So the last week has been a fun ride to say the least...

I don't like the trade yesterday, but I know it did make the team better. Signing Hayes also made the team better...I think Fletcher is doing the things Hexy didn't last year and he is getting the pieces we HAD to have to go into next season.

Fletcher shed all the players that did not fit and that started last year...
Niskanen is an upgrade over Gudas
We needed a center and paying 9 or 10 million for Duschene was probably going to be a swing and miss. He GOT the second best option, and a good PK guy.
In Braun he got a solid D man that is also good on the PK and for one year with maybe a chance to extend him if needed...

He still needs a goalie and another top 9 winger...I think it will be Zucc, or at least that is what they will try for...again, another character guy.

All the rookies will stay in the AHL because Frost will need to learn how to play wing and it won't hurt to have them learn the ropes down there...

Not being part of team negative but the reason I think the trade for Braun was sub optimal is that they should have traded for him after they moved one of their young D-Men. Right now the league knows they are going to have to unload one of Ghost, Morin or Hagg and that move won't be from a position of strength...Hagg is 24 and probably a career third liner, Ghost can be a dynamic play maker and Morin is an unknown, but probably a strong 5/6 guy. None of these guys really have had the NHL coaching that is going to come in this year, so where their true ceiling is I am not sure we will know...timing may have sucked for Fletcher and Braun may have been shopped to other teams and Fletcher could not pass so he made the deal..if that was the case then I guess it is what it is...

All that being said, the team is better...we have upgraded several parts to the PK and got guys that overall stay out of the box so again, not needing to rely on the PK and all 3 play a smart 2 way game...all things Fletcher wanted to change...
- JW98FlyerFan

To be honest I hope it is Morin or Hagg. Ghost is not only the best of the three, but his contract is the most bang for the buck. Between him and Couturier they are two of the best contracts in the league.

After all is said and done with the RFA signings I think this team is going to be pretty close to the cap.

Again, it is simple speculation on my part. I would think that a player like Hayes would want something like that in his next contract. Not all the details are confirmed.

I’m not claiming to know this 100%. So why the interrogation?

The fact remains that it is a bad deal and counting on things like the expansion draft and buyouts from a CBA agreement from a lockout that hasn’t even happened yet is bad business and shouldn’t be used to justify a poor signing.
- StepfordSam

Yes, but usually when people speculate, they use all of the facts to make an informed decision. The only facts related to a NMC is that an insider with a good track record has reported that it's unlikely. So why would you speculate that there IS one? Just because you expect Fletcher to intentionally make a bad decision?

So the last week has been a fun ride to say the least...

I don't like the trade yesterday, but I know it did make the team better. Signing Hayes also made the team better...I think Fletcher is doing the things Hexy didn't last year and he is getting the pieces we HAD to have to go into next season.

Fletcher shed all the players that did not fit and that started last year...
Niskanen is an upgrade over Gudas
We needed a center and paying 9 or 10 million for Duschene was probably going to be a swing and miss. He GOT the second best option, and a good PK guy.
In Braun he got a solid D man that is also good on the PK and for one year with maybe a chance to extend him if needed...

He still needs a goalie and another top 9 winger...I think it will be Zucc, or at least that is what they will try for...again, another character guy.

All the rookies will stay in the AHL because Frost will need to learn how to play wing and it won't hurt to have them learn the ropes down there...

Not being part of team negative but the reason I think the trade for Braun was sub optimal is that they should have traded for him after they moved one of their young D-Men. Right now the league knows they are going to have to unload one of Ghost, Morin or Hagg and that move won't be from a position of strength...Hagg is 24 and probably a career third liner, Ghost can be a dynamic play maker and Morin is an unknown, but probably a strong 5/6 guy. None of these guys really have had the NHL coaching that is going to come in this year, so where their true ceiling is I am not sure we will know...timing may have sucked for Fletcher and Braun may have been shopped to other teams and Fletcher could not pass so he made the deal..if that was the case then I guess it is what it is...

All that being said, the team is better...we have upgraded several parts to the PK and got guys that overall stay out of the box so again, not needing to rely on the PK and all 3 play a smart 2 way game...all things Fletcher wanted to change...
- JW98FlyerFan

Good points all. I didn't like the Braun trade either. Jumped the gun really. However, as you say, Fletch recognized the PK is terrible, and has now gotten pieces to fix that.

Get bigger! Get players that kill penalties! Get a 2C!

Fletch goes and does it and everyone goes apepoop.
- hereticpride

But he's not a 1C that we can play as a 2C for under $3M per year...

But he's not a 1C that we can play as a 2C for under $3M per year...
- jmatchett383

Still shocked Calgary didn't jump on a Gaudreau for Rafll deal.

Not worried at all about Braun.

They def need a very good backup goalie. That is the key imo. If hart struggles they could be doomed again.
- daryl stanley

I expect Hart to go through his ups and downs during the sophomore season. Stick with him over the long haul unlike the Bob/Bryz panic situation. Dear God please.

Solid backup allow Hart to play 50 games plus the playoffs no more. I think that should be the model moving forward actually. Bruins always rode Rask hard in the reg season, and he seemed off come playoffs. This year, Halak is solid, meaning less games for Rask, then he's a stud come playoffs. Follow this template I say, even though Hart is young. None of this use Elliott 10 games in a row until he's hurt BS. Man that was dumb.

This feels heavy but not overly so and the lack of NMC takes even more bite out of it. I don't feel the need to clutch my pearls at an extra million per and an extra year overall than what has basically been the rumored amount (6-6.5 x 6) since the Flyers traded for Hayes's rights.

I'm excited for change in both the lineup, the coaching and the approach. I think its possible to strike a balance between young developed players and available free agents or trade acquisitions, I don't think it needs to be all one or all the other. Honestly the Braun deal feels like the most out of place right now but if it leads to a more stable and stout blueline then I'm not complaining.

As a Philadelphia fan though, I reserve the right to be upset over whatever Fletcher does next.

I thought 6.5 would be about right....so it is within reason. Cap will continue to climb, some of these top RFA's will drive the annual contract amounts even higher. The Flyers are a better team today then they were at the end of the season.....and its not close.....and Fletch isn't done.

When you have signings like this is where it is important not to overpay for your 4th line guys. Hopefully you have them on entry level deals or vet at 1m per. Going to be interesting to see what Laughton and Hartman get. Maybe they are both moved ...

I would have preferred the trade route to get a center. Maybe the cost was too high who knows.
- daryl stanley

I think the trade route was too high and I think they valued Hayes over Kadri or another center that might have been available.

The GM was given a mandate to fix what Hextall refused to do. Hex was like Smiegel and the ring hoarding/holding onto draft picks assets and money while the team went nowhere. lets not even go over the coaching issues...When you have to fix the holes immediately the previous "plumber" left leaking for years you have little choice, especially when the boss/shareholders/owners are trying to live in that house/sell tickets etc whatever analogy you want to use. There is also the window with G and other top level players that wont remain open for that long. Hey the commish who I despise for all his faults is finally after 25+ years really bringing in large HRR to the league, even though I hate his methods. The cap goes up yearly unless Armageddon happens and the Hayes salary will become a non issue near the end of term... when its all said and done, having people slotted in the right place makes everyone around them more successful and allows people to grow & learn- a good part of our youngsters are still that. Thats what these moves are about, to solidify and this is the only one contract with any long term concerns.
- RajaAmpat

The plumber that left the leak was Holmgren, not Hextall.

This feels heavy but not overly so and the lack of NMC takes even more bite out of it. I don't feel the need to clutch my pearls at an extra million per and an extra year overall than what has basically been the rumored amount (6-6.5 x 6) since the Flyers traded for Hayes's rights.

I'm excited for change in both the lineup, the coaching and the approach. I think its possible to strike a balance between young developed players and available free agents or trade acquisitions, I don't think it needs to be all one or all the other. Honestly the Braun deal feels like the most out of place right now but if it leads to a more stable and stout blueline then I'm not complaining.

As a Philadelphia fan though, I reserve the right to be upset over whatever Fletcher does next.
- shekkie

I'm fine with everything he's done so far. Braun is a quality D man, Just a solid vet. You win with guys like that. I don't think Fletch is done. I still think a D man is moved.
all I know is this team sucked last year....and had become stagnant. They fired the GM, the coach and its time to bring in some different players.

The plumber that left the leak was Holmgren, not Hextall.
- MJL

Amen to that. Hextall set us up for all the future success we will have and we should be thankful for that

Yes, but usually when people speculate, they use all of the facts to make an informed decision. The only facts related to a NMC is that an insider with a good track record has reported that it's unlikely. So why would you speculate that there IS one? Just because you expect Fletcher to intentionally make a bad decision?
- jmatchett383

Whether there is a NMC or not does not determine whether signing Hayes at this term and length is a bad decision or not. It was a bad decision regardless.

Also, the more I think about it the NMC doesn’t matter. No expansion team is going to touch that contract.

Great, so if it's truly Holmgren 2.0, the Flyers will make the ECF next season and the Cup Finals two years after that, and then tie for the most points in the Eastern Conference in the regular season that follows the trip to the Finals. They'll win seven playoff series over a span of five years. Yeah, that'd be a total disaster.

BTW, Hayes isn't a speed demon but he also isn't slow. He had no issues playing effectively in New York at the pace that J.T. Miller and Carl Hagelin set. A healthy Niskanen is not slow at all; mobility has always been one of his strengths. Braun, yes, looked a bit slow this past season.
- bmeltzer

I find it amusing that guys continue to dump on Holmgren when his results weren't that bad. At least the Flyers were relevant.....at least they held guys accountable. he made mistakes, but he also made some fantastic moves. That happens when your aggressive.
But as a fan I would much rather aggressively failing then passively standing by and accepting some BS that this team is still two years away from contending. It's a cop out excuse.

Whether there is a NMC or not does not determine whether signing Hayes at this term and length is a bad decision or not. It was a bad decision regardless.

Also, the more I think about it the NMC doesn’t matter. No expansion team is going to touch that contract.
- StepfordSam

Just like Vegas didnt touch the Clarkson contract?

I thought 6.5 would be about right....so it is within reason. Cap will continue to climb, some of these top RFA's will drive the annual contract amounts even higher. The Flyers are a better team today then they were at the end of the season.....and its not close.....and Fletch isn't done.
- landros 2

I think that price was the entering argument with a NMC, but as others have said, you probably had to add .5M per year to not have a NMC, and that probably add the extra year as well...So with no NMC, the price and term make sense for not letting him hit UFA on July 1st.

Great, so if it's truly Holmgren 2.0, the Flyers will make the ECF next season and the Cup Finals two years after that, and then tie for the most points in the Eastern Conference in the regular season that follows the trip to the Finals. They'll win seven playoff series over a span of five years. Yeah, that'd be a total disaster.

BTW, Hayes isn't a speed demon but he also isn't slow. He had no issues playing effectively in New York at the pace that J.T. Miller and Carl Hagelin set. A healthy Niskanen is not slow at all; mobility has always been one of his strengths. Braun, yes, looked a bit slow this past season.
- bmeltzer

This Holmgren hate is embarrassing. Hated the JvR for Schenn trade. Hated the Andrew MacDonald signing but the Vinny and Bryzgalov signings, everyone wanted until we didn’t anymore. Bryzgalov was also bought out for nothing, so no harm.

Amen to that. Hextall set us up for all the future success we will have and we should be thankful for that
- bulet13

Saint Ronnie

Just like Vegas didnt touch the Clarkson contract?
- bulet13

How’d that work out for them? What’s their cap situation like this offseason?

I think the trade route was too high and I think they valued Hayes over Kadri or another center that might have been available.
- JW98FlyerFan

As reported, apparently Hayes is very well respected in the room. That's important as well. Say we give up a load of assets for kadri, then he starts his yearly antics in the playoffs. Bad news for chemistry. Av knows him and it was a better fit that cost cash not assets.

This Holmgren hate is embarrassing. Hated the JvR for Schenn trade. Hated the Andrew MacDonald signing but the Vinny and Bryzgalov signings, everyone wanted until we didn’t anymore. Bryzgalov was also bought out for nothing, so no harm.
- SuperSchennBros

I think the the overall view of both the Bryz and Vinny signings was much more measured than you're remembering.

Bryz wasn't so much celebrated as being great but more it was a decision one way or another rather than watching Lavi flub the goalie handling.

Vinny was what he was, a vet on a high dollar contract who appeared that might be able to help the team for a time.

I don't think either were overly celebrated.

So one of the reasons Hayes is getting overpaid is because he's a center. The Flyers are then going to turn around and take 1 of their better prospects who also happens to be a center, and turn him into a winger primarily because of the Hayes contract?

As reported, apparently Hayes is very well respected in the room. That's important as well. Say we give up a load of assets for kadri, then he starts his yearly antics in the playoffs. Bad news for chemistry. Av knows him and it was a better fit that cost cash not assets.
- Hextall271

Probably part of the equation we aren't mentioning enough. New coach, and then the team signs a guy who played for him for 4 seasons. There must be something there the coach likes and wanted.

How’d that work out for them? What’s their cap situation like this offseason?
- StepfordSam

In 2 years they made the Stanley cup finals and were a bad call away from the second round of the playoffs. Don't think the fans mind too much

So one of the reasons Hayes is getting overpaid is because he's a center. The Flyers are then going to turn around and take 1 of their better prospects who also happens to be a center, and turn him into a winger primarily because of the Hayes contract?
- wolfhounds

I've been saying Frost would be a wing in the NHL all along. From what I have seen of his game, his speed would be better suited for wing in the NHL. Just my opinion.