Okay, so tell me the moves. Who are we trading, what are we getting in return, and what will our team roster look like?

Or are you just spouting off the usual nonsense?
- jmatchett383

Wow, have I pushed a button this morning?

There are hundreds of players in the NHL. I can only tell you the mistakes made, smart guy, which I have.

I think nobody could have guessed how well Schultz was going to play but even then I think on some nights he's deserved a seat. Schultz was a gamble. A low risk, safe gamble just like all these other signing, none of which help the team long term.

When talking about drafting and signing, you separate the two. It's not like Homer would simply never show up on draft day. He never blew it off.
- SuperSchennBros

So we're going to totally ignore all of his signings and draft picks (which point to wanting a better-skating team that can play 2-way hockey) and judge him based on 1 trade and his unwillingness to make rash trade decisions to fix short-term problems...got it.

I used to hate Mario. But that one game where he got chemo in the morning, flew to Philly, came out and scored 2 goals and was the best player on the ice...I couldn't hate him after that, and neither could the 17,000 fans who gave him a standing ovation at the pregame skate and after the first goal (not so much the second).
- jmatchett383

but yet we remain the fans that threw snowballs at santa.

the national media will never give us the benefit of the credit we deserve as great sports fans.

If they keep him buried on the 4th line, he may retire after next season. At that point, most of the contract is paid out and he'll be 36. Or, if not, it will be a lot easier to trade him to someone struggling to reach the cap floor since his cap hit for those last 2 seasons is 4.5, but the actually salary is only 3 million. Even if they have to absorb 25-35% of the deal at that point, it's still better than a buyout.
- BiggE

Thank you for this post, I was losing faith. Judging by your avatar you have good taste, minus the hockey team you cheer for. Pow
- nbartley9

Feel free to take him to your thread.

Trade Lecavalier for Crosby and a 3rd.
Trade Umberger for Tavares.
Pick up Shea Weber off of waivers.
- jmatchett383

Just what we need, more long term contracts...

One thing I'm really worried about is Arizona finishing lower than the Flyers (higher on the draft list) and selecting Mitch Marner. Him and Domi are teammates on the London Knights, right?

Watch it blindfolded
- ob18

Wow, have I pushed a botton this morning?

There are hundreds of players in the NHL. I can only tell you the mistakes made, smart guy, which I have.
- SuperSchennBros

No, you're just being a completely short-sighted jackass by judging him on 1 trade and an unwillingness to make more trades to fix short-term issues.

By the way, not calling you a jackass, simply that you're braying like one at the moment.

You take it to left center field.

Obviously the guys in St. Louis are doing well as they don;t seem to be trouble for that team. The islanders fourth line did well too. I am not saying you dress incompetant players. You dress the right players. A fourth line of say White - Bellemare - Rosehill could do what the Islanders did. Dallas also has a tough, quick fourth line that plays with and edge.
- J35Bacher

Hyperbole is all that's left for the rest of the season...

I don't think it's right for Hextall to walk by a handful of players and have meltdown on them when one of the issues lacking is toughness and sometimes scoring at key times. Trading Hartnell took from the top line, the PP and the toughness of the top six. That's on Hextall. I'm not going to use Vinny and Umberger as excuse. Berube is choosing to barely use Vinny and Umberger for whatever reason was wanted here. I don't believe we have to wait until the deadline to do anything. It didn't take much for Montreal to get Gonchar or Pittsburgh to get David Perron. This idea of getting the most of what we have, who wants our garbage?
- SuperSchennBros

Is he not allowed to expect guys to do their job? He can't expect Read to play better or maybe Simmonds to do more or Coututier to push the pace offensively more? Team toughness is not just fighting or hitting per se. It is being tough on the puck, taking a man on the forchek hard, winning board battles, finishing plays. A lot of the Flyers problems seems to be more a lack of consitant effort. Not just skill.

Just what we need, more long term contracts...
- five4fighting10

Well, I figure we can probably flip Crosby to a team that needs to reach the cap floor next season, and we'll probably buy out Weber once Morin's ready to turn pro.

One thing I'm really worried about is Arizona finishing lower than the Flyers (higher on the draft list) and selecting Mitch Marner. Him and Domi are teammates on the London Knights, right?
- KGBflyers10

Yup.

I'm torn about Arizona... I want them to win so we can beat them in the tank race, but I also want them to keep losing so they'll be stupid and fire Tippett.

We figure the Pigeons are due to beat the Flyers at home. All indications point to it happening tonight.
- PLindbergh31

You never know. We are cheeks in our division match ups. Our record this year is like 6-8-2 in the division. But I agree, it is time to win on the road in your barn

- Tomahawk

The trouble is, Read's not only lost a step or two due to the injury, he's playing especially stupid. The play yesterday that lead to the Isles shorty, holy moly, was that just dumb.

Guy two feet away, you try to blast it through his shins? Ignore that Hamonic was hurt and could have been exploited, the decision making process was just so bad, it's in excusable
- Jsaquella

So we're going to totally ignore all of his signings and draft picks (which point to wanting a better-skating team that can play 2-way hockey) and judge him based on 1 trade and his unwillingness to make rash trade decisions to fix short-term problems...got it.
- jmatchett383

Absolutely I'm going to ignore the draft because it doesn't effect the daily crying of when we lose a game. Why is Hextall making a deal now (one deal) considered a "rash decision" now but not at the deadline?

You take it to left center field.

Obviously the guys in St. Louis are doing well as they don;t seem to be trouble for that team. The islanders fourth line did well too. I am not saying you dress incompetant players. You dress the right players. A fourth line of say White - Bellemare - Rosehill could do what the Islanders did. Dallas also has a tough, quick fourth line that plays with and edge.
- J35Bacher

I also played some second base in little league.

Absolutely I'm going to ignore the draft because it doesn't effect the daily crying of when we lose a game. Why is Hextall making a deal now (one deal) considered a "rash decision" now but not at the deadline?
- SuperSchennBros

Go you.

I think nobody could have guessed how well Schultz was going to play but even then I think on some nights he's deserved a seat. Schultz was a gamble. A low risk, safe gamble just like all these other signing, none of which help the team long term.

When talking about drafting and signing, you separate the two. It's not like Homer would simply never show up on draft day. He never blew it off.
- SuperSchennBros

Few people have less patience than me. I *hate* seeing the Flyers slowly become a laughing stock in the league. I hate sports, but I love hockey. The Flyers are one of the few things that bring me happiness... so it is incredibly tough to see them mired in this garbage for the past few years.

That said... I really think you're asking for the impossible here. I'd love to see him make some moves to improve things now as well. Even if it doesn't work, just to see some improvement would be great. But what would be the point? Anything he does is going to have a fairly short term effect. It sucks, but we just have to give this time. There's no point in reconstructing this team on the fly. These guys seem to feed off each others suckitude. Let's wait till we can replace major parts in a short amount of time and change the overall makeup of the team.

Watch it blindfolded
- ob18

good idea that way i could really focus on the pens announcers

Let's say Manning and Lauridsen gives us a good game, or stretch of games--do you set fire to the wagon now or still wait until the deadline?

I'm thinking wait to the deadline when teams are really desperate.

I agree it does mean nothing. I think the rivalry between the two teams is still very strong, and from my viewpoint, I still see it as a big game simply because I want them to beat the snot out of the Pens. There really isn't anything on the line standings wise, but I think the heat is still there.
- MJL

This is the only game, at this point in the season, I want the Flyers to win. But c'mon...Zepp and/or Emery? Ugh.

And clearly rivalries come and go, it's the nature of the beast. I used to really dislike Toronto for a while there, and the Sabres...now they are both very 'meh' teams.

My goodness. I was on CSNphilly yesterday and that fanbase is so frustratingly impatient and stupid. The want to trade Couturier, Schenn and Read because they all don't live up to expectations.

Like holy cow! How consistent has Read been for the Flyers throughout his time here and you want to dump him for one bad season that may or may not be related to injury. You want to deal Schenn and Couturier for the same reasons people wanted Richards, Carter, Sharp, JVR and Bob gone yet they still do not learn.

IMO you leave the team alone. You sell on D and prepare the rebuild. On forward, you keep Schenn, Couturier read, Simmonds, Giroux and Voracek and the rest can be replaced. I have no issues keeping Vandevelde or Bellmere on the 4th line.

Stupidity angers me.....

Let's say Manning and Lauridsen gives us a good game, or stretch of games--do you set fire to the wagon now or still wait until the deadline?

I'm thinking wait to the deadline when teams are really desperate.
- KGBflyers10

My expectations are that Manning and Lauridsen play fairly adequate hockey, at which point the whole "TRADE ALL OF OUR DEFENSEMEN IMMEDIATELY! crying will begin, similar to how the 12/13 season ended.