This was stupid the first time they posted it
- YuenglingJagr

Its embarrassing.

He will, starting with the opening faceoff. The 2 most hated players by the Penguins team and fan base are Dubinsky and Hartnell. That series will most definitely devolve into a poopshow at times, and will be entertaining as hell to watch.
- jmatchett383

Also add Josh Anderson.

I would love the Flyers to find a kid like that. 6'3 and plays like a pit bull but has skill.

With adding Vecchionne, who I would assume they resign, does that make Laughton more available in a trade? I feel the want a solid 4th line with Bellemare and Vecchionne and possibly someone like Weise, Read, Raffl or whoever is left.
- J35Bacher

I think there are like 10 forwards for 5 spots in the bottom 6 (assuming Bellemare gets protected because he is an assistant captain). All of these guys have some value either as stand alone or in a package. No they won't fetch a great return by themselves, but if you could turn even a couple of these contracts into 3rd rounders in a draft at this point is a net win, IMO.

I think there are like 10 forwards for 5 spots in the bottom 6 (assuming Bellemare gets protected because he is an assistant captain). All of these guys have some value either as stand alone or in a package. No they won't fetch a great return by themselves, but if you could turn even a couple of these contracts into 3rd rounders in a draft at this point is a net win, IMO.
- ravishingone

If they protect Bellemare for any reason they should just fold the franchise.

This was stupid the first time they posted it
- YuenglingJagr

Was watching the NHL Network the other day, and they had on their "News" crawl a report that Giroux said he didn't want to be traded. I was curious why they had to make that a point to report.

If they protect Bellemare for any reason they should just fold the franchise.
- MBFlyerfan

I don't think he gets protected.

I think there are like 10 forwards for 5 spots in the bottom 6 (assuming Bellemare gets protected because he is an assistant captain). All of these guys have some value either as stand alone or in a package. No they won't fetch a great return by themselves, but if you could turn even a couple of these contracts into 3rd rounders in a draft at this point is a net win, IMO.
- ravishingone

Bellemare won't likely be protected.

I'm liking the additions of vecchione and weal. They are pretty dogged on the puck and have good defensive abilities too.
- Just5

I went to the game and I tried to watch without focusing on any particular players and I was happy that 74 and 48 stood out to me in a positive way. I thought Vecchione looked much better (not that he didn't look ok the first game) last night. I was very impressed with Hagg.

Obviously the negatives this season is, well, they missed the playoffs. the bottom line is winning. but looking at the positives.....the kids. Provorov is Provorov. I have no doubt he is a stud. While Konecny has warts he needs to clean up he has shown he can play. Hopefully he takes a step forward next year. Weal looks like a player to me. adds speed and skill and despite his size, he is tough to get off the puck. Small sample sizes but I like what I see from Vecchione, Hagg and Morin. want them all on the team next year along with, hopefully, Lindblom. Weise.....his last 14 games looked like the Weise of Montreal. that is the player the Flyers need over 82 games next year. Couturier over the last 20 games or so looks like the player we expect. Keep him with Schenn please. and to be that much of a plus on a team of double digit minuses says a lot despite plus/minus being a somewhat flawed stat. Gudas really played well. Ghost over the last quarter of the season looked healthy and confident and like the Ghost of last year. Stolarz seems to have shown he can be a NHL backup. Don't know if he will be a #1 (hope so of course) but I am confident he can handle a backup job. Giroux looked much more healthy and better the last quarter. he still has to be better than that but at least his last quarter showed more jump and mobility. Simmonds is Simmonds. automatic 30.

I'm excited about the prospects coming along

See - its not all literally terrible.

Bellemare won't likely be protected.
- jmatchett383

I would never write definitely, but at least the Neuvy extension had at least some logic as to why it was done now (not great logic). Bellemare getting the extension before the end of the season is exactly for what purpose? I am not advocating him being protected, it just wouldn't shock me if he was protected.

I would never write definitely, but at least the Neuvy extension had at least some logic as to why it was done now (not great logic). Bellemare getting the extension before the end of the season is exactly for what purpose? I am not advocating him being protected, it just wouldn't shock me if he was protected.
- ravishingone

Because they like him. He is a solid vet to have around as youth is inserted. I think having a more skilled 4th line will see him more productive.

Because they like him. He is a solid vet to have around as youth is inserted. I think having a more skilled 4th line will see him more productive.
- J35Bacher

Exactly, so my basic point is would it be shocking that Hexy values his skill set to want to protect him. My assumption is he signed Bellemare wanting to keep him. The best way to keep him is to protect him. I don't mean to come across as argumentative, but I'm kind of surprised there is this expectation has no shot of being protected.

The earlier point I was trying to make is the Flyers have an abundance of bottom 6 forwards, who Hexy has to figure out who stays and who goes. Each of them have some type of value (some better then others), which I'm pretty confident Hexy will be moving some of them over the next calendar year to get some type of returning value. For example, Matt Read has value as a bottom 6 forward, especially if Hexy wants to eat some salary this upcoming season. It makes little sense to me to place him on waivers if he isn't projected to be on the roster next fall.

I went to the game and I tried to watch without focusing on any particular players and I was happy that 74 and 48 stood out to me in a positive way. I thought Vecchione looked much better (not that he didn't look ok the first game) last night. I was very impressed with Hagg.

Obviously the negatives this season is, well, they missed the playoffs. the bottom line is winning. but looking at the positives.....the kids. Provorov is Provorov. I have no doubt he is a stud. While Konecny has warts he needs to clean up he has shown he can play. Hopefully he takes a step forward next year. Weal looks like a player to me. adds speed and skill and despite his size, he is tough to get off the puck. Small sample sizes but I like what I see from Vecchione, Hagg and Morin. want them all on the team next year along with, hopefully, Lindblom. Weise.....his last 14 games looked like the Weise of Montreal. that is the player the Flyers need over 82 games next year. Couturier over the last 20 games or so looks like the player we expect. Keep him with Schenn please. and to be that much of a plus on a team of double digit minuses says a lot despite plus/minus being a somewhat flawed stat. Gudas really played well. Ghost over the last quarter of the season looked healthy and confident and like the Ghost of last year. Stolarz seems to have shown he can be a NHL backup. Don't know if he will be a #1 (hope so of course) but I am confident he can handle a backup job. Giroux looked much more healthy and better the last quarter. he still has to be better than that but at least his last quarter showed more jump and mobility. Simmonds is Simmonds. automatic 30.

I'm excited about the prospects coming along

See - its not all literally terrible.
- nastyflyergirl

Take your positivity elsewere! Team Negative will be in shortly to disprove your statements.

Exactly, so my basic point is would it be shocking that Hexy values his skill set to want to protect him. My assumption is he signed Bellemare wanting to keep him. The best way to keep him is to protect him. I don't mean to come across as argumentative, but I'm kind of surprised there is this expectation has no shot of being protected.

The earlier point I was trying to make is the Flyers have an abundance of bottom 6 forwards, who Hexy has to figure out who stays and who goes. Each of them have some type of value (some better then others), which I'm pretty confident Hexy will be moving some of them over the next calendar year to get some type of returning value. For example, Matt Read has value as a bottom 6 forward, especially if Hexy wants to eat some salary this upcoming season. It makes little sense to me to place him on waivers if he isn't projected to be on the roster next fall.
- ravishingone

I get it.

I just think at the price he is signed he is a little over paid maybe as a 4th liner. They value him but they also will probably protect other players and hope the price scares of Vegas.

From what I was told, the Flyers had trade offers for Bellemare (as they did with Raffl last year). Hextall obviously liked both enough to want them to stay but if they had not come to terms on extensions, they would have been traded.

With Neuvirth, they wanted to make sure they had at least one veteran goalie under contract ahead of the offseason. They'd already decided, for whatever reasons, that Mason wasn't getting an extension offer (at least in-season, but probably not at all) no matter what.

Whether these decisions were the right ones can be debated. What I am answering above is "why did the Flyers see a need for an extension"?

Konecny is starting to look more like a Scottie Upshall long term as opposed to a regular top 6 winger. Hopefully I'm wrong. Stolarz looked a little off last night. That PP clapper by Aho was an amazing shot but Stolarz looked a bit weak and off on his angle coming from his right to his left all night. I know last night was just a tiny sampling but Hagg looked really decent. Looks like he could potentially be a top 4 guy that eats some solid minutes for the Flyers.

They have a ways to go before their 200 ft game is fully developed and able to fill the huge void left on the 4th line.
- StepfordSam

Understood

I went to the game and I tried to watch without focusing on any particular players and I was happy that 74 and 48 stood out to me in a positive way. I thought Vecchione looked much better (not that he didn't look ok the first game) last night. I was very impressed with Hagg.

Obviously the negatives this season is, well, they missed the playoffs. the bottom line is winning. but looking at the positives.....the kids. Provorov is Provorov. I have no doubt he is a stud. While Konecny has warts he needs to clean up he has shown he can play. Hopefully he takes a step forward next year. Weal looks like a player to me. adds speed and skill and despite his size, he is tough to get off the puck. Small sample sizes but I like what I see from Vecchione, Hagg and Morin. want them all on the team next year along with, hopefully, Lindblom. Weise.....his last 14 games looked like the Weise of Montreal. that is the player the Flyers need over 82 games next year. Couturier over the last 20 games or so looks like the player we expect. Keep him with Schenn please. and to be that much of a plus on a team of double digit minuses says a lot despite plus/minus being a somewhat flawed stat. Gudas really played well. Ghost over the last quarter of the season looked healthy and confident and like the Ghost of last year. Stolarz seems to have shown he can be a NHL backup. Don't know if he will be a #1 (hope so of course) but I am confident he can handle a backup job. Giroux looked much more healthy and better the last quarter. he still has to be better than that but at least his last quarter showed more jump and mobility. Simmonds is Simmonds. automatic 30.

I'm excited about the prospects coming along

See - its not all literally terrible.
- nastyflyergirl

TL:DR

and yes it is.

Take your positivity elsewere! Team Negative will be in shortly to disprove your statements.
- dragonoffrost

I would never write definitely, but at least the Neuvy extension had at least some logic as to why it was done now (not great logic). Bellemare getting the extension before the end of the season is exactly for what purpose? I am not advocating him being protected, it just wouldn't shock me if he was protected.
- ravishingone

I think his extension will protect him.

TL:DR

and yes it is.
- hammarby31

I still love you tho

I definitely agree. I'd say that he's the most likely to be taken in the expansion draft. I also know that he has less value in trade than he does to the team, but I just don't see him as a part of the future. If he (or Read) could be used to bump up our 2nd or one of our 3rds to get in to get a more skilled player, I'd definitely think about it.
- Coleman

The Flyers had too many role player type forwards in the lineup and not enough skill and speed. So the question is what role player are going to remain and which ones aren't moving forward. Bellemare is obviously in their plans next year. I think Raffl is the best of the bunch. We'll see what happens moving forward.

http://vegashockeyknight....ights-expansion-senators/


Here is an interesting take. One I mostly agree with. I'm not sure if the Flyers protect Laughton.

From what I was told, the Flyers had trade offers for Bellemare (as they did with Raffl last year). Hextall obviously liked both enough to want them to stay but if they had not come to terms on extensions, they would have been traded.

With Neuvirth, they wanted to make sure they had at least one veteran goalie under contract ahead of the offseason. They'd already decided, for whatever reasons, that Mason wasn't getting an extension offer (at least in-season, but probably not at all) no matter what.

Whether these decisions were the right ones can be debated. What I am answering above is "why did the Flyers see a need for an extension"?
- bmeltzer

I really do NOT understand their handling of Mason. There has to be stuff behind the scene at work, IMO. I think they're making a mistake. A big one.

I still love you tho
- nastyflyergirl

you can't quit me.

From what I was told, the Flyers had trade offers for Bellemare (as they did with Raffl last year). Hextall obviously liked both enough to want them to stay but if they had not come to terms on extensions, they would have been traded.

With Neuvirth, they wanted to make sure they had at least one veteran goalie under contract ahead of the offseason. They'd already decided, for whatever reasons, that Mason wasn't getting an extension offer (at least in-season, but probably not at all) no matter what.

Whether these decisions were the right ones can be debated. What I am answering above is "why did the Flyers see a need for an extension"?
- bmeltzer

Bill, I know you wrote "for whatever reasons," but do you have any inside knowledge as to why they don't want to extend Mason? Is there some turmoil there, possibly over the Jeff Reese firing? Mason didn't have a great season, but Neuvirth was one of the worst goalies in the league this year. I don't want the league's worst goalie to be our starter next year.