All 3 had their run of injuries last year. Mez got the worst of it but Grossmann was a beast when he was healthy. And sure Coburn had a bad year, but the guy is our most tenured player. From a business perspective Andres has to go, but I also remember how excited we all were when he came in. It is really only since end of last year that all these injuries happened to him. Unfortunate.
- section32

coby's the best of the three as a value

I might be the only one that is not crazy about that second line. Flip Read and Schenn.
- TheGreat28

I am hoping that Hartnell in the preseason has chemistry on a line with Vinnie and Read but I doubt it.

Schenn - G - Voracek
Hartnell - Vinnie - Read/Simmer
Gags - Couts - Read/Simmer

I might be the only one that is not crazy about that second line. Flip Read and Schenn.
- TheGreat28

they would lack speed, so i see your point

I really want to see Gagne (if he is here) with G on the PK in certain circumstances, especially if they are down a goal.

I think that pair will create some great short handed chances
- Marc D

Gagne and Richards were very good at created chances together on the PK. Someone else mentioned it earlier, but I would like to see a larger rotation for the PK if they are able to.

I would think a player like Gagne would still be an attrative signing now that all the "top" guys are signed.
- Deasr1

I can't believe he'd get considerably more that Homer would be offering him.

Plus factoring in that he wants to play here, his medical history, he's slowed down noticeably, and a contract has been already agreed upon would probably deter other Gm's from getting involved.

offense and goaltending have improved, defense is iffy at best

I love Paul Homlgren. These moves are fantastic.

they would lack speed, so i see your point
- isaiah520

Speed is a real big part of it. i think both Schenn and Simmonds play better down low. I think Read can find more space without the puck and has the best shot of the three, but also is more creative with the puck and could have great chemistry with Vinnie. Basically he is the Renberg on the line.

Schenn on the third line will carry the puck to the net more, leaving Gags to be more dynamic. Also opens Couts up to be more of an offensive thread. Could have three really balanced lines

coby's the best of the three as a value
- isaiah520

I would keep Coburn.

The only exception I'd make is if he was packaged to bring back an upgrade/potential upgrade on D.

Otherwise I'd offer Grossmannnn and Metz up for future considerations/low draft picks.

So you have an inside scoop that nobody has approached Simon's agent?
- section32

If Gagne can get more money and more years elsewhere he should do that. It might be his last NHL contract. I love the guy, but there's no room here for a two year, $6 million contract.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Emery Signing a Good Deal for Flyers
- bmeltzer

Approximate off-season cap picture:


FORWARDS
Scott Hartnell ($4.750m) / Claude Giroux ($3.750m) / Jakub Voracek ($4.250m)
Brayden Schenn ($3.110m) / Vincent Lecavalier ($4.500m) / Wayne Simmonds ($3.975m)
Simon Gagne (???) / Sean Couturier ($1.375m) / Matt Read ($0.900m)
Maxime Talbot ($1.750m) / Adam Hall ($0.600m) / Zac Rinaldo ($0.750m)
Jay Rosehill ($0.675m)

Tye McGinn ($0.170m) / Scott Laughton ($0.067m) / Jason Akeson ($0.011m)
Eric Wellwood ($0.029m)


DEFENSEMEN
Kimmo Timonen ($6.000m) / Luke Schenn ($3.600m)
Brandon Manning ($0.052m) / Braydon Coburn ($4.500m)
Nicklas Grossmann ($3.500m) / Mark Streit ($5.250m)
Andrej Meszaros ($4.000m) / Bruno Gervais ($0.825m)

Chris Pronger ($4.941m)

Oliver Lauridsen ($0.118m) / Matthew Konan ($0.023m)
Brandon Manning ($0.052m) / Erik Gustafsson ($0.280m)


GOALTENDERS
Steve Mason ($1.500m)
Ray Emery ($1.650m)

OTHER
Buyout: Oskars Bartulis ($0.100m)
2012-13 Cap Overage Carryover: ($0.183m)

------
OFFSEASON SALARY CAP: $70,073,000;
PAYROLL: $67,184,429;

CURRENT OFFSEASON CAP SPACE: ≈ $2,888,571



Notes:
- Offseason cap space is +10% of next season's cap limit.
- Only pro-rated amount for players on two-way contracts count against off-season calculation.
- No bonus-cushion during off-season.
- No LTIR during off-season (Pronger, Wellwood).

I love Paul Homlgren. These moves are fantastic.
- KGBflyers10

I wouldn't say fantastic. Very good but not without risk. Goaltending is still a risk, as is the health of the defense. Offense last year was horrible 5 on 5, and Vinnie for Briere is really the only change, though Streit and hopefully continued grow from Gus will help.

They are a playoff team most likely, though the conference overall got much stronger this offseason and Detroit/Columbus are now in the conference.

I think they are not done.

Speed is a real big part of it. i think both Schenn and Simmonds play better down low. I think Read can find more space without the puck and has the best shot of the three, but also is more creative with the puck and could have great chemistry with Vinnie. Basically he is the Renberg on the line.

Schenn on the third line will carry the puck to the net more, leaving Gags to be more dynamic. Also opens Couts up to be more of an offensive thread. Could have three really balanced lines
- TheGreat28

i can see many combos like the ones you mentioned. vinny could create a lot of space for a guy like read. question is: will read still be here?

I would keep Coburn.

The only exception I'd make is if he was packaged to bring back an upgrade/potential upgrade on D.

Otherwise I'd offer Grossmannnn and Metz up for future considerations/low draft picks.
- 77rams

agreed. mez 1st and go from there

Bad comparison. Jagr had multiple suitors. I don't think any other team has interest in Gagne and he doesn't want to play anywhere else. It should be a cheap contract for Gagne if Holmgren just does his job.
- phillydentist

I would say it's a bit of a stretch that no teams are interested in Simon Gagne. For starters all of Philly wants Gagne back and happy to have him back in a trade that brought him here this past season. I think Montreal would offer Gagne a deal if they haven't already. Briere is older then Gagne and they both had the same amount of points this season. Gagne was more the healthy player this season. If Briere can find a home, so can Gagne. The Jagr and Gagne comparison is a similar situation.

I love Paul Homlgren. These moves are fantastic.
- KGBflyers10

I think he's done well so far.

I'd like to see a young d-man with some pedigree, or at least potential pedigree, brought in who will be able to help this team in the long run. He hasn't brought in anyone in the peak of freshness as of yet. All are either older and/or declining (Vinny and Street), stopgaps (Hall), or on a trial bases (Mason and Em).

He played it well, however, by not moving any youth to acquire these players and signed them to workable (but perhaps too long with Vinny and Street) contracts.

If Briere can find a home, so can Gagne. The Jagr and Gagne comparison is a similar situation.
- dingo8urbaby

Breire and Jagr weren't healthy scratches who were given away for a 4th round pick.

offense and goaltending have improved, defense is iffy at best
- vejim

It's now day 2 of free agency so we don't know what else the Flyers will do. I have confidence that Streit wasn't the only plan the Flyers had in upgrading the defense. Reports stated they were one of the top 3 for Scuderi but he went back to Pittsburgh. Nothing you can do about that.

They could have had trade possibilities that didn't quite fit or they felt wasn't fair value and may still have some things on the table. I think when you look at the forwards, defensemen, and goalies who were going to be UFAs- the Flyers landed a top player from each group in LeCavalier, Streit, and Emery

the thing I'm wondering about now is will Homer swing for the moon now...
what I mean is look for a young top pairing defenseman and pay the exorbitant price

he has been able to plug the holes by signing free agents and only using up cap space, but I doubt he will get his high end defenseman they still need with this strategy

but I have to say I am a huge fan so far, keeping the youth and identifying the free agents he wanted and getting them

sure the vinnie and streit deal are a year or two too long, but he payed that price to assure he got the players he wanted, and kept Couts/Schenns/Simmonds/Jake on the team

way to go Homer
- Marc D

I wouldn't expect movement on the blue line. I've been on an island alone with the feeling since the Marc Streit trade of his rights. This is our D. Any adjustments are likely to go down during the regular season if there are any injuries or inconsistencies.

Fair point about keep everyone. The righting was on the way for Briere and Bryzgalov. Meszaros should be the target player to move. Gagne is still a fit here.

Go Flyers!!

I would think a player like Gagne would still be an attrative signing now that all the "top" guys are signed.
- Deasr1

Exactly. I'm hoping he doesn't get something too good to refuse before we can step up.

I think he's done well so far.

I'd like to see a young d-man with some pedigree, or at least potential pedigree, brought in who will be able to help this team in the long run. He hasn't brought in anyone in the peak of freshness as of yet. All are either older and/or declining (Vinny and Street), stopgaps (Hall), or on a trial bases (Mason and Em).

He played it well, however, by not moving any youth to acquire these players and signed them to workable (but perhaps too long with Vinny and Street) contracts.
- 77rams

When I look at some of the contracts to Weiss, Elias, Clarkson, Nabokov, Ference, etc, I think the cap hits with Vinny and Streit aren't off- in fact Vinny seems like a bargain. In order to get them, they had to give more years in term and I can understand them doing so.

It is very likely the cap will continue to rise- especially next off season when it is likely to increase slightly over 6 million. In the long run, I don't think the term will be much of an issue with both players

I would say it's a bit of a stretch that no teams are interested in Simon Gagne. For starters all of Philly wants Gagne back and happy to have him back in a trade that brought him here this past season. I think Montreal would offer Gagne a deal if they haven't already. Briere is older then Gagne and they both had the same amount of points this season. Gagne was more the healthy player this season. If Briere can find a home, so can Gagne. The Jagr and Gagne comparison is a similar situation.
- dingo8urbaby

I think if each were place in the right situation, that Danny would be the more productive player between the two.

Plus until shown otherwise, he's still a PO beast.

i can see many combos like the ones you mentioned. vinny could create a lot of space for a guy like read. question is: will read still be here?
- isaiah520

Everyone kinda assume that Read would be the one to go, but I'm not so sure. I think his skill set is more different than some of the other guys, so he is a better complementary piece.

If Read goes, as much as they really need to improve the defense I think they might be looking at adding a top 6 winger, more of a sniper, in any deal that has Coburn in it.

Breire and Jagr weren't healthy scratches who were given away for a 4th round pick.
- Feanor

Yeah, Briere just spent most of the season hurt or looking his age when he did play. Jagr looks heavy, slow and couldn't score a single goal in four rounds of the playoffs. Both cannot play a lick of defense. Gagne is like a third defenseman out there being the first man back to help the D, an element we were missing before he got here.

I wouldn't expect movement on the blue line. I've been on an island alone with the feeling since the Marc Streit trade of his rights. This is our D. Any adjustments are likely to go down during the regular season if there are any injuries or inconsistencies.

Fair point about keep everyone. The righting was on the way for Briere and Bryzgalov. Meszaros should be the target player to move. Gagne is still a fit here.

Go Flyers!!
- dingo8urbaby

I tend to agree with the statement that this is likely the Flyers defense minus Meszaros. However, I think the Flyers could make or have made substantial offers to acquire a young defenseman like Bogosian, OEL, Pietrangelo that is more than kicking tires- but the likelihood of a trade of that magnitude is very small.