Maybe what's best for some of those young players is to be called up. Just maybe!!
- landros 2

I doubt it.

I think Manning can be a depth 6/7 defenseman in the NHL, and there is a chance he could be claimed.
- MJL

agreed. chance I hit the lottery as well.

Agree 100%, and I'd be very open to moving both Streit and Simmonds. I cannot see anyway that this team is a contender before 18-19 at the earliest, so moving Streit is a no brainer. Simmonds, at that time, will be 30. As a 182 lb power forward who is only an average skater, you have to wonder where his game will be by then.
- BiggE

For the immediate future, I'd probably do no more than send Manning down & recall MacDonald and maybe consider sending Umberger down when he's healthy for Cousins. Even that is questionable.

I'd start to quietly shop some of the vets, but slow cook it. See if they can rebound a bit, and not make a desperation deal. If the Duchesne rumors are true I'd kick tires, but I don't see the Flyers and Avs as good trade partners.

I'm not bringing MacDonald up because I think he's going to be a difference maker.
- MJL

If MacDonald was on the team this season and had Del Zotto's stats, these threads would be 50% complaining about how terrible he is and how he's the reason the Flyers suck.

did you make a funny?
- rinaldo

hey i am not saying i would shed a tear if manning was claimed but i would rather try to rip a team off for a late late round pick than lose him for nothing...but if he was claimed ..bye

I doubt it.
- MJL

and I don't doubt that....

If MacDonald was on the team this season and had Del Zotto's stats, these threads would be 50% complaining about how terrible he is and how he's the reason the Flyers suck.
- Feanor

Probably true, but I don't care about that.

As usual, most fans overrate the talent of their teams.

There is a very good reason why not a single preseason forecast picked the Flyers to be in the playoffs. That reason is:
Streit
L Schenn
AMac
Gudas
MDZ
Schultz
Medvedev
Manning

NHL playoff teams have better defenses than the above. Come on guys, people were actually hoping a 33 year old Russian who's never played one second on an NHL sized rink and speaks no English could maybe step in and be one of their top 4? or even top pair??

To the outside hockey world, putting the prospects aside, here is what the Flyers have:
Very good goaltending
2 legit top end forwards
1 2nd pair dman
1 Dman who is really good on the pp
A very good shut down center
and a so-so power forward who usually excels on the pp

That's it. The rest is a combo featuring a decent rookie center, some journeyman role players, a few generic 3rd liners and some broken down vets.

This team is not remotely close to being a playoff team and would need at least 2 or 3 better teams to get devastated with injuries to even have a remote chance of making the postseason.

For the immediate future, I'd probably do no more than send Manning down & recall MacDonald and maybe consider sending Umberger down when he's healthy for Cousins. Even that is questionable.

I'd start to quietly shop some of the vets, but slow cook it. See if they can rebound a bit, and not make a desperation deal. If the Duchesne rumors are true I'd kick tires, but I don't see the Flyers and Avs as good trade partners.
- Jsaquella

I love Duschene...price would be high with good reason....I assume after the last couple of weeks Hextall is doing exactly that.

I expect Cousins to get called up later this season. He's 22 and in the last year of his ELC so they will want more of a look at him in the NHL before deciding what kind of contract to offer him.

hey i am not saying i would shed a tear if manning was claimed but i would rather try to rip a team off for a late late round pick than lose him for nothing...but if he was claimed ..bye
- flyer186

Not a huge loss, but as you point out, he is still an asset that has some value. Both in terms of a trade, and as a player in the AHL/NHL.

For the immediate future, I'd probably do no more than send Manning down & recall MacDonald and maybe consider sending Umberger down when he's healthy for Cousins. Even that is questionable.

I'd start to quietly shop some of the vets, but slow cook it. See if they can rebound a bit, and not make a desperation deal. If the Duchesne rumors are true I'd kick tires, but I don't see the Flyers and Avs as good trade partners.
- Jsaquella

I agree in regards to a deal with the Avs. I would though like to get Cousins up here soon. They need to give him some extended time at the NHL level to get a better read on if he can be part of the future of this team.

For the immediate future, I'd probably do no more than send Manning down & recall MacDonald and maybe consider sending Umberger down when he's healthy for Cousins. Even that is questionable.

I'd start to quietly shop some of the vets, but slow cook it. See if they can rebound a bit, and not make a desperation deal. If the Duchesne rumors are true I'd kick tires, but I don't see the Flyers and Avs as good trade partners.
- Jsaquella

when your in last place shopping anyone isn't done quietly lol!!!!

the flyers have pieces they can move. the question is do they want to move them and when do they want to move them?

on some, like read, will they possibly take a little lower value then they think he is worth?

I agree in regards to a deal with the Avs. I would though like to get Cousins up here soon. They need to give him some extended time at the NHL level to get a better read on if he can be part of the future of this team.
- BiggE

really seem like a no brainer to me....unless as I said they think he has no nhl future at all and not going to bother.

As usual, most fans overrate the talent of their teams.

There is a very good reason why not a single preseason forecast picked the Flyers to be in the playoffs. That reason is:
Streit
L Schenn
AMac
Gudas
MDZ
Schultz
Medvedev
Manning

NHL playoff teams have better defenses than the above. Come on guys, people were actually hoping a 33 year old Russian who's never played one second on an NHL sized rink and speaks no English could maybe step in and be one of their top 4? or even top pair??

To the outside hockey world, putting the prospects aside, here is what the Flyers have:
Very good goaltending
2 legit top end forwards
1 2nd pair dman
1 Dman who is really good on the pp
A very good shut down center
and a so-so power forward who usually excels on the pp

That's it. The rest is a combo featuring a decent rookie center, some journeyman role players, a few generic 3rd liners and some broken down vets.

This team is not remotely close to being a playoff team and would need at least 2 or 3 better teams to get devastated with injuries to even have a remote chance of making the postseason.
- BiggE

not far off....Maybe Schenn is in the category of good young player that needs a change of scenery to get to that next level....decent but still has warts to his game.

Macdonald has alot of down side he is not the best deference man in the organization but he does do somethings very well he can move the puck up the ice he could be a good point-man on the PP and he has no problem blocking shots...for a team that is allowing close to 35 shots a game someone who doesn't mind standing in front of those shots isn't a bad thing...and the problems we are having getting the puck into the offensive zone right now...i think he might be worth a shot

My first attempt got great results:

http://www.tankathon.com/nhl

1. Flyers (up from 5th)
2. Florida (up from 10th)
3. Boston via San Jose (up from 9th)

Macdonald has alot of down side he is not the best deference man in the organization but he does do somethings very well he can move the puck up the ice he could be a good point-man on the PP and he has no problem blocking shots...for a team that is allowing close to 35 shots a game someone who doesn't mind standing in front of those shots isn't a bad thing...and the problems we are having getting the puck into the offensive zone right now...i think he might be worth a shot
- flyer186

Well, he's better than Manning. Outside of that, well, that's all I got.

Not a huge loss, but as you point out, he is still an asset that has some value. Both in terms of a trade, and as a player in the AHL/NHL.
- MJL

he has no value in a trade. stop with this stuff. he doesn't sniff the nhl on 90% of the current nhl teams and I am being generous.

he has value as an ahl vet to help along the young guys that's it.

when your in last place shopping anyone isn't done quietly lol!!!!

the flyers have pieces they can move. the question is do they want to move them and when do they want to move them?

on some, like read, will they possibly take a little lower value then they think he is worth?
- rinaldo

What I mean is you discuss guys in general, and gauge interest. Don't sell a guy for peanuts just to make a move. Nothing you get for Read or Simmonds or Streit is likely going to save the season, so if you don't get what you want, wait and see if they play better or if somebody else gets desperate

Well, he's better than Manning. Outside of that, well, that's all I got.
- BiggE

He's better than Manning, Gudas, Schenn, and right now probably Schultz. Although there is the issue of mix, as I feel they need one of Gudas and Schenn in the lineup, for that nasty element. Secondly, I think Del Zotto is being placed in too many defensive situations, and that is affecting his play, and not taking advantage of his best skill set. MacDonald is solid defensively, and can take on some of those responsibilities to free up Del Zotto.

More than anything, they need to get MacDonald up, and playing in the NHL, and hopefully reestablishing his game to give the Flyers better options moving forward.

Well, he's better than Manning. Outside of that, well, that's all I got.
- BiggE

Honestly, on this team, he's better than more than Manning.

What I mean is you discuss guys in general, and gauge interest. Don't sell a guy for peanuts just to make a move. Nothing you get for Read or Simmonds or Streit is likely going to save the season, so if you don't get what you want, wait and see if they play better or if somebody else gets desperate
- Jsaquella

I know what you meant... agreed don't sell for peanuts. guys like Simmonds and streit are not going to lose any value imo. despite being on a crap team gm's know what they can and will likely do.

read on the other hand could lose some value. that's why I try to move him asap; assuming your not getting bent over. then again maybe you just move him for picks and an expiring contract.

http://www.todaysslapshot...-hextall-was-left-a-mess/

Elliotte Friedman was on Calgary’s Sportsnet 960 on Friday morning.

On Ron Hextall’s patience:

“I think he’d love to do something. I really do. But I think he’d love to do something for awhile. He’s had Brayden Schenn out there. He’s had Luke Schenn out there. Obviously he’s had Lecavalier out there. There’s no biting on this. From what I’m told, unless something happened in the last couple of days, he’s had no serious interest in Lecavalier in a long time. That’s a really tough one.

“They had a columnist this morning write that they should consider thinking about trading Giroux. I’m against that. You just cannot replace that guy. You lose him, and I mean – unless the offer is out-of-this-world unbelievable, you’re giving up the best player in a trade and a guy who has a lot of good years left ahead of him.

“I just think Ron Hextall was left a mess. He really was. He inherited a situation that had a lot of problems. A lot of bad contracts. The smartest thing they can do is just battle their way through it.

http://www.todaysslapshot.com/from-the-ice/friedman-i-just-think-ron-hextall-was-left-a-mess/

Elliotte Friedman was on Calgary’s Sportsnet 960 on Friday morning.

On Ron Hextall’s patience:

“I think he’d love to do something. I really do. But I think he’d love to do something for awhile. He’s had Brayden Schenn out there. He’s had Luke Schenn out there. Obviously he’s had Lecavalier out there. There’s no biting on this. From what I’m told, unless something happened in the last couple of days, he’s had no serious interest in Lecavalier in a long time. That’s a really tough one.

“They had a columnist this morning write that they should consider thinking about trading Giroux. I’m against that. You just cannot replace that guy. You lose him, and I mean – unless the offer is out-of-this-world unbelievable, you’re giving up the best player in a trade and a guy who has a lot of good years left ahead of him.

“I just think Ron Hextall was left a mess. He really was. He inherited a situation that had a lot of problems. A lot of bad contracts. The smartest thing they can do is just battle their way through it.
- Feanor

Sanity