Girardi was a no brainer to lock up. Never thought he had a chance to hit the market. Your right in your assessment, however Subban I think is better defensively than you might give him credit for.
- Just5

True but he's more puck mover than shut down.

No problem, no offense taken. Btw, it is perplexing the lack of success in the draft after the first round. They certainly seem to be putting significant assets in scouting. Uncovering gems like Raffl and Bob proves their scouring the entire globe. Any ideas on the potential under lying issues?
- ravishingone

Many times it's a guess game even in round 1.

Maybe it's not trusting your scouts because Homer can only go watch so many prospects he'll miss plenty & that's when you must trust your scouts and their reports.

It could be he has a mindset of how he sees his team & all players they bring in to be apart of the organization going forward (draft or otherwise)

There are probably other things it could be as well.

yeah exactly that. if you dont mind "wasting" maybe 3 years of giroux's prime, then i dont see why you should be in a rush to do anything.
- stayinthefnnet

Giroux should be elite for awhile. Its not like he possesses great speed.

Subban is not the defenseman the flyers need. They need a guy who consistently shuts down the other teams top guys. If I'm not mistaken Subban had more than his fair share of issues defensively this year. I'm glad the rangers locked up Girardi because the flyers were most likely throwing a bunch of money at him.
- mjh609

subban would be incredible for the flyers. i just think thats aiming too high. the assets required would potentially be catastrophic.

and girardi is worth every penny.

Giroux should be elite for awhile. Its not like he possesses great speed.
- Just5

maybe its just all the crap crosby went through, but i dont like to try to assume youll have your star for years and years.

Giroux should be elite for awhile. Its not like he possesses great speed.
- Just5

As good as he is they still need others to step up from time to time, when that happens teams will have to pick their poison as to how they want to approach stopping the Flyers.

Right now they aren't getting much production from anybody 9 goals in 5 games isn't good enough to win much in the regular season let alone post season.

just being in philly and wanting to watch hockey, i watch pretty much every flyers game. its apparent in the regular season for sure, and every teams weakness becomes more glaring in the playoffs.

honestly, the only flyers forward who i think actually gets better when tasked with taking the puck himself is voracek. he strikes me as a running back who gets better with more carries. but other than that, you look at a guy like simmonds. want the hell out of him, but he cannot create anything on his own, and he never will. even giroux. he gets burdened with a lot, id much rather have him just worry about setting up along the wall and running a half ice show. hes lethal that way.

instead, the options are either 1. try to complete stretch pass after stretch pass through a team waiting to pick it off in the neutral zone. (typically the pens route, god knows (frank)ing why.) 2. watch guys that arent physically able to skate it out try to bring it up. those results are usually the most damning. or 3. have the forwards come back for shorter outlets and bring it up slowly.

number 3 is the best out of the bunch, and it usually wont kill you, but it prevents the offensive stars from doing what they do best. long post, but thats what law school will do to your brain. anything to procrastinate
- stayinthefnnet

I agree completely.

Thats why we are seeing so many icings, imo. The guy bringing up the ice has no speed and at that stage can only make a risky lateral pass. He is usually getting hemmed into the boards. And right before he reaches the center, the Rangers player comes to challenge him.

If that guy has speed and can beat a guy, the Rangers guy would start to backpedal.

OMG Trevor Dailey.....2 rushes for goals. Would be nice

maybe its just all the crap crosby went through, but i dont like to try to assume youll have your star for years and years.
- stayinthefnnet

It shouldn't be assumed, anything can happen & all of the sudden they are traded, stop producing etc...

Subban is not the defenseman the flyers need. They need a guy who consistently shuts down the other teams top guys. If I'm not mistaken Subban had more than his fair share of issues defensively this year. I'm glad the rangers locked up Girardi because the flyers were most likely throwing a bunch of money at him.
- mjh609

IMHO, I believe P.K. still has room to grow yet. Apparently, there are issues with Thierren and himself. I really don't see anyway they let him walk. They do need a well rounded two way defensemen with some skating ability. Kimmo has been a great player, but at 39, he just can't give us that on a nightly basis.

Sather really had to sign Girardi. I do think not resigning Callahan will hurt them. Isn't Hank 32 I believe? I would have resigned Cally and not worried about the last couple of years on the contract. The window to win big is over the next 3-4 years for the Rangers.

OMG Trevor Dailey.....2 rushes for goals. Would be nice
- Just5

Do you still try to piece together the D core while developing the prospects they have or move assets to land what they would like or close to what they'd like?

IMHO, I believe P.K. still has room to grow yet. Apparently, there are issues with Thierren and himself. I really don't see anyway they let him walk. They do need a well rounded two way defensemen with some skating ability. Kimmo has been a great player, but at 39, he just can't give us that on a nightly basis.

Sather really had to sign Girardi. I do think not resigning Callahan will hurt them. Isn't Hank 32 I believe? I would have resigned Cally and not worried about the last couple of years on the contract. The window to win big is over the next 3-4 years for the Rangers.
- ravishingone

i think subban is right up there with letang as being the most physically gifted DMen in the league. but i still dont think the flyers need a guy like him to necessarily take that leap. i still think roman josi is a perfect name. someone of that level, with the potential for more.

a guy out there on his current deal i would LOVE for the pens, mark giordano of the flames.

Many times it's a guess game even in round 1.

Maybe it's not trusting your scouts because Homer can only go watch so many prospects he'll miss plenty & that's when you must trust your scouts and their reports.

It could be he has a mindset of how he sees his team & all players they bring in to be apart of the organization going forward (draft or otherwise)

There are probably other things it could be as well.
- ob18

Interesting that there was I thought high expectation when Luce was brought on board. The last two drafts look promising, but the drafts for the previous 5 years were sparse.

Do you know the responsibilities that Hextall had under Lombardi in LA? Didn't he have responsibility over their minor league system?

Interesting that there were I thought high expectation when Luce was brought on board. The last two drafts look promising, but the drafts for the previous 5 years were sparse.

Do you know the responsibilities that Hextall had under Lombardi in LA? Didn't he have responsibility over their minor league system?
- ravishingone

I know he was in charge of their AHL team & I believe some of the scouting of potential prospects. But beyond that I can't speak to everything he did with the Kings.

But I do know I am not sold on the idea of him possibly being the next Flyers GM.

Do you still try to piece together the D core while developing the prospects they have or move assets to land what they would like or close to what they'd like?
- ob18

I just think you gotta wait, as much as it pains me to say -- I just don't see how you upgrade this defense without opening another hole, unless it's Laughton plus a prospect who isn't Hagg, Morin or Ghost. And we all know that won't get a clear upgrade

i think subban is right up there with letang as being the most physically gifted DMen in the league. but i still dont think the flyers need a guy like him to necessarily take that leap. i still think roman josi is a perfect name. someone of that level, with the potential for more.

a guy out there on his current deal i would LOVE for the pens, mark giordano of the flames.
- stayinthefnnet

Those guys you mentioned are great. However, there cap hits are so good, there really isn't a good reason for those teams to move guys like that, especially in Nashville where cash flow is a problem.

I will say this, that with the new CBA doing very little to change revenue sharing, franchises like Nashville could have a Weber situation develop again. Small market teams are going to have to identify young talent early and lock them up long-term.

However, most successful teams have at least two or three of their top 6 homegrown, the Flyers are gonna have to adapt and find away to accomplish this feat.

I just think you gotta wait, as much as it pains me to say -- I just don't see how you upgrade this defense without opening another hole, unless it's Laughton plus a prospect who isn't Hagg, Morin or Ghost. And we all know that won't get a clear upgrade
- AllInForFlyers

Not sure other teams will call up and say we'll give you the player you need for a "hope & prayer"

Think about it they gave up 2 1st round picks, Sbisa, & Lupul for Pronger

&

They were willing to give up 4 1st round picks for Weber.

That's the ball park of the cost to land that kind of player everybody keeps suggesting or saying they want, that opens up way too many more areas to fill now & hurts long term with not being able to restock the farm system.

Are they really that close to contending for a cup that it's worth it to pay the price?

Those guys you mentioned are great. However, there cap hits are so good, there really isn't a good reason for those teams to move guys like that, especially in Nashville where cash flow is a problem.

I will say this, that with the new CBA doing very little to change revenue sharing, franchises like Nashville could have a Weber situation develop again. Small market teams are going to have to identify young talent early and lock them up long-term.

However, most successful teams have at least two or three of their top 6 homegrown, the Flyers are gonna have to adapt and find away to accomplish this feat.
- ravishingone

true. it is definitely better to be overly cautious than to force a deal that isnt there. the wait and see approach isnt a bad fallback at all. but if the deal is there, i would jump on it. i dont think the schenn/jvr swap was necessarily a bad one. but luke schenn (maybe much more clearly now than at the time) is just very much the type of dman the flyers dont need, even if he turns out to be successful at his role.

Not sure other teams will call up and say we'll give you the player you need for a "hope & prayer"

Think about it they gave up 2 1st round picks, Sbisa, & Lupul for Pronger

&

They were willing to give up 4 1st round picks for Weber.

That's the ball park of the cost to land that kind of player everybody keeps suggesting or saying they want, that opens up way too many more areas to fill now & hurts long term with not being able to restock the farm system.

Are they really that close to contending for a cup that it's worth it to pay the price?
- ob18

No, they are not. I'm willing to wait --they're just not close enough, or deep enough organizationally, to do that. I'd see if I could bring in this year's Tom Gilbert in free agency as Kimmo's replacement, maybe see if anything made sense for Grossmann via trade.

I'd leave Ghost in the AHL for at least a half-season, and take my chances with that for next season

No, they are not. I'm willing to wait --they're just not close enough, or deep enough organizationally, to do that. I'd see if I could bring in this year's Tom Gilbert in free agency as Kimmo's replacement, maybe see if anything made sense for Grossmann via trade.

I'd leave Ghost in the AHL for at least a half-season, and take my chances with that for next season
- AllInForFlyers

Personally I would keep Ghost in the AHL the entire year unless he lights it up.

Not sure other teams will call up and say we'll give you the player you need for a "hope & prayer"

Think about it they gave up 2 1st round picks, Sbisa, & Lupul for Pronger

&

They were willing to give up 4 1st round picks for Weber.

That's the ball park of the cost to land that kind of player everybody keeps suggesting or saying they want, that opens up way too many more areas to fill now & hurts long term with not being able to restock the farm system.

Are they really that close to contending for a cup that it's worth it to pay the price?
- ob18

yeah. those TOP guys will likely be impossible to get. but i would constantly be kicking tires on guys like the ones out in PHX not named yandle or OEL, maybe the blues want to shake it up and look to move one of their guys other than pietrangelo. maybe a fairly large package gets a guy like voynov.

yeah. those TOP guys will likely be impossible to get. but i would constantly be kicking tires on guys like the ones out in PHX not named yandle or OEL, maybe the blues want to shake it up and look to move one of their guys other than pietrangelo. maybe a fairly large package gets a guy like voynov.
- stayinthefnnet

Well you always have to kick the tires, you don't just stop. If they were closer I'd probably be more willing to pay a price.

Personally I would keep Ghost in the AHL the entire year unless he lights it up.
- ob18

I'd be fine with that, too -- letting Murray work with him for a year is totally fine by me

Do you still try to piece together the D core while developing the prospects they have or move assets to land what they would like or close to what they'd like?
- ob18

For this summer I'm patchworking this thing. Not moving any of B Schenn, Coots, or Laughton bc I think they all have a spot on the team. 2C, 3C, 4C

Lecavalier I dont know what you do with. If you can trade him hell yea but thats debatable if hes tradeable at all.

I'd be fine with that, too -- letting Murray work with him for a year is totally fine by me
- AllInForFlyers

We'll see how he handles it