From what I have seen of him, he is mediocre. I don't care about Runblad. To me I would rather the Flyers have kept the picks, either to draft youth of their own, or to bring in a more dynamic/better d-man.

I think its an overpayment for a mediocre player, who while improving the team slightly, doesn't really do much to fix the real issues of that d-core. A lack of all round, and transition talent.

We will see of course. No worries.
- flyer_nutter

How many games have you watched him play this year? How do we know that McDonald doesn't do much to improve the real issues of the defense? How come the Flyers don't know this, and that he's mediocre?
A 2nd and a 3rd for a top 4 defenseman is not an overpayment.

I smell a 4 way double blind trade brewing
- funmaster18

I smell a 4 way double blind trade brewing
- funmaster18

Things are getting kinky tonight

Hell, why not make both trades? Adding MacDonald wouldn;t mean Rundblad is now impossible to land.
- Jsaquella

You know trading a two and three this season and a two next for Runblad and McDonald would have set off all the second round pick lovers and just gotten Holmgren fired that much earlier.

Honestly, the shine has come off Rundblad this past season. He needed to make a move this year and he hasn't. There's a reason that there's a second player in that deal. Something's up.

If the Flyers were targeting McDonald in the off season this is a move right up their alley. We all know that the D pool was shallow in the UFA class.

Haha

I'd like to see them roll the dice on a guy like Rundblad. It's mutually exclusive from MacDonald, though. Just pointing out being mad at MacDonald because they didn't land Rundblad is kind of dumb.
- Jsaquella

Yeah and I like waiting until the end to see the final product before making any final judgements. It's been a wild ride so far. More activity than I expected.

For the sake of changing the subject for a little bit...

Is anyone else surprised by OTT putting Conacher on waivers? I haven't really watched him play much this year but it seemed like he was going to turn out to be a decent top 6 guy.
- Roytastic

Mildly. He's had some bad luck shooting, and has struggled. But Ottawa has other guys who have struggled, too

For the sake of changing the subject for a little bit...

Is anyone else surprised by OTT putting Conacher on waivers? I haven't really watched him play much this year but it seemed like he was going to turn out to be a decent top 6 guy.
- Roytastic

He stinks. Buffalo or someone will take him on waivers, but I dislike the guy terribly and I see him play all the time.

Hey fellas,
Maybe the Flyers don't like Runblad as much as some of you guys do....it might actually be that simple....
- landros 2

Good point! A few posters have mentioned the player and like him as an option. Maybe the Flyers don't, or they have something else in mind. As always, have to let it play out. But any reason out of the blue to criticize the GM.

Things are getting kinky tonight
- PhillySportsGuy

It's like a key party, who's going home with who???

The Flyers went 4 or 5 straight years without a second rounder. It's not as if it's an odd occurrence, plus they could deal other defensemen to recoup those picks
- Jsaquella

I hope so. I will really be pissed if he trades L. Schenn straight up for a second. If there is a dman leaving, and there has to be, I really want it to be Grossmann.

Have to say, I do like Edmonton bringing in Fasth.

As well as Anaheim with Robidas.

Vancouver being kind of a joke. Losing both Schneider and Luongo in back to back years. Without too much to show for it.

It's like a key party, who's going home with who???
- funmaster18

Haha. Ive never been to one before. I don't know many swingers though.

We'll see. Pheonix D isn't anything to sneeze at. They've done a good job of developing guys.

Chicago is more equipped to take on a reclamation project than the Flyers.
- PhillySportsGuy

Yeah, that last sentence is the key.

Phoenix doesn't have enough margin for error to play too many kids on their blueline... and Tippett's got a preference for Schlemko, Murphy and Stone.

Chicago doesn't care... if the kids make mistakes, they can always score more goals to make up for it.

You know trading a two and three this season and a two next for Runblad and McDonald would have set off all the second round pick lovers and just gotten Holmgren fired that much earlier.

Honestly, the shine has come off Rundblad this past season. He needed to make a move this year and he hasn't. There's a reason that there's a second player in that deal. Something's up.

If the Flyers were targeting McDonald in the off season this is a move right up their alley. We all know that the D pool was shallow in the UFA class.
- mayorofangrytown

You know trading a two and three this season and a two next for Runblad and McDonald would have set off all the second round pick lovers and just gotten Holmgren fired that much earlier.

Honestly, the shine has come off Rundblad this past season. He needed to make a move this year and he hasn't. There's a reason that there's a second player in that deal. Something's up.

If the Flyers were targeting McDonald in the off season this is a move right up their alley. We all know that the D pool was shallow in the UFA class.
- mayorofangrytown

The shine has come off Rundblad. Still would have been willing to risk a 2nd rounder to see what he can do.

And honestly, the weak UFA class is a reason to roll the dice on a young kid with potential. It's not something I'm pissed off about, though

The Flyers went 4 or 5 straight years without a second rounder. It's not as if it's an odd occurrence, plus they could deal other defensemen to recoup those picks
- Jsaquella

And to be fair it wasn't until about this or maybe last year that our prospect pool started to look even remotely respectable again. Not having 2nds for that long will really do some damage to your organizational depth.

Have to say, I do like Edmonton bringing in Fasth.

As well as Anaheim with Robidas.

Vancouver being kind of a joke. Losing both Schneider and Luongo in back to back years. Without too much to show for it.
- flyer_nutter

Markstrom and Horvat aren't bad. The whole situation has been very embarrassing for the organization though.

The Flyers went 4 or 5 straight years without a second rounder. It's not as if it's an odd occurrence, plus they could deal other defensemen to recoup those picks
- Jsaquella

They went 4 or 5 years without a 2nd and paid dearly. The fact that the entire defense corp is made up of free agents tells the whole story. They've drafted a few d prospects and are finally getting back into a routine of saving their draft picks. I personally don't like the idea of giving up a 2nd AND 3rd for MacDonald, but again; I'll reserve judgment until he takes the ice. But again, no need to ship out picks at the TDL, when prices are inflated, just to pick up a project. Save that for the off-season or at least before the All Star break. If the player isn't there by next year, tough luck. But if this young, mind-blowing project was had for practically a 3rd rounder, I'm thinking it's a case of "the grass is always greener on the other side". MacDonald makes us better today, by all accounts. Let's appreciate that.

My only concern is now we have 2 islanders on our D. Its not like the islanders D has been any good with these guys so why would things be different? Just a concern.... Not thrilled with the trade. Look forward to more trades before I pass final judgment .
- moylander

I don't think having two former Islanders is in any way a factor.

Yeah, that last sentence is the key.

Phoenix doesn't have enough margin for error to play too many kids on their blueline... and Tippett's got a preference for Schlemko, Murphy and Stone.

Chicago doesn't care... if the kids make mistakes, they can always score more goals to make up for it.
- Tomahawk

Rundblad isn't much of a kid anymore. He's 23. He's a year younger than L Schenn. The guy with no potential.

In order for the flyers to make the trade with PHX to get rundblad and brisebois they would have had to move two players. They are at the maximum 50/50 contracts. That probably played a role in it because PHX was probably trying to unload a contract with brisebois thrown in there.

He stinks. Buffalo or someone will take him on waivers, but I dislike the guy terribly and I see him play all the time.
- Rocktane

What happened to him after he left Tampa? Or was it that he just benefited that much from play with St. Louis and Stamkos?

Markstrom and Horvat aren't bad. The whole situation has been very embarrassing for the organization though.
- PhillySportsGuy

Markstrom and Lack are a solid tandem imo, but no way proven.

Just kind of a funny situation, with Torts and Gillis at the helm. Two morons.

They went 4 or 5 years without a 2nd and paid dearly. The fact that the entire defense corp is made up of free agents tells the whole story. They've drafted a few d prospects and are finally getting back into a routine of saving their draft picks. I personally don't like the idea of giving up a 2nd AND 3rd for MacDonald, but again; I'll reserve judgment until he takes the ice. But again, no need to ship out picks at the TDL, when prices are inflated, just to pick up a project. Save that for the off-season or at least before the All Star break. If the player isn't there by next year, tough luck. But if this young, mind-blowing project was had for practically a 3rd rounder, I'm thinking it's a case of "the grass is always greener on the other side". MacDonald makes us better today, by all accounts. Let's appreciate that.
- steelydan

I don't have any issue with the MacDonald trade. I'm not saying anything negative about MacDonald.

I'm saying I would have liked them to roll the dice on a kid like Rundblad. No more, no less. The deal for MacDonald has zero to do with my opinion on Rundblad.
I

I hope so. I will really be pissed if he trades L. Schenn straight up for a second. If there is a dman leaving, and there has to be, I really want it to be Grossmann.
- wilsonecho91

It would now make sense to move Grossmann.