I think there is a built in assumption that a deal like that is extremely unlikely to ever be offered.
- MJL

That's exactly my point. Which is why getting finicky over the term "untouchable" is a waste of time. For all intents and purposes, Giroux, Voracek and maybe Couturier and Simmonds are "untouchable"

Maybe the Flyers should make more young players "untouchable". Being impatient to me has been the Flyers biggest problem forever.

In October, a lot of talk about trading Brayden Schenn for players who absolutely have their own issues. If management were nearly as impatient as fans, we would have only added to another Cupccontender early this season. Schenn has only needed to find a line with the right mix, now that mission is completely. Couturier, Read and Schenn could be a line for a very long time and a good one.
- SuperSchennBros

I'm not sure Read is a long-term fit here, to be honest. When you look at players who will be needing extensions in a few years (Schenn, Couturier, Voracek, etc.), Read could be the salary they move to make room. They'll likely make some more room if they can move out some of the veteran defenders for the young kids, but, while he's extremely valuable, he's the contract they could probably afford to lose to get the most return if it came down to it.

I think the only truly untouchable player in the NHL is Sidney Crosby. No matter what the package was, Pittsburgh would not trade him. Other than that, maybe Weber is untouchable due to the cash investment, but I don't see anyone else who is 100% truly untouchable.
- jmatchett383

MacKinnon is pretty close imo

Bill any update on how Reese Willcox is making out? Do you think the flyers will eventually sign him?

any update on Fredric Larrson? is pretty much out of the picture at this point? thanks.

MacKinnon is pretty close imo
- PhillySportsGuy

He's close, but if I was offered Stamkos for him, I'd take Stamkos.

Not to bring up semantics, but to bring up semantics, "untouchable" seems to mean these guys aren't being moved in a reasonable deal. Only an unreasonable trade (i.e. Phoenix offers OEL for Couturier straight up) will they be dealt. Technically, no player is untouchable by the strict definition. I mean, if Tampa offered Stamkos and Hedman for Giroux, how could you say no?
- NickTheKid87

I agree, Giroux's about as untouchable as Recchi was before he got dealt for Rico and Johnny Vermont. He's not so special that he couldn't get moved under a very narrow set of circumstances, for a fair return.

He's definitely the last player they'd want to move, but yeah... not untouchable.

I'm not sure Read is a long-term fit here, to be honest. When you look at players who will be needing extensions in a few years (Schenn, Couturier, Voracek, etc.), Read could be the salary they move to make room. They'll likely make some more room if they can move out some of the veteran defenders for the young kids, but, while he's extremely valuable, he's the contract they could probably afford to lose to get the most return if it came down to it.
- jmatchett383

Fair enough but Read, Schenn, Simmonds and Couturier are all players who could be that fit who instantly makes another team better. I'm all for improving the Philadelphia Flyers but you also haveto watch how and who you give these players away. As an organization, we should focus on hanging on to our own.

Bill any update on how Reese Willcox is making out? Do you think the flyers will eventually sign him?

any update on Fredric Larrson? is pretty much out of the picture at this point? thanks.
- rinaldo

I actually want to hear any news other than stats concerning Tyson Amorosa and Merrick Madsen. Are they legitimate prospects or your generic late-round picks?

Fair enough but Read, Schenn, Simmonds and Couturier are all players who could be that fit who instantly makes another team better. I'm all for improving the Philadelphia Flyers but you also haveto watch how and who you give these players away.
- SuperSchennBros

Oh, absolutely. I'm sure they'd prefer to move players out of the conference if they needed to make a move. I'm just saying, when you're evaluating the team with respect to on-ice play to salary, he's probably the odd-man out. Not that he's not worth his contract but simply because he's the one you could afford to move, if it came down to it.

I agree, Giroux's about as untouchable as Recchi was before he got dealt for Rico and Johnny Vermont. He's not so special that he couldn't get moved under a very narrow set of circumstances, for a fair return.

He's definitely the last player they'd want to move, but yeah... not untouchable.
- Tomahawk

In this set of circumstances, I'd compare Giroux to Lindros and Voracek to Recchi. Giroux is our face.

Fun fact... The Pens have played the slugs 2 times already this season. In those two games Crosby has 8 points.

Voracek is two points behind Crosby currently.

Oh, absolutely. I'm sure they'd prefer to move players out of the conference if they needed to make a move. I'm just saying, when you're evaluating the team with respect to on-ice play to salary, he's probably the odd-man out. Not that he's not worth his contract but simply because he's the one you could afford to move, if it came down to it.
- jmatchett383

I think Simmonds deal and what he brings on the ice makes him one of the more valuable players in the league. I couldn't part with him.

In this set of circumstances, I'd compare Giroux to Lindros and Voracek to Recchi. Giroux is our face.
- SuperSchennBros

I agree, Giroux is about as untouchable as it gets.

Bill any update on how Reese Willcox is making out? Do you think the flyers will eventually sign him?

any update on Fredric Larrson? is pretty much out of the picture at this point? thanks.
- rinaldo

They like Willcox as a no-frills puck mover who is solid in his end of the ice. So, yes, I think he might be an ELC candidate.

Fredde is playing Division 1 (second tier minor league) hockey back in Sweden. Injuries and food allergies (which have made it tough for him to put on weight) set him back a lot. The Flyers no longer hold his rights.

Fun fact... The Pens have played the slugs 2 times already this season. In those two games Crosby has 8 points.

Voracek is two points behind Crosby currently.
- jak521

The who?

In this set of circumstances, I'd compare Giroux to Lindros and Voracek to Recchi. Giroux is our face.
- SuperSchennBros

Giroux is no Lindros... and that's coming from somebody who has man-crushed on G from his Gatineau days, and is pretty apathetic toward #88.

The who?
- SuperSchennBros

Buffalo Sabres. Their emblem looks like a slug.

Buffalo Sabres. Their emblem looks like a slug.

- MBFlyerfan

The who?
- SuperSchennBros

Maybe the Flyers should make more young players "untouchable". Being impatient to me has been the Flyers biggest problem forever.

In October, a lot of talk about trading Brayden Schenn for players who absolutely have their own issues. If management were nearly as impatient as fans, we would have only added to another Cupccontender early this season. Schenn has only needed to find a line with the right mix, now that mission is completely. Couturier, Read and Schenn could be a line for a very long time and a good one.
- SuperSchennBros

To be fair, the reasonable fans were calling for a Schenn for equally young dman trade if they wanted a trade at all. Otherwise, the Flyers as an org don't make a habit out of trading young talent. Since 2005, they've traded Tye McGinn, Matt Mangene, Shane Harper, Harry Z, Mike Testwuide, Luke Pither, JVR, Bob, Jon Kalinski, Kevin Marshall, Stefan Legein, Rob Bordson, Matt Clackson, Michael Chaput, Patrick Maroon, David Laliberte, Jon Matsumoto, Ryan Parent, Michael Ratchuk, Luca Sbisa, Joffrey Lupul, Scottie Upshall, Tim Ramholt, Steve Downie, Kyle Greentree, Ryan Potulny, RJ Umberger, Jussi Timonen, Ben Eager, Joni Pitkanen, Matt Ellison, Vaclav Pletka, Dennis Seidenberg, Patrick Sharp and Eric Meloche.

The young talent that came in has been Mitch Wahl, Luke Schenn, Mark Alt, Matt Ford, Wayne Simmonds, Brayden Schenn, Jakub Voracek, Tom Sestito, Danny Syvret, Rob Bordson, Ville Leino, Stefan Legein, Ryan Dingle, Matt Carle, Andrew Alberts, Patrick Hersley, Ned Lukacevic, Tim Ramholt, Janne Niskala, Joffrey Lupul, Lasse Kukkonen, Brayden Coburn, Ryan Parent, Scottie Upshall, Eric Meloche, Niko Dimitrakos and Matt Ellison.

This doesn't include picks either and the Flyers have "won" and "loss" their share of both. This being said, the Flyers haven't given up that much young talent (without reason) and not gotten enough back in subsequent trades to get burned all that much.

Giroux is no Lindros... and that's coming from somebody who has man-crushed on G from his Gatineau days, and is pretty apathetic toward #88.
- Tomahawk

You're missing the point. Lindros was among the best in the league then, Giroux is among the best now.

- tangent_man

MY LIFE

To be fair, the reasonable fans were calling for a Schenn for equally young dman trade if they wanted a trade at all. Otherwise, the Flyers as an org don't make a habit out of trading young talent. Since 2005, they've traded Tye McGinn, Matt Mangene, Shane Harper, Harry Z, Mike Testwuide, Luke Pither, JVR, Bob, Jon Kalinski, Kevin Marshall, Stefan Legein, Rob Bordson, Matt Clackson, Michael Chaput, Patrick Maroon, David Laliberte, Jon Matsumoto, Ryan Parent, Michael Ratchuk, Luca Sbisa, Joffrey Lupul, Scottie Upshall, Tim Ramholt, Steve Downie, Kyle Greentree, Ryan Potulny, RJ Umberger, Jussi Timonen, Ben Eager, Joni Pitkanen, Matt Ellison, Vaclav Pletka, Dennis Seidenberg, Patrick Sharp and Eric Meloche.

The young talent that came in has been Mitch Wahl, Luke Schenn, Mark Alt, Matt Ford, Wayne Simmonds, Brayden Schenn, Jakub Voracek, Tom Sestito, Danny Syvret, Rob Bordson, Ville Leino, Stefan Legein, Ryan Dingle, Matt Carle, Andrew Alberts, Patrick Hersley, Ned Lukacevic, Tim Ramholt, Janne Niskala, Joffrey Lupul, Lasse Kukkonen, Brayden Coburn, Ryan Parent, Scottie Upshall, Eric Meloche, Niko Dimitrakos and Matt Ellison.

This doesn't include picks either and the Flyers have "won" and "loss" their share of both. This being said, the Flyers haven't given up that much young talent (without reason) and not gotten enough back in subsequent trades to get burned all that much.
- NickTheKid87

Idk about that part.

They have gotten burned on quite a few... You also left out some pretttty noticeable names up there in Mike Richards and Jeffy Carter.

Fun fact... The Pens have played the slugs 2 times already this season. In those two games Crosby has 8 points.

Voracek is two points behind Crosby currently.
- jak521

Crosby also has done most of his damage on the pp. Jake leads the nhl in ES points I believe

You're missing the point. Lindros was our among the best in the league then, Giroux is among the best now.
- SuperSchennBros

Exactly, which is the comparison I thought you were making.