Use the draft for that, and give some younger players a shot. I want one UFA addition, and that's a cheap veteran center who can play the PK, and take some D zone draws. Someone who is an improvement over White, other than that, I want the Flyers to stay away from these so called + possession players that other teams are setting adrift, and don't even think is worth a Q offer.
- MJL

Darren Helm 2 year deal 7 mil outbid everyone for 2 years of service lets go Hexy

I'm not even sure VDV has a niche. He's an ordinary bubble guy. He's an average PK body. His best attribute is he's cheap.

I wouldn't mind seeing Colin McDonald take his spot.
- Jsaquella

VDV's niche is nepotism.

McDonald is just a worse Ryan White. I don't think Hexy gave him that contract to be an NHL guy either -- I think he sees him as AHL leader/depth guy. He hits, poor skater, competes, low skill....that's about it with him. We need serious upgrades and well rounded hockey players in our bottom 6. Another journeyman tweener who hits and "battles" isn't what the doctor ordered.

Darren Helm 2 year deal 7 mil outbid everyone for 2 years of service lets go Hexy
- Just5

That's nice, but he's asking for 5 years $20 mil supposedly.

That's nice, but he's asking for 5 years $20 mil supposedly.
- Mononoke

pfffffttt....he's really banking on that escalator I guess land him on the moon

VDV's niche is nepotism.

McDonald is just a worse Ryan White. I don't think Hexy gave him that contract to be an NHL guy either -- I think he sees him as AHL leader/depth guy. He hits, poor skater, competes, low skill....that's about it with him. We need serious upgrades and well rounded hockey players in our bottom 6. Another journeyman tweener who hits and "battles" isn't what the doctor ordered.
- Mononoke

Nepotism

The struggle is to balance now and the future, especially within the cap. With some of the rumored asking prices, I can't see going deep and long with a lot of the guys out there.

Ideally they could add a decent middle six guy with potential cheap, get a kid like Leier to step in and provide good play and fight their way into the playoff again, continuing the forward momentum and developing on the fly.

Sure, that would be gravy.
- Tomahawk

I don't think it would be gravy in Hextall's eyes. They aren't the Sixers. Hextall does not want to go backwards and regress. They want to continue to be a playoff team, and trend towards the top of the league.

I'm not even sure VDV has a niche. He's an ordinary bubble guy. He's an average PK body. His best attribute is he's cheap.

I wouldn't mind seeing Colin McDonald take his spot.
- Jsaquella

Agreed. If McDonald is worse, you move on

Darren Helm 2 year deal 7 mil outbid everyone for 2 years of service lets go Hexy
- Just5

Not a faceoff guy. Helm took 20 D zone draws the entire season. Took like 75 draws the entire season.

I get the questioning of Pirri himself as he hasn't really proven much yet. But lets asks the more fundamental question. Does he fill our needs? I would say no. I think a 3C that can take draws and do the PK is the #1 need. I was not joking when I suggested looking into trading for....wait for it........


Jordan Staal.

Not my first option, but there are worse players. He competed in the playoffs, showed that while he is flawed, he doesn't necessarily hurt you

I understand that you have to be careful with these guys and not expect too much from them, but if it's between VDV and Gagner over 82 games, to me, Gagner is a better NHL player. I just can't believe that because VDV has a niche that you have to keep,him in it until the perfect 12/13 forward comes along

I mean, seriously. It's like when Adam Hall got set free. Yeah, you could always keep him, but you never really have to
- AllInForFlyers

That depends on where you're playing that player. If Gagner can't hold a regular spot on the top 2 lines, then he doesn't have a spot on the team. Vandevelde certainly wouldn't play in the top 2 lines, but if it's a 4th line spot, Vandevelde over Gagner.

I get the questioning of Pirri himself as he hasn't really proven much yet. But lets asks the more fundamental question. Does he fill our needs? I would say no. I think a 3C that can take draws and do the PK is the #1 need. I was not joking when I suggested looking into trading for....wait for it........


Jordan Staal.
- coffee junkie

Nooooooooooo

That depends on where you're playing that player. If Gagner can't hold a regular spot on the top 2 lines, then he doesn't have a spot on the team. Vandevelde certainly wouldn't play in the top 2 lines, but if it's a 4th line spot, Vandevelde over Gagner.
- MJL

That's limited thinking as an organization. The fourth line can evolve, be any number of things. Just because VDV can't score doesn't mean he is a good defensive player, or even a more useful player in that role.

If Gagner was on the ice for 30goals and helped the line score 25, he's just as useful as VDV if VDV is on the ice for 20 goals and helps them score 15.

The PK has been a tire fire at various points for two seasons. Since they brought the coaches back, then it's totally fine to look at the players, so VDV doesn't get a pass for killing penalties when they really aren't getting killed

I don't think it would be gravy in Hextall's eyes. They aren't the Sixers. Hextall does not want to go backwards and regress. They want to continue to be a playoff team, and trend towards the top of the league.
- MJL

The stuff that Hexy says tho, like "we're not there yet", says to me that he's not viewing progress in terms of W/L or making the PO's... they're still busy building this thing up brick by brick, and they don't plan on taking any shortcuts or making any rash decisions.

The stuff that Hexy says tho, like "we're not there yet", says to me that he's not viewing progress in terms of W/L or making the PO's... they're still busy building this thing up brick by brick, and they don't plan on taking any shortcuts or making any rash decisions.
- Tomahawk

Again, I don't understand why signing someone affordable with low term to temporarily help the bottom 6, like Stamkos, equates with making a rash decision.

That's limited thinking as an organization. The fourth line can evolve, be any number of things. Just because VDV can't score doesn't mean he is a good defensive player, or even a more useful player in that role.

If Gagner was on the ice for 30goals and helped the line score 25, he's just as useful as VDV if VDV is on the ice for 20 goals and helps them score 15.

The PK has been a tire fire at various points for two seasons. Since they brought the coaches back, then it's totally fine to look at the players, so VDV doesn't get a pass for killing penalties when they really aren't getting killed
- AllInForFlyers

Evolve into what? It's not limited thinking, it's strategical thinking, and proper player usage. Gagner is simply not going to be an effective player on the 4th line, playing with 4th line players. He's not going to be used in enough offensive situations to even take advantage of his average offensive ability, making him an even less effective player than he already is.
It's puzzling that you even bring up the PK. I'm all for improving it, and they need to do that, but that's not going to be done by replacing Vandevelde with Gagner.
There is no question that in a 4th line role, Vandevlde would be a more effective player than Gagner would be. Unequivocally.

The stuff that Hexy says tho, like "we're not there yet", says to me that he's not viewing progress in terms of W/L or making the PO's... they're still busy building this thing up brick by brick, and they don't plan on taking any shortcuts or making any rash decisions.
- Tomahawk

Hextall in 2015 stated that he could've made more deals at the deadline, but didn't to give the team a chance to make the playoffs. He also said numerous times last season that he felt that the team had a playoff roster, and they turned out to be. He absolutely has strive to be a playoff team. What he has said, is that he won't sacrifice the future to make a playoff run. We're not there yet, is in regards to being a top team and a true contender. If they regress and fail to be a playoff team next season, Hextall will not be happy with his team.

Evolve into what? It's not limited thinking, it's strategical thinking, and proper player usage. Gagner is simply not going to be an effective player on the 4th line, playing with 4th line players. He's not going to be used in enough offensive situations to even take advantage of his average offensive ability, making him an even less effective player than he already is.
It's puzzling that you even bring up the PK. I'm all for improving it, and they need to do that, but that's not going to be done by replacing Vandevelde with Gagner.
There is no question that in a 4th line role, Vandevlde would be a more effective player than Gagner would be. Unequivocally.
- MJL

Again: Limited thinking.

We disagree. But since we've already gone round and round today, and nobody wants to read more of it, we can agree to disagree. Unequivocally.

So, Lucicandchong and Demers are said to have handshake agreements with the Oilers.
- Mononoke

(frank) lucic, although i think he will help them out a lot in the first year or two of that deal, if it goes down as such. and then hopefully it forces them to lose a key young guy down the road.

i wonder what the terms are for demers. i had interest in him.

I get the questioning of Pirri himself as he hasn't really proven much yet. But lets asks the more fundamental question. Does he fill our needs? I would say no. I think a 3C that can take draws and do the PK is the #1 need. I was not joking when I suggested looking into trading for....wait for it........


Jordan Staal.
- coffee junkie

jagr. talbot. now staal?

stawp

jagr. talbot. now staal?

stawp
- stayinthefnnet

I felt the same way when I saw Tom Sestito in a Penguins jersey.

I felt the same way when I saw Tom Sestito in a Penguins jersey.
- Mononoke

i dont blame you. its a fairly majestic sight to behold.

staal would actually be a pretty big help on the flyers. definitely depends on the cost though.

Have to admit, the Stamkos thing fascinates me.

Where do you go if you want to win quickly? Where do you go if you want to get paid the most? Where do you go if you want to balance money and winning?

You sign for seven years. Which team will give you the most bites at the apple in those seven years? Because ultimately, winning is the only thing that matters, at a certain point?

It is fascinating to see where this goes.

i dont blame you. its a fairly majestic sight to behold.

staal would actually be a pretty big help on the flyers. definitely depends on the cost though.
- stayinthefnnet

We aren't trading for a center, especially one with 7 years left on his contract. We have G and Coots as a dynamite 1-2 signed long term and just drafted Rubtsov, who is another Staal-like player. Besides the assets we wouldn't want to give up, it just makes no sense fron a roster standpoint.

We aren't trading for a center, especially one with 7 years left on his contract. We have G and Coots as a dynamite 1-2 signed long term and just drafted Rubtsov, who is another Staal-like player. Besides the assets we wouldn't want to give up, it just makes no sense fron a roster standpoint.
- Mononoke

considering the assets, yeah, probably not. but if youre viewing it entirely in a vacuum, i think he would help out both giroux and coots immensely.

considering the assets, yeah, probably not. but if youre viewing it entirely in a vacuum, i think he would help out both giroux and coots immensely.
- stayinthefnnet

Rubtsov will be that player. Having 3 centers signed for $8.25 mil, 4.25 mil, 6 mil to 6,6,7 year deals doesn't give you much flexibility, especially when two of those contracts last to the mid 30s. Where does Rubtsov fit in in perhaps 2-3 years time? I'm a huge Staal fan and think his contract concerns are entirely overblown, but on this team, it makes no sense and is a long term mess. If he was a free agent and we gave up no assets, we still don't do it.