BREAKING: Athletes generally don't train as hard as they do when they're active, so they tend to put on some weight post-retirement.
- bradleyc4

#CONFIRMED ????

I think a mobile 6'7" Luke Schenn would be a pretty good player
- eayost

Luke Schenn now is a #2 dman. A Luke Schenn that is 5 inches taller and skates better would be like an Edler type; strong #2, arguable #1 guy. My issue is whether or not he'll be able to play on a PP, which is a pretty important trait for #1-2 guys like that.

eh. he started out pretty nice, but he has kind of regressed, and was an absolute wreck in the playoffs. danny b's love to play him and letang together was horrendous. the guy does have some skill, and is relatively cheap at around 2 mil, but the team needs to unload him pronto
- stayinthefnnet

Would you trade Neal, and Niskanen back to the Stars today to get Goligoski back?

Sam Carchidi ‏@BroadStBull 1m
#Flyers C Scott Laughton has gained 14 lbs (up to 194) after getting pushed around at last year's big camp by Grossmann.

Good news

Sam Carchidi ‏@BroadStBull 1m
#Flyers C Scott Laughton has gained 14 lbs (up to 194) after getting pushed around at last year's big camp by Grossmann.

Good news
- JAKEw1234

He's fat.

Your missing the point. I am talking about our need for a top pairing player in the near future, and Morin is not the solution. In the next 3-6 years there is no-one we can count on to be that guy, outside of Schenn. Yes, in 3-4 years Morin could be on the team, but he wont be a top player the minute he enters the league. It will take time. So I can say he will likely be a 3-4 guy, with potential to be a top pairing guy down the line, but not in the next 6 years.
- youarewrong

I didn't miss anything. I have no issue with that part of it. What I disagreed with is the part where the Flyers made a bad pick, and Morin's ceiling is limited to a #3 defenseman similar to Coburn and Grossmann.

Homey don't do one year deals. 4 year deal, full NMC.
- PLindbergh31

I'm fairly certain Homer couldn't move LeClair right now if he wanted to.

BREAKING: Athletes generally don't train as hard as they do when they're active, so they tend to put on some weight post-retirement.
- bradleyc4

(e5)

I didn't miss anything. I have no issue with that part of it. What I disagreed with is the part where the Flyers made a bad pick, and Morin's ceiling is limited to a #3 defenseman similar to Coburn and Grossmann.
- MJL

Even if we was limited to a #3 dman it wouldn't have been a bad pick Someone who couldn't even break into an NHL roster would be a bad pick.

True, but we just saw Modano and Sakic at the draft and they looked lean.
- Feanor

LeClair doesn't look fat to me, and probably has always battled weight issues. He's just a big dude.

Nothing was taken out of context. You clearly labeled Morin as having a ceiling of a #3 defenseman. And even suggested that Flyers were mistaken to use the #11 pick on him. And I just simply wanted to know what that was based on.
- MJL

Let me clear it up for you MJL. I think Morin is 6-8 years away from being a top pairing guy IF he makes his potential. I have no faith the Flyers pick guys that reach that potential, so I said I would pencil him in as a likely 3-6 guy.. If he reaches his potential we wont know for a long time. About 6-8 years. Which leads me into why I think this was a bad move. We need someone that will be ready before that, and that is why I didn't like the pick. I don't think the 11th overall pick in such a deep draft is the right place to take a risk on a guy that is 4-5 years from making the NHL and another 3-4 years from making his potential. If your going to take a risk, you take a risk on someone that can play sooner, that has higher upside. Like Morrissey or Pullock. I like Morin, but I would rather have traded down to either pick him, or get someone more ready sooner.

LeClair doesn't look fat to me, and probably has always battled weight issues. He's just a big dude.
- bradleyc4

The angle that pic that everyone is throwing around on twitter isn't exactly from a flattering angle.

Marc - you were right. It is 3 years of UFA that the Rangers bought up for McDonagh. Because he's 24 and will turn 27 prior to his 7th season.

8 years is an exaggeration. 5 years is more realistic. Who would you move Couturier for.
- MJL

MJL, I certainly respect your opinion, but I'm not sure the Flyers draft record suggests anything more than the Flyers scouting department, and GM, at being average in the 1st round and below average beyond round 2. I just looked at the majority of teams drafts from 2000 onwards on HockeyDB. A few observations:

1. Some teams really screw up the first round, but most end up with decent players with the exception of a miss hear and there.

2. First rounders generally get to the NHL within 2-3 years, and the highest drafted players within 1-2. Taking a flyer, pun intended, on a project with a 5 year projected development cycle in the 1st round is a highly suspect strategy.

3. Where the Flyers really come up short is in the "hidden gem" department. Since 2000, the Flyers have only drafted 3 players after round 2 that made a significant contribution - Sharp, Seidenberg and Cechmanek. All of those were in the 2000-2001 timeframe. Since then they have gotten a few role players that could easily have been acquired cheaply through free agency or even as undrafted FA.

4. Visually inspecting most of the other teams (I'm catching a plane shortly and don't have time for a detailed analysis), you find more steals per average than Philly, and of course some teams that really seem to unearth the real gems.

5. They have had many swings and misses by drafting players of the same mold - the Garrett Klotzes if you will. I personally am ok if they draft a Matsumoto or Lehtivuori and it doesn't work out. But drafting Derek Mathers over Clapperton or whoever it was is a general organizational mindset that leaves much to be desired.

Again, from a draft perspective they are average, nothing more, nothing less.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Are Flyers Turning the Corner in Defense Development?
- bmeltzer

My biggest issue with the Flyers management in regards to trading, drafting, etc...
Is over compensating for their weakness from the past year. I don't see a balanced approach. It is like this for any and all positions.

Going far back they have moved from big centers (Lindros, Primeau, Ott, etc...) to more recent smaller guys Giroux, Briere, Talbot... Next year a move back to bigger Schenn, Vinny, Hall...

In the past it was Goalies, a weakness with Leighton and cast. So, they spend big bucks on Bryz. The experiment fails back to marginal goalies.

Defensive a current weakness - too injured, big and slow on the blue line... Draft a whole bunch of defenseman, trade for a puck mover, dump one or more big guys.

Even if we was limited to a #3 dman it wouldn't have been a bad pick Someone who couldn't even break into an NHL roster would be a bad pick.
- JAKEw1234

I think part of the disappointment with Morin is, the Flyers were positioned most of the season to secure a top 5 pick and an NHL ready player. Being that Morin is somewhat of a project who is 3+ years away it's kind of tough to digest.

Let me clear it up for you MJL. I think Morin is 6-8 years away from being a top pairing guy IF he makes his potential. I have no faith the Flyers pick guys that reach that potential, so I said I would pencil him in as a likely 3-6 guy.. If he reaches his potential we wont know for a long time. About 6-8 years. Which leads me into why I think this was a bad move. We need someone that will be ready before that, and that is why I didn't like the pick. I don't think the 11th overall pick in such a deep draft is the right place to take a risk on a guy that is 4-5 years from making the NHL and another 3-4 years from making his potential. If your going to take a risk, you take a risk on someone that can play sooner, that has higher upside. Like Morrissey or Pullock. I like Morin, but I would rather have traded down to either pick him, or get someone more ready sooner.
- youarewrong

My argument with that is that players with top pairing potential typically become effective dmen far before 8 seasons after they were drafted. Ty My was drafted 5 years ago. Even though he's on another level Pietrangelo was drafted 5 years ago and became an effective NHLer 4 years after he was drafted. OEL was drafted 4 years ago. Luke Schenn was drafted 5 years ago and is now an effective 1st pairing shutdown guy.

Sam Carchidi ‏@BroadStBull 1m
#Flyers C Scott Laughton has gained 14 lbs (up to 194) after getting pushed around at last year's big camp by Grossmann.

Good news
- JAKEw1234

Hopefully Cooter is next

BREAKING: Athletes generally don't train as hard as they do when they're active, so they tend to put on some weight post-retirement.
- bradleyc4

lazy

My biggest issue with the Flyers management in regards to trading, drafting, etc...
Is over compensating for their weakness from the past year. I don't see a balanced approach. It is like this for any and all positions.

Going far back they have moved from big centers (Lindros, Primeau, Ott, etc...) to more recent smaller guys Giroux, Briere, Talbot... Next year a move back to bigger Schenn, Vinny, Hall...

In the past it was Goalies, a weakness with Leighton and cast. So, they spend big bucks on Bryz. The experiment fails back to marginal goalies.

Defensive a current weakness - too injured, big and slow on the blue line... Draft a whole bunch of defenseman, trade for a puck mover, dump one or more big guys.
- leon neon

The league is going back to more clutching and grabbing. I agree with going the bigger center route

MJL, I certainly respect your opinion, but I'm not sure the Flyers draft record suggests anything more than the Flyers scouting department, and GM, at being average in the 1st round and below average beyond round 2. I just looked at the majority of teams drafts from 2000 onwards on HockeyDB. A few observations:

1. Some teams really screw up the first round, but most end up with decent players with the exception of a miss hear and there.

2. First rounders generally get to the NHL within 2-3 years, and the highest drafted players within 1-2. Taking a flyer, pun intended, on a project with a 5 year projected development cycle in the 1st round is a highly suspect strategy.

3. Where the Flyers really come up short is in the "hidden gem" department. Since 2000, the Flyers have only drafted 3 players after round 2 that made a significant contribution - Sharp, Seidenberg and Cechmanek. All of those were in the 2000-2001 timeframe. Since then they have gotten a few role players that could easily have been acquired cheaply through free agency or even as undrafted FA.

4. Visually inspecting most of the other teams (I'm catching a plane shortly and don't have time for a detailed analysis), you find more steals per average than Philly, and of course some teams that really seem to unearth the real gems.

5. They have had many swings and misses by drafting players of the same mold - the Garrett Klotzes if you will. I personally am ok if they draft a Matsumoto or Lehtivuori and it doesn't work out. But drafting Derek Mathers over Clapperton or whoever it was is a general organizational mindset that leaves much to be desired.

Again, from a draft perspective they are average, nothing more, nothing less.
- TheGreat28

I think Morins development kicked into overdrive. Even though he might not be as polished now as some of the others, thats not to say the kid cant learn faster. jumping up like 50 spots in ranking from midseasons shown me that this kid might develop more quickly than we thought. Im interested to see how he does in juniors next season. Lets not forget hes also 17.

MJL, I certainly respect your opinion, but I'm not sure the Flyers draft record suggests anything more than the Flyers scouting department, and GM, at being average in the 1st round and below average beyond round 2. I just looked at the majority of teams drafts from 2000 onwards on HockeyDB. A few observations:

1. Some teams really screw up the first round, but most end up with decent players with the exception of a miss hear and there.

2. First rounders generally get to the NHL within 2-3 years, and the highest drafted players within 1-2. Taking a flyer, pun intended, on a project with a 5 year projected development cycle in the 1st round is a highly suspect strategy.

3. Where the Flyers really come up short is in the "hidden gem" department. Since 2000, the Flyers have only drafted 3 players after round 2 that made a significant contribution - Sharp, Seidenberg and Cechmanek. All of those were in the 2000-2001 timeframe. Since then they have gotten a few role players that could easily have been acquired cheaply through free agency or even as undrafted FA.

4. Visually inspecting most of the other teams (I'm catching a plane shortly and don't have time for a detailed analysis), you find more steals per average than Philly, and of course some teams that really seem to unearth the real gems.

5. They have had many swings and misses by drafting players of the same mold - the Garrett Klotzes if you will. I personally am ok if they draft a Matsumoto or Lehtivuori and it doesn't work out. But drafting Derek Mathers over Clapperton or whoever it was is a general organizational mindset that leaves much to be desired.

Again, from a draft perspective they are average, nothing more, nothing less.
- TheGreat28

I think we're the strongest team for picking in the late 1st round. Giroux is the best 22nd overall pick according to NHL.com, and Richards is the best 24th overall. We're very good at finding amazing players in the late 1st round where most players selected in that area aren't even projected 1st line players.

Yeesh. Just looking at Page 12, I wonder if I should even bother reading Pages 1-11.

Thoughts?

I think we're the strongest team for picking in the late 1st round. Giroux is the best 22nd overall pick according to NHL.com, and Richards is the best 24th overall. We're very good at finding amazing players in the late 1st round where most players selected in that area aren't even projected 1st line players.
- JAKEw1234

Garret klotz makes the list for best hockey player turned janitor

So I've been MIA. Any word on Gagne? Bryz?
Who we are dumping for cap space?