I do like the deal from pretty much every standpoint, except the length. Like the Streit deal it feels like it's one year too long.

Still the work done if free agency, Lecavalier & Streit, has allowed Holmgren to hang onto Schenn, Couturier, Simmonds and other quality youngsters while improving the team.
- Jsaquella

That's a good way to look at it. I didn't think of it that way. These guys are free agents and did not cost us any players. Plus, I think that we may trade him back to Tampa to finish his career there. He will accept a trade back there and we can something for him. I don't think he will finish out the contract with Philly.

You have only 2 options: Leighton or DiPietro. Who would you take? Shooter tutor is not an option.
- jmatchett383

That's a mean game of 'would you rather'...

Mastermind.
- stveshdy

I'll never forget Tim's big push for Jerome Iginla. He wouldn't let it die. Even when the Flyers were most likely not making the playoffs. He wanted to trade Laughton for Iginla. Can you imagine how much of a disaster that would have been?

You have only 2 options: Leighton or DiPietro. Who would you take? Shooter tutor is not an option.
- jmatchett383

Id let Mason play 82 games

I'll never forget Tim's big push for Jerome Iginla. He wouldn't let it die. Even when the Flyers were most likely not making the playoffs. He wanted to trade Laughton for Iginla. Can you imagine how much of a disaster that would have been?
- PhillySportsGuy

Wouldn't make any sense at all.

I don't want them to be super aggressive on everything. Sometimes it's better to wait things out. I like that management lets them spend, but sometimes they spend it on the wrong stuff.
- PhillySportsGuy

According to the Monday morning quarterback writing on a hockey blog and not the experts who are paid to make the hockey decisions. And even then you can't account for things like injuries or divorces or future opportunities.

Teams deal with this every single year. Chicago has won two cups and continues to build around a certain core.
- stveshdy

I agree with you 100% about a core and keeping it. Unfortunately Philly does not have a core as strong as chicago's. what I'm saying is that although your gm makes it exciting and gives you a shot each year. Signing a lecavalier and a streit to longer term deals is definitely not helping the case. Especially with one of them being a no movement. My rebuttal to the article/report was simply that Philly and holmgren are playing a dangerous game right now and it wouldn't surprise me if he got caught with his pants down eventually. The cap probably will go up...but what if it doesn't? THIS is exactly what I'm trying to explain. Future projections can be very dangerous...
Again, just my opinion

I'm cool with giving Laughton our 4th line C role and letting him develop some. I'll miss Hall too. I thought he was a small bright spot last season. I just don't think he'll stay.
- FlyersGrace

The problem the Flyers have with Laughton is...where does he fit 2-3 years from now? He can't stay 4th line center forever. The G-Vinnie-Couts rotation is not changing anytime soon. They've already moved one center to wing (Schenn), and the longer Laughton stays on the 4th line, the more his value diminishes.

That is likely a factor in many pundits thinking the Flyers might package multiple assets and make a big trade. Whether it is Schenn, Couturier, or Laughton is TBD, but packaging one of them with Coburn to get a younger defenseman back seems plausible.

According to the Monday morning quarterback writing on a hockey blog and not the experts who are paid to make the hockey decisions. And even then you can't account for things like injuries or divorces or future opportunities.
- section32

I agree with you 100% about a core and keeping it. Unfortunately Philly does not have a core as strong as chicago's. what I'm saying is that although your gm makes it exciting and gives you a shot each year. Signing a lecavalier and a streit to longer term deals is definitely not helping the case. Especially with one of them being a no movement. My rebuttal to the article/report was simply that Philly and holmgren are playing a dangerous game right now and it wouldn't surprise me if he got caught with his pants down eventually. The cap probably will go up...but what if it doesn't? THIS is exactly what I'm trying to explain. Future projections can be very dangerous...
Again, just my opinion
- jason.crnic

The Flyers will find a way to be under the cap every single year. Flyers do have a core to build around. Its just very young and just developing together.

on Vinny

http://www.theglobeandmai...40462/#dashboard/follows/

The problem the Flyers have with Laughton is...where does he fit 2-3 years from now? He can't stay 4th line center forever. The G-Vinnie-Couts rotation is not changing anytime soon. They've already moved one center to wing (Schenn), and the longer Laughton stays on the 4th line, the more his value diminishes.

That is likely a factor in many pundits thinking the Flyers might package multiple assets and make a big trade. Whether it is Schenn, Couturier, or Laughton is TBD, but packaging one of them with Coburn to get a younger defenseman back seems plausible.
- TheGreat28

I wouldn't worry about Laughton until another two-three years down the road.

Lets not nitpick
- section32

FTFY.

You have only 2 options: Leighton or DiPietro. Who would you take? Shooter tutor is not an option.
- jmatchett383

RD

The problem the Flyers have with Laughton is...where does he fit 2-3 years from now? He can't stay 4th line center forever. The G-Vinnie-Couts rotation is not changing anytime soon. They've already moved one center to wing (Schenn), and the longer Laughton stays on the 4th line, the more his value diminishes.

That is likely a factor in many pundits thinking the Flyers might package multiple assets and make a big trade. Whether it is Schenn, Couturier, or Laughton is TBD, but packaging one of them with Coburn to get a younger defenseman back seems plausible.
- TheGreat28

Let's see how Laughton progresses before we start moving people around.

on Vinny

http://www.theglobeandmai...40462/#dashboard/follows/
- isaiah520

Good article. I like the fact Vinny can be moved to the wing at some point down the line.

Like the Vinny deal, the next few days should be interesting.. also The Last of Us is an incredible game... pure must play

That's a good way to look at it. I didn't think of it that way. These guys are free agents and did not cost us any players. Plus, I think that we may trade him back to Tampa to finish his career there. He will accept a trade back there and we can something for him. I don't think he will finish out the contract with Philly.
- bushhunter

Aside from the cap ramifications, I'm more frustrated with the hockey implications.

They just freed up the logjam of centers by buying out Danny... now they put another declining vet in front of Schenn and Couturier. If Schenn and Couturier break out (as Richards and Carter did immediately after the Briere signing), this move will be frivolous at best. If they stagnate because there's not enough PP-time and offensive ES shifts to go around, this move could actually be harmful.

Vinny's still a good player, and for the next couple of seasons, he'll provide some good offensive support, but it doesn't strike me as a pivotal or prudent move. Opportunistic, yes, but not really smart.

Good article. I like the fact Vinny can be moved to the wing at some point down the line.
- stveshdy

I like Yannick Weber, it depends on what he is willing to except money wise

The Streit move was non-sense. It got even worse now that they have signed Lecavalier (with a NMC). I find it really hard to keep all of their assets going forward. Couturier or Schenn alongside Read will probably be casualties. Giroux's new contract will cost at least $8.25M/year.

Who's playing G backup? Who's getting traded so you can fit in another contract for that?
Cap Space: -$318,522
- Orpik44

You are a typical Leafs fan...did you even read the article?

It is very clearly laid out. We are fine for the cap, and with G, Schenn and Coots all being resigned.

Get you head out of your butt, thank you

Aside from the cap ramifications, I'm more frustrated with the hockey implications.

They just freed up the logjam of centers by buying out Danny... now they put another declining vet in front of Schenn and Couturier. If Schenn and Couturier break out (as Richards and Carter did immediately after the Briere signing), this move will be frivolous at best. If they stagnate because there's not enough PP-time and offensive ES shifts to go around, this move could actually be harmful.

Vinny's still a good player, and for the next couple of seasons, he'll provide some good offensive support, but it doesn't strike me as a pivotal or prudent move. Opportunistic, yes, but not really smart.
- Tomahawk

Do you think there is any chance Vinny plays with G?

The problem the Flyers have with Laughton is...where does he fit 2-3 years from now? He can't stay 4th line center forever. The G-Vinnie-Couts rotation is not changing anytime soon. They've already moved one center to wing (Schenn), and the longer Laughton stays on the 4th line, the more his value diminishes.

That is likely a factor in many pundits thinking the Flyers might package multiple assets and make a big trade. Whether it is Schenn, Couturier, or Laughton is TBD, but packaging one of them with Coburn to get a younger defenseman back seems plausible.
- TheGreat28

Plausible sure - we all know we need D. But I think that they will try and keep our young forwards for at least 1 more season. I think that they'll roll with Laughton in the 4C. See what they've really got before trading him away.

Of course that changes if we get blown away by an offer but I don't think we will.

I agree with you 100% about a core and keeping it. Unfortunately Philly does not have a core as strong as chicago's. what I'm saying is that although your gm makes it exciting and gives you a shot each year. Signing a lecavalier and a streit to longer term deals is definitely not helping the case. Especially with one of them being a no movement. My rebuttal to the article/report was simply that Philly and holmgren are playing a dangerous game right now and it wouldn't surprise me if he got caught with his pants down eventually. The cap probably will go up...but what if it doesn't? THIS is exactly what I'm trying to explain. Future projections can be very dangerous...
Again, just my opinion
- jason.crnic

The cap will go up. How much remains to be seen, but it will go up.

This whole post is terrible, and Im not picking on you either. Coburn is far from our best stay at home d-man. In that regard, hes probably 3rd. I dont know of a single team who doesnt base their future cap on hypotheticals; primarily because there isnt a single GM (that I know of) with the ability to look into the future. Every single cap has predicted (hypothetical) expenditures.
- jak521

No no, fair point. There is a line that gm's must ride when it comes to future projections and holmgren is the cowboy of the nhl when it comes to that. What I'm saying is hat this time he has overextended himself. Coburn is your 3rd stay at home dman? Well they are asking a lot for him then. No offence, Coburn is better Than schenn. By your point, if coburn is at the bottom of your depth chart, then why does he make 4.5 and why would another team take his contract?

My post was not terrible, it just disagrees with you. It can go both ways my friend...if he gets stuck (holmgren), then I can say I told you so...if he doesn't, then you can.

Love the Lecavalier signing. Step 1 in what the team needs to do to win. Step 2 is sign Thomas or Nabakov. Step 3 is fix the defense.

By Fixing the defense I would like to see Coburn and Meszaros traded out and for them to add a guy like Edler by trading Couturier or Read.

Hartnell-Giroux-Voracek
Schenn-Lecavalier-Simmonds
Gagne-Laughton-Read
Raffl/McGinn-Talbot-Rinaldo
Rosehill

Timonen-Schenn
Edler-Streit
Grossmann-Gustefsson
Bourdon

Mason
Thomas/Nabakov