This were I'm at with Simmonds. If he was lighting it up and this team was contending, then maybe you do a 5-6 year deal knowing he will probably not be very good in year 4 and beyond ala Scott Hartnell....But the Flyers are not that team.
- landros 2

Not good in year 4? He’s barely mediocre now. The quicker they trade him, the better. As bad as Jake has been, he’s at least putting up his usual output at ES, it’s the pp numbers that are way off. Simmonds is flat out bad at ES, and with JVR likely here for the forseeable future, he’s not needed for the pp.

I respect his toughness and wish him good fortune, but it’s time to move on.

I can picture the posts now. When and if Simmonds is traded and plays in the right situation, posts will say where was that Simmonds when he was here? The answer is that he was here all along.

I can picture the posts now. When and if Simmonds is traded and plays in the right situation, posts will say where was that Simmonds when he was here? The answer is that he was here all along.
- MJL

Absolutely. The team is playing like poop, and all of Philadelphia is blaming one player who plays third line right wing.

Well than you’re left with JvR at 6.
- SuperSchennBros

How about this as a compromise between us:

Between now and the TDL, the Flyers deal Wayne Simmonds to a contender, giving him a chance to win a Stanley Cup. Since a contender will likely not want to lose pieces of a lineup that is working, the return will likely be centered around picks/prospects, with a possibly a bottom-6 player or 6/7 defenseman coming back.

However, since Simmonds is a UFA, have the Flyers say that, if he wants to continue as a Flyer, they would be more than willing to resign him to a fair offer on July 1st. This way, not only does Simmonds get a chance to win a championship, he could return to Philly with a team that has additional assets (the one they gained by trading him) to help him win one here as well.

Would that be okay with you?

Your original posts kept speaking from a term perspective, which is how I responded to you.
- SuperSchennBros

Which one? I have not seen any reports on term or price, I'm figuring he probably wants a contract that is 5+ years and $5+M per since it's his last big contract. I haven't read any reports that give hard numbers.

Now, if you think he wants a short-term (3 or less years) at a low salary (under $5M), then I'll listen.

Our top wings are too slow. Simmonds, JVR, Lindblom. All of the top teams in this league have wingers who can fly. They disrupt on the forecheck and back D off with top end speed. Until this team gets faster, they won’t compete.

The reason to keep Voracek is that he can score and is one of the better playmaker in the league
- MJL

Last night he only factored in on every goal but his defense sucks, TRADE HIM. People crack me up on here.

Last night he only factored in on every goal but his defense sucks, TRADE HIM. People crack me up on here.
- ClaudeFather

If a player can outscore him defensive issues, then it's okay. This is why Danny Briere went from top-end FA in 2007 to buyout in 2013. As long as Jake can outscore his deficiencies, he's a valuable (but infuriating) player.

Our top wings are too slow. Simmonds, JVR, Lindblom. All of the top teams in this league have wingers who can fly. They disrupt on the forecheck and back D off with top end speed. Until this team gets faster, they won’t compete.
- mkabbeko

More speed is a must, and it’s coming soon. Frost, Farabee and Ratcliffe are all very strong skaters.

Which one? I have not seen any reports on term or price, I'm figuring he probably wants a contract that is 5+ years and $5+M per since it's his last big contract. I haven't read any reports that give hard numbers.

Now, if you think he wants a short-term (3 or less years) at a low salary (under $5M), then I'll listen.
- jmatchett383

You just did it again

What has Simmonds shown you the past 2 seasons that warrants a long-term (5+ year), big-money ($6M+ per) extension?

If this was the 13/14, or even 15/16 version of Wayne Simmonds who forechecks hard, hits, fights, wins every 50/50 battle, stirs the pot, can score more than garbage goals, is a semi-effective PK player, and can actually skate with the puck...yeah, I'd consider it. He lost lost almost every one of those traits.
- jmatchett383

I’ll give the same response, I’m not gonna overreact to reports. Simmonds will get whatever the market will allow. Plenty of players haven’t received the deal they were originally looking for.

With this said, I wouldn’t be surprised if Simmonds was traded and placed in a better situation. Ideally a top six role with a playmaker. Now, should he fail in this role, he and agent should back down on demands.

Even though he’s had a rough season, I don’t think it’s time to give up on him like most guys have already. Idk if you’re being serious or sarcastic (hard to tell online) but his lack of center is a fair explanation imo. His centers have been Patrick and Weal. Patrick has just been struggling whereas Weal isn’t good. A lot of us expected a 2nd line of JVR-Patrick-Jake and it lacked chemistry in preseason. I know both JVR and Jake have sucked defensively, but maybe this line should be revisited. It doesn’t help JVR that our PP has been hot garbage, even though he excelled in Toronto at scoring ES. But I do wonder if his leg/knee is still somewhat bothering him or hurting his skating.
- arichardson22

The best way to judge a player is what they provide for the team when they don't score goals. Of course there are some players in the league that are so gifted offensively that they can get by on that alone, but the Flyers don't have any of them. So let's look at what other ways can help a team win.

- Do they generate offensive chances for other players?
- Do they have possession abilities to keep the puck in the offensive zone?
- Do they have defensive awareness that keep other lines from scoring when they aren't?
- Are they a physical presence that disrupts other lines?
- Do they win board battles that keep pucks in the offensive zone or get the puck out of the defensive zone?
- Do they win the majority of the faceoffs taken?
- Do they have high energy work ethic?
- Do they stick up for teammates when the time calls for it?

Look at every single forward on the Flyers and ask yourself what they provide for the team when they don't score and now you know their worth.

How about this as a compromise between us:

Between now and the TDL, the Flyers deal Wayne Simmonds to a contender, giving him a chance to win a Stanley Cup. Since a contender will likely not want to lose pieces of a lineup that is working, the return will likely be centered around picks/prospects, with a possibly a bottom-6 player or 6/7 defenseman coming back.

However, since Simmonds is a UFA, have the Flyers say that, if he wants to continue as a Flyer, they would be more than willing to resign him to a fair offer on July 1st. This way, not only does Simmonds get a chance to win a championship, he could return to Philly with a team that has additional assets (the one they gained by trading him) to help him win one here as well.

Would that be okay with you?
- jmatchett383

What compromise? All of this isn’t my decision.

Seriously, not one of you are sick of listening to yourselves overreact?

I can picture the posts now. When and if Simmonds is traded and plays in the right situation, posts will say where was that Simmonds when he was here? The answer is that he was here all along.
- MJL

Not me, the dumbest thing a person can do is dwell on a players performance on another team. I don't care if [fill in players name] goes to Arizona and scores 57 goals, he didn't do it with the Flyers and that is all that matters.

More speed is a must, and it’s coming soon. Frost, Farabee and Ratcliffe are all very strong skaters.
- BiggE

While he's not a first round talent like those guys, NAK is also a strong skater, and has a very good wrist shot. Two things the current team could really do with. And yet Fletcher is still sitting on his hands, refusing to call up his best available forward prospect.

It's not hard to imagine Aube-Kubel being a more effective NHL forward than Lindblom. Lindblom's a very smart player and great at winning puck battles, but his skating and shot are average at best.

More speed is a must, and it’s coming soon. Frost, Farabee and Ratcliffe are all very strong skaters.
- BiggE

Hopefully Hughes or Kakko...that's more speed.

The Flyers are #1 in the league in goal differential at: -37

Suck it, haters!!!

Not me, the dumbest thing a person can do is dwell on a players performance on another team. I don't care if
- Glak18[fill in players name] goes to Arizona and scores 57 goals, he didn't do it with the Flyers and that is all that matters.

So this collective group, including you haven’t brought up Patrick Sharp repeatedly since 2008? I think you’re full of it.

If a player can outscore him defensive issues, then it's okay. This is why Danny Briere went from top-end FA in 2007 to buyout in 2013. As long as Jake can outscore his deficiencies, he's a valuable (but infuriating) player.
- jmatchett383

And for the most part he does. Also who has been his center most of the year? the kid who hasn't scored in 20 games?

I am probably totally in the minority but I wouldn't mind seeing NOPA go to Lehigh and get some confidence back.
- landros 2

Oscar to

There was some promotion where, if the Flyers scored in OT against Clagary, they would an AED to a local children's hospital.

So, because they failed to score, that hospital did not get its AED.
- jmatchett383

I hope they did the right thing and donated one anyway. But yes, that was a poorly thought out promo.

So this collective group, including you haven’t brought up Patrick Sharp repeatedly since 2008? I think you’re full of it.
- SuperSchennBros

Not me, not one single time because I actually remember the exact reason why he was traded. He wasn't traded because he was given up on, he was traded because there was no spot for him with the forwards they currently had at the time. The fact they got a bigger center in Ellison was strictly for depth and there were times he struggled in the lineup. There is no guarantee he would of had the same career if he stayed with the Flyers.

You just did it again



I’ll give the same response, I’m not gonna overreact to reports. Simmonds will get whatever the market will allow. Plenty of players haven’t received the deal they were originally looking for.

With this said, I wouldn’t be surprised if Simmonds was traded and placed in a better situation. Ideally a top six role with a playmaker. Now, should he fail in this role, he and agent should back down on demands.
- SuperSchennBros

Toronto will trade him and put him in jvrs old role. Top pp time. Sheltered ozone starts at 5 vs 5

About Simmonds, he’s going to be looking for a pay raise and term on his deal. As fans we have watched him the past two years decline in production among staying healthy. To me there is no reason to gamble on a big contract for a player like him at this time. What he has become is a power play specialist. Watching him play, I shake my head when he gets the puck on his stick. He’s a turnover machine. It’s time we stop thinking about the past accolades and think about moving forward if he benefits us with the current state of the team. It’s time to move on and that’s the best for the franchise.

Our top wings are too slow. Simmonds, JVR, Lindblom. All of the top teams in this league have wingers who can fly. They disrupt on the forecheck and back D off with top end speed. Until this team gets faster, they won’t compete.
- mkabbeko

True. In addition to the prospects coming, we have TK and Laughton.

I can picture the posts now. When and if Simmonds is traded and plays in the right situation, posts will say where was that Simmonds when he was here? The answer is that he was here all along.
- MJL

Maybe he’ll be more motivated when he’s playing on a winning team and will play with fire like he used to