No one HAS to be protected except Hayes and Giroux, right? As of 6/29, Laughton is a player on the Flyers roster. If he is not protected, he could be picked and count as the Seattle selection from the Flyers roster, unless I am missing something.

Anyway, I would sign him before that, and expose the other 2 I mentioned.
- PT21

why he’s a free agent. If he wants to sign here he will

Binnington just got 6yr/36M today, this should set the market for Hart's next deal, which given the way he has played this year should be less than this.
- jd250

No way you kidding. Let him earn his money . He’s not there yet. I would give him a one or two year prove it deal

Although they can take only one player per team through the ED process, I suppose they can take multiple UFAs from the same team during free agency. I don’t recall if that actually happened following the Vegas draft. I remember it being pointed out that Vegas had already had preliminary negotiations with available UFAs before the other teams.
- NC Flyers Fan

I think for this to make sense, they can take multiple UFAs from 1 team during FA, as any other team can. But they will have that 48 hour pre-draft negotiation window with only one 1 UFA per team, and further, if they do sign that player, they cannot take anyone else from that team.

Which of course means that it is really no different from selecting the UFA in the ED (ust with the guarantee that he will be sign the new contract for the following years).

I think for this to make sense, they can take multiple UFAs from 1 team during FA, as any other team can. But they will have that 48 hour pre-draft negotiation window with only one 1 UFA per team, and further, if they do sign that player, they cannot take anyone else from that team.

Which of course means that it is really no different from selecting the UFA in the ED (ust with the guarantee that he will be sign the new contract for the following years).
- PT21

Sounds right.

No way you kidding. Let him earn his money . He’s not there yet. I would give him a one or two year prove it deal
- wbroudy

This is the silver lining to Hart’s struggles. Take advantage, get 3 or 4 years to cover the flat cap era.

Frustrating part is that they are dumb turnovers. They just make a lot of dumb plays with the puck and it isnt just 1 guy, its everyone. With the G pulled this team looks like a bunch of 5 year olds trying to move the puck
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

The fact that much of this is self-inflicted does make it more frustrating...gives hope...bait.

Note to Hayes ... hockey 101 when puck dumped in and your first guy in you take the man out behind net with puck. You don’t guess which way dman is gonna pass and peel off. Hayes takes the body on last goal and he doesn’t turn and fire puck down ice into empty net. Just pathetic hockey with this team. Is this lazy play or coaching? Surely Hayes will be rewarded for this great play

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

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

I agree with this.

No need to go long term on hart just yet. Bridge deal. See what you have in Erson
- login

Yes, I think Hart absolutely should get a bridge deal and it should not cost the Flyers more than say $5M a season. I look at Binnington's deal as an upper end from which to work down from to figure out what Hart should earn.

- Richieattack18

Ok, laughing man, which D on the Flyers right now is better than Ekholm? I'm asking so I can get a good laugh!

No way you kidding. Let him earn his money . He’s not there yet. I would give him a one or two year prove it deal
- wbroudy

As I posted, Hart should get less than this!

I think you're right. Aube-Kubel should've backhanded that puck deep. Also this is what we're talking about in attention to detail. Look what Gustafsson is doing on the play. Why is he skating laterally backwards away from the play towards the opposite boards. As soon as he sees the puck come up high like that, he belongs skating back to the middle of the ice to protect on a breakout in the event of a turnover. It's rarely just one mistake with this team. It's usually one mistake compounded by others.
- MJL

Thanks for pointing that out, I was wondering what Gus was doing there, I thought there was a change and he was coming off the bench, because he was so far away from the play. Just bad plays on top of bad plays from this team.

If that wink-wink deal is winky enough for Seattle to know about and be dissuaded from trying to woo away Laughton during the negotiating period, then fine.

Else they may theoretically woo away Laughton during the negotiating period, and sign say Raffl as their pick. Then they sign Laughton when UFA opens. So we lose 2 players instead of 1.

(Btw, ED is apparently 6/21 not 6/29 as I think I wrote earlier).

EDIT: Every site I look at shows different dates. But based on this, it seems ED is 7/21 and UFA starts a week later.

If contract years start on July 1, I have to confess I do not understand why Farabee would not be in the 3rd year of his ELC then.

What a mess!
- PT21

Unless they throw outrageous money at Laughton, why would he want to sign in Seattle? Who cares about dissuading them?

The NHL season starts when the UFA period starts. Until then, Farabee is a 2nd year player.

Based on what MJL wrote, the only way this makes sense is that if Seattle does come to terms with an unprotected UFA, then they do not pick from the player's current team during the ED.

(So, if they come to terms with Laughton, then they do not select anyone from Flyers during the ED. Because if they can, they could end up with 2 players from the organization.)

Thus, the wink-wink deal with Laughton would have to be public enough that Seattle does not start negotiating with Laughton during the previous 2 days.
- PT21

No, it doesn't have to be public at all. All Laughton has to do is say no thanks to Seattle. I want to play with the Flyers.

Although they can take only one player per team through the ED process, I suppose they can take multiple UFAs from the same team during free agency. I don’t recall if that actually happened following the Vegas draft. I remember it being pointed out that Vegas had already had preliminary negotiations with available UFAs before the other teams.
- NC Flyers Fan

During the actual free agency period, they can sign anyone they want if they have the cap space. Not during the 48 hour window though. Only on player from a team.

Yes, I think Hart absolutely should get a bridge deal and it should not cost the Flyers more than say $5M a season. I look at Binnington's deal as an upper end from which to work down from to figure out what Hart should earn.
- jd250

The Binnington deal has no bearing on a potential Hart deal.

Unless they throw outrageous money at Laughton, why would he want to sign in Seattle? Who cares about dissuading them?

The NHL season starts when the UFA period starts. Until then, Farabee is a 2nd year player.
- MJL

1. Because they could say: show us any offer Flyers make/have made, and we will up it by 0.75m a year, and you will get 1st line mins and pp1 time.
2. Thanks. I thought every year on contract is a fixed 365 day period.

1. Because they could say: show us any offer Flyers make/have made, and we will up it by 0.75m a year, and you will get 1st line mins and pp1 time.
2. Thanks. I thought every year on contract is a fixed 365 day period.
- PT21

So he's going to sign with an expansion team for an extra 750K? I seriously doubt it. If Laughton is going to test free agency, he'll test it in the entire league and not just with one team. An expansion team at that.

So he's going to sign with an expansion team for an extra 750K? I seriously doubt it. If Laughton is going to test free agency, he'll test it in the entire league and not just with one team. An expansion team at that.
- MJL

You know more about this stuff than I do, but there seems to be a hole Seattle can exploit.

Use the pre-ED negotiating time with Laughts to make a pitch. Here's the pitch: hit UFA and give us a call after looking at offers. We will very like be able to throw in a much more lucrative deal than the best you are getting. AT worst, we won't and you can sign with whoever you like and you would be no worse off.

We will also be able to give you F1 and PP! time. You are unlikely to get that with someone else. This will also mean much more money for your contract further down.

And, Seattle is a great town.

Then, they sign Raffl in the ED and Scottie during FA.

You know more about this stuff than I do, but there seems to be a hole Seattle can exploit.

Use the pre-ED negotiating time with Laughts to make a pitch. Here's the pitch: hit UFA and give us a call after looking at offers. We will very like be able to throw in a much more lucrative deal than the best you are getting. AT worst, we won't and you can sign with whoever you like and you would be no worse off.

We will also be able to give you F1 and PP! time. You are unlikely to get that with someone else. This will also mean much more money for your contract further down.

And, Seattle is a great town.

Then, they sign Raffl in the ED and Scottie during FA.
- PT21

Not sure what you mean by F1. Do you mean the first line center spot? I doubt they would make that pitch. I also think you overlook players wanting to win. I don't see Seattle being an attractive spot for Laughton in free agency. There's no hole to exploit. The rules are simple.

Not sure what you mean by F1. Do you mean the first line center spot? I doubt they would make that pitch. I also think you overlook players wanting to win. I don't see Seattle being an attractive spot for Laughton in free agency. There's no hole to exploit. The rules are simple.
- MJL

First line.

First line.
- PT21

Not the right term. F1 in hockey does not refer to the first line.

Not the right term. F1 in hockey does not refer to the first line.
- MJL

Yes, misleading. I was just being lazy.