Says who?

There's almost no doubt in my mind one of Morin or Ghost will play a significant amount of games next year. I hope it's Ghost; I want Morin to be brought a long as slow as possible.

That being said, this team has way too many pieces now to continue to be this bad. Chalk it up as a lost season to a combination of injuries, poor roster construction, and questionable coaching decisions. So we had a bad year transitioning from one organizational philosophy (Stevens/Lavy and Homer) to the next (Berube? and Hextall).

But this team should 100% bounce back next season. Missing the playoffs again would be absolutely unacceptable. Two scorers in the leagues top 5, Simmonds, Coots, Laughton, legit starting goalie with a .920SV%.....it's not like we need to re-invent the wheel.
- mochoson

If the Flyers are a legit contender next year, it likely means they sacrificed a large portion of the youth.

If guys like Streit or Coburn are moved It obviously gives them cash to replace them. I can see a guy like Big Buff being moved in the off season. Winnipeg will NOT let him walk next year for nothing and the off season may be best to trade him.
Hexy would be considered a genius if either one of VL or Happy Meal could be moved.
( I didn't list RJ..cause he is downright inmoveable)
- 3flyerkids

I'm fairly patient, I really won't worry about Hextall until the 2016 draft. By then he should have put much more of his stamp on things

Is parks going to get signed in your opinion bill?
- Just5

Glad you asked this, I was curious myself. I'll be incredibly disappointed in Hextall if he doesn't get him signed.

Smart player with good size. Definitely a shot to be a solid bottom 6 guy, which is a pretty good find in the 5th round.

We went from 30th in 06 to the ECF the next year. What did we do, sign Briere and trade for Lupul and Smith?

I'm telling you, this team is not THAT bad. You all really think were looking at another sub-par season next year?
- mochoson

We'll need to dump some salary and a defenseman or 3 to gain some flexibility and room to bring up Ghost, Morin, Manning and/or Hagg. If G and Jake continue to perform near the top of the league, and the Flyers make a few moves on O and D, they could definitely be a solid playoff team.

i don't want to miss the playoffs next year

NO
- -davies-

It would be hard to stomach another year like this.
I would be in a mental institution if I was a Leaf fan

i don't want to miss the playoffs next year

NO
- -davies-

But what if it sets you up long term?

It's going to be difficult to make the necessary changes with the limited resources the Flyers have. Lack of cap space, immovable contracts, lack of scoring depth and a pretty weak FA crop.

We went from 30th in 06 to the ECF the next year. What did we do, sign Briere and trade for Lupul and Smith?

I'm telling you, this team is not THAT bad. You all really think were looking at another sub-par season next year?
- mochoson

Timonen and Hartnell too. Richards and Carter became stars as well.

The goaltending the previous season was absolutely horrible, so getting Biron was a massive upgrade even though Biron was only an average NHL starter.

There is no Timonen or Briere this offseason and I wouldn't bank on Schenn becoming a 46 goal scorer and Couts becoming a two-way 80 point scorer.

Flyers also have very limited cap space. They wouldn't be able to afford the prized FAs even if there were some available.

It's no surprise that I don't think Couturier is a top 6 player like some people on this forum do...That being said the trade listed on the front page of this thread doesn't help this team in anyway.

If you can move Couturier and 1 other asset to land a top 3 pick this year, a legit number 1 dman under 30 or a legit number 1 winger under 30 I would certainly think about it. Since Couturier + 1 isn't enough to do any of those things I don't think he will be moved.

I believe our forward core of realistically untouchable players should be Giroux, Voracek and Simmonds. Next I put Couturier and Laughton where it would really need to be a clearly makes the Flyers better. I really like the player B Schenn has turned into and I really like what Raffl brings but you aren't getting a return in once place without giving up something in another.

As for D I would actually really try and keep MDZ.. I think he brings multiple elements this team needs...

If the Flyers are a legit contender next year, it likely means they sacrificed a large portion of the youth.
- PhillySportsGuy

Based on what exactly? I'm missing where this team has these humongous holes that puts us in a lengthy rebuild?

We'll need to dump some salary and a defenseman or 3 to gain some flexibility and room to bring up Ghost, Morin, Manning and/or Hagg. If G and Jake continue to perform near the top of the league, and the Flyers make a few moves on O and D, they could definitely be a solid playoff team.
- wolfhounds

I seriously thought I was by myself for a second.

I don't understand how a team with two scorers in the leagues top 5, a near PPG dman in Streit, a legit starting goalie with a .920SV%, and a forward group that still includes players like Laughton, Couturier, Simmonds and Raffl is in need of a multi-year rebuild.

I know this season's been rough fellas, but we DO NOT need to re-invent the wheel here.....

Get faster and more skilled, its not super complicated.

Timonen and Hartnell too. Richards and Carter became stars as well.

The goaltending the previous season was absolutely horrible, so getting Biron was a massive upgrade even though Biron was only an average NHL starter.

There is no Timonen or Briere this offseason and I wouldn't bank on Schenn becoming a 46 goal scorer and Couts becoming a two-way 80 point scorer.

Flyers also have very limited cap space. They wouldn't be able to afford the prized FAs even if there were some available.
- PhillySportsGuy

Giroux and Voracek > Richards and Carter

Mason > Biron

Streit < Kimmo, althought I'd argue that disparity is fairly small. Streit has been stellar IMO. He's been our best dman essentially since he got here, save the games he played with Kimmo.

Ill take the youth we have over an overprice FA like Briere. I see similarities in the roster construction, and I like the one we have now better.

We have A LOT of really good pieces, and that's why we suck right now. Hextall isn't going to trade away players he know's are better suited in a Flyers sweater based on the return he'd get. He has inherited an absolute mess of a roster, but the entire roster doesn't need to be purged. It's simply a bad combination of players.

Based on what exactly? I'm missing where this team has these humongous holes that puts us in a lengthy rebuild?
- mochoson

They have very little scoring depth and they have no top pairing defenseman.

The FA market is fairly weak and the Flyers would end up overpaying for more 3-6 defenseman if they went that route. Same with forwards. They don't really have the cap space to do much anyway.

I like guys like AK, Lindblom, Fazleev, Leier and Cousins, but I doubt any of them develop into 50 point players. They certainly aren't going to any time soon.

I like the young defenseman too, but there isn't any guarantee any of them develop into top pairing guys. Even if they do, it would take another 3 years before that every happened.

Even if you look ahead two years, the Flyers will clear some money, but guys like Voracek, Couts and Schenn will all be due for raises. The 3 of them could total $16M per year.

How would you go about fixing this roster? Just leave it the way it is and hope next year is better?

(frank) you all for leaving when I got here
- PhillySportsGuy

I thought i smelled something

They have very little scoring depth and they have no top pairing defenseman.

The FA market is fairly weak and the Flyers would end up overpaying for more 3-6 defenseman if they went that route. Same with forwards. They don't really have the cap space to do much anyway.

I like guys like AK, Lindblom, Fazleev, Leier and Cousins, but I doubt any of them develop into 50 point players. They certainly aren't going to any time soon.

I like the young defenseman too, but there isn't any guarantee any of them develop into top pairing guys. Even if they do, it would take another 3 years before that every happened.

Even if you look ahead two years, the Flyers will clear some money, but guys like Voracek, Couts and Schenn will all be due for raises. The 3 of them could total $16M per year.

How would you go about fixing this roster? Just leave it the way it is and hope next year is better?
- PhillySportsGuy

Giving up fewer goals is the first thing the Flyers have to do. They are in the middle of the pack in goals for, but near the bottom in goals against. With G, Jake, Schenn, Simmonds, Read and Couts, they should be scoring enough goals, especially if they can dump Vinny or Umby and pick up a solid FA.

But I don't think there is any doubt the Flyers have to move some pieces both front and back.

How much do you think Schenn and Couts are going to get their next contract playing the way they currently are? I don't see either going above $4mm.

Giving up fewer goals is the first thing the Flyers have to do. They are in the middle of the pack in goals for, but near the bottom in goals against. With G, Jake, Schenn, Simmonds, Read and Couts, they should be scoring enough goals, especially if they can dump Vinny or Umby and pick up a solid FA.

But I don't think there is any doubt the Flyers have to move some pieces both front and back.

How much do you think Schenn and Couts are going to get their next contract playing the way they currently are? I don't see either going above $4mm.
- wolfhounds

It depends on what they want to do. If both sides want a long term deal, it may be north of $4M because they'd be buying out ufa years. If both sides agree to another bridge deal, it will probably be less.

Edit: The Flyers would be in the playoff mix right now if their PK was as good as last year. They'd likely be just 4-5 points out if their PK was average.

It depends on what they want to do. If both sides want a long term deal, it may be north of $4M because they'd be buying out ufa years. If both sides agree to another bridge deal, it will probably be less.

Edit: The Flyers would be in the playoff mix right now if their PK was as good as last year. They'd likely be just 4-5 points out if their PK was average.
- PhillySportsGuy

Yeah, their PK is by far the weakest part of the team. The odds of it being this bad again next season are slim, especially if they make a few moves, Read is healthy from the start, Laughton is in from game 1 and improving, etc.

(frank) you all for leaving when I got here
- PhillySportsGuy

You smell bad

Yeah, their PK is by far the weakest part of the team. The odds of it being this bad again next season are slim, especially if they make a few moves, Read is healthy from the start, Laughton is in from game 1 and improving, etc.
- wolfhounds

I just feel it's dangerous to go into next season and assume Jake and G will continue to dominate the NHL and Streit will continue to score at a 60 point pace and Mason will be one of the best ES goalies in hockey.

You smell bad
- Giroux_Is_God

Due to the various comments on this thread, I have sprayed my entire body with L'Air de Panache

am i the only one who skips through all the flyer/game stuff and goes to prospect and phantom updates? bill is the best at covering this team but i just cant stomach them for now (?)... at least not till the mix is stirred at least.

so Rinaldo got a career high 23 shifts yesterday do you think they're trying to showcase him?

Giroux and Voracek > Richards and Carter

Mason > Biron

Streit < Kimmo, althought I'd argue that disparity is fairly small. Streit has been stellar IMO. He's been our best dman essentially since he got here, save the games he played with Kimmo.

Ill take the youth we have over an overprice FA like Briere. I see similarities in the roster construction, and I like the one we have now better.

We have A LOT of really good pieces, and that's why we suck right now. Hextall isn't going to trade away players he know's are better suited in a Flyers sweater based on the return he'd get. He has inherited an absolute mess of a roster, but the entire roster doesn't need to be purged. It's simply a bad combination of players.
- mochoson

honestly he needs to burn the house down, to clear out contracts like lecavaliers. if it means sending out coots, schenn and simmonds so be it, they are by no means players you will wait a lifetime to replace. it be nice to keep them but unfortunately holmgren strapped this team to some serious dead weight.

But what if it sets you up long term?

It's going to be difficult to make the necessary changes with the limited resources the Flyers have. Lack of cap space, immovable contracts, lack of scoring depth and a pretty weak FA crop.
- PhillySportsGuy

We went from 30th in 06 to the ECF the next year. What did we do, sign Briere and trade for Lupul and Smith?

I'm telling you, this team is not THAT bad. You all really think were looking at another sub-par season next year?
- mochoson

I dont think that team in 06 was that bad either. They tuned out Hitch for sure.
Derrian Hatcher in and out of the lineup right? Jason Smith finished with 2 seperated shoulders and retired after one year right?

I just think the price of veteran defenseman is so bloated you cant make rash moves coming or going. Maybe some players like Coburn are stagnant here, and are in a rut. Either trade him or do something to motivate him

I really think the coaching and secondary scoring along with the PK were the culprits this year. The question is what does Hextall know and whats he going to do about it- the things he can change, not fantasies

Don't know if laught but the Buffalo feed last night pointed out that G's ankle may have been bleeding: