AHL team just wont the title their top 7 scores in the playoffs are between 19 & 24........Already good and loaded with more talent to bring non-stop oh and have made the playoffs in 22 straight years (if I am right) and 4 cups in that time and also lost some in the finals.

That's the standard to follow & yet the Flyers continue to ignore the blue print.
- ob18

There are other blueprints to follow. Pretty much every team uses Free Agency and trades to build their team. Including the two teams that are in the Finals.

Series of photos of Calgary's arena on their site.

http://flames.nhl.com/club/gallery.htm?id=36968