Besides Hez, Roo: protect TK, JVR, Couts, Laughton and Nopa.

Expose Voracek and Oskar. They will take Raffl over those 2 anyway!
- PT21

Laughton is a UFA.....so you don’t heed to protect him. It will be interesting what the Flyers do. But we may end up protecting a guy that’s not even on the team today....time will tell.

That is overrating Ekholm. Trading a top 4 younger defenseman in Gostisbehere plus a 1st round pick is an overpayment.
- MJL

If Ghost is a top 4 Dman, I'm Wayne Gretzky! And I am done with picks, we need good players.

That is overrating Ekholm. Trading a top 4 younger defenseman in Gostisbehere plus a 1st round pick is an overpayment.
- MJL

Ghost is An inconsistent top 4. Injury prone. Ekholm is a better fit for this team.

Again, Ekholm would be the best defenseman on this team if acquired. Its far from a lateral move.
- jd250

He means what you would have to give up nets out to zero as far as affecting your chances of being a legit contender.

By the time this team is contending, Ekholm is like 32ish or more. And you are giving up some assets you could use to make bigger trades and using up $ you could use to sign a more impact player.

What's the point in improving from average to certain also-ran status?

Its one thing to sign a FA and trade a player like Radko Gudas, its a completely different thing to implement a good hockey trade where you are potentially giving up good assets, mid season.
- jd250

A trade is a trade. Gudas for Niskanen was a very smart shrewd hockey trade. Whether it's in the off season or during the season. Don't make a move and give up future assets to make the team marginally better and a better playoff bubble team. That's not a shrewd decision.

And you can sign him for another 4 years if he works out. Its a no brainer IMO.
- jd250

That would be great! But with what money? The team has to ride this out and fix it. I'd like to see who will be protected for the ED. The forwards need to remember to backcheck, the defense needs to remember positioning, and everyone needs to stop the stupid passes.

AV looked down and drawn at his post game presser tonight. I really think this team is tuning him out, and if so Fletcher has got to move players, because AV is a good, proven hockey coach.
- jd250

I don’t agree with all AVs moves but this isn’t on him. Players are the ones not playing well.

If Ghost is a top 4 Dman, I'm Wayne Gretzky! And I am done with picks, we need good players.
- jd250

Gostisbehere has been a top 4 defenseman in the past and is absolutely playing at a top 4 level this season. Sorry to hear about your Dad.

There aren't going to be any big moves available.
- MJL

If Ekholm is available and the Flyers get him, that would be a big move, even though I have come to the realization that it won't be enough by itself to save this season. This team as a whole really stinks right now.

Gostisbehere has been a top 4 defenseman in the past and is absolutely playing at a top 4 level this season. Sorry to hear about your Dad.
- MJL

good one!

I don’t agree with all AVs moves but this isn’t on him. Players are the ones not playing well.
- landros 2

I would have asked AV why Farabee was on the bench during that 4 on 4 and PP late in the 3rd. That made no sense to me, JVR out there 4 on 4???

Gostisbehere has been a top 4 defenseman in the past and is absolutely playing at a top 4 level this season. Sorry to hear about your Dad.
- MJL

😆

If Ekholm is available and the Flyers get him, that would be a big move, even though I have come to the realization that it won't be enough by itself to save this season. This team as a whole really stinks right now.
- jd250

It's a move that won't significantly elevate the team. If a move doesn't do that then how big of a move is it really? Ekblom is not the player you think he is. He's a good solid 2nd pair all around defenseman. The cost is prohibitive. The move would not put the Flyers on par with the top teams in the league. The small short term gain is not worth what you lose for the future.

Ok, we'll see in the next couple of weeks, I hope he does something, and something big!
- jd250

Unless one of Provy, Meyers, or Sanheim is part of a deal, I guarantee you no top 4 dman is coming in because of the expansion draft. Maybe someone on an expiring contact but I’d prefer they don’t overpay or gamble on someone that may not resign. Let the chips fall where they may at this point, why give up assets for a team that doesn’t haave it together this year?

Unless one of Provy, Meyers, or Sanheim is part of a deal, I guarantee you no top 4 dman is coming in because of the expansion draft. Maybe someone on an expiring contact but I’d prefer they don’t overpay or gamble on someone that may not resign. Let the chips fall where they may at this point, why give up assets for a team that doesn’t haave it together this year?
- iroc4me2

This

Patrick only had 9:31 TOI but still managed a -3.
The good news is he actually had a SOG.
Babysteps.

Laughton is a UFA.....so you don’t heed to protect him. It will be interesting what the Flyers do. But we may end up protecting a guy that’s not even on the team today....time will tell.
- landros 2

I was already wrong about the draft 2 days ago, and again, correct me if I am wrong, but UFA status starts 7/1, while draft is 6/29. So, technically, if Flyers leave Laughton unprotected, Seattle has 3 days of exclusive talking rights with him to ensure he will sign with them if they pick him.

That would be great! But with what money? The team has to ride this out and fix it. I'd like to see who will be protected for the ED. The forwards need to remember to backcheck, the defense needs to remember positioning, and everyone needs to stop the stupid passes.
- RustyPipes

If I were GM, my hope is JVR gets picked by Seattle, and I unload Jake. This would get me about 13M (given I would have to take some of Jake's salary to move him), and if I trade Ghost that gets me another 4.5M. The cap space will be there next season.

I was already wrong about the draft 2 days ago, and again, correct me if I am wrong, but UFA status starts 7/1, while draft is 6/29. So, technically, if Flyers leave Laughton unprotected, Seattle has 3 days of exclusive talking rights with him to ensure he will sign with them if they pick him.
- PT21

It has been stated to you numerous times that players who are UFA's don't have to be protected.

If I were GM, my hope is JVR gets picked by Seattle, and I unload Jake. This would get me about 13M (given I would have to take some of Jake's salary to move him), and if I trade Ghost that gets me another 4.5M. The cap space will be there next season.
- jd250

When did Jim Rutherford become the Flyers GM?

If I were GM, my hope is JVR gets picked by Seattle, and I unload Jake. This would get me about 13M (given I would have to take some of Jake's salary to move him), and if I trade Ghost that gets me another 4.5M. The cap space will be there next season.
- jd250

If the Flyers don't trade Gostisbehere, he is more likely to be taken by Seattle than JVR.

Patrick only had 9:31 TOI but still managed a -3.
The good news is he actually had a SOG.
Babysteps.
- Djapana

I didn't like the idea of playing him on the 4th line anyway, but even in the minutes he played, he is just not making a difference. Just have to give him the year and hope something clicks. At this point, I can't see the Flyers protecting him, and I don't see Seattle picking him either.

He means what you would have to give up nets out to zero as far as affecting your chances of being a legit contender.

By the time this team is contending, Ekholm is like 32ish or more. And you are giving up some assets you could use to make bigger trades and using up $ you could use to sign a more impact player.

What's the point in improving from average to certain also-ran status?
- PT21

I the Flyers aren’t going to try and contend this year or next then Fletcher should be really busy getting rid of Jake, JVR and Braun and maybe ask Giroux to waive his NMC. I don’t think the Flyers brass would agree...they have a lot of high paid vets for which the window is starting to close....they have some really good young players who are getting better. They also have guys under achieving and that’s the area that needs to be addressed but make no mistake the Flyers think they can contend.

I didn't like the idea of playing him on the 4th line anyway, but even in the minutes he played, he is just not making a difference. Just have to give him the year and hope something clicks. At this point, I can't see the Flyers protecting him, and I don't see Seattle picking him either.
- jd250

Seattle would have high interest in Patrick if left unprotected.

When did Jim Rutherford become the Flyers GM?
- RustyPipes

Hey, I will take that as a compliment, after all Rutherford's got a ring at least