And losing A #1 defenseman to a career ending injury isn't a big factor on why they added players. If Pronger didn't get hurt, do they trade for Grossmann? Do they sign Streit? Every defenseman on the Flyers is a solid defenseman.
- MJL

The injury to Pronger was a crippling blow.. no one can deny that.

But the patch work they have done is because they havent been able to land a top guy (not for lack of trying)... Over paying certain players because of where they use them is a problem. MacDonald at $5 mil is an over payment to me.. I know we differ on him, but I think he is a 5-6 d-man that can fill in on the PK and PP when needed.

They had to spend that money, because they are desperate. Being desperate forces you to make tough decisions. Players know that they are desperate and get paid handsomely because of it.

Exactly, with a healthy Pronger still around, you are most likely aren't going to have Grossmann, Streit and possibly AMac in the fold.
- BiggE

Nothing but cap mismanagement there E!

FWIW:
•Anthony Petrelli: A commenter on MLHS said that Philly Sports Radio 94WIP was saying that the Flyers have three offers from Vincent Lecavalier: Scottie Upshaw from the Panthers, Tim Gleason from the Maple Leafs and draft picks from the Stars.
- J35Bacher

Laught and likely irrelevant as the source is 94WIP

They weren't forced to make them, they made a choice. It seems as though if a team doesn't have an unlimited amount of cap space to make every move possible, then they have mismanaged the cap. When a player is put on LTIR, as Briere was, other players are called up to replace that player. A GM is not going to sit back and let his team sit shorthanded when an injury to a key player occurs, when you expect to contend. Now when you add players and it's time to bring a top player off of LTIR, then choices have to be made.

Exactly what has Upshall done that is so great since he left the Flyers, that make it such a big loss?
- MJL

So.. quick question.. Name other teams that had to use both buy-outs, trade a few big contracts, and had to trade other players and picks to sweeten the deal in order to clear up space.

Name a single team even.

Exactly, with a healthy Pronger still around, you are most likely aren't going to have Grossmann, Streit and possibly AMac in the fold.
- BiggE

That they didn't have D prospects in the system to help replace certainly is a criticism everyone recognizes contributes to their "pay for free agent defensemen" problem, but it's pretty clear the past two drafts that they're moving to ensure (as much as they can) that they do have those replacements in the future. The key will be to continue drafting and developing well even once those guys become ready to go. They can't go back and redo the old drafts and pick better players so that they would have already been here. All they can do today is start to be better in that area today.

FWIW:
•Anthony Petrelli: A commenter on MLHS said that Philly Sports Radio 94WIP was saying that the Flyers have three offers from Vincent Lecavalier: Scottie Upshaw from the Panthers, Tim Gleason from the Maple Leafs and draft picks from the Stars.
- J35Bacher

if its true id go with picks from the stars. try to get that second back for next year.

The injury to Pronger was a crippling blow.. no one can deny that.

But the patch work they have done is because they havent been able to land a top guy (not for lack of trying)... Over paying certain players because of where they use them is a problem. MacDonald at $5 mil is an over payment to me.. I know we differ on him, but I think he is a 5-6 d-man that can fill in on the PK and PP when needed.

They had to spend that money, because they are desperate. Being desperate forces you to make tough decisions. Players know that they are desperate and get paid handsomely because of it.
- jak521

That's discussing player evaluation, not cap mismangement. That's a different topic. They didn't have to spend that money. They made a decision. They feel that adding MacDonald makes them better. MacDonald got market value. Even his agent felt that they could've gotten more on the open market. Nothing to do with the Flyers being deperate. It the NHL salary market.

Bah, jump in, the water's warm. Is it full of piss? Probably.
- Tomahawk

From all the beer talk it doesn't surprise me

At this point, it's a valid option, although I think Gilbert will be getting a significant raise form the $900K he got last year
- Jsaquella

Someone of that Ilk will save you 2-3 mil in cap dollars on a short deal. If the flyers can obtain a 2nd rounder in next years deep draft I think the flyers have to look at that. This team is not ready to go compete for a cup in the next 2 years

The landscape of pro sports with a cap is that if your constantly a middle of the pack team your likely to stay there without making serious changes one way or the other

In reality they are not more restricted then any team in the NHL.

Here is something that I have to repeat every year. Capgeek does not give the true numbers in the off season. They give an estimate of the season based on what players they think will be on the team. They state this on their site.

So if you just look at capgeek, you don't know the exact numbers.

The Flyers aren't doing things any differenty then a lot of teams are in the NHL.

Quick question. What is the Flyers upper limit going to be this upcoming season?
- MJL

You can keep repeating it, because we can all read. We don't have to know the exact #s to know they are up against it.....You can only defer for so long...you can only hope the CDN dollar rebounds and the cap # rises next year. I don't think Hextall is done making changes, he fully realizes they need to get their cap situation under control going forward and pretty much everyone agrees thats the smart thing to do......To say the flyers don't do things differently then 90% of the league is silly. Thats not what the evidence has showed.
Hextall left the GM meetings by saying to the other GMS...."i need cap releif" "call me if you have any idea's". Sounds like a GM that likes his cap position to me ....
I wish he shared your optimism, but he know's the reality.

So.. quick question.. Name other teams that had to use both buy-outs, trade a few big contracts, and had to trade other players and picks to sweeten the deal in order to clear up space.

Name a single team even.
- jak521

Have to do some research there. But lot's of teams have used all of those tools. And there also aren't that many teams that are cap teams every year like the Flyers choose to be. Look around the League at teams that lose free agents, use buyouts, trade players. Some of it has even happened recently. How about TB?

if its true id go with picks from the stars. try to get that second back for next year.
- PhillaBully

Find it hard to believe Coming from 94.1 of all places

You can keep repeating it, because we can all read. We don't have to know the exact #s to know they are up against it.....You can only defer for so long...you can only hope the CDN dollar rebounds and the cap # rises next year. I don't think Hextall is done making changes, he fully realizes they need to get their cap situation under control going forward and pretty much everyone agrees thats the smart thing to do......To say the flyers don't do things differently then 90% of the league is silly. Thats not what the evidence has showed.
Hextall left the GM meetings by saying to the other GMS...."i need cap releif" "call me if you have any idea's". Sounds like a GM that likes his cap position to me ....
I wish he shared your optimism, but he know's the reality.
- landros 2

Hextall likely has some moves he wants to make, and needs some cap space to do so. Normal part of a cap environment.

If the evidence shows that , produce exactly how the Flyers do things differently then the rest of the league. And be specific.

And you claimed to know the numbers, so I'll again ask what the Flyers upper limit is going to be this upcoming season?

The Flyers every year do some maneuvering with the Cap. Show me where Hextall said the team was in a bind? Making a deal to be better positioned in the future with the cap, is managing the cap. Not mismanaging it.

Things change with regards to a player. One player that is core player can become a player that a team wants to move a few years later. That's not mismanagement. It's the evolution of a team, and of players.
- MJL

Hextall on CSNPhilly:

“That is what I kind of put out there. We do need relief and if you have any ideas, give me a shout. It’s not an option, but there are teams out there that need help. We’ll see where it goes.”

Just going to throw this out there: Just because you have choices, doesn't mean you didn't put yourself in a bad position.

Also, the Ilya Bryzgalov contract was terrible from day 1.

You can keep repeating it, because we can all read. We don't have to know the exact #s to know they are up against it.....You can only defer for so long...you can only hope the CDN dollar rebounds and the cap # rises next year. I don't think Hextall is done making changes, he fully realizes they need to get their cap situation under control going forward and pretty much everyone agrees thats the smart thing to do......To say the flyers don't do things differently then 90% of the league is silly. Thats not what the evidence has showed.
Hextall left the GM meetings by saying to the other GMS...."i need cap releif" "call me if you have any idea's". Sounds like a GM that likes his cap position to me ....
I wish he shared your optimism, but he know's the reality.
- landros 2

That comment has to be taken with a grain of salt. Basically he's telling the other GM's he's open to hear offers on anyone. I like that he's recognizing that the cap should be carefully contrsucted and I think that he won't be able to field the team he'd like to because of it. That said I do think that he'll do just fine and he's not developing an ulcer over it.

Just going to throw this out there: Just because you have choices, doesn't mean you didn't put yourself in a bad position.

Also, the Ilya Bryzgalov contract was terrible from day 1.
- BulliesPhan87

It was good when he went on that shut out streak..... but then it went bad again lol

From all the beer talk it doesn't surprise me
- bigmookalookie

It was good when he went on that shut out streak..... but then it went bad again lol
- bigmookalookie

He had his better moments here, for sure. His contract was still awful, and they're beyond lucky they got a mulligan.

Find it hard to believe Coming from 94.1 of all places
- Just5

i know i know. Either way we will see tommorow. Anyone have a list of ufa's in two years?

Hextall on CSNPhilly:

“That is what I kind of put out there. We do need relief and if you have any ideas, give me a shout. It’s not an option, but there are teams out there that need help. We’ll see where it goes.”
- Flyers_01

Wait for it, the reply will be "I don't see him saying the word 'bind' in there"

Nothing but cap mismanagement there E!
- MJL

Mismanagement was adding them to the fold... Mismanagement was spending 13.75 million in cap space on Streit, AMac and Grossmann...

13.75 million also nets
Doughty, Voynov, Greene

Pieterangelo, Shattenkirk, Gunnarsson

Fowler, Beauchemin, Allen

Suter, Spurgeon, Ballard

...

We give big pays to guys to play because we HAVE to.. desperation = higher spending = higher probability of a bad contract.

So... on to more interesting topics:

Deadling for QO offers is 4PM today... I suspect some really interesting young players are about to become UFA's... Tyler Cuma, Jordan Caron, MDZ, etc.

Wait for it, the reply will be "I don't see him saying the word 'bind' in there"
- Jsaquella

Have to do some research there. But lot's of teams have used all of those tools. And there also aren't that many teams that are cap teams every year like the Flyers choose to be. Look around the League at teams that lose free agents, use buyouts, trade players. Some of it has even happened recently. How about TB?
- MJL

Yup Tampa is a prime example. Bought out Vinny and Malone. Traded Purcell for Gagner who along with Crombeen they turned into a 6th and cap space. Moved Nate Thompson for picks too.

Edit: In no way am I happy with our salary cap situation, but we aren't alone. Just hope they learn from this for the future (doubtful since they didn't the last time).