We have some of that duct tape left from Grossmann last year?
Yeah?
K, get a new crate. Emery's comin in...

- FlyersGrace

Massive amounts of bubble wrap, and duct tape are in order.

I hope Powe gets picked up. It won't be by us, but I always liked him.
- FlyersGrace

Big Powe fan. A lot of energy and hustle. I am a sucker for 3-4 line grinders/hustle players.

Agreed. Need guys like Talbot to win. Great PK, great leadership. Not a dime a dozen player. Kinda like a younger Lappy with better skating and less fighting.
- jmatchett383

With a fantastic cap hit. Yeah I'm hoping Talbot stays as well. We can use him.

With the addition of Hall, I think the rest of the summer will be pretty quiet for the Flyers. My guess is that they sign Emery, move Mezaros and that will be it. The lineup will be:

Fowards (13)
Giroux, Hartnell, Voracek, Lacavalier, B Schenn, Read, Couturier, Simmonds, Talbot,
Laughton, Rinaldo, Hall and Rosehill
Defense (8)
Timonen, L Schenn, Coburn, Grossmann, Streit, Gustafsson, Gervais, and Bourdon
Goal (2)
Mason & Emery

The cap # for this lineup, with Pronger on LTIR and including 600k for Wellwood and $100 for Bartulis, is $56.75 million. This does not include Emery and Gustafsson. Assuming 2 million for Emery and 1.1 million for Gustafsson, the total cap # is $59.85 million which would leave ample space for call-ups and future acquistions.

Big Powe fan. A lot of energy and hustle. I am a sucker for 3-4 line grinders/hustle players.
- Stinkfitz

The problem with Powe is, his energy and hustle are often negated by his undisciplined penalties.

So, Elias on an over-35 contract at $5.5M carrying him till he's 40.
Lecavalier on anunder-35 contract at $4.5M carrying him till he's 38.

And somehow the Lecavalier contract is a joke, but Uncle Lou is a genius.
- jmatchett383

Win 3 Cups and you can overpay whoever you want. You get a lifetime pass.

The Flyers FO hasn't won in 38 tries and some doubt is normal.

With the addition of Hall, I think the rest of the summer will be pretty quiet for the Flyers. My guess is that they sign Emery, move Mezaros and that will be it. The lineup will be:

Fowards (13)
Giroux, Hartnell, Voracek, Lacavalier, B Schenn, Read, Couturier, Simmonds, Talbot,
Laughton, Rinaldo, Hall and Rosehill
Defense (8)
Timonen, L Schenn, Coburn, Grossmann, Streit, Gustafsson, Gervais, and Bourdon
Goal (2)
Mason & Emery

The cap # for this lineup, with Pronger on LTIR and including 600k for Wellwood and $100 for Bartulis, is $56.75 million. This does not include Emery and Gustafsson. Assuming 2 million for Emery and 1.1 million for Gustafsson, the total cap # is $59.85 million which would leave ample space for call-ups and future acquistions.
- BiggE

I hope you are right. If that roster can stay reasonably healthy, and the goaltending can play respectably it's a playoff team.

Hall will likely center the 4th line, which means Laughton could stick as the 3rd center, which could allow them to move Couturier. Also, if they view Talbot as the 4th center, Hall staying could allow them to move Talbot's contract out for cap relief.
- Jsaquella

I think its more likely that Hall was just signed to be a depth forward. He can replace Rosehill against clubs that don't dress an enforcer and be the 1st guy in when one of the top 12 gets injured. Makes much more sense for a vet like Hall to fill that role, rather than a younger player.

One last thought on Briere ..

I thought the main reason he wouldn't accept a trade was because he wanted to be close to his kids. If he had signed with a team in the area after he was bought out I would understand but he pretty much chased the money to Montreal which is nowhere close to where his kids will be for the next 2 years.

I can understand him doing what he did because it was in his best interest to be bought out and get paid 4 mill/yr from Montreal + what the Flyers are paying him not to play but he certainly can't use the "I don't want to be traded because I want to be close to my kids next year" if montreal tries to trade him.

Win 3 Cups and you can overpay whoever you want. You get a lifetime pass.

The Flyers FO hasn't won in 38 tries and some doubt is normal.
- phillydentist

Haven't won jack in a decade since Neidermayer/Stevens left.

If Emery is indeed the choice, what happens if Mason reverts back to Columbus form, and Emery's hip doesn't allow him to handle being a full time starter.
- PLindbergh31

What happens is the Flyers would be in the running for the 1st pick in the 2014 draft.

One last thought on Briere ..

I thought the main reason he wouldn't accept a trade was because he wanted to be close to his kids. If he had signed with a team in the area after he was bought out I would understand but he pretty much chased the money to Montreal which is nowhere close to where his kids will be for the next 2 years.

I can understand him doing what he did because it was in his best interest to be bought out and get paid 4 mill/yr from Montreal + what the Flyers are paying him not to play but he certainly can't use the "I don't want to be traded because I want to be close to my kids next year" if montreal tries to trade him.
- Flyers_01

Isn't Montreal where his parents are?
So when the kids have time off school it's an easy place for them to come.
Or am I wrong?

One last thought on Briere ..

I thought the main reason he wouldn't accept a trade was because he wanted to be close to his kids. If he had signed with a team in the area after he was bought out I would understand but he pretty much chased the money to Montreal which is nowhere close to where his kids will be for the next 2 years.

I can understand him doing what he did because it was in his best interest to be bought out and get paid 4 mill/yr from Montreal + what the Flyers are paying him not to play but he certainly can't use the "I don't want to be traded because I want to be close to my kids next year" if montreal tries to trade him.
- Flyers_01

With the type of cap hit Briere was carrying, I think he was pretty much a sunk cost. I don't think a team would have taken his contract and given up any assets to boot.

Isn't Montreal where his parents are?
So when the kids have time off school it's an easy place for them to come.
Or am I wrong?
- FlyersGrace

I have no idea on his parents. If that's the case though he could've told Holmgren that he'd only accept a trade to Montreal. You can't tell me that Montreal would'nt have loved to have him last year at a lower cost than they are paying now.

The problem with Powe is, his energy and hustle are often negated by his undisciplined penalties.
- PLindbergh31

Bingo. Seems like that type of player (Harry Z) has a hard time not crossing the line and I guess it has to do with skating so fast and not being under control. I wouldn't know anything about that being I am a slow defensive defenseman.

I have no idea on his parents. If that's the case though he could've told Holmgren that he'd only accept a trade to Montreal. You can't tell me that Montreal would'nt have loved to have him last year at a lower cost than they are paying now.
- Flyers_01

True. But he'd be leaving 3.3 mil on the table. He wasn't going to do it.

Haven't won jack in a decade since Neidermayer/Stevens left.
- jmatchett383

You prefer that to 38 years since Clarke/Parent left?

I have no idea on his parents. If that's the case though he could've told Holmgren that he'd only accept a trade to Montreal. You can't tell me that Montreal would'nt have loved to have him last year at a lower cost than they are paying now.
- Flyers_01

Not with that horrible cap hit.

You prefer that to 38 years since Clarke/Parent left?
- phillydentist

Not at all. Just wondering what the expiration date is.

So I know not everyone cares. But what's the consensus on where Bryz is going? Back to the KHL?
Wonder what salary he'll get if he stays in the NHL...

One last thought on Briere ..

I thought the main reason he wouldn't accept a trade was because he wanted to be close to his kids. If he had signed with a team in the area after he was bought out I would understand but he pretty much chased the money to Montreal which is nowhere close to where his kids will be for the next 2 years.

I can understand him doing what he did because it was in his best interest to be bought out and get paid 4 mill/yr from Montreal + what the Flyers are paying him not to play but he certainly can't use the "I don't want to be traded because I want to be close to my kids next year" if montreal tries to trade him.
- Flyers_01

Please, like any of us wouldn't have done EXACTLY what Briere did. He was scheduled to make a total of 5 million over the next 2 seasons and he would have happily took that to stay in Philly. However it wasn't going to happen. So he did what anyone would do, take the buyout and become a free agent. Now he makes roughly 9.6 million over the next 2 years and another 1.6+ over the following 2.

Briere signed his contract in good faith and had EVERY right not to accept a trade. Nor can I blame him for wanting to make 11+million rather than 5 million.

I think the reality is that is very unlikely that any of those players will be traded. Especially Ekman-Larson and Pietrangelo. Not impossible, but unlikely.
- MJL

I agree that its highly unlikely, but we have plenty of assets to get it done now, especially with the depth at center over the next 3-5 years. Coburn,Schenn,Read, and a the 2015 first round pick. Do you think talent wise, that scenario is fair to both teams?

Bingo. Seems like that type of player (Harry Z) has a hard time not crossing the line and I guess it has to do with skating so fast and not being under control. I wouldn't know anything about that being I am a slow defensive defenseman.
- Stinkfitz

Yes sir. 4th line guys who play 6-10 minutes a game are almost useless when they are constantly going to the box. Not to mention Powe has hands of cement.

With Giroux, Lecavalier, and Hall Flyers should be much improved at the dot this year. Very underrated aspect of the game. Losing faceoffs poses a lot of problems, especially losing defensive zone draws.

Not with that horrible cap hit.
- section32

Exactly. Montreal's not exactly a struggling hockey franchise. Sure they'd rather pay him the extra $1.5M a year to reduce the hit by $2.5M a year.

From a pure hockey trade point. Now more than ever a weber deal makes sense for Both teams