They're not, but they'd love to be. They have too many big time contracts that have to expire first before they can start bringing in younger players to take over.
- 77rams

I think that the front office wants to continue to try and win. They would have to have a lot of things go right to do so. Utley, Howard, and Rollins all have to find the fountain of youth.

pardon?
- stayinthefnnet

No no not a dig at the whole Penguins sucked blah blah I was just tossing out useless what if scenarios because they annoy the poop out of me. It's such a waste of time. It happened. Laughton was drafted. Period. There was justification for the choice. Sharp was traded. Period. There was justification there too. JVR was traded. Period. There also justification for that deal.

I just want to crush things when I read what if scenarios. YOU CAN'T CHANGE ANYTHING SO WHY IMAGINE IT CHANGED. Lord.

Can someone explain why Maataa is leading the Finnish Olympic team in scoring, and has been a fixture on the blueline for the top team in the East.... While Laughton was invisible in the Junior tournament playing against 16 year old pimple faced punks, and can't crack the Flyers roster?

I guess the reason is the Flyers needed another center, and it takes forwards longer to develop than D-men.

So (frank)ing stupid. poop like this is why this franchise doesn't win Championships.

If JVR was still a Flyer, and Maataa was drafted instead of Laughton things would be so different. Being unable to get out of their own way is one of the biggest problems. Truly amazing.
- PLindbergh31

If the Flyers had JVR and Maata, the Cup would be pretty much a guarantee!

I think that the front office wants to continue to try and win. They would have to have a lot of things go right to do so. Utley, Howard, and Rollins all have to find the fountain of youth.
- MJL

exactly. i understand the whole desire to want to be competitive thing, and i respect it to a point. but way too many things need to align for them to be legitimate. id rather they just recognize the window has closed than wait 2 years longer to start it.

im not going to disparage maatta in any way, as obviously im really glad it shook out that way and have high hopes for him. but you wont hear any negativity from me about laughton either. yeah you can argue maybe you should have went a different route based upon position, but laughton has done nothing but impress me from what ive seen.
- stayinthefnnet

Did you see Carter blow by Maata?

If the Flyers had JVR and Maata, the Cup would be pretty much a guarantee!
- MJL

exactly. just like adding iginla and morrow at the deadline sinched it. im still waiting for the parade.

Did you see Carter blow by Maata?

- MJL

i did! and im not even going to ridicule the fact that he didnt finish. im going to just say that shows that he has it in him, and it should surface more.

i did! and im not even going to ridicule the fact that he didnt finish. im going to just say that shows that he has it in him, and it should surface more.
- stayinthefnnet

Was Crosby even on the ice that period?

yeah. i dont want to count chickens (myers is a perfect example), but im tremendously confident in maatta right now. that being said, i dont know why you would be so down on laughton. the dude has done nothing to show that he should be less than what he was projected upon being drafted. actually, hes shown not only those intangibles, but likely a good deal of skill that shows he may have a higher ceiling than anticipated. you can debate the position thing forever, but taken upon his own merit i think laughton looks pretty damn solid.
- stayinthefnnet

Oh, I am not down on Laughton. On the contrary I am quite positive. Just saying that he is doing great where he is now, and that he hasn't gotten his chance to do anything yet due to our surplus of centers.

I always say go for the best player availabe and trade if you have too many of a kind. And take into account what players you are good at growing. I am looking forward to seeing what we can get out of the D we drafted last year.

I will be happy to take the Maatta vs Laughton discussion in five years though!

Because the Flyers wanted to give you another arrow in your quiver to incessantly female dog about
- KINGKENZO

and they picked two young dmen in the first two rounds the very next year

Oh, I am not down on Laughton. On the contrary I am quite positive. Just saying that he is doing great where he is now, and that he hasn't gotten his chance to do anything yet due to our surplus of centers.

I always say go for the best player availabe and trade if you have too many of a kind. And take into account what players you are good at growing. I am looking forward to seeing what we can get out of the D we drafted last year.

I will be happy to take the Maatta vs Laughton discussion in five years though!
- Bearintheforest

i think theyre both going to be solid NHLers with no complaints whatsoever on either end honestly.

Was Crosby even on the ice that period?
- MJL

hes close. not dominating by any means. but it always seems hes just a second or two away from something decent happening.

and they picked two young dmen in the first two rounds the very next year
- Crimsoninja

Everybody knows that Morin couldn't possibly be as good as Maata in the future!

I still think Laughton creates an odd man out situation next year. Vinny and Hartnell aside our top 9 is still very young. Maybe they move Downie at the deadline and put Laughton on the 3rd line wing next year? I'm just not a fan of letting him waste away on the 4th line for the foreseeable future because our entire top 9 looks to be here for the next few years.

hes close. not dominating by any means. but it always seems hes just a second or two away from something decent happening.
- stayinthefnnet

I'd be interested in your objective take on Kunitz so far.

I still think Laughton creates an odd man out situation next year. Vinny and Hartnell aside our top 9 is still very young. Maybe they move Downie at the deadline and put Laughton on the 3rd line wing next year? I'm just not a fan of letting him waste away on the 4th line for the foreseeable future because our entire top 9 looks to be here for the next few years.
- hereticpride

Lot's of good players in the NHL started out on the 4th line in the infancy of their NHL careers.

Everybody knows that Morin couldn't possibly be as good as Maata in the future!
- MJL

theres no way of knowing anything for certain, but id take the maatta side if given a choice. although who is to say that morin doesnt have a weber inside of him. he was drafted higher. not conclusive by any means, but still, it shows you just cant totally tell

I still think Laughton creates an odd man out situation next year. Vinny and Hartnell aside our top 9 is still very young. Maybe they move Downie at the deadline and put Laughton on the 3rd line wing next year? I'm just not a fan of letting him waste away on the 4th line for the foreseeable future because our entire top 9 looks to be here for the next few years.
- hereticpride

Has he ever played on the wing? I'd rather see him traded for something useful than being forced into an uncomfortable position.

I agree that he creates an odd-man-out-scenario though. I like Scheen and Couts alot. But if we had Laughton on a fourth line who could actually deliver ten minutes of solid hockey a night, maybe not a bad option? Rather that than the Line of Goon.

I'd be interested in your objective take on Kunitz so far.
- Bearintheforest

nothing special, thats for sure. not that its a great justification, but its not as though ive really been impressed with hardly any of the canadian forwards for an extended period of time. it wouldnt be a travesty to have him sit out a game as the scratched forward instead of whoever else.

Has he ever played on the wing? I'd rather see him traded for something useful than being forced into an uncomfortable position.

I agree that he creates an odd-man-out-scenario though. I like Scheen and Couts alot. But if we had Laughton on a fourth line who could actually deliver ten minutes of solid hockey a night, maybe not a bad option? Rather that than the Line of Goon.
- Bearintheforest

yeah but were the bullies man! i mean come on, im wearing a flyers shirt in which someone creatively manipulated the flyer logo to look like a fist. were tough man. thats the bully way. well (frank) up any wussy hockey players.

Rask has the best cage if the tournament

and they picked two young dmen in the first two rounds the very next year
- Crimsoninja

Dude, stick to the script. This isnt improv

yeah but were the bullies man! i mean come on, im wearing a flyers shirt in which someone creatively manipulated the flyer logo to look like a fist. were tough man. thats the bully way. well (frank) up any wussy hockey players.
- stayinthefnnet

Hah, truth be told, I love me a good fight every once in a while, and I enjoy the 70s Flyers team. But hockey has changed alot since then.

yeah but were the bullies man! i mean come on, im wearing a flyers shirt in which someone creatively manipulated the flyer logo to look like a fist. were tough man. thats the bully way. well (frank) up any wussy hockey players.
- stayinthefnnet

Those shirts are so stupid