Bobby Ryan to me isn't the end all, be all. I'd happily take JvR back or go for Evander Kane but Ryan just might be all that's out there as far as finishers who can keep up with Giroux, without giving up assets. Keep in mind Ryan is young then Matt Read. Ryan might be a one trick pony but the league is full of them. Always will be. To gather 20 players who play their perspective roles to a T to me is an unrealistic fantasy.
- SuperSchennBros

I'm not looking for 20 guys who play their prospective roles, I'm looking at the long term feasibility of signing a guy like Ryan.

Pros: 30 goals is almost certain for 3-4 years
No assets to acquire except cap space

Cons: Ryan doesn't fill their biggest need
He will eat up a huge chunk of cap space
He will make it more difficult to address the biggest need the team has with the amount of cap he takes up
He will make it more difficult to re-sign Voracek Schenn and Couturier in a couple years.
By the end of his contract, which would likely be 6 or 7 years, the Flyers would be looking at paying him premium AAV for less than stellar performance.

I'd rather see if Brayden Schenn can step up. I'd rather see if the reasonably priced Read can provide the 30 goals and continue to b an excellent all around player. I'd rather see if Simmonds can provide what Ryan does while costing $2-$4mm less per year.

Yes, I'd much rather trade an asset like Schenn for a 22 year old like Evander Kane than sign a UFA like Ryan. The Flyers aren't at the stage where they need that one last piece to win a Cup. They are at the stage where they need to continue to increase the roles played by their youngsters and continue to develop young talent. Not bury it behind the shiny new UFA addition.

Ryan, or a player like him, is what a team who is ready to win needs. The Flyers are a couple/few years from that.

I'm not looking for 20 guys who play their prospective roles, I'm looking at the long term feasibility of signing a guy like Ryan.

Pros: 30 goals is almost certain for 3-4 years
No assets to acquire except cap space

Cons: Ryan doesn't fill their biggest need
He will eat up a huge chunk of cap space
He will make it more difficult to address the biggest need the team has with the amount of cap he takes up
He will make it more difficult to re-sign Voracek Schenn and Couturier in a couple years.
By the end of his contract, which would likely be 6 or 7 years, the Flyers would be looking at paying him premium AAV for less than stellar performance.

I'd rather see if Brayden Schenn can step up. I'd rather see if the reasonably priced Read can provide the 30 goals and continue to b an excellent all around player. I'd rather see if Simmonds can provide what Ryan does while costing $2-$4mm less per year.

Yes, I'd much rather trade an asset like Schenn for a 22 year old like Evander Kane than sign a UFA like Ryan. The Flyers aren't at the stage where they need that one last piece to win a Cup. They are at the stage where they need to continue to increase the roles played by their youngsters and continue to develop young talent. Not bury it behind the shiny new UFA addition.

Ryan, or a player like him, is what a team who is ready to win needs. The Flyers are a couple/few years from that.
- Jsaquella

signing ryan puts us over the top by far

signing ryan puts us over the top by far
- 2Real

I thought Vinny was supposed to put us over the top, lol.

I thought Vinny was supposed to put us over the top, lol.
- Tomahawk

vinny is support scoring

vinny is support scoring
- 2Real

He only had 3 more goals than Vinny did last season.

It's been 4-years since he's broken 60-points, and he hasn't hit 30-goals since 2011-12.

Good evening... So the first day of camp was eventful I see. Hopefully Giroux's ok. I thought more of the yongins were gonna get a look see at practice... Well don't mind me just worked like 50 hours inn4 days ... Can't wait for this season!

They tried to move Lecavalier. Nobody wanted him without the Flyers eating a ton of salary. If his awful season was the start of a decline, they won't be able to move him anyhow, unless it's via buy out.

I don't care that they traded Hartnell. The guy could score, but he was inconsistent, undisciplined and honestly, at this point was the 1st line LW by default. Trading him opened more opportunity for Schenn and Couturier, as well as Read and Simmonds.

The Flyers are now looking ahead, rather than dropping more assets and money into upgrading their mid tier team, they're going to try to build an elite one through the draft. They might not be as good in the short term, but they will very likely be better in the long term
- Jsaquella

I'm a huge hartnell fan sand I have to say I'm ok with the trade. I don't think he was buying into the program here and time to move on.

I'm not looking for 20 guys who play their prospective roles, I'm looking at the long term feasibility of signing a guy like Ryan.

Pros: 30 goals is almost certain for 3-4 years
No assets to acquire except cap space

Cons: Ryan doesn't fill their biggest need
He will eat up a huge chunk of cap space
He will make it more difficult to address the biggest need the team has with the amount of cap he takes up
He will make it more difficult to re-sign Voracek Schenn and Couturier in a couple years.
By the end of his contract, which would likely be 6 or 7 years, the Flyers would be looking at paying him premium AAV for less than stellar performance.

I'd rather see if Brayden Schenn can step up. I'd rather see if the reasonably priced Read can provide the 30 goals and continue to b an excellent all around player. I'd rather see if Simmonds can provide what Ryan does while costing $2-$4mm less per year.

Yes, I'd much rather trade an asset like Schenn for a 22 year old like Evander Kane than sign a UFA like Ryan. The Flyers aren't at the stage where they need that one last piece to win a Cup. They are at the stage where they need to continue to increase the roles played by their youngsters and continue to develop young talent. Not bury it behind the shiny new UFA addition.

Ryan, or a player like him, is what a team who is ready to win needs. The Flyers are a couple/few years from that.
- Jsaquella

To be honest I'm not even sure Hexy will be interested in pursuing Ryan. He doesn't strike me as the kind of GM that goes out and makes 7 year offers to non-superstar players.

Maybe if they move Vinny, and Ghost and MDZ both impress and they move AMac and we have a bunch of cap room. I just don't see Hextall maxing us out with the cap over Bobby Ryan. Homer? Totally. Hexy? No.

He only had 3 more goals than Vinny did last season.

It's been 4-years since he's broken 60-points, and he hasn't hit 30-goals since 2011-12.
- Tomahawk

he's not playing with giroux

I'm not looking for 20 guys who play their prospective roles, I'm looking at the long term feasibility of signing a guy like Ryan.

Pros: 30 goals is almost certain for 3-4 years
No assets to acquire except cap space

Cons: Ryan doesn't fill their biggest need
He will eat up a huge chunk of cap space
He will make it more difficult to address the biggest need the team has with the amount of cap he takes up
He will make it more difficult to re-sign Voracek Schenn and Couturier in a couple years.
By the end of his contract, which would likely be 6 or 7 years, the Flyers would be looking at paying him premium AAV for less than stellar performance.

I'd rather see if Brayden Schenn can step up. I'd rather see if the reasonably priced Read can provide the 30 goals and continue to b an excellent all around player. I'd rather see if Simmonds can provide what Ryan does while costing $2-$4mm less per year.

Yes, I'd much rather trade an asset like Schenn for a 22 year old like Evander Kane than sign a UFA like Ryan. The Flyers aren't at the stage where they need that one last piece to win a Cup. They are at the stage where they need to continue to increase the roles played by their youngsters and continue to develop young talent. Not bury it behind the shiny new UFA addition.

Ryan, or a player like him, is what a team who is ready to win needs. The Flyers are a couple/few years from that.
- Jsaquella

I disagree that you have an idea of how certain players should play simply because of how you single out Lecavalier and Grossmann. It would be wonderful to have all our centers play like Rod Brind'Amour in all three zones or have all six of our defensemen move the puck up ice like Drew Doughty but it's not realistic. As far as the money side of things, this is all jumping the gun and speculation. We saw last summer a number of UFAs accept less then what they probably could have made. On top of this, in a couple of years I'm hoping we have found away to move on from both Lecavalier and Umberger to free up cap space. I also expect the Flyers to walk away from Grossmann by this time due to his contract being up. Now many may feel like I over value Bobby Ryan. Maybe I do. For me though, it's more of an idea of a player who wants and is devoted to be here and a player who can finish once Giroux puts the puck on the blade on his stick. As for what we do have already, we have really good players but I'm not sure we have legit front line players. What we might have right now are a number of really good support players who still need to get over the hump. Maybe they will, maybe they won't.

I disagree that you have an idea of how certain players should play simply because of how you single out Lecavalier and Grossmann. It would be wonderful to have all our centers play like Rod Brind'Amour in all three zones or have all six of our defensemen move the puck up ice like Drew Doughty but it's not realistic. As far as the money side of things, this is all jumping the gun and speculation. We saw last summer a number of UFAs accept less then what they probably could have made. On top of this, in a couple of years I'm hoping we have found away to move on from both Lecavalier and Umberger to free up cap space. I also expect the Flyers to walk away from Grossmann by this time due to his contract being up. Now many may feel like I over value Bobby Ryan. Maybe I do. For me though, it's more of an idea of a player who wants and is devoted to be here and a player who can finish once Giroux puts the puck on the blade on his stick. As for what we do have already, we have really good players but I'm not sure we have legit front line players. What we might have right now are a number of really good support players who still need to get over the hump. Maybe they will, maybe they won't.
- SuperSchennBros

Signing Ryan would put a top line player on the top line rather than forcing a square peg in a round hole and putting players like read and simmer on the top line. Read and Simmer are simply not top line players, solid, but not top line guys.

I disagree that you have an idea of how certain players should play simply because of how you single out Lecavalier and Grossmann. It would be wonderful to have all our centers play like Rod Brind'Amour in all three zones or have all six of our defensemen move the puck up ice like Drew Doughty but it's not realistic. As far as the money side of things, this is all jumping the gun and speculation. We saw last summer a number of UFAs accept less then what they probably could have made. On top of this, in a couple of years I'm hoping we have found away to move on from both Lecavalier and Umberger to free up cap space. I also expect the Flyers to walk away from Grossmann by this time due to his contract being up. Now many may feel like I over value Bobby Ryan. Maybe I do. For me though, it's more of an idea of a player who wants and is devoted to be here and a player who can finish once Giroux puts the puck on the blade on his stick. As for what we do have already, we have really good players but I'm not sure we have legit front line players. What we might have right now are a number of really good support players who still need to get over the hump. Maybe they will, maybe they won't.
- SuperSchennBros

I'm not singling out Lecavalier or Grossmann. When I mention Lecavalier, I'm pointing out how in the past the Flyers signed big name free agents to long term deals that ran into their mid or late 30's and how most of those contracts ended in disappointment. When I mention Grossmann, I'm pointing out how the last GM expended assets to fill holes with solid vets at the expense of future depth.

Ryan just shot down a deal for 7 years, $49mm. Even if he takes less money or years, he's not likely to take a whole lot less, unless he has a dreadful season this year. It's not just Ryan, I wouldn't sign a 28 year old, one way, 30 goal winger to a long term deal regardless of whether it's Ryan or somebody else.

I want to avoid guys who will have contracts that will likely be millstones around the team's neck for the last few seasons.

To be honest I'm not even sure Hexy will be interested in pursuing Ryan. He doesn't strike me as the kind of GM that goes out and makes 7 year offers to non-superstar players.

Maybe if they move Vinny, and Ghost and MDZ both impress and they move AMac and we have a bunch of cap room. I just don't see Hextall maxing us out with the cap over Bobby Ryan. Homer? Totally. Hexy? No.
- hereticpride

The only way I'd have interest in Ryan is if one or more of Simmonds, Schenn or Voracek is traded for a top defenseman

Signing Ryan would put a top line player on the top line rather than forcing a square peg in a round hole and putting players like read and simmer on the top line. Read and Simmer are simply not top line players, solid, but not top line guys.
- moylander

Simmonds is a better player then Bobby Ryan is in my view. There's 30 teams in the League. Simmonds was tied for 12 among RW's in scoring in the NHL last season.