IMO and im sure its others too, Flyers are trying to force his hand to retire or maybe mutually terminate contract like Kovy did.
- flyerfan28

Keep in mind that Kovalchuk retired from the NHL, to play over in Europe. I don't see the League allowing Lecavalier and the Flyers to mutually terminate the contract because he's not playing well, and the Flyers don't want to put him in the lineup, and Lecavalier is not happy about it. And Lecavalier isn't retiring any time soon.

Keep in mind that Kovalchuk retired from the NHL, to play over in Europe. I don't see the League allowing Lecavalier and the Flyers to mutually terminate the contract because he's not playing well, and the Flyers don't want to put him in the lineup, and Lecavalier is not happy about it. And Lecavalier isn't retiring any time soon.
- MJL

Can he retire from the NHL to play in the AHL on an AHL-only contract for his current contract price?

I don't dispute what you're saying. Just think that if Read plays better, then Couturier plays better...Laughton helps Simmonds...it could get better as more games are played.

They need to make sure whatever went wrong with the PK gets fixed, pronto, but I do think they're on the fence for how this season could go. Had to win last night, almost, but they did
- AllInForFlyers

Read and Couturier definitely have room for improvement, but I truly believe getting better zone starts will really help them. Winning a face off and moving the puck up ice and getting possession in the offensive zone is very difficult to do in today's NHL. When you consider the type of defenseman they're forced to play with, it becomes even harder.

Read and Couts do the heavy lifting so guys like G and Jake get to take more offensive zone starts with guys like Streit and MDZ on the ice.

Imo, they are asking way too much of Read and Couts if they want them to match up against top lines, take tons of dzone face offs, carry Umberger and produce points at the rate of a solid 2nd line.

Told ya, he has splinters in his ass
- Jsaquella

I'm thinking more likely sand in his vag.

Can he retire from the NHL to play in the AHL on an AHL-only contract for his current contract price?
- jmatchett383

There's some real gray area there. Why would Lecavalier want to do that?

There's some real gray area there. Why would Lecavalier want to do that?
- MJL

It eliminates the possibility of a buy out so that he could make the full remainder of his contract value.

It eliminates the possibility on a buy out so that he could make the full remainder of his contract value.
- jmatchett383

Smells like circumvention to me.

Read and Couturier definitely have room for improvement, but I truly believe getting better zone starts will really help them. Winning a face off and moving the puck up ice and getting possession in the offensive zone is very difficult to do in today's NHL. When you consider the type of defenseman they're forced to play with, it becomes even harder.

Read and Couts do the heavy lifting so guys like G and Jake get to take more offensive zone starts with guys like Streit and MDZ on the ice.

Imo, they are asking way too much of Read and Couts if they want them to match up against top lines, take tons of dzone face offs, carry Umberger and produce points at the rate of a solid 2nd line.
- PhillySportsGuy

So much is made of zone starts for Couturier, but I beleive there is a factor that is overlooked. Flyers controlled the game last night, and had a lot more offensive zone faceoffs then defensive zone faceoffs. I think Couturier only had 4 D zone starts last night. Look at the LA game and how many D zone faceoffs the Flyers had to take. The more offensive zone starts the Flyers can dictate, the less D zone starts Couturier and Giroux will have to take.

I know it's been tough and the team hasn't looked great, but there are a lot of nice pieces up front. If they can start scoring like they are capable of, the mediocre defense may not be as big an issue. The division is weak overall, so I'm not ready to tank just yet. I think if the forward lines can build off of last night, this will look like a different team. With lecavalier out, the top three lines look much better, IMO and even though it was a weak devils line up, the top 3 lines looked much more balanced than they have in a while. Scoring threats on all three.
- funmaster18

That's what I'm seeing -- yeah, NJ was weak, but Read looked good because he looked like he had his head up and was looking to make plays instead of having the game brought to him

Smells like circumvention to me.
- BulliesPhan87

Maybe, but doesn't violate any aspect(s) of the CBA, to my knowledge.

It eliminates the possibility of a buy out so that he could make the full remainder of his contract value.
- jmatchett383

I think it would be seen as circumvention. And Lecavalier is already getting money from the TB buyout, if he's bought out by the Flyers, he gets that money. And is a UFA who can sign with another team. I don't think getting full value will be an issue for Lecvalier.

Maybe, but doesn't violate any aspect(s) of the CBA, to my knowledge.
- jmatchett383

The NHL can make a case out of it though, a la the Kovalchuk punishment. I don't think Uncle Gary will be feeling particularly charitable when it comes to this organization and cap issues, either.

I think it would be seen as circumvention. And Lecavalier is already getting money from the TB buyout, if he's bought out by the Flyers, he gets that money. And is a UFA who can sign with another team. I don't think getting full value will be an issue for Lecvalier.
- MJL

You think a team would sign him at value to make up for the 1/3 contract loss given how he's played recently?

Maybe, but doesn't violate any aspect(s) of the CBA, to my knowledge.
- jmatchett383

There's articles in the CBA that basically state that circumvention is open to the interpretation of the League. The Kovalchuk contract technically didn't violate any aspects of the CBA either.

You think a team would sign him at value to make up for the 1/3 contract loss given how he's played recently?
- jmatchett383

Yes, I do.

The NHL can make a case out of it though, a la the Kovalchuk punishment. I don't think Uncle Gary will be feeling particularly charitable when it comes to this organization and cap issues, either.
- BulliesPhan87

The owners got everything they wanted with the last CBA, so I don't see why they should be getting all pissy. They closed the AHL demotion loophole, but what's to stop a player from deciding he doesn't wan to play in the NHL any more?

The owners got everything they wanted with the last CBA, so I don't see why they should be getting all pissy. They closed the AHL demotion loophole, but what's to stop a player from deciding he doesn't wan to play in the NHL any more?
- jmatchett383

Nothing. A player can retire anytime he wants to.

Yes, I do.
- MJL

I think he's viewed as a full reclamation project right now a la Heatley.

The NHL can make a case out of it though, a la the Kovalchuk punishment. I don't think Uncle Gary will be feeling particularly charitable when it comes to this organization and cap issues, either.
- BulliesPhan87

And to be honest, in this case, they shouldn't.

They signed Vinny to that deal and would have no issues paying it if he was playing better.

Can't let them out of it just because it isn't working -- that is, unless Lecavalier retires, which he could, however unlikely

Nothing. A player can retire anytime he wants to.
- MJL

Right. But more specifically, what's to stop a player for not wanting to play in the NHL, but that he does want to play in the AHL?

So much is made of zone starts for Couturier, but I beleive there is a factor that is overlooked. Flyers controlled the game last night, and had a lot more offensive zone faceoffs then defensive zone faceoffs. I think Couturier only had 4 D zone starts last night. Look at the LA game and how many D zone faceoffs the Flyers had to take. The more offensive zone starts the Flyers can dictate, the less D zone starts Couturier and Giroux will have to take.
- MJL

Whether they have 4 or 400, it's the ratio of him compared with the rest of the team. They should spread them out a little more evenly.

This was my point yesterday when I said they should focus more on player development and less on winning the next game.

I would like to see Couts get more offensive opportunities to see what he can do with them. I'd like to see Laughton take on some defensive responsibility to see how he responds.

I think he's viewed as a full reclamation project right now a la Heatley.
- jmatchett383

I think he could get a short term deal from somebody.

The owners got everything they wanted with the last CBA, so I don't see why they should be getting all pissy. They closed the AHL demotion loophole, but what's to stop a player from deciding he doesn't wan to play in the NHL any more?
- jmatchett383

Are you trying to convince me, or the commissioner? I don't think Gary's going to care much about who "won" the lockout(s). He supposedly was very displeased with teams backloading contracts, and given the Flyers went to that well more than once, if they put themselves in the crosshairs I bet he wouldn't waste a second before pulling the trigger.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/h...s-uniform-sweater-unveil/

Not a fan of these

Whether they have 4 or 400, it's the ratio of him compared with the rest of the team. They should spread them out a little more evenly.

This was my point yesterday when I said they should focus more on player development and less on winning the next game.

I would like to see Couts get more offensive opportunities to see what he can do with them. I'd like to see Laughton take on some defensive responsibility to see how he responds.
- PhillySportsGuy

If you put Raffl on Laughton's wing, then yes, absolutely. Think it's a little trickier when he has Schenn and Simmonds, because neither of them are particularly adept in their own zone