No move is worth it because prices for even just a borderline first pair defenseman are astronomical.

Gonna have to just deal with it.
- Giroux_Is_God

I think Ehrhoff could be had for like a 1st a Leier or Hagg. He would be a sizeable upgrade and a capable #2 to play with Coburn.

Edit: Also he has a 4mil cap hit and in the later stages of his contract he will be making 1mil real salary with a 4mil cap hit, which will be easy to deal away to a team trying to get to the cap floor. So a few years of Ehrhoff while he has something left in the tank will be awesome.

Flyers should have Pronger Weber and Hamhuis on defense

I agree Stralman is going to be a big winner in free agency after his post season. I think he will get between $4 and $5 million. I wouldn't mind taking a run at Hainsey. Another good mentor for the young guys coming up, a little tread left on the tire, and probably can get him for around $3-$3.5 million/yr.
- ravishingone

Hainsey, Gilbert, Nikitin, Fayne or even a vet like Derek Morris might be good contributors. I mean we're looking at stopgaps for a year or two until they have a better feel for the kids, why pay a premium? Get guys who will keep you competitive if you are unable or unwilling to swing a trade to get a top pair guy.

Flyers need to bite the bullet and get Weber
Keep Vinny as #1 center
Trade Giroux for Weber straight up

I think Jokinen is gonna cost about $1mm more than you have him at, and I really do think Read can slide up and be as good or better than him.

I like Gilbert, probably cheaper than Stralman will be.
- Jsaquella

Gilbert could be a good signing at the right price. He puts up points and eats about 20 minutes per game.

I agree that making a deeper forward group helps the defense, but at the same time, there's other options available that will be cheaper and easier fits. I wouldn't hesitate to slide Read up to the top 6, and use an internal guy to replace him on the third line. Raffl, Laughton, Bellemare, Akeson are all guys that can play a bit and probably can give the Flyers a solid third line for cheap.
- Jsaquella

I really just want a defensive guy to play in the top 2 lines (like Jokinen) so it alleviates some of the defensive match ups that are forced on Couts. When he gets more offensive zone starts I think Couts and Read can become a very offensive unit together.

I think taking Read away from Couts will hurt his offensive capabilities.

Gilbert could be a good signing at the right price. He puts up points and eats about 20 minutes per game.
- wolfhounds

He's gonna get more than the $900K he got last year, but he shouldn't cost more than $3mm or so.

Flyers need to bite the bullet and get Weber
Keep Vinny as #1 center
Trade Giroux for Weber straight up
- Winning

Weber fills a defensive hole while an offensive hole is created?

Sup

Weber fills a defensive hole while an offensive hole is created?
- wolfhounds

Vinny
Schenn
Coots
Laugton

Not the worst in the league

Sup
- PhillySportsGuy

HOW MUCH IS REMEMBERED

Vinny
Schenn
Coots
Laugton

Not the worst in the league
- Winning

Actually it probably is.

I really just want a defensive guy to play in the top 2 lines (like Jokinen) so it alleviates some of the defensive match ups that are forced on Couts. When he gets more offensive zone starts I think Couts and Read can become a very offensive unit together.

I think taking Read away from Couts will hurt his offensive capabilities.
- FlyersSteve118

I think Akeson or Bellemare can probably help in that regard. If not, a guy like Nikolai Kulemin or Lee Stempniak can be pursued for less money and provide some depth offense, allowing Read to be a top 6 guy.

Also, if they do pursue a trade for defense, Brayden Schenn may well be the chip that moves...which makes Couturier a candidate for 2C

He's gonna get more than the $900K he got last year, but he shouldn't cost more than $3mm or so.
- Jsaquella

3-5 years at $3mm per seems reasonable to me. Gilbert appears durable, and that contract would take him to his mid-30s.

If you lock up Gilbert for Schenn/Grossmann numbers, do you move one of them?

Hainsey, Gilbert, Nikitin, Fayne or even a vet like Derek Morris might be good contributors. I mean we're looking at stopgaps for a year or two until they have a better feel for the kids, why pay a premium? Get guys who will keep you competitive if you are unable or unwilling to swing a trade to get a top pair guy.
- Jsaquella

Agreed. I would steer clear of Morris, unless he would sign a 1 yr deal. Nikitin is intriguing because he has shown flashes of offensive ability in his career, maybe there could be more bang for the buck. Hainsey is my first choice because of his experience, ability to play in all situations, and more importantly cost. He'll probably get a multi-year deal, but he would fit in nicely with the young kids in a role similar to what I believe Kimmo will play this year.

I think Akeson or Bellemare can probably help in that regard. If not, a guy like Nikolai Kulemin or Lee Stempniak can be pursued for less money and provide some depth offense, allowing Read to be a top 6 guy.

Also, if they do pursue a trade for defense, Brayden Schenn may well be the chip that moves...which makes Couturier a candidate for 2C
- Jsaquella

Kulemin can handle himself on the defensive end, no?

I think Akeson or Bellemare can probably help in that regard. If not, a guy like Nikolai Kulemin or Lee Stempniak can be pursued for less money and provide some depth offense, allowing Read to be a top 6 guy.

Also, if they do pursue a trade for defense, Brayden Schenn may well be the chip that moves...which makes Couturier a candidate for 2C
- Jsaquella

I wouldn't be completely against that. I think Couts would be a better offensive contributor than Schenn if he received the same assignments that Schenn had.

Vinny
Schenn
Coots
Laugton

Not the worst in the league
- Winning

Those are all big offensive question marks.

3-5 years at $3mm per seems reasonable to me. Gilbert appears durable, and that contract would take him to his mid-30s.

If you lock up Gilbert for Schenn/Grossmann numbers, do you move one of them?
- wolfhounds

Wouldn't be surprised to see Grossmann shipped out for a new practice net regardless of what happens in FA

3-5 years at $3mm per seems reasonable to me. Gilbert appears durable, and that contract would take him to his mid-30s.

If you lock up Gilbert for Schenn/Grossmann numbers, do you move one of them?
- wolfhounds

I'd only way to go 2 years or less. I'm looking at Gilbert as a stop gap, only.

I try to move Grossmann, regardless.

So, cause I have a few minutes:

CAPGEEK.COM ARMCHAIR GM ROSTER
CapGeek Armchair GM Roster
FORWARDS
Scott Hartnell ($4.750m) / Claude Giroux ($8.275m) / Jakub Voracek ($4.250m)
Jussi Jokinen ($3.500m) / Brayden Schenn ($2.500m) / Wayne Simmonds ($3.975m)
Michael Raffl ($1.100m) / Sean Couturier ($1.750m) / Matt Read ($3.625m)
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare ($0.600m) / Scott Laughton ($0.863m) / Chris Thorburn ($0.900m)
Zac Rinaldo ($0.750m) / Jason Akeson ($0.750m)
DEFENSEMEN
Braydon Coburn ($4.500m) / Luke Schenn ($3.600m)
Kimmo Timonen ($2.000m) / Tom Gilbert ($3.000m)
Mark Streit ($5.250m) / Andrew MacDonald ($5.000m)
Oliver Lauridsen ($0.600m) /
GOALTENDERS
Steve Mason ($4.100m)
Ray Emery ($1.200m)
BUYOUTS
Daniel Briere ($0.000m)
Ilya Bryzgalov ($0.000m)
LTIR
Chris Pronger ($4.941m)
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(estimations for 2014-15)
SALARY CAP: $71,100,000; CAP PAYROLL: $66,838,333; BONUSES: $2,212,500
CAP SPACE (23-man roster): $4,261,667

The above roster assumes trading VL and Grossmann without keeping any salary and signing Jokinen, Gilbert and Thorburn

Thoughts?
- BiggE

Defense is not good enough, even in the short term.
May not make the playoffs with it

My money says the defense is getting blown up

I wouldn't be completely against that. I think Couts would be a better offensive contributor than Schenn if he received the same assignments that Schenn had.
- FlyersSteve118

Couts had 7 fewer goals, but only 2 fewer points, while playing in a far more difficult role, getting less PP time and facing far tougher competition.

Kulemin can handle himself on the defensive end, no?
- Giroux_Is_God

Yeah, it's the primary reason I have interest.

No move is worth it because prices for even just a borderline first pair defenseman are astronomical.

Gonna have to just deal with it.
- Giroux_Is_God

Exactly