Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Streit, Three Franchise-Changing Trades

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Streit, Three Franchise-Changing Trades
- bmeltzer

hey bill great read ! i was wondering with the injuries or injury i guess to the back end do you think gostisbehere gets any time with the big club or will he spend the entire year with the phantoms to get a bit bigger ?

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Streit, Three Franchise-Changing Trades
- bmeltzer

While the last year or two of his deal may be a burden, Streit has been a solid signing for the Flyers.

With the lack of a true top pairing, many of this squad's defensemen will take likely take a beating from the fans this year, because they're going to be asked to take on a much larger role than they're suited for.

Good post, Bill! Just a couple thoughts....

1.) Lindros in a Ranger jersey is/was sad to see. Some of the stuff that came out about Eric and the Flyers was so unflattering then and now and no matter what side you took (or have taken) it wasn't worth the sight of Eric Lindros in a Rangers jersey. It sucks that the situation couldn't get figured out.

2.) Lindros' arrival, along with Mikael Renberg's rookie season, was proof for Flyer fans that things were gonna get better during the dark times of the early '90's. Renberg potted 38 in his rookie year and I'm fairly certain he didn't play with Eric much, if at all. Eric was actually hurt for a stretch of time during Renberg's rookie year if I recall.

3.) I wonder if the Flyers would have won Game 7 of the ECF if Kim Johnsson had two working hands. If I recall, he was playing on an already depleted blue line with a broken hand.

Streit has been pretty solid for the Flyers. I think due to Timonen's injury, Streit will contribute even more getting the lions share of first unit PP duty.

While the last year or two of his deal may be a burden, Streit has been a solid signing for the Flyers.

With the lack of a true top pairing, many of this squad's defensemen will take likely take a beating from the fans this year, because they're going to be asked to take on a much larger role than they're suited for.
- bradleyc4

Streit was good last year and he should have been on top PP unit. I am glad he will get his chance but the loss of Timo will be huge as I don't see Streit as a top minutes guy at this stage unless his extra minutes come on PP
I think we are going to have to win some more 4-3 or 5-4 games this year. We needed a solid top 4 guy before Timo went down so we signed MDZ (who it seems no one else wanted). I hope he can use that motivation to find his game but ultimately the back end like you said " could take a beating "

Good post, Bill! Just a couple thoughts....

1.) Lindros in a Ranger jersey is/was sad to see. Some of the stuff that came out about Eric and the Flyers was so unflattering then and now and no matter what side you took (or have taken) it wasn't worth the sight of Eric Lindros in a Rangers jersey. It sucks that the situation couldn't get figured out.

2.) Lindros' arrival, along with Mikael Renberg's rookie season, was proof for Flyer fans that things were gonna get better during the dark times of the early '90's. Renberg potted 38 in his rookie year and I'm fairly certain he didn't play with Eric much, if at all. Eric was actually hurt for a stretch of time during Renberg's rookie year if I recall.

3.) I wonder if the Flyers would have won Game 7 of the ECF if Kim Johnsson had two working hands. If I recall, he was playing on an already depleted blue line with a broken hand.
- johndewar

If I remember correctly Johnsson also scored in that game 7

If I remember correctly Johnsson also scored in that game 7

- Pyzik

Yes, he did.

I also remember he couldn't shake hands with his right hand in the handshake line because his hand was jacked up.

fail for macdavid

I believe they also flipped Pavel Brendl in the deal for Sami Kapanen right? They ended up getting 3 regulars out of that trade and subsequent trades which isn't bad value.

Streit was good last year and he should have been on top PP unit. I am glad he will get his chance but the loss of Timo will be huge as I don't see Streit as a top minutes guy at this stage unless his extra minutes come on PP
I think we are going to have to win some more 4-3 or 5-4 games this year. We needed a solid top 4 guy before Timo went down so we signed MDZ (who it seems no one else wanted). I hope he can use that motivation to find his game but ultimately the back end like you said " could take a beating "
- 3flyerkids

The lack of the top pairing means that you're having 2nd pair talents taking top pair minutes (although Coburn is a solid top pair option) and third pairing guys taking 2nd pair minutes.

The trickle down effect of not getting a true #1 and losing Timonen will be felt by all. Including Mason.

Didn't Jan Hlavac have a 4-goal game and...well, yeah, that's about it?

Didn't Jan Hlavac have a 4-goal game and...well, yeah, that's about it?
- jmatchett383

Nope. That was Jiri Dopita.

I believe they also flipped Pavel Brendl in the deal for Sami Kapanen right? They ended up getting 3 regulars out of that trade and subsequent trades which isn't bad value.
- FlyerAdam30

Correct. I agree, too.

The lack of the top pairing means that you're having 2nd pair talents taking top pair minutes (although Coburn is a solid top pair option) and third pairing guys taking 2nd pair minutes.

The trickle down effect of not getting a true #1 and losing Timonen will be felt by all. Including Mason.
- bradleyc4

You'd like to think Berube will find a way, tactically, to mitigate this, but I agree with what you've laid out here.

Didn't Jan Hlavac have a 4-goal game and...well, yeah, that's about it?
- jmatchett383

I remember a post-trade game on or around St. Patty's day against the Rangers that Hlavac scored in that I was there for. That's about all I remember about Jan Hlavac. Or that day for that matter.

hey bill great read ! i was wondering with the injuries or injury i guess to the back end do you think gostisbehere gets any time with the big club or will he spend the entire year with the phantoms to get a bit bigger ?
- blizzzard

Unless he plays with God-like powers in the preseason or completely dominates the AHL, I don't think he'll see much, if any, NHL time.

But man, he'll be fun to watch.

While the last year or two of his deal may be a burden, Streit has been a solid signing for the Flyers.

With the lack of a true top pairing, many of this squad's defensemen will take likely take a beating from the fans this year, because they're going to be asked to take on a much larger role than they're suited for.
- bradleyc4

And this will be even further exaggerated if the Flyers don't improve defensively as a team and improve in 5 on 5 play.

Nope. That was Jiri Dopita.
- bmeltzer

Ah, I was thinking it might have been him, but didn't think Dopita ("best player not in the NHL") even had 4 goals as a Flyer.

Ah, I was thinking it might have been him, but didn't think Dopita ("best player not in the NHL") even had 4 goals as a Flyer.
- jmatchett383

He did it against the Thrashers, I think??

And this will be even further exaggerated if the Flyers don't improve defensively as a team and improve in 5 on 5 play.
- MJL

Agreed. If the Flyers as a whole can play good 5-on-5 defensive hockey, they'll be fine. Maybe not a SCF contender, but they'll be able to play with anyone. If the forwards leave the defense to fend for themselves, we will have some major issues.

Solution: Starting 6 of:

Morin - Hagg
Ghost - Alt
Sanheim - Lauridsen

He did it against the Thrashers, I think??
- johndewar

A lot of people did that against the Thrashers.

Good post, Bill! Just a couple thoughts....

1.) Lindros in a Ranger jersey is/was sad to see. Some of the stuff that came out about Eric and the Flyers was so unflattering then and now and no matter what side you took (or have taken) it wasn't worth the sight of Eric Lindros in a Rangers jersey. It sucks that the situation couldn't get figured out.

2.) Lindros' arrival, along with Mikael Renberg's rookie season, was proof for Flyer fans that things were gonna get better during the dark times of the early '90's. Renberg potted 38 in his rookie year and I'm fairly certain he didn't play with Eric much, if at all. Eric was actually hurt for a stretch of time during Renberg's rookie year if I recall.

3.) I wonder if the Flyers would have won Game 7 of the ECF if Kim Johnsson had two working hands. If I recall, he was playing on an already depleted blue line with a broken hand.
- johndewar

1) Totally agree.

2) Correct. Renberg only played about half of his rookie season games on Lindros' line (on LW, with Mark Recchi on RW). Actually, for the first 2 1/2 seasons of his career, Renberg produced at nearly the same rate REGARDLESS of his linemates, which is a big part of the reason why I take exception to people who say he simply rode his LOD linemates' coattails. That was flat out untrue. It was the frequent serious injuries -- and his insistence on trying to play through them if remotely possible -- that caused the downturn in his career. That will be tomorrow's main blog topic.

3) If Johnsson or the unavailable Marcus Ragnarsson or Desjardins had been healthy in the 2004 Eastern Conference Finals, I do think the seven-game series might have swung because it was very, very close as it was.

Ah, I was thinking it might have been him, but didn't think Dopita ("best player not in the NHL") even had 4 goals as a Flyer.
- jmatchett383

Dopita did that in a game where he had friends and family visiting from the Czech Republic. Another night, he won 16 of 17 faceoffs against countryman Bobby Holik (who was no slouch in the faceoff department).

Basically, when Dopita set his mind to elevating his game, he was as advertised. But that happened far too infrequently. He really never cared about being in the NHL and, while not a liability, kind of went through the motions most nights -- that was not good enough.

Hey Bill,
I remember a crazy rumor going around at the time of the Kenny Linseman trade. Supposedly he was shipped out because he was dating one of the Snider daughters and Ed Snider was not happy about it. Do you recall anything about this?

Agree about Streit. Coburn and Amac will need to be very good as well.
I think they are going to be forced to play huge minutes for Berube every night.

I really hope Luke Schenn shows up in top shape at the start and is ready to go.
They would benefit a lot if Luke could handle more then the ~14 minutes a game he saw last season.