Not sure why we (not saying you) are concerned about Farabee not signing here
- nastyflyergirl

He is on a short list of elite forward prospects WE NEED.

No-one seems to want to sign/trade for one, so where will these players come from?

He needs to come sign, play for the Phantoms, and produce for the FLYERS for me to even think he is untouchable.

And that is AT LEAST a 3 year process for this guy.

He's playing 20 minutes a game for Mike Babcock. He's not awful.
- MJL

He’s likey not worth his contact and given their upcoming cap crunch good chance hes one of the guys they look to unload. No way id want him here but wouldn’t be surprised if he’s unloaded for nothing elsewhere simply for the leafs to make room.

He’s likey not worth his contact and given their upcoming cap crunch good chance hes one of the guys they look to unload. No way id want him here but wouldn’t be surprised if he’s unloaded for nothing elsewhere simply for the leafs to make room.
- Hughjass

I don't disagree but the Leafs aren't going to give him away as a throw in.

I don't disagree but the Leafs aren't going to give him away as a throw in.
- MJL

Very real possibility they wont have a choice though. Im hoping they have a terrible off season and everything goes wrong and the JT signing blows up in their face lol can only hope.

He's playing 20 minutes a game for Mike Babcock. He's not awful.
- MJL

Just because he is doesnt mean he should. Toronto's Defense sucks and that is a big reason. AMac used to play 20 mins here too and he shouldnt have either.

Just because he is doesnt mean he should. Toronto's Defense sucks and that is a big reason. AMac used to play 20 mins here too and he shouldnt have either.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

MacDonald has been a capable minutes eater his entire career. Zatisev is the same. Those types of players have some value.

Just because he is doesnt mean he should. Toronto's Defense sucks and that is a big reason. AMac used to play 20 mins here too and he shouldnt have either.
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

5 more years at 4.5 too for 3 goals and 9 points on a high scoring leafs team. He def isnt a defensive specialist either. He was paid based off his 1st year production which has dropped off a cliff.

A summary of Flyers upcoming decisions on defense

Current d-men, age at the start of the 2019-20 season, contract status (*this summers free agents)

MacDonald-33, UFA status in 2020
Gudas-29, UFA status in 2020
Gostisbehere-26, UFA status in 2023
Hägg-24, RFA status in 2020
Morin-24, RFA status in 2021
Sanheim-23, RFA status in 2019*
Provorov-22, RFA status in 2019*
Myers-22, RFA status in 2020

If you assume there are no defensemen traded or acquired and we simply re-sign our 2 RFAs to new contracts...then the question is who serves as the 7th defensemen? Plus, who else is scratched, demoted or waived? Only 2 guys are over age 26. When all are healthy...who is the other scratch, besides AMac? Gudas, as he has played this season, doesn’t deserve to be scratched. The others need to play; a few weeks is one thing, but a whole season is something else entirely.

If you assume that the Flyers choose to keep 8 roster defensemen (13 forwards, 2 goalies) next season...then if we want to add a quality veteran d-man to the mix, we must trade, waive or demote a current one.

If you assume that the Flyers choose to keep 7 roster defensemen next season...then if we want to add a quality veteran d-man to the mix we must trade, waive or demote 2 of the current d-men.

Depending on who all is replaced and who is acquired, the question remains: who serves as the 7th defenseman? Because of how young our d-core is, we currently have only one guy that fits in that role—AMac.

MacDonald has been a capable minutes eater his entire career. Zatisev is the same. Those types of players have some value.
- MJL

https://youtu.be/TaIal59CL_Y

capable

https://youtu.be/TaIal59CL_Y

capable
- ZechsMarquise

It's really the fans who have the true knowledge of the game. NHL coaches, not so much.

He's playing 20 minutes a game for Mike Babcock. He's not awful.
- MJL

exactly and his bad play is very overblown

It's really the fans who have the true knowledge of the game. NHL coaches, not so much.
- MJL

I think Hak did an ok job, but his over reliance on sub par veteran players that blocked our prospects was very obvious. He wanted a ‘snot and balls’ team in a league dictated by skill. Dinosaurs go extinct 👍🏽

I think Hak did an ok job, but his over reliance on sub par veteran players that blocked our prospects was very obvious. He wanted a ‘snot and balls’ team in a league dictated by skill. Dinosaurs go extinct 👍🏽
- ZechsMarquise

That is inaccurate.

A summary of Flyers upcoming decisions on defense

Current d-men, age at the start of the 2019-20 season, contract status (*this summers free agents)

MacDonald-33, UFA status in 2020
Gudas-29, UFA status in 2020
Gostisbehere-26, UFA status in 2023
Hägg-24, RFA status in 2020
Morin-24, RFA status in 2021
Sanheim-23, RFA status in 2019*
Provorov-22, RFA status in 2019*
Myers-22, RFA status in 2020

If you assume there are no defensemen traded or acquired and we simply re-sign our 2 RFAs to new contracts...then the question is who serves as the 7th defensemen? Plus, who else is scratched, demoted or waived? Only 2 guys are over age 26. When all are healthy...who is the other scratch, besides AMac? Gudas, as he has played this season, doesn’t deserve to be scratched. The others need to play; a few weeks is one thing, but a whole season is something else entirely.

If you assume that the Flyers choose to keep 8 roster defensemen (13 forwards, 2 goalies) next season...then if we want to add a quality veteran d-man to the mix, we must trade, waive or demote a current one.

If you assume that the Flyers choose to keep 7 roster defensemen next season...then if we want to add a quality veteran d-man to the mix we must trade, waive or demote 2 of the current d-men.

Depending on who all is replaced and who is acquired, the question remains: who serves as the 7th defenseman? Because of how young our d-core is, we currently have only one guy that fits in that role—AMac.
- NC Flyers Fan

Yes, THIS.

We currently have 8 D men on the roster. Morin has yet to play. A Mac now only plays with a 7 D rotation. 2 are RFAs and the other 6 are signed through next year.
That is what could make Haag or Ghost expendable. Even if AMac is waived or traded I don't want any of the remaining 6 sitting. I know, how can we have such problems.

Yes, THIS.

We currently have 8 D men on the roster. Morin has yet to play. A Mac now only plays with a 7 D rotation. 2 are RFAs and the other 6 are signed through next year.
That is what could make Haag or Ghost expendable. Even if AMac is waived or traded I don't want any of the remaining 6 sitting. I know, how can we have such problems.
- jaws1955

Honestly, it is an enviable problem. I have drawn up several scenarios and the possible outcomes are lengthy. But what is obviously is that we are nearing the point where a decision on the young defensemen we already have should happen within a year.

Yes, THIS.

We currently have 8 D men on the roster. Morin has yet to play. A Mac now only plays with a 7 D rotation. 2 are RFAs and the other 6 are signed through next year.
That is what could make Haag or Ghost expendable. Even if AMac is waived or traded I don't want any of the remaining 6 sitting. I know, how can we have such problems.
- jaws1955

It's really nice to have a team that is so good that a defenseman with the ability that Gostisbehere has, to score 60 points as a defenseman in this league, can be expendable.

He's playing 20 minutes a game for Mike Babcock. He's not awful.
- MJL

He's awful when you look at his contract.

He is a liability, not an asset.

Seriously, the contract is franking horrible.

My best guess for this offseason is...

They re-sign both RFAs—Provorov and Sanheim.

They acquired a veteran top-4 defenseman.

They keep one of MacDonald and Gudas.

They keep one of Gostisbehere and Hägg.

Even just this one guess scenario has a lot of different roster outcomes.

It's really nice to have a team that is so good that a defenseman with the ability that Gostisbehere has, to score 60 points as a defenseman in this league, can be expendable.
- MJL

Just so you know, I don’t see it as the young defensemen we are developing now pushing Ghost out. Rather, in the event that the top veteran defenseman we actually acquire has a PP1 skill set, it may be the best move for fit to trade Ghost. He would have very good value in trade.

It is just one possibility. It may not be the one that happens. My point is that although we like all of them, change is coming.

He's awful when you look at his contract.

He is a liability, not an asset.

Seriously, the contract is franking horrible.
- Atomic Wedgie

I can understand not liking the contract with Toronto's situation but he's not a horrible player in my opinion.

Just so you know, I don’t see it as the young defensemen we are developing now pushing Ghost out. Rather, in the event that the top veteran defenseman we actually acquire has a PP1 skill set, it may be the best move for fit to trade Ghost. He would have very good value in trade.

It is just one possibility. It may not be the one that happens. My point is that although we like all of them, change is coming.
- NC Flyers Fan

Unless the deal is too good to turn down, it would be a foolish move. What veteran defenseman are we going to get that is better than Gostisbehere on the PP. I have concerns about the up and down seasons but he has elite skills with the puck and that's hard to find.

Unless the deal is too good to turn down, it would be a foolish move. What veteran defenseman are we going to get that is better than Gostisbehere on the PP. I have concerns about the up and down seasons but he has elite skills with the puck and that's hard to find.
- MJL

This will be the prime summer topic as we weed through the list of available free agents and trade candidates after we find out what direction other teams decide to go.

This will be the prime summer topic as we weed through the list of available free agents and trade candidates after we find out what direction other teams decide to go.
- NC Flyers Fan

We already know who the UFA's are. Gostisbehere is almost untouchable as far as I'm concerned. Need to be blown away to trade him.

I love having a lot of young D.
Meyers looks like a gem but really too small a sample to know for certain what he becomes.
Sanheim is already good and hopefully still improving on the D side.
Morin is a question mark.
Hagg seems like a third pair guy who could have a very long NHL career in the right role.
Ghost hopefully rebounds to where he was before his injury and surgery. Provy is not going anywhere.

I think it’s too soon trade any of the young guys unless they get blown away by the return.
Like a Taylor Hall equivalent return that the Devils got.

We already know who the UFA's are. Gostisbehere is almost untouchable as far as I'm concerned. Need to be blown away to trade him.
- MJL

Some UFA will be re-signed, rights to others traded then re-signed with a new team. The trade market can shift depending on team’s performance down the stretch and in the playoffs.

I have 4 untouchables- Giroux, Coots, Provorov, and Hart.

Ghost, for me has a price. First, losing him can’t create a hole, so a replacement for his key roles is needed. Secondly, we get a great deal.