Picks alone aren't everything. There is a luck component for one. If Philly bottomed out in 2008 instead of 2007 they get Doughty instead of JVR. The other thing is picking the right players. Edmonton failed because they picked wingers instead of more important positions like center and defenseman. How would that team look today with Seguin, RNH, and Murray as its core?

Bottoming out helps in a lot of other ways than just picks in the top 5. It gives you picks at the top of the 2nd, where talent drys up rapidly from the beginning to the end. It allows to move out other players for picks which increase your chance of hitting on top shelf talent. And in the salary cap world, it should help in creating space by moving out contracts.

Why is this fan base so against bottoming out? The league rules are set up to punish middle of the roads teams. Look at the last cup winners. The majority have bottomed out including Boston.
- psuhockey

Yes, there are two awesome players at the top of this year's draft. Any team would be drastically increasing their chances of winning down the road by taking either one of them.

The thing about this draft is that the top-10/15 are all fantastic players, too. This is the year you don't have to be a total embarrassment to net a franchise-altering player.

Detroit is the only one and they are about to be stuck in the crappy middle too.
- psuhockey

They're chock-full of promising prospects including future franchise G: Mrazek, and franchise scoring forward: Mantha. Things are really looking up for them in the future. And they haven't had to miss the PO's to do it.

"Coby" makes him sound like a dog.
- Feanor

What, Coby?? Luke Schenn fell down a well???

Luke Schenn soon and Grossmann at the deadline could certainly net us 2 2nd rounders in 2015 and I'd do it. I don't care bout this season, no matter what they do they have 0 chance of winning the cup. And as far next year goes, I'm fine with replacing L Schenn, Grossman and MDZ with some combo of Ghost, Alt, Morin, Hagg and/or one UFA.
- BiggE

Not sure those guys bring back 2nds. I'm thinking mid-late rounders

LSchenn ain't getting benched.

Mac and Coburn out four weeks.

http://flyers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=735111

Not sure those guys bring back 2nds. I'm thinking mid-late rounders
- PhillySportsGuy

You never know. Trade deadline asking prices can be pretty insane. I think Grossmann could get a 2nd rounder

LSchenn ain't getting benched.

Mac and Coburn out four weeks.

http://flyers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=735111
- Feanor

*removes glasses*

My god....

Not sure those guys bring back 2nds. I'm thinking mid-late rounders
- PhillySportsGuy

Douglass Murray

Two 2nds
2!

Wait til the deadline. Owners lean on GMs cause they think they are just one or two players away for a cup. I guarantee you will get a late 2nd from good teams who think "one more physical Dman, and our D is as set as anyones"

What, Coby?? Luke Schenn fell down a well???
- BiggE

Yes, Timmy. Let's keep this between us, OK?

*removes glasses*

My god....
- mcefalu

Lottery pick
Say it all together, lottery pick

Start the sacrifices to the Hockey Gods asap please

Yes, Timmy. Let's keep this between us, OK?
- tangent_man

I hope Bill or someone can get some info on what happened to Coburn.

He goes from skating with the team for a whole week in practice, to being out another month?

LSchenn ain't getting benched.

Mac and Coburn out four weeks.

http://flyers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=735111
- Feanor

That's something else. Maybe we will be getting that top 2 pick after all.

Douglass Murray

Two 2nds
2!

Wait til the deadline. Owners lean on GMs cause they think they are just one or two players away for a cup. I guarantee you will get a late 2nd from good teams who think "one more physical Dman, and our D is as set as anyones"
- BiggE

I feel like that was a rare case. Like coburn for Zhitnik

LSchenn ain't getting benched.

Mac and Coburn out four weeks.

http://flyers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=735111
- Feanor

I (frank)in' knew it. Coburn's is just another in a long string of "it's nothing major" injuries that end up being much worse.

Guessing we see Alt & Manning, that's awful news in both cases. I think AMac has been solid for most part. Coburn hurts

Yes, there are two awesome players at the top of this year's draft. Any team would be drastically increasing their chances of winning down the road by taking either one of them.

The thing about this draft is that the top-10/15 are all fantastic players, too. This is the year you don't have to be a total embarrassment to net a franchise-altering player.



They're chock-full of promising prospects including future franchise G: Mrazek, and franchise scoring forward: Mantha. Things are really looking up for them in the future. And they haven't had to miss the PO's to do it.
- Tomahawk

Detroit's prospects are always highly ranked but they haven't drafted a real difference maker since Datsyuk and Zetterberg and both were in the 90's before 30 teams actually participated in the draft. Nyquist looks to be the real deal, same with the other two guys you mentioned but I don't see any elite talents at defense or center, the two most important positions.

Again I am not talking about having a decent prospect pool to be competitive, I am talking about winning a cup. You need hall of fame level players to do that. Not all come the top 5, but a lot do. And I said, bottoming out allows you to acquire more picks which increase the chances of lucking out and hitting on a elite talent later.

That's something else. Maybe we will be getting that top 2 pick after all.
- NickTheKid87

So who comes up? Manning?

Ladies and gentlemen....

Your new Flyers top defensive pair: Streit and Grossmann

So who comes up? Manning?
- PhillySportsGuy

I would think Manning AND Alt

I would think Manning AND Alt
- mcefalu

Streit-Grossmann
MDZ-Schenn
Manning/Alt-Schultz

Oh.

That's something else. Maybe we will be getting that top 2 pick after all.
- NickTheKid87

Haha...I was just about to add my 2 cents to the "take a step back to take 2 steps forward" club...

but I guess now I don't have to.

Just hope Hextall resists the pressure to make a short-term move.

LSchenn ain't getting benched.

Mac and Coburn out four weeks.

http://flyers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=735111
- Feanor

WTH

LSchenn ain't getting benched.

Mac and Coburn out four weeks.

http://flyers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=735111
- Feanor

You have got to be (frank)ing kidding me

Guessing we see Alt & Manning, that's awful news in both cases. I think AMac has been solid for most part. Coburn hurts
- Jsaquella

Has to happen at this point.

Actually would have preferred to see Alt instead of extending Schultz's minutes (i.e.--keep Schultz as the 7th), but now it looks like definitely one of those guys is gonna see minutes.