I was mad sorry
- Winning

ok

I know. Hartnell QoC was very strong too. He played with better players.
- PhillySportsGuy

Hartnell had the green light to go-go-go... I imagine RJ had to strike a much more careful balance between D and O.

I really don't think there's a huge gap between the players overall... pros and cons to both. The contract difference is the reason why I'm leaning toward liking the deal.

booby traps
- wilsonecho91

Some good laughs today.

Exactly. Someone who gets it
- PhillySportsGuy

I mean, my initial reaction was to push my kids into lion cage at zoo, which is where I was when I heard news.

Fortunately the lion died in March, so they lived.

Schenn-Giroux-Simmonds
Umberger-Lecav-Voracek
Read-Coots-Raffl
PEB-Laughton-Rino/Leier/Akeson

Hartnell speaks to media 5pm

Hartnell had the green light to go-go-go... I imagine RJ had to strike a much more careful balance between D and O.

I really don't think there's a huge gap between the players overall... pros and cons to both. The contract difference is the reason why I'm leaning toward liking the deal.
- Tomahawk

The pick is pretty nice, too. Helps offset the lost picks from getting AMac and Streit.

At the risk of pissing people off, they give me zero confidence.
- SuperSchennBros

Ok, well you can't just not pur them in your little lineup there.

A 4th line of Belle-Laughton-Raffl instills a lot of confidence in me.

Read-G-Raffl (if Vinny is traded)
Simmer-Schenn-Jake
Umberger-Coots-Akeson
Belle-Laughton-Vinny

I mean I can't really female dog about that at this point.

Hartnell had the green light to go-go-go... I imagine RJ had to strike a much more careful balance between D and O.

I really don't think there's a huge gap between the players overall... pros and cons to both. The contract difference is the reason why I'm leaning toward liking the deal.
- Tomahawk

In 3 years, Hartnell's contract may not even look that bad. Look at what guys like Clarkson got last season.

I would understand the trade a lot more if Umberger had a year left on his deal instead of 3.

It's easy to say "Lets just move someone up to LW and have him play with G. Anyone can be productive." Thats simply not the case. WE KNOW that Hartnell-G-Voracek work and make up a strong top line. Hartnell, also, made a strong second line with Schenn and Simmonds.

I mean, my initial reaction was to push my kids into lion cage at zoo, which is where I was when I heard news.

Fortunately the lion died in March, so they lived.
- Jsaquella

Hartnell speaks to media 5pm
- Winning

Hope someone asks him why he feels Columbus gives him a better chance to win than the Flyers do. I'm interested in hearing his answer to that.

Schenn-Giroux-Simmonds
Umberger-Lecav-Voracek
Read-Coots-Raffl
PEB-Laughton-Rino/Leier/Akeson
- JAKEw1234

You are still gonna score goals and win hockey games with that...it won't be sexy sometimes, but you will win hockey games

There are only three forwards that were irreplaceable: Giroux, Voracek and Couturier.

Everybody else, you can work around

I mean, my initial reaction was to push my kids into lion cage at zoo, which is where I was when I heard news.

Fortunately the lion died in March, so they lived.
- Jsaquella

CM Zoo?

booby traps
- wilsonecho91

that's what i said.

Ok, well you can't just not pur them in your little lineup there.

A 4th line of Belle-Laughton-Raffl instills a lot of confidence in me.

Read-G-Raffl (if Vinny is traded)
Simmer-Schenn-Jake
Umberger-Coots-Akeson
Belle-Laughton-Vinny

I mean I can't really female dog about that at this point.
- Giroux_Is_God

Raffl isn't a first line player. Needs more R & R boys, re-shuffle the deck chairs and re-submit.

Now the big question: Who will be the Flyers new first line left winger? As of now, the job may go to Brayden Schenn, along with Hartnell's role on the top power play unit. If that's the case, it means the Flyers will be in the market for another top-six forward.

But there's no cap room for a top 6 forward unless they trade Vinny.

FORWARDS
Brayden Schenn ($2.500m) / Claude Giroux ($8.275m) / Jakub Voracek ($4.250m)
R.J. Umberger ($4.600m) / Vincent Lecavalier ($4.500m) / Wayne Simmonds ($3.975m)
Matt Read ($3.625m) / Sean Couturier ($1.750m) / Jason Akeson ($0.715m)
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare ($0.600m) / Scott Laughton ($0.863m) / Michael Raffl ($1.100m)
DEFENSEMEN
Kimmo Timonen ($2.000m) / Braydon Coburn ($4.500m)
Mark Streit ($5.250m) / Nicklas Grossmann ($3.500m)
Andrew MacDonald ($5.000m) / Luke Schenn ($3.600m)
Chris Pronger ($4.941m) /
GOALTENDERS
Steve Mason ($4.100m)

BONUS OVERAGE
$345,000
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(estimations for 2014-15)
SALARY CAP: $71,100,000; CAP PAYROLL: $69,989,762; BONUSES: $1,712,500
CAP SPACE (20-man roster): $1,110,238

In 3 years, Hartnell's contract may not even look that bad. Look at what guys like Clarkson got last season.

I would understand the trade a lot more if Umberger had a year left on his deal instead of 3.

It's easy to say "Lets just move someone up to LW and have him play with G. Anyone can be productive." Thats simply not the case. WE KNOW that Hartnell-G-Voracek work and make up a strong top line. Hartnell, also, made a strong second line with Schenn and Simmonds.
- PhillySportsGuy

When Hartnell goes...it'll be gone for good. Whether it's year two, four or five, that contract with an NMC was gonna make you weep. That's just hockey

I mean, my initial reaction was to push my kids into lion cage at zoo, which is where I was when I heard news.

Fortunately the lion died in March, so they lived.
- Jsaquella

I think people are trying to convince themselves this is a good deal. I tried to do the same thing with the Luke Schenn deal.

Pretty much every respectable hockey writer has said this is a bad trade for the Flyers. I tend to agree and I'm not going to try and convince myself that Umberger is something he isn't

Raffl isn't a first line player. Needs more R & R boys, re-shuffle the deck chairs and re-submit.
- PLindbergh31

Meh either way, that's a strong forward corps. That's the bottom line.

uh
Akeson?
Bellemaire?
UFAs?

Can we actually see what else they do this offseason before passing judgement?
- BiggE

How much of a vote of confidence do you have in Akeson and Bellemare give you?

After all the talk of wanting Brayden Schenn at center, he could be forced to wing and forced into a possible first line role. Is he ready?

Regardless of what happens in Free Angency, how many lines do we have? Who can we sign that can legitimately play with Giroux or are we going to experiment? Unless another deal is made, this is our top six that looks pretty good but our bottom six doesn't look great.

Things do not look good at the moment in my opinion.

With Hartsy gone I feel much more confident Simmonds is staying...

Knock on wood.

If I were Schenns agent... this would be the sweetest news.

"Oh so now my player is going to be heavily relied upon as the top line winger? Cool, we just went from 2.5 to 4 in the blink of an eye.

Let just move Vinny and .schenn and OS Ryan Johansson. How Nasty would the middle be wth Giroux, Johansson, Couturier.

I'm on board with any trade that helps the clubs future. Sure I would've preferred a higher pick or another 4th, but losing the last 2 years on Hartnell's contract is a solid move. He may not have been tradeable in a year or two. RJ won't cause constant shorthanded situations with stupid penalties. Flyers weren't going to get much with that 5 year contract.

When Hartnell goes...it'll be gone for good. Whether it's year two, four or five, that contract with an NMC was gonna make you weep. That's just hockey
- AllInForFlyers

Why not wait until after FA to make this deal. Find a team that struck out on finding a power forward.

It just seems like they settled.