People said that about trading Carter and Richards, too.

I think a new GM being brought in is a justifiable reason for trading almost any player.
- Feanor

Its just strange

Did you cut and paste your Shelley snyposis here? You would only have had to move some verbiage around.

All the top contending teams in the NHL have minimum 3 if not more dmen that are far better than MacDonald.
- PLindbergh31

I'll have to defend MacDonald a bit here. The guy can at the very least skate at an NHL caliber level.

I love that.

Honestly I don't mind the player and contract that much. Don't like it but don't hate it.

I do dislike giving up assets to bring him in via trade when they overpaid for him in the end anyway. The guy was hitting FA by all accounts. Draft picks need to hold more value in Flyer land in the future.
- flyer_nutter

If he hits free agency and other teams get involved in the bidding. That can drive up the price. I'm not sure I'm a fan of giving up a draft picks for impending UFA's either.

I'd have no issues if they look to trade him in the off-season along with Luke Schenn/Grossmann.

If a team is somehow willing to look past the contract, and offer a decent deal. I'd be in balls deep.
- flyer_nutter

They have to prune away at least one of AMac/LSchenn/Grossmann. I don't care which one.

Did you cut and paste your Shelley snyposis here? You would only have had to move some verbiage around.

All the top contending teams in the NHL have minimum 3 if not more dmen that are far better than MacDonald.
- PLindbergh31

Shelley has zero to do with this. Name the players! What do you disagree with that I stated about MacDonald's game? Address the issue, not bring up an irrelvant player.

And even if they do, does that change the fact that MacDonald makes the Flyers a better team? And are any of those players available to the Flyers?

I'll have to defend MacDonald a bit here. The guy can at the very least skate at an NHL caliber level.

I love that.
- flyer_nutter

He's an adequate skater imo. Certainly not a great skater. I wouldn't describe him as a shutdown dman, certainly not an offensive dman. What is he exactly? He's ok moving the puck. To me he's a complimentary player on a good team.

They have to prune away at least one of AMac/LSchenn/Grossmann. I don't care which one.
- johndewar

And out of the three, AMac's the only one who stands a chance of not only netting us significant cap relief, but maybe something good in return.

Shelley has zero to do with this. Name the players!

And even if they do, does that change the fact that MacDonald makes the Flyers a better team? And are any of those players available to the Flyers?
- MJL

Same concept as MacDonald making a beer league team better. He makes them better why? Has nothing to do with the rest of the personnel?

People said that about trading Carter and Richards, too.

I think a new GM being brought in is a justifiable reason for trading almost any player.
- Feanor

common sense

He's an adequate skater imo. Certainly not a great skater. I wouldn't describe him as a shutdown dman, certainly not an offensive dman. What is he exactly? He's ok moving the puck. To me he's a complimentary player on a good team.
- PLindbergh31

He's a solid all around top 4 defenseman.

If he hits free agency and other teams get involved in the bidding. That can drive up the price. I'm not sure I'm a fan of giving up a draft picks for impending UFA's either.
- MJL

Im cool with him as a 2nd pairing guy. He can at least handle the puck and skate at an NHL caliber level. Which is more than can be said for Grossmann and Luke Schenn. Streit isn't a real crotch rocket either.

Is a bit of an interesting concept though. If you had to overpay for Niskanen, or overpay for MacDonald. Which would you do?

Same concept as MacDonald making a beer league team better. He makes them better why? Has nothing to do with the rest of the personnel?
- PLindbergh31

This doesn't make sense. Does he, or does he not make the Flyers a better team?

Sign Niskanen for 6mil and trade MacD for whatever he gets you and it makes us a better team.
- FlyersSteve118

I'd be cool with that. If you can get Niskanen for 6.

Im cool with him as a 2nd pairing guy. He can at least handle the puck and skate at an NHL caliber level. Which is more than can be said for Grossmann and Luke Schenn. Streit isn't a real crotch rocket either.

Is a bit of an interesting concept though. If you had to overpay for Niskanen, or overpay for MacDonald. Which would you do?
- flyer_nutter

Really depends on what Niskanen costs. I think he's going to cash in big time.

He's an adequate skater imo. Certainly not a great skater. I wouldn't describe him as a shutdown dman, certainly not an offensive dman. What is he exactly? He's ok moving the puck. To me he's a complimentary player on a good team.
- PLindbergh31

To me he is average.

In all aspects of his game. Cool with that, for a 2nd pairing guy. Play him and forget him. Not really a fan of throwing more 'average' into that back end as it, but so be it.

I'd want Luke Schenn, Grossmann and Streit off this team before MacDonald.

Niskanen is a bit better than Mac but isn't really a 1st pairing, tough minutes guy, either.

I'd prefer they remove Grossmann from the blueline, if anybody's getting jettisoned.

Niskanen is a bit better than Mac but isn't really a 1st pairing, tough minutes guy, either.
- Feanor

Hell (frank)ing no he isn't.

Stay away from fools like that. Just because he is the best out there, doesn't mean he is deserving of that contract. Players that want that kind of money and term need to be more complete players that you can more consistently rely on.

Niskanen isn't on that tier imo.

To me he is average.

In all aspects of his game. Cool with that, for a 2nd pairing guy. Play him and forget him. Not really a fan of throwing more 'average' into that back end as it, but so be it.

I'd want Luke Schenn, Grossmann and Streit off this team before MacDonald.
- flyer_nutter

Fair post. I won't disagree. Part and parcel of the problem. You just stated MacDonald is average, but you would prefer him over 3 of the 4 dmen currently signed. That's setting the bar pretty low.

Niskanen is a bit better than Mac but isn't really a 1st pairing, tough minutes guy, either.
- Feanor

He might just be able to take that next step next year. Who knows. I think him and Coburn could get the job done respectfully next year if it happened.

common sense
- ob18

It's difficult to tell whether the NTCs were put in because Homer was soft on negotiating or because the players didn't feel comfortable without one.

VL, Hartnell, Giroux, Simmonds, Coburn and Grossmann all signed deals with some sort of NMC. All those deals were made after the Richards/Carter trades.

Fair post. I won't disagree. Part and parcel of the problem. You just stated MacDonald is average, but you would prefer him over 3 of the 4 dmen currently signed. That's setting the bar pretty low.
- PLindbergh31

I dont like the majority of that back end what can I say. Just pray to god you dont see Phaneuf brought in here.

Lol heres out of the box..

Trade a 1st and Hagg for Ehrhoff
Sign Niskanen for 6mil (maybe 6.5)
Resign Timonen for 3-4mil

Ehrhoff Niskanen
Streit Coburn
Timonen Schenn
Lauridsen

Trade off Grossmann and MacDonald and poof a respectable back end just like that!

I know it'll never happen, would be nice if things were as easy as they were to just type out.

It's difficult to tell whether the NTCs were put in because Homer was soft on negotiating or because the players didn't feel comfortable without one.

VL, Hartnell, Giroux, Simmonds, Coburn and Grossmann all signed deals with some sort of NMC. All those deals were made after the Richards/Carter trades.
- PhillySportsGuy

Jake, Read, Mase and Streit didn't get clauses, so I'd say there isn't a prevailing fear against signing w/ the Flyers.

(frank) him and his "perfect" life. and nobody should ever compare him to arthur. ever.

i have my own championship game to win tonight, and when i do, i'll drink a beer and go on my merry way.
- hammarby31

Watching the press availability yesterday I was looking at him wondering how he gets to be the perfectly beautiful one. He has the oddest hairline I've ever seen. And when people talk about objective beauty they say it has to do with symmetry. The whole right side of his face is smaller than the left. I think it is the Scandanavian mystique. He does have pretty eyes. And I think he's "attractive" but then, I think a lot of hockey players are. But beautiful? Handsome? Dreamy? I do not see it.

And you have your own gold medal. So he can bite you!