I would love Weber in the flyers uniform! Lets be realistic though guys....there is no way he is coming here unless we severly overpay. In my opinion it just isnt worth it. I say let the kids grow and mature and that holds true especially with our young dmen just drafted. Wait till free agency and fill some gaps with vet dmen to hold over till our young guys are ready. I say morin will be ready next camp or prolly best bet the following camp . Haag prolly in two to three years . We have a few in the ahl now that could push for next camp but we shall see.

$10M on a 3rd pair dman and 4th line center. Money well spent
- PhillySportsGuy

Is what is re $$, have to do whats best for the team

Smart thing to do would be to maybe move off the Quixotic notion of landing "the guy", and instead split the eggs between several baskets.

Guys like Niskanen, Russell, Fayne, Diaz, and Gilbert aren't world-beaters, but they're all impending UFA's who could help restore a better mix in our top-6. And there are plenty of top-4 and potential top-4 dmen out there that they could possibly nab in lesser deals that don't involve Coots/B Schenn.

What they need is to have three pairs that can move the puck and defend well... I believe that's more important than having one guy capable of handling in a Pronger-esque workload.
- Tomahawk

While I don't like the mediocrity approach, and do believe you need those war horses up front and on the back end, so to speak, I don't mind the idea.

When I talk about waiting a few years, and growing organically it doesn't mean sitting on your hands. If no trades are available, you go out into FA. Just don't hand-cuff yourself with a deal (usually due to length) that no other team will ever trade for, or give out NTC like candy.

I really do want to see them give Alt or Lauridsen a shot at some point next season. You have to play them to see what you have, and not just for 1 game or two.

Smart thing to do would be to maybe move off the Quixotic notion of landing "the guy", and instead split the eggs between several baskets.

Guys like Niskanen, Russell, Fayne, Diaz, and Gilbert aren't world-beaters, but they're all impending UFA's who could help restore a better mix in our top-6. And there are plenty of top-4 and potential top-4 dmen out there that they could possibly nab in lesser deals that don't involve Coots/B Schenn.

What they need is to have three pairs that can move the puck and defend well... I believe that's more important than having one guy capable of handling a Pronger-esque workload and depending on him for everything.
- Tomahawk

Exactly! It's nice to have a number 1, do-it-all defenseman, but those guys are nearly impossible to land through FA or trades. The next best thing is to put together a defense of strong depth.

Never sat as close as I did last night. Third row, right at center ice; right behind the penalty boxes.

Deductions?

-Scott Hartnell isn't as bad as he looks on TV. He's worse. He LITERALLY slowed the play down EVERY time he touched the puck. He either bobbeled a pass and had to dump the puck in, or fell.

I'm not a fan of Hartnell, but I also recognise he's still a good NHL player. But he's worth MAYBE half of what were paying him. I'd be willing to give up quite a bit to get him off the books if I'm the GM.

-Forwards are soft. I saw no urgency in terms of physicality. I saw a lot of "shoulder bumping". Guys like Hartnell, Simmonds, Downie, and Schenn should be running people over. Maybe I'm missing someting? But this team is nowhere near as physical as they could be.

-Roman Josi is really, really.......REALLY good. I understand he got first start for his shoot-out goal, but I also noticed him everytime he was on the ice. He made fantastic, tape to tape passes and dictated the flow of the game with his legs. We need a defensemen like this. Badly.
- mochoson

We are talking about Scott Hartnell who has 27 points in his last 37 games right?
He is what he is.. There is nothing.. at all.. glorious about his game. But he is a solid player. He will bring you size, a bit of snarl, good net front and PP presence, and routinely 20-30 goals and 45-55 points. Yea.. Ill keep that.

How about instead of just aiming for personal biases we focus on bigger problems.. Like ALL of the forwards struggling in their two way game of late. Or the D-men and their spotty coverages.

Hartnell's contract might be bad because of its length, but his AAV is pretty spot on for the type of player he is... Hell, its probably friendly.

The more and more I think about it also I believe its time for vinny to be traded for something. Maybe a dman or another forward. Very good player but there is just no room for him considering schenn and coots are on the upswing of their career. They are looking very good. So no way do I bump them or move them from their natural position . Its truly a shame. I really like vinny.

You're ignoring the fact the coaching change happened three games into the season.
- Feanor

So remove three losses and then what? You honestly think with a full training camp that this team as currently assembled would be any better than they are? I don't because the same glaring holes exist from the poor signings and lack of drafting quality defensemen/goalies. Still the same slow, aging defense, a team that takes undisciplined, lazy penalties and is lucky enough to be in a poope division.

Why would Toronto want him?
- PhillySportsGuy

toronto would kill for a center.

Erik Gustafsson is 25 currently.

The question to me becomes, do you give him another shot next season, or do you move on to say a guy like Alt.

I know you need to give young players the time to play, but he hasn't impressed me really at all. For a 25 year old this is his time, and he seems limited in his own zone due to his size.

Not enough of an offensive/transition game to overcome that. Unfortunate.

The more and more I think about it also I believe its time for vinny to be traded for something. Maybe a dman or another forward. Very good player but there is just no room for him considering schenn and coots are on the upswing of their career. They are looking very good. So no way do I bump them or move them from their natural position . Its truly a shame. I really like vinny.
- jmdodgeser4

I know it looks that way right now, but who knows what the future holds for Schenn. Vinny may end up coming in handy later on. Remember a couple of weeks ago when we couldn't find a spot for Hartnell? Things change quickly. We need a bigger sample size before we determine whether Schenn is the answer at #2C and Vinny isn't good enough to play wing in the top 9.

toronto would kill for a center.
- PhillaBully

I hate trading with them because I think you have to look past the hype. Guys like Kadri has so much attention, but would he really be such a common name if he played in Nashville?

Although I could see a deal like Brayden Schenn for Gardiner emerge.

Whats the deal with people wanting to trade harts? So lets trade him and have just one power forward in simmonds. We are undersized now. Imagine no harts against a 7 game series with boston! I wouldnt even want to watch that series. People need to understand he serves a lot larger purpose then just scoring goals and adding points, which he has lately mind you .

I feel better about this team than last year. They've gotten better this year. Last year, they displayed the same problems throughout the entire season. They still struggle with a forecheck but not like last year. Since Berube has fully implemented his system, they've been a much much better team.
- PhillySportsGuy

They still have slow starts, the defense as constructed is not good and they take undisciplined, lazy penalties. I don't think they're any better and have been the beneficiaries of playing in a very weak division, in which teams like the Devils and Islanders have regressed from last year.

I hate trading with them because I think you have to look past the hype. Guys like Kadri has so much attention, but would he really be such a common name if he played in Nashville?

Although I could see a deal like Brayden Schenn for Gardiner emerge.
- flyer_nutter

no way i do that trade. gardiner is horrible defensively and extremely soft. they are ripping him in toronto now.

So remove three losses and then what? You honestly think with a full training camp that this team as currently assembled would be any better than they are?
- aantny88

Of course. They have been playing much better since Berube got his system in place that makes better use of the limited defensive talent on the team.

They started off playing like the 30th best team in the league and they 10-15 places better than that.

toronto would kill for a center.
- PhillaBully

I would be open to trading him, but not as a salary dump or for a 4th liner. I'm not saying I need Gardiner, but I don't want to just unload Vinny because we, currently, have no spot for him.

Never sat as close as I did last night. Third row, right at center ice; right behind the penalty boxes.

Deductions?

-Scott Hartnell isn't as bad as he looks on TV. He's worse. He LITERALLY slowed the play down EVERY time he touched the puck. He either bobbeled a pass and had to dump the puck in, or fell.

I'm not a fan of Hartnell, but I also recognise he's still a good NHL player. But he's worth MAYBE half of what were paying him. I'd be willing to give up quite a bit to get him off the books if I'm the GM.

-Forwards are soft. I saw no urgency in terms of physicality. I saw a lot of "shoulder bumping". Guys like Hartnell, Simmonds, Downie, and Schenn should be running people over. Maybe I'm missing someting? But this team is nowhere near as physical as they could be.
-Roman Josi is really, really.......REALLY good. I understand he got first start for his shoot-out goal, but I also noticed him everytime he was on the ice. He made fantastic, tape to tape passes and dictated the flow of the game with his legs. We need a defensemen like this. Badly.
- mochoson

You Expecting This?



OR THIS

The more and more I think about it also I believe its time for vinny to be traded for something. Maybe a dman or another forward. Very good player but there is just no room for him considering schenn and coots are on the upswing of their career. They are looking very good. So no way do I bump them or move them from their natural position . Its truly a shame. I really like vinny.
- jmdodgeser4

It would probably be best, and this is where the issue comes in.

No team trades for that anchor of a contract. There is nothing wrong with going out in FA but you cant hand-cuff yourself with deals that nobody will even touch.

I also doubt they even look at doing it. The headless chicken routine has made them look kind of stupid the last few years. I think ego comes into play big time.

We are talking about Scott Hartnell who has 27 points in his last 37 games right?
He is what he is.. There is nothing.. at all.. glorious about his game. But he is a solid player. He will bring you size, a bit of snarl, good net front and PP presence, and routinely 20-30 goals and 45-55 points. Yea.. Ill keep that.

How about instead of just aiming for personal biases we focus on bigger problems.. Like ALL of the forwards struggling in their two way game of late. Or the D-men and their spotty coverages.

Hartnell's contract might be bad because of its length, but his AAV is pretty spot on for the type of player he is... Hell, its probably friendly.
- jak521

he did have a terrible game last night, i can see why being up close and personal to it would give mochoson the reaction he had. hartnell either stopped or reversed or fell down every time he touched the puck.

Erik Gustafsson is 25 currently.

The question to me becomes, do you give him another shot next season, or do you move on to say a guy like Alt.

I know you need to give young players the time to play, but he hasn't impressed me really at all. For a 25 year old this is his time, and he seems limited in his own zone due to his size.

Not enough of an offensive/transition game to overcome that. Unfortunate.
- flyer_nutter

Not sure how Gustafsson is going to develop by sitting in the press box. He's struggled at times this year when he's been in the lineup, but so has every other d-man. At least Gustafsson brings an element of mobility, and some puck moving potential. The Flyers defense core is a better mix with him in it. Too much redundancy among the current regular defensemen.

Meszaros has improved significantly of late, Gustafsson should get playing time at the expense of Grossmann/L. Schenn.

Looking at the remaining schedule and it looks pretty tough compared to the first half...
- Streit2ThePoint

Lots of home games though.

no way i do that trade. gardiner is horrible defensively and extremely soft. they are ripping him in toronto now.
- PhillaBully

Thing is, none of us really thought they would do JVR for Luke Schenn either.

I would be hard pressed to give up BSchenn for him, but its those guys like Gardiner you trade for. Not guys like Buff.

They still have slow starts, the defense as constructed is not good and they take undisciplined, lazy penalties. I don't think they're any better and have been the beneficiaries of playing in a very weak division, in which teams like the Devils and Islanders have regressed from last year.
- aantny88

If you take out that flooky finish last season, where the AHL squad played out of their minds, last year's team would have finished with a pretty bad record.

If you take out the time this season before Berube had a chance to implement his system, the team has done pretty well.

I know you shouldn't take out winning and losing streaks because each team has them during each season, but I think we can all agree that the coaching change had a positive effect on the team this season.

You Expecting This?



OR THIS


- youarewrong

much better Lindros video:

You Expecting This?



OR THIS


- youarewrong

the destruction of some of those hits....looks like rag dolls flying around the ice.