AV, Hayes, Niskanen and Braun might help even some of the peaks and valleys out, but this is still a team that's young at key positions, so it'll mostly likely be up/down again.

Division got tougher, too. Making the PO's won't be easy, even if nearly everything goes perfectly for the Flyers.
- Tomahawk

Agree 100%. What can't happen is for us to start the season slowly and play catch-up all year.

Devils;

Would they still be a franchise if they didn’t “win” the lottery twice? Once would not have been enough in my opinion. Last time that happen was Pitt???

The flyers can finally match up better at home and even on the road

The flyers can finally match up better at home and even on the road
- wcorvette

Stability in goal and a hopefully improved PK will really help us overall.

Agreed, but... If he is in the 38-48 point range at the salary he is being paid wouldn't that be problematic? I personally feel he is a third line center, that is seen as a second line center due to lack of centers on the market, and his deployment on when on the Rangers.

I am not sure of anyone who would accept those low-end numbers from Kevin "Purple" Hayes
- corduroy

If things go as planned, our 2nd and 3rd lines will be blurred. Similar ice time, based on match ups. Hayes gets the nod as 2C due to experience. Plus he should be centering JvR and Jake.

Due to the contract he is the 3rd highest paid player. If he doesn't get to at least 60 points I will be upset with the deal. I'm willing to let him justify it on the ice (for Fletch sake!).

G 30 goals and 60 assists
Jake 20 goals and 60 assists
Hayes 20 goals and 40 assists
JvR 30 goals and 30 assists
Coots 30 goals and 40 assists
TK 25 goals and 25 assists
Patrick 20 goals? And 25 assists?
Lindblom 20 goals and 20 assists

so if Marleau can be moved, I guess most anyone can...

so if Marleau can be moved, I guess most anyone can...
- wcorvette

Yeah, when you're giving another team a 1st...

If things go as planned, our 2nd and 3rd lines will be blurred. Similar ice time, based on match ups. Hayes gets the nod as 2C due to experience. Plus he should be centering JvR and Jake.

Due to the contract he is the 3rd highest paid player. If he doesn't get to at least 60 points I will be upset with the deal. I'm willing to let him justify it on the ice (for Fletch sake!).

G 30 goals and 60 assists
Jake 20 goals and 60 assists
Hayes 20 goals and 40 assists
JvR 30 goals and 30 assists
Coots 30 goals and 40 assists
TK 25 goals and 25 assists
Patrick 20 goals? And 25 assists?
Lindblom 20 goals and 20 assists
- cdearth23

I like your projects. I think the only unfair one might he Giroux.

so if Marleau can be moved, I guess most anyone can...
- wcorvette

I know that gets the Leafs out of a cap pickle, but no first this year. None next. Eventually that will catch up to you IMO. The Leafs simply do not have enough talent on D to compete for the Cup, and drafting some D may have helped.

I like your projects. I think the only unfair one might he Giroux.
- SuperSchennBros

G could be 25 and 50 and it could be a successful year. Everything needs to fill into place.

G could be 25 and 50 and it could be a successful year. Everything needs to fill into place.
- cdearth23

Absolutely. I am hoping with better tending and PK we don't give up as many goals, and if so 25 and 50 from G would be just fine. Allowing him to play wing exclusively I think is going to help us a lot similar to two seasons ago.

I like your projects. I think the only unfair one might he Giroux.
- SuperSchennBros

I would like to see more consistancy in our lines. I think some holes forced us to move guys around too much last couple of years. If we can keep lines together then we are having (or should be having) a good season. With the exception of our yet to be determined 3W, every forward in our lineup could have 10+ goals. Raffl (10), Laughton (15), and Hartman (15) is a strong 4th line. If we can get 30+ goals from them that is good stuff.

As someone mentioned, our entire division will be strong. CBJ might be the only question mark right now due to pending FAs but there won't be any easy nights. It will be fun to see.

I would like to see more consistancy in our lines. I think some holes forced us to move guys around too much last couple of years. If we can keep lines together then we are having (or should be having) a good season. With the exception of our yet to be determined 3W, every forward in our lineup could have 10+ goals. Raffl (10), Laughton (15), and Hartman (15) is a strong 4th line. If we can get 30+ goals from them that is good stuff.

As someone mentioned, our entire division will be strong. CBJ might be the only question mark right now due to pending FAs but there won't be any easy nights. It will be fun to see.
- cdearth23

I see it being more of an issue of having to swap positions vice shifting lines. You have to move some guys up and down sometimes to improve match ups or see how guys click...the thing we have been forced into was swapping positions as there were not 4 true centers on the team for years...I think that does a ton of damage when you are swapping positions. Moving up and down lines is much easier and you can only do that with the right mix of players...this year maybe the first time in a long time the Flyers have that on both offense and defense.

I would like to see more consistancy in our lines. I think some holes forced us to move guys around too much last couple of years. If we can keep lines together then we are having (or should be having) a good season. With the exception of our yet to be determined 3W, every forward in our lineup could have 10+ goals. Raffl (10), Laughton (15), and Hartman (15) is a strong 4th line. If we can get 30+ goals from them that is good stuff.

As someone mentioned, our entire division will be strong. CBJ might be the only question mark right now due to pending FAs but there won't be any easy nights. It will be fun to see.
- cdearth23

That is really, really optimistic for a 4th line.

I see it being more of an issue of having to swap positions vice shifting lines. You have to move some guys up and down sometimes to improve match ups or see how guys click...the thing we have been forced into was swapping positions as there were not 4 true centers on the team for years...I think that does a ton of damage when you are swapping positions. Moving up and down lines is much easier and you can only do that with the right mix of players...this year maybe the first time in a long time the Flyers have that on both offense and defense.
- JW98FlyerFan

Correct. It was done out of necessity. G had to play center more last season so he and Coots were split.

With the cap ceiling only being $81.5m, Fletch has left himself in a bit of a bind with the Hayes, Niskanen and Braun deals. If you demote Schlemko and Lyon, and promote Myers, you have a 15 man roster at $58,957,579.

That leaves $22,542,421 in space to add eight players. If the Flyers wanted to go long term with their three big RFAS, I think these AAVs are realistic.

Provorov $7m
Sanheim $4.5m
Konency $5.5m

Then you would be at 18 players with only $5,542,421‬ left. If Aube-Kubel and Bailey sign their QOs, you have a 20 man roster with $4,030,421‬.

NAK $761,250
Bailey $750,750

So you end up with just over $4m to sign:

Hartman
Laughton
Backup goalie

That is really, really optimistic for a 4th line.
- MJL

I agree on that level of expectation...I think the defensive play and the ability to breakout of our own zone will dictate how much the 4th line can contribute on the offense...honestly you like scoring production, but you really want puck possession out of those guys and that will start with the D...

The real question will be how many minutes a night can they be trusted to eat up...when you can trust them to be out there and shoulder a heavy load that takes pressure off the other 3 lines and that I think is the key to avoiding the huge swings we saw in the W/L column.

That is really, really optimistic for a 4th line.
- MJL

Very optimistic. I do think that 10 goals for each could be reached. It's June so I'm dreaming.

so if Marleau can be moved, I guess most anyone can...
- wcorvette

Dave Clarkson got moved at the ED, so yes anyone can be moved.

Now he's a real problem for Vegas.

https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/goldenknights

Not sure I feel confident locking Prov into a long-term deal yet. I'd take a wait and see deal of like 3-4 years, then revisit later.
- Tomahawk

4 years would make him a 26 year old UFA like Trouba will be. So that's a no go.

But I'd happily do 3 x $5m for Provorov. I can't seem him putting up the gaudy point totals that would make him a $10m dman on his next deal.

If he fails to score 50 points his first year, the universe is gonna implode with all the hate thrown his way.
- Tomahawk

What if he scores 39 points in 63 games?

With the cap ceiling only being $81.5m, Fletch has left himself in a bit of a bind with the Hayes, Niskanen and Braun deals. If you demote Schlemko and Lyon, and promote Myers, you have a 15 man roster at $58,957,579.

That leaves $22,542,421 in space to add eight players. If the Flyers wanted to go long term with their three big RFAS, I think these AAVs are realistic.

Provorov $7m
Sanheim $4.5m
Konency $5.5m

Then you would be at 18 players with only $5,542,421‬ left. If Aube-Kubel and Bailey sign their QOs, you have a 20 man roster with $4,030,421‬.

NAK $761,250
Bailey $750,750

So you end up with just over $4m to sign:

Hartman
Laughton
Backup goalie
- Feanor

Yep, someone is getting traded. Also at the very least need to keep 1M in reserve for injuries and call ups.

I would like to see more consistancy in our lines. I think some holes forced us to move guys around too much last couple of years. If we can keep lines together then we are having (or should be having) a good season. With the exception of our yet to be determined 3W, every forward in our lineup could have 10+ goals. Raffl (10), Laughton (15), and Hartman (15) is a strong 4th line. If we can get 30+ goals from them that is good stuff.

As someone mentioned, our entire division will be strong. CBJ might be the only question mark right now due to pending FAs but there won't be any easy nights. It will be fun to see.
- cdearth23

Penguins will be a question mark. They did nothing in the draft to improve that D and Murray has been constantly injured.

They're up against the cap and no one is taking JJ for 5 mil a year for 4 more years.

They may have to trade a core piece to get out of the hole JR has put them in.

Yep, someone is getting traded. Also at the very least need to keep 1M in reserve for injuries and call ups.
- MJL

2real already traded ghost we’re good

Have to think jersey will be in the FA bidding wars, I hope the FA’s deals are way over the top.